Do Any of You Play Video Games?

[mjaclyn]

DH wants to get a new game system but he's not sure which one. We currently own an XBOX and had a PS2 which we sold a couple of months ago because we never played it. DH loves the Madden game, so whichever one we choose has to have that game available. For those of you who play one or all three different consoles, which one is the best?

By 'best' I mean, which one has the most variety of games to play, best graphics, most for your money, etc. I'm not a big gamer and DH only really likes sports games but if we go with the Wii we'll probably get the Wii Fit because I've heard good things about it. Have any of you used the Wii Fit?

[Ian]

If money were no object, I'd definitely own a PSIII.

But I voted for the 360, since I think it really gives you more bang for your buck.

Now if you're looking for something that's just plain out fun and not all fancy-schmancy, the Wii is tough to beat.

DD and I definitely play more on our Wii than I do on the 360. It's a blast!

[mjaclyn]

Thanks, Ian. Something interesting I saw for the Wii were the Glo Swords that look like lightsabers. Have you ever used them or know what games they can be played with? I saw them in a local store but it's hard to find information about them online. They're not even on the official Wii website.

[Jeff]

My daughter and I also have a great time playing games with the Wii. It really is more of a "family system" than any of the others IMHO. Mario cart is so much fun I would recommend the system for that game alone.

[dephenn]

My whole family loves the wii fit. We have competition to see who can set and break records.

[princessjojo]

We have an XBox 360 and the PS3. DH plays sometimes, but the kids play most of the time. Depends on what game is being played. If they have friends who play the same games, I would say choose the XBox 360. They can go online and play together without leaving the couch. The kids have been known to play until 3am sometimes during the summer. And with the Guitar Hero games, you can download additional songs that don't come with the game disc. Same thing with many other games. You can play together and talk with each other at the same time. You just have to have the router connected via a program you can buy and it's all done.

On the otherhand, the PS3 has super duper graphics as well as the blue ray player built into it. Those things in and of itself cost a small mint. The downside is you're stuck playing alone unless someone comes over. It is what it is.

They're both great. Only thing is I wish we had the big screen tv to go with it so we could take full advantage of the graphics. That's next however...

[conorsmom2000]

We only have the PS2, Wii and GameCube here - and the Wii gets played the most. I'll be honest, Mike and I can't be bothered even trying to figure out the PS2 or GC, but we all love the Wii. There's nothing like when my whole family comes over and we've got this competitive bowling game going on!!! We all really have a good time together playing it.... :mickey:

[DisneyFreak23]

My family owns Wii and PS2, but Wii is definetly more fun!!!

[iheartmickey]

We have Game Cube, PS2, N64, SuperNES, and the Wii.

"Wii" all play the Wii games more than any thing else when we're together. Our newest game we play as a family (and DD is only 5) is Boom Blox. So much fun!

DH plays by himself more on the PS2. DD plays older games on the GC. I use the Wii mainly for the Wii Fit.

So, after all the rambling ... it depends on the games you are interested in playing.

[chrisb26]

I have a PS3 and Wii I had the PS3 for a while and really liked it especially the Blu-Ray feature which I think considering the cost of Blu-Ray player makes it worth it.

My friends all talked about how fun the Wii was and I wasn't real sure since it looked like you'd have to do alot of work with moving the controller all over but then I gave in and got one for Christmas and I must say that thing is so much fun!

The variety of things you can do with the controller is awesome. I love being able to move the controller around and do so many things. With all the different types of games Wii has that really adds to it. Wii Sports which you get when you buy the Wii is one of my favorite games I love the bowling!

Oh and I must agree Boom Blox is lots of fun!

[Cinderelley]

We have the Wii, PS3, Xbox 360 and all of the "older" game systems. The Wii definitely gets played the most. But a lot of it depends on the games you will be playing. The Wii is better for all around family games, but the PS3 definitely has more "mature" games. None of us play sports games, so I couldn't tell you about those.

Also, be aware that you can play older Nintendo games on the Wii if you have the Gamecube controller. You can also play Playstation 2 games on the PS3. I don't know about the Xbox games though, and none of my kids are around to ask.

[scoot241]

I have a Wii and Xbox 360. If you're looking for a unique, fun experience, go for the Wii. If you're looking for a great console in the traditional sense, get an Xbox 360.

Get a PS3 if you want a Blu-ray player. There's not much else I would buy it for. All the games I'm interested in for PS3 are also on Xbox 360.

[Mousemates]

Wii....unique gameplay...and your less of a couch potatoe.

[Soul_Power]

I voted for the Wii.. I like the variety of games that they have and a lot of them are a lot more kid-friendly as well (in my opinion).

I have Wii Fit, and I think it's a great game! After you get over the fact that you have to view your weight and BMI every time you play, the games are great and they really do work up a sweat!

[Ian]

Just wanted to chime in one more time and say I have to change my vote ... my xBox 360 is collecting dust while our Wii is getting played daily.

We also just got a Wii Fit and everyone is loving that.

Highly recommend it! :thumbsup:

[PirateLover]

My gaming history:Someone in my family has or had an Atari; NES, SuperNES, N64, 3 versions of Gameboy, Game Cube and Wii; Sega Genesis, 32x, and CD (fiance has a Dreamcast); PS2 and PS3, Xbox and Xbox 360.
The nintendo products are where my allegiances lie.
My brother has the PS3, my fiance has an XBOX360, and I have a Wii. For pure all around fun, choose the Wii. For hardcore gaming, choose XBOX. Having watched the E3 conventions this summer for all systems, the XBOX definitely looks like it has the most promise and there are some really neat things coming out for it. Also it is backwards compatible with older Xbox games, but not every single one. They are trying to release patches to correct that.

[SpecJoe Magic]

On the otherhand, the PS3 has super duper graphics as well as the blue ray player built into it. Those things in and of itself cost a small mint. The downside is you're stuck playing alone unless someone comes over. It is what it is.


The PS3's graphics are very similar to the Xbox 360's graphics as a whole. A lot of it depends on each individual game. The Wii's graphics aren't nearly as good. Graphics aren't everything, but I want to make sure you are well-informed about the differences.

It's not true that you are stuck playing alone on the PS3 unless someone comes over. The PS3 has an online service just like the Xbox 360. The main difference being that the Xbox 360's service is more full-featured and costs $50/year whereas the PS3's service has the basic features that allow online gaming and it's free. The Wii has very limited online gaming capabilities that very few games even use. The Wii is more about getting everyone together in the same place, but there are games on the other systems that provide that option as well.



You can also play Playstation 2 games on the PS3. I don't know about the Xbox games though, and none of my kids are around to ask.

That's not necessarily true about the PS3 being able to play PS2 games. Some of the newer models of the PS3 do not support PS2 games at all, and they are built and sold at a cheaper price because they lack the components to play PS2 games. You can buy a more expensive PS3 that will play some PS2 games. The version that is best depends on how you will use it. For example, I had a PS2 for years before I sold it, so I got to play most games that I wanted to play that are available for the system. Therefore, spending the extra money on a PS3 that will play PS2 games doesn't make sense for me, and that's why I got a cheaper model that only plays PS3 games. The cheaper version of the PS3 also lacks a few other features that the more expensive version has. I don't want those missing features, but you might want them if you decide to get a PS3.

As for the original Xbox games, all versions of the Xbox 360 work very similar to the way that the more expensive versions of the PS3 do in that you can play some of the original Xbox games on the Xbox 360.


The Wii is leading in the poll by a large margin, but you need to understand the reason for that. The demographics of the people on this website make the Wii more appealing to them because it's the type of system that can easily be played by all members of the family. However, that does not mean it's the best system for every situation. I happen to have a Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii. If the realistic sports games are of the utmost importance, then do not get a Wii. The Xbox 360 and PS3 provide better sports gaming experiences. Those two are about the same for most sports games except for baseball. The PS3 has a baseball game that is exclusive to that system (MLB '08: The Show), and it's far better than any other baseball game.

As a whole, I like the Xbox 360 best due to it's controller, games, and interface, so it got my vote.

I've been gaming on a regular basis for most of my 27 years of life, and I stay mostly up-to-date on the video games industry. I can probably answer any questions that you may have about it. Designating which system is the best is impossible because it all comes down to individual tastes and desires. Feel free to send me a private message through the boards, and I'll be glad to help you decide what the best system is for your situation. Please provide me with as much information as possible about who will be playing, what they like to play, etc. I realize you've already given us some of that information, but I need more specifics in order to narrow it down to one system.

There are a lot of small details that can be easily overlooked and can lead to unexpected expenses. Each system has its own share of small things that can make a huge difference in cost and functionality. I can help you avoid the pitfalls and prepare you for expenses that aren't very evident on the surface.