One console to rule them all

There is a burning question that has plagued humankind for at least the last two years, and that question is: Which console is the best; the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, or Nintendo Wii?

Each system has unique characteristics and traits that the others do not possess. Three main categories to compare consoles are: online capabilities, game libraries and overall appeal of each console.

The online capabilities of each system differ as much as the consoles themselves. The Xbox 360's online system, Xbox Live, supports different games and has many downloadable options with a user-friendly interface.

The online PlayStation Network is similar with one major exception, the PlayStation network is free. Xbox Live has a subscription cost that can either be paid monthly or annually. However, Xbox Live does offer a free Silver account that allows for downloads and a friend setup, without the ability to play games online.

The Nintendo Wii's online service, Connect 24, utilizes a friend code system that allows friends to play with one another just like the other systems do. But Nintendo may have missed the boat by failing to offer a communicator when the console launched. The Xbox comes with a voice communicator, and PlayStation has one that is sold separately. However, on July 15 Nintendo announced plans for the Wii console to support a voice communicator that will ship sometime this fall.

Overall, in the online arena, the Xbox 360 reigns supreme.

But what good are online capabilities without an extensive library? Each system has a growing library of games with exclusives. This, according to Weber State University radiology student Bart Littlefield, is what sets the Xbox 360 above the other two.

"The Xbox 360 has the best library of games that are already out and has the best selection of games coming out," Littlefield said.

What about those fans out there nostalgic for the games of yesteryear? Each system has its own scheme for backward compatibility. The Wii comes with the ability to play games that were made for the Nintendo Gamecube. Also built into the Wii is the backward compatibility of controllers, which is something that the PlayStation and Xbox consoles do not support. The Wii also has the option to download many older games from the Wii online store.

The Xbox does not support all of the games from the original Xbox but the number of supported games from backward compatibility is growing. Perhaps the best console for backward compatibility is the PlayStation 3. Kris Wright, a WSU computer science major, said his favorite of the three consoles is the PlayStation 3.

"The primary reason for this is the continued support of backwards compatibility," Wright said, "saving me from maintaining aging systems to play older games,"

The PlayStation 3 can support original PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games, giving the PS3 a massive library.

The Xbox 360 has the best support for online players. The Wii has the best motion controller to date and has a more family friendly atmosphere. The PlayStation 3 is the best machine because of its raw power and it doubles as a Blu-Ray player, which is the cheapest and most versatile Blu-Ray player on the market today.

According to Justin, who works for a local video game store and cannot reveal his full name or what company he works for due to company policy, the system with the best sales at his store is the Xbox 360. Justin said he has been involved in the retail sales of video games for eight years and knows his stuff when it comes to video game sales.

"The best system for video gamers is the Xbox because of the game selection," Justin said. "However, if you're looking for the best system on just a basic power point of view, it would be the PS3."

So in the end, who is left standing when the proverbial dust clears? Which console will dominate the others and bend them to its will? The answer is entirely dependent on the individual. This may seem like an anti-climatic answer to an impossible question, but it is true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Many can offer insight about which system is best, but while factually the arguments seem sound, there is still a biased opinion in there.

"As to which of the three systems is the 'best' I would have to reply that it depends," Wright said. "The PS3 has the statistically better hardware, the Wii is the family-friendly choice, while the Xbox 360 is a healthy mid-ground. Ultimately for the college crowd, I would begrudgingly award the gold medal to the 360. Most of the games released for PS3 have a 360 release date as well. The 360 has comparable graphics and lower prices on both the console and the game."

If an individual is interested in a family orientated console then the Wii is the way to go with its pick-up-and-play feature. The PlayStation is for those gamers who also like to watch high definition movies. And finally the 360 is the choice for the hardcore gamer, those who spend hours-on-end playing games. So in order to find out the best system for an individual, all that is required is to find out what that individual wants out of a system.