XBOX 360
Company: Microsoft
Year Released: 2005
Price: $199.99-$249.99, depending on the model purchased
The Xbox 360 is the follow-up to the Xbox. One major feature of the 360 is Xbox Live, a service that lets players compete online, test out game demos, view trailers of upcoming movies and games and purchase TV shows and movies. Now you don’t have to use this service to play games, but it’s worth the $8.95 per month to be able to do things like voice chat with friends (saves money on phone bills). And how cool is it to be able to play Gears of War with a kid over in Japan?

Since there are currently over 39 million Xbox 360 consoles in use worldwide, no matter when you log in, there is always someone ready to challenge you or go on a friendly virtual adventure. This is my favorite of the current consoles on the market (aka seventh generation consoles). I might be biased since my fave game of all time, Halo 3 (and their best-selling), is exclusive to Xbox 360. But having owned all three seventh generation consoles, I feel like this was the most user friendly while still having bad ass games.

Wii
Company: Nintendo
Year Released: 2006
Price: $199.99-$399.99, depending on the bundle purchased
The Wii is the direct successor to the Nintendo GameCube. It can play all official GameCube games. The Wii, as Nintendo states, “targets a broader demographic than that of the two others.” I guess that it must be true since as of January 2010, the Wii leads over the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in worldwide sales. The distinguishing feature of the Wii is the Wii Remote, a wireless controller, which detects movement in three dimensions. This makes the games a little more interactive and life like. For example, when you play Wii Sports, their number one selling game, you actually hold the Wii ‘mote like you would the handle on a water ski rope as you navigate around the course in the game. Basically, what you do, it does. I think this is why the Wii is so kid- and older adult-friendly. Those who did not grow up playing with the X and Y and shoulder buttons find this much easier to understand. The main menu that pops up at the beginning is the most user-friendly menu of the three at-home consoles. Everything you could need is all on one page. All you have to do is point and click. While the Wii ‘mote is by far one of the most innovative controllers in video game history, I have to put the Wii in last place because of the game selection. Wii mostly releases “All Ages” games and, sometimes, a girl just needs to shoot some pus-filled monsters a la Silent Hill.

PS3
Company: Sony
Year Released: 2006
Price: $299.99-$394.99, depending on bundle purchased
The PlayStation 3 is the third installment in home video game consoles released by Sony. It can play games from the first and second generation, but the graphics on PS3 games are ridiculous awesome, so I don’t know why you would want to play them…but just in case you have some emotional attachment to Bases Loaded ’96. A major feature that distinguishes the PlayStation 3 from its PS ancestors is you can play with people online (just in case they make Bases Loaded ’10). Another feature is its ability to connect with the PlayStation Portable, aka the PSP (which was just re-released in a slimmer, cartridge-less form). It also had a Blu-ray player built in, which has made it impossible for me to ever be able to watch regular DVDs again. It was actually the first Blu-ray player on the market. Given this feature, it is my second favorite of the seventh generation consoles. If it was a little easier to navigate and there was more downloadable content, it would be my favorite. I know people who have owned one for years and never downloaded a movie off it. Whereas, I do this all of the time on my Xbox 360 because it is just so gosh darn easy. Oh and they would have to release Halo Reach for PS3, too, but that will never happen.