Games Console Buying Guide

There are many different games consoles on the market today, and they range in price greatly. From handheld consoles to state of the art interactive, wireless consoles, there is one out there to suit everyone and every budget.
There are a few things to consider when looking to buy a games console such as price, the kind of games you wish to play, where you will use it, and interactivity.
Games consoles range from approximately £100 for a handheld and up to £300 for a regular console. The price of games range too, from approximately £15 for an older title up to £40 for a new release. It is also worth knowing that some games retailers do a trade-in scheme for used games.
There are many different types of games available for all kinds of interest, ranging from car racing to cooking, pet care to warfare. Some games consoles now offer interactive play in which you can connect and play against others from all over the world.

The games consoles available are:

PlayStation 2 - This games console has been around for 10 years and up until 2009 has reached sales of over 140 million, making it the best selling games console to date. The PS2 can also play CD's and DVD's and reads a memory card to playback saved game status. Online multiplayer gaming is available with the PS2 through a broadband internet connection.

PlayStation 3 - Successor to the PS2, the PS3 was first released in 2006 and has reached sales of 35.7 million as of March 2010. The PS3 offers wireless online gaming, along with the PlayStation Network where you can download games, see previews and trailers of new games and much more. The PS3 also offers multimedia capabilities, Blu-ray playback and PSP connectivity. The PlayStation 3 Slim was introduced in 2009 which brought a new Playstation logo.

Nintendo Wii - The Nintendo Wii delivered a revolutionary style of gameplay with screen interactivity and a wireless controller. The Wii was introduced in 2006 and has since enjoyed unit sales of 71 million. It has brought family fun to many household thanks to its multiplayer modes and wireless flexibility.

Xbox 360 - The Xbox 360 was launched in 2005 and has reached sales of 40 million units. The Xbox 360 offers the Xbox Live service which lets gamers play online, along with allowing game downloads, trailers, TV shows, music and movies. It also allows for media streaming from Netflix and Sky TV for example. The new version of the Xbox 360, the Xbox 360 S, has just been launched in the US, and will ship in Europe in July 2010.

Nintendo DS - There are many variations of the Ninendo DS. These are the Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, Nintendo DSi XL and soon to be launched is the Nintendo 3DS. All Nintendo DS are available in a range of colours. The first version of the Nintendo DS Lite was launched in 2005 and has since sold over 128 million units, combined of all versions.

PlayStation Portable (PSP) - The PSP was first launched in 2004 and provides a similar gaming experience to the Nintendo DS, but uses directional buttons instead of a stylus. It has a large screen, multimedia capabilities, and connectivity with the PS3, the Internet and other PSPs. The PSP Go was introduced as an updated version of the PSP offering gamers a lighter and smaller handheld with a sliding screen.

Source : http://www.articlesbase.com/computer-games-articles/games-console-buying-guide-2863482.html