Best console for gaming/media duties?
Discussion
I've not really been a gamer for years, but every so often I get the urge to dip in and play something. Problem is I lose interest quickly and object to paying £20-30 for a game.
Which of the current series of games consoles would be the best choice if I tended to prefer "instant gratification" to being fully immersed and if I wanted a wide choice of games plus possibly being able to use the console to hook into other media, be it stuff stored on my computer or (long shot) dvd/blu-ray?
The Wii sounds appealing as I believe you can download games but the range looks second-rate compared to the stuff you can buy, which I guess does make sense as they want you to buy the boxed retail games.
Which of the current series of games consoles would be the best choice if I tended to prefer "instant gratification" to being fully immersed and if I wanted a wide choice of games plus possibly being able to use the console to hook into other media, be it stuff stored on my computer or (long shot) dvd/blu-ray?
The Wii sounds appealing as I believe you can download games but the range looks second-rate compared to the stuff you can buy, which I guess does make sense as they want you to buy the boxed retail games.
Total mix to be fair. Sometimes I can spend a long time playing things like Zelda or Metal Gear Solid (probably showing the last time I had a games console) but more recently I'll find myself in those online flash arcades - something that could offer access to that sort of range of games online would be good, hell knowing me just being able to download the demos would probably suffice 
I'm assuming the game makers are still very much working on the theory of "you want a game, you go to Game and hand them £30" though?
I'm assuming the game makers are still very much working on the theory of "you want a game, you go to Game and hand them £30" though?
For the "big ticket" releases, yes. But all of the consoles have downloadable games, priced around a tenner. Obviously they aren't quite as big as the shop ones, but some of them are surprisingly decent.
In terms of media, the PS3 is the obvious choice as it's the only one with Blu-Ray. The Xbox 360 can play DVDs out of the box but won't do Blu-Ray, and the Wii needs hacking just to play DVDs. Both PS3 and Wii have iPlayer on them, the Xbox doesn't.
Wi-Fi wise, the PS3 and Wii have it built in, it's a pricey add-on for the Xbox (I used Homeplugs as they were cheaper than the wireless)
In terms of media, the PS3 is the obvious choice as it's the only one with Blu-Ray. The Xbox 360 can play DVDs out of the box but won't do Blu-Ray, and the Wii needs hacking just to play DVDs. Both PS3 and Wii have iPlayer on them, the Xbox doesn't.
Wi-Fi wise, the PS3 and Wii have it built in, it's a pricey add-on for the Xbox (I used Homeplugs as they were cheaper than the wireless)
http://store.steampowered.com/
However you need a gaming PC capable of playing the latest games, and they are not cheap compared to a console. I use steam and also have a PS3.
You are looking at more like £40 for the latest games on the Xbox 360 or PS3 btw, PC games tend to be slightly cheaper.
However you need a gaming PC capable of playing the latest games, and they are not cheap compared to a console. I use steam and also have a PS3.
You are looking at more like £40 for the latest games on the Xbox 360 or PS3 btw, PC games tend to be slightly cheaper.
Edited by 130R on Sunday 27th February 13:40
Any likelihood of a new Wii on the horizon with dvd and wifi?
Nintendo have a habit of seeming to do the sort of games I like but it would be nice to have it double up for DVD/Blu-Ray/Media duties.
On the PC side, I take the point but it's just overkill as I already have a perfectly good Mac, just sometimes you feel like flicking on a console and just killing a little time.
Nintendo have a habit of seeming to do the sort of games I like but it would be nice to have it double up for DVD/Blu-Ray/Media duties.
On the PC side, I take the point but it's just overkill as I already have a perfectly good Mac, just sometimes you feel like flicking on a console and just killing a little time.
The_Jackal said:
Cant go wrong with a new Xbox slim 250Gb for £160 these days.
Can you play .avi's on the Xbox? I tried to copy a few over to a friends but they wouldn't play (needed codecs I think & he wasn't connected to the net either) so is it right to assume they can't play them at all and the 250GB is for copying games over to only.What TV have you got? If you've got a Sony with Bravia Link, a Panasonic with Viera Link or so with thmething else with the equivalent, then one nicety is that you can control much of the PS3 Slim via the TV remote if connected via HDMI. I've got a Panny TV and can turn it on and navigate all the menus etc using my standard TV remote, much nicer for watching DVD / Blurays etc than having to use a controller or buy the dedicated remote. Not sure if the XBox can also do this or not?
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