Many improvements have been made since the Magnavox Odyssey, the first home video game system, was released in 1972. Games no longer necessitate translucent television overlays to simulate color graphics or plastic tokens and tally sheets to keep score. Most modern consoles have sound capabilities and run on AC power instead of batteries.
Among these consoles, the two most modern are the Nintendo Wii and Sony’s PlayStation 3. Since their releases in late 2006, fans have disputed which system is superior.
From a technical standpoint, the PS3 is excellent. It has a 3.2 GHz processor, half a gigabyte of RAM, at least 20 gigabytes of memory and built-in Internet. This coupled with its fantastic graphics, motion sensory controllers and Blu-ray disc capability would seemingly make the PS3 a gaming powerhouse, especially compared to the Wii’s specifications.
But these specs don’t take gaming experience into account. Sure, the PlayStation controllers have motion sensory, where a tilting motion allows the player to do things like steer in a car-racing game. But this is nothing compared to the Wii’s full motion wireless controller. You can perfect your swing, practice your pitch and roll with the punches in “Wii Sports,” a game including baseball, tennis, golf, bowling and boxing. The Wii’s motion controls are used in most every game, which makes game play extremely interactive.
The PS3 does not have such interactive game play, but what about compatibility? The PS3 can play all previous PlayStation games, while the Wii only accepts Wii and GameCube discs. But for a miniscule $5 to $10, players can purchase previous Nintendo console games and play them on the Wii. This opens doors to the play of any Nintendo game, from Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party to the original Super Mario Brothers.
Both the Wii and the PS3 are Internet-ready and have their own browser. The Wii also has weather forecast and news applications.
If all of these factors aren’t convincing enough, the price should be the clincher. The PS3 currently sells for $499-$599, depending on the model, while the Wii markets for half that at only $249.
Paul Cronan, English sophomore, summed it up best: “The Wii far surpassed my expectations, and for my money, it’s a much better value than the PlayStation.”
—–Bryan really … really likes the nunchuck. Contact him at bgoldberger@lsureveille.com