Should I buy a video game console?

[SweetCosmicPope]

I love both of my next-gen consoles (wii and 360) for different reasons.

Both will stream netflix to my t.v. with ease, although I prefer the interface of the wii version.

Xbox has fun hardcore games with great graphics, and has an unrivaled online play, especially for first persion shooters and war games.

Wii is fun for casual gaming and gimmick gaming, assuming you wade through the crap titles (which there are plenty of). You can't beat a good party game with friends while having beers. Plus, they have the uuber-fun nintendo library of games (zelda, mario, metroid, etc

Nothing has ever really wowed me enough to make the jump and buy a PS3. That's not a knock to the system, but it's a third console that I don't need nor want. I already have a bluray player.

I say get an xbox. I think that'll probably get you the most bang for your buck, as they have casual and hardcore games, alike, and wii, while I love it to death and in many ways more than my xbox, just cannot keep up with xbox's online experience. That's the big failure on the wii's part.

 

[MYmacROX]

I love the wii sports and sports resort games(golf, bowling, boxing, basketball, archery, etc.). Just got wii fit plus last week and it is an awesome workout! I couldn't believe how much I sweat and how sore my muscles were this past week. I am by no means out of shape either. My BMI was normal and my fitness age was only one year older than my actual age, and I attribute that to my scoliosis. I mostly play the wii games with my wife. It gets us off our butts and beats going to the gym. Especially during the summer. Our temp today is 106 F, so you can bet I won't be jogging around the neighborhood. But I will do some wii running, biking and strength training. The biggest draw for me and my wife is the physical activity part of it all. Beats the heck out of pushing buttons and shooting aliens, Germans, bad guys, whatever. Some people are totally into that kind of gaming - just not me. That's why the wii was such a good fit for my house.

It all depends on what you are looking for.

 

[SweetCosmicPope]

Beats the heck out of pushing buttons and shooting...Germans...

This made me LOL

 

[alexsd123]

Unless you're a big Halo or Gears of War fan, go with the PS3.

Free online, built in wifi, and pretty much the same games as the xbox. Oh, not to mention the great bluray player.

The Wii is not a good gaming system, at least for "hardcore" gamers. Ever try playing a FPS on the Wii? It's awful, almost as bad as a FPS on the iPod Touch.

 

[Grizzly]

My input on this topic is that it depends on your style of play, money and time.

For a Wii, it is fun with others in the same house playing on the same system. There are good games for the wii but of course, it costs money to continuously buy game after game after you beat each one. You can always play games for 10 minutes or for 10 hours and be satisfied.

For the PS3, it is a great console. A game console and blu-ray player put into one. The specs on it are amazing and developers have yet to harness its true potential in games. PS3 is a great way to find and play games that take a good amount of hours to beat. The online community is simple and fun. Most of the games for the PS3 are time consuming, IMO.

For the 360, it is also a great console. Tons of games that apply to various types of gamers. Hardcore, recreational, etc. The online community for the 360 is worth paying for, IMO. Very organized, and easy to talk/invite people to play with you in any game that is multiplayer. 360 is very flexible, you can find games that you can play for 10 minutes, or games that can make you sit on your couch for hours trying to beat.

I own both the PS3 and 360 since I live by myself and prefer to be a lone gamer. I play my 360 more since I like competitive style gaming, like MW2 and Halo. It's very fun and challenging to meet, battle, and make friends who share the same potential as you do. The PS3 I love for single player content, like Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, God of War, etc. The graphics are amazing and it suits the games.

I used to own the Wii but I'm not a fan of continuously buying game after game. I'm, I guess you can say, stingy with money. I love games but I don't like the feeling of blowing it on games and such. I usually like to stick to multiplayer games like MW2 that I know I'll be playing for months and months until a sequel is out.

 

[EndlessMac]

My input on this topic is that it depends on your style of play, money and time.

I haven't read all the replies in this thread but that's pretty much my opinion on the topic also. What I like most about consoles is that I can play co-op games with a person in the same room. I know a lot of people like the online gaming experience but I still prefer the in person gaming experience.

When I get a few friends over there is just more excitement and intensity when we are all in the same room. It's a different experience when they are all in their separate homes.