One of the most popular forms of entertainment right now is using video game consoles. People shell out a lot of money on video game consoles and on the various games that are readily available for them. A gaming system can deliver a lot of relaxation and fun for the whole family.
Why would you choose a console over a PC? Most games that are available for games consoles also have versions for the desktop computer. So what advantages do consoles offer over a PC?
Well, there are many reasons people would choose a console over a desktop computer:
• It is usually much cheaper.
• No compatibility issues with games.
• No need to set up or install the game before you can play.
• Shorter waits for the game to load.
• Easy to connect to TV and stereo.
• All games for a particular game system will run.
• Multiplayer capability that may not be available with a home computer.
So what is a games console?
A simple explanation is that it is a highly specialised computer. It consists of a processor and memory and power supply similar to a desktop computer. It might also contain a storage device such as a hard drive. It runs a software kernel that provides the internal interface between the different hardware components and the video game. The console also has various external interfaces. The interfaces usually include connectors for audio and video output, and one or more user control interface. A console may supply video to a computer monitor or TV, sound to your computer speaker or stereo system. There is also an optical drive (CD or DVD) or game cartridge receptacle to allow playing different games.
The user control interface is what makes the gaming consoles shine. This enables the player to experience results from their own actions giving an experience far superior to watching a TV. Instead of passive entertainment, the console provides an interactive form of game play. Joysticks or specialized game controllers are plugged into the user control interface to provide this unique interactivity.
Most modern games consoles have the ability to connect to your large screen TV’s as well as any surround sound system you may have.
The selection of games available for each console is huge meaning that you dont have to play the same game over and over. With a continuous stream of titles from game developers there are always more titles available for you to try out. Many games are multi-platform meaning they are available on a selection of consoles and usually on the PC too. Although bare in mind there is no cross compatibility, so you can NOT use a game designed for one console on another.
Which console to get? You should choose the game console that ticks the right boxes for you. A wide selection of games are available on most modern consoles, so do some research into which console has the games that you want. The Xbox and Playstation share most titles apart from a select few which could be the deciding factor for many. They both have media streaming capabilities too, which means that you can stream videos or music that you have on your home computer to your console and watch them on your living room TV. The Wii has quite a vast game selection mostly orientated around the Wii Remote Controller, which measures movement of the player and allows users to experience games like baseball and golf in a realistic way while staying indoors and is a more young family based console with the casual gamer in mind.