Game On!

PlayStation 3 and Wii Offer Pricey Upgrades

If you're a gamer, the holidays might have come early this year with the release in the last few days of Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii. The two new systems join last year's hot offering, the Xbox 360, in a race to turn video game players into entertainment boxes that the whole family can use. But the newest system on the block might not be the best one for your family. Video game guru Tom Ham got the tough assignment of using the new systems. Here's his report.

PlayStation 3

If you can find the sleek and slick PlayStation 3 in stores, you'll probably like what you see.

Games, movies, just about anything you view using the PS3 looks terrific. That's because it has a powerful processor and graphics card. It also has a newer type of DVD drive, called Blu-ray. Blu-ray discs hold five to 10 times as much data as regular DVDs. That means that games are far more lifelike and movies are even sharper than regular DVDs. Sony is betting that before long all games and movies will use Blu-ray technology. (That might be a bit of a gamble -- ask your parents about the days of VHS and Betamax video players!) The system plays regular DVDs, too.

The PS3 is built for all your needs. It has four ports in front so you can plug in controllers, thumb drives and keyboards. You can even use a wireless Bluetooth cellphone headset to chat with other gamers while you're playing.

The PS3's controller looks a lot like a PS2 device, but it's wireless and a lot more fun. The controller senses motion, so it can incorporate a tilt right into the game. For example, in Tony Hawk's Project 8, players are able to steer their skaters just by tilting the controller.

Gamers will be pleased with the number of titles available right now. Whether you're into action, racing, sports or adventure, there is a good selection. While most older games will play on the PS3, there have been reports of glitches that keep some older games from working on the new units.

Sony has tried to create more than just a game system with the PlayStation3. Dad can create slide shows of vacation pictures on this system. Music lovers can play back MP3 and other audio files. Plug in a keyboard and mouse, and the built-in browser will let you surf the Web.

PS3 comes in two versions, 20 gigabyte and 60 gigabyte. The 60-gigabyte version is more powerful and comes with built-in wireless capability, but costs $100 more, selling for about $600.

That's a lot of money for a game system, so a good question to ask is: Would your family use the other functions that PlayStation 3 offers?

Nintendo Wii

The Nintendo Wii isn't the powerhouse that PS3 or Xbox 360 tries to be. Wii just wants to have fun.

From its much smaller console size to its funky new controller, everything is different about the Wii (pronounced Wee).

The controller has two parts, the Wiimote and the numchuk, connected by a cord. Both parts have sensors inside that determine where the controller is in space.

So if you're playing tennis on Wii Sports (which comes with the console), you want to swing the controller just like you would a tennis racket. Going Wii bowling? Then give the controller that good rolling motion. The motion you use gets translated into the game and onto the screen.

Wii is all about a new kind of game play, and there are plenty of titles available. Zelda fans can get their fix with The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Sports fans can play Madden NFL 07. Playing Wii versions of popular games does take some practice, but that just adds to the challenge. You also can play all GameCube games on the Wii.

But the family won't be gathering around the Wii to watch movies. It doesn't play DVDs, although that option might be available in the future. At $250, the Wii costs a lot less than the Xbox 360 or the PlayStation 3 and probably will appeal to families who like to play video games together.