With four ways to game in the living room or office, buyers have more options than ever before. Here's our quick guide to what separates one system from another.
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Nintendo Wii
The Wii goes from strength to strength in 2007
Price: $249
Who needs it: The Casual Gamer
The Basics
Nintendo's sleek white console was a smash hit -- and nearly impossible to find -- last year. This year you've got a better chance of nabbing one without scouring eBay. The wireless Wii remote and connected nunchuck have proved to be unique and intuitive game controllers, and the Wii's friendly interface is the clear choice for casual players and non-gamers. Nintendo's online store offers an amazing collection of classic games, but you'll need to exchange Wii Codes to match up with friends for multiplayer sessions. The lack of a hard drive might be off-putting, but inexpensive Secure Digital cards can expand the console's storage capacity.
Media and Extended Entertainment Capabilities
Nintendo wanted to focus on games and only games, so the Wii features no DVD movie playback options, can display only up to 480p resolution, and you won't be networking it to a music or media server. The extra features are all in the console: the addictive Mii creator, which generates an endless supply of "avatars" to represent players, and the selection of online channels that put a Wii spin on everyday news and weather.
The Exclusive Games
Super Mario Galaxy:
Hop from one planet to another, face mind-bending applications of gravity, and solve fiendish puzzles in the latest star outing from Nintendo's mascot.
Zack & Wiki:
Logic-based puzzles and a friendly control scheme ensures this tale of pirate treasure enthralls the whole family. Check out a few more family friendly games.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption:
The final installment in the Metroid Prime trilogy proves to be the most compelling so far.
