Game consule

The name Project Reality came from the speculation within Nintendo that this console could produce CGI on par with then-current super computers. Once unveiled to the public the name changed to Nintendo Ultra 64, referring to its bit processor, and Nintendo dropped "Ultra" from the name on February 1, , just five months before its Japanese debut.

Only a few million users had obtained consoles by the end of due to manufacturing delays. The PlayStation 2 was such a hot item after its release that it was near impossible to find one on retailer shelves, leaving those wanting a PlayStation 2 to either wait or purchase the console on-line at sites such as eBay, where the console was being sold by many people for twice and sometimes five times as much as the manufacturer's listed price.

The PlayStation brand's strength has lead to strong third-party support for the system. Although the launch titles for the PS2 were unimpressive in , the holiday season of saw the release of several best-selling and critically acclaimed games.

Those PS2 titles helped the PS2 maintain and extend its lead in the video game console market, despite increased competition from the launches of the Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo GameCube. In several cases, Sony made exclusivity deals with publishers in order to preempt its competitors. Microsoft X-Box Screenshots. The Xbox was Microsoft 's first independent venture into the video game console arena, after having developed the operating system and development tools for the MSX, and having collaborated with Sega in porting Windows CE to the Sega Dreamcast console.

In November Microsoft released the Xbox Live on-line gaming service, allowing subscribers to play on-line Xbox games with or against other subscribers all around the world and download new content for their games to the hard drive. This on-line service works exclusively with broadband. In July , Microsoft announced that Xbox Live reached 1 million subscribers, and announced in July that Live had reached 2 million.

The Xbox will compete against the upcoming generation of consoles, including the Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Revolution, and was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, , a week before the E3 trade show.

Except in Japan the console is sold in two different configurations: the "Xbox " and the "Xbox Core System". The Xbox configuration, often referred to as the "Premium Edition", includes a hard drive required for backwards compatibility with original Xbox games , a wireless controller, a headset, an Ethernet cable, an Xbox Live silver subscription, and a component HD AV cable which can also be used on non-HD TVs. Sony PlayStation 3 Screenshots. Reports of violence surrounding the release of the PS3 include a customer shot, campers robbed at gunpoint, customers shot in a drive-by shooting with BB guns, and 60 campers fighting over 10 systems.

Two GameStop employees fabricated a robbery to cover up their own theft of several PlayStation 3 and four Xbox consoles. Sony and Microsoft's consoles are also equipped with Blu-ray drives that will allow you to watch standard Blu-ray movies. If you're looking for something a little more cutting edge when it comes to media playback, you'll want to get an Xbox One S or Xbox One X. Both of these consoles have 4K Blu-ray players built in, which will allow you to watch movies in stunning quality.

The Nintendo Switch, unfortunately, doesn't have much in the way of non-gaming activities. The Switch also lacks an optical drive, so there's no watching your Blu-rays or DVDs with that console. In days past, each video game console had its own architecture.

This means that each one was designed from the ground up with custom sets of instructions that did not work with any other machines. That's all changed in the latest console generation. They use the same x CPU instruction set that your Windows, Linux, or Mac computer does, and that makes it easier for game developers to get their products to run on PC and console.

The Nintendo Switch is a bit different. It uses the ARM instruction set, which is the same as the one your phone or streaming box is designed around. It's not too hard for developers to port a game from x86 to ARM, but because the Switch is a bit different, you'll likely see some games come out for it a little later than they did on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Buying a video game console is a significant purchase, so it's good to have an idea of when it'll be obsolete. Consoles, unfortunately, aren't like toaster ovens. As the years pass, technology improves and becomes cheaper, and eventually, your console will become outdated.

Many systems on the market right now are considered to be part of the ninth generation of video game consoles. The eighth-generation consoles were on the market from until late , and that's about a typical timeframe.

Consoles usually have a lifespan of around seven years before the next model is released. If someone offers you one, and they're not close friends or family, then odds are it's stolen or broken. It's possible that you can get a used model of the older models in the upper end of this price range. If buying used, always make sure you see the console tested with an actual game on disc before you buy it.

This will show you that it can power on, play games, and that the disc drive isn't bad. Why should I buy a console instead of a PC? This is an age-old question that really comes down to a matter of preference. With a PC you get the freedom to spend as little or as much as you want on gaming performance.

You'll also have access to a broader gaming library since PC games from as far back as the seventies can still work on today's computers. However, the initial cost of a PC is higher than that of a console, and dealing with drivers and tweaking settings might not be for everyone.

If you want a more personalized gaming experience, you might want to look into a PC. If you want something that just plugs in and works, go for a console. What kind of input ports do I need to have on my TV to play a current-gen console? The only port you need to connect any of the current consoles is an HDMI port. That will provide all you need for gameplay in p. You'll have to refer to your user manual to make sure you've got your console connected to the correct input.

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Bottom Line. Best of the Best. The strategy worked. The Wii isn't much more advanced than the GameCube, but the controller — a device Nintendo has stated began as a GameCube peripheral — has converted millions of casual gamers to become system owners.

The idea of bundling Wii Sports with the system was an incredibly smart move, as people immediately understood what the Wii was and what it could do in a simple to play, well designed experience. The Nintendo Wii, in its fourth year on the market, continues to shake up the industry and shifting its direction, inspiring competitors like Microsoft and Sony to adopt this new way to play for their own videogame strategies.

It looked fresh -- and fresh was definitely something I needed. Let's face it, how many games have felt truly "new" since the original Jet Set Radio?

I still believe in the machine and think hardcore gamers don't give it the respect it deserves, partially due to loads of shovelware that Nintendo should have pushed back against from Day One , but also partly because it's easy to poke fun of it. Waggle is for teh babys. Oh well. It's their loss because there truly are some magnificent videogames on the Wii. I remember finally getting it, though. Not with Metroid Prime 3: Corruption -- I played it early on and the controls still needed work -- but with Wii Sports bowling.

So simple. So effortless. So much flippin' fun! Nintendo had talked blue and red oceans, ranted on about expanded audiences, and it was all gibberish. But rolling that virtual bowling ball with a realistic flick of the wrist felt so incredibly natural that I didn't want to put the Wii remote down. That was when I finally understood what the company really hoped to achieve with the console.

Nintendo's last cartridge-based home console, N64, may go down in history as something of a disappointment compared to expectations and primarily because of its media format, but it actually housed several major hardware innovations as well as some of the biggest and most beloved games of the generation.

Not only did legendary designer Shigeru Miyamoto unveil the N64 controller complete with the uber-sensitive analog stick and rumble pak, but he also showed off the genre-shaping platformer Super Mario 64, considered to this day to be one of the greatest and most important videogames ever made.

And yet, even with a string of hits, some of them monumental, N64 never came close to matching rival PlayStation in popularity. In fact, Sony's disc-based platform outsold Nintendo's by a margin of more than three to one. It was that first moment I stepped out into the 3D world of Super Mario 64 and just "played around" in the castle garden.

I had played 3D games before Mario 64, but there was something different here; a unique feel and sense of complete freedom of movement that just seemed so "right. I got the system and game my freshmen year of college and my buddies and I would hole up in my dorm room, methodically trying to collect every star.

We found out you could find game help on this fantastic new resource called The Internet, and an AltaVista search for "Mario 64" returned N Although the Dreamcast had sizable chronological leeway over its contemporaries, it was inevitably stifled by stiff competition and the advent of DVD technology.

But before it met its untimely demise in , the Dreamcast certainly left its mark on the console industry. The Dreamcast marked a comprehensive overhaul of SEGA's marketing and design strategy, aiming for a more diverse audience with quality software and a number of technological innovations. The Dreamcast was the first console to incorporate a built-in modem for online play, and while the networking lacked the polish and refinement of its successors, it was the first time users could seamlessly power on and play with users around the globe.

As a platform, the Dreamcast brought SEGA's biggest franchises to the next generation, including Sonic the Hedgehog and Virtua Fighter, but also introduced new series like Crazy Taxi to the gaming community. Unfortunately, the Dreamcast was SEGA's last venture into console territory; but its impact, legacy, and notable franchises are still evidenced today.

In fact, the day before the launch, this really amazing girl came into my work and asked me out. And we were on a date that was going so well, but I kept looking at my watch thinking, "I have to get ready for the DC launch. I never even unplugged the thing from the controller, must've shipped with bum batteries. I dutifully loaded the VMU with a fresh set, and in less than a month it was beeping again.

That was the only time I bothered, and now that beeping triggers in me a response not too unlike the salivation of Pavlov's dogs. Except I pine for Marvel vs. Capcom 2, not Kibbles 'n Bits. Sony's first foray into the console market kicked off a big change in the long-time, one-on-one war of Nintendo versus SEGA. Not only did the system help open up the doors for Microsoft to enter the market in the following generation, but it also helped transition the industry to a disc-based format, introduced the Dual Shock controller and its classic form which is still being used and mimicked to this day , and introduced a number of incredibly important and classic titles.

Like the SEGA Saturn and Nintendo 64, the PlayStation was among the generation of consoles that helped bring gaming from the 2D days of old to the current 3D content that we're still playing to this day. The library of original titles introduced on the PlayStation can read like a history lesson in videogames. The likes of Metal Gear Solid, Gran Turismo, Resident Evil, Tony Hawk and much, much more were seen here for the first time, and these franchises continue to be some of the biggest in all of gaming.

Were it not for the PlayStation, a number of genres that we take for granted these days may never have come to fruition, or at least been popularized so well. One interesting bit about the PlayStation's marketing and focus is that it was targeted to an older audience than most any system before it, helping to establish the PlayStation brand not only as something that kids played, but that their parents enjoyed as well.

This shift in marketing has continued across the industry to this day. Army Men sucked of course , so we popped MGS in and kicked back in my basement. In an instant, our lives changed. One game blew the doors off what I thought a videogame could be, and my perspective hasn't been the same since. My buddies and I started with the idiot Tekken 2, graduated to Street Fighter Alpha 3 where I learned the uselessness of combo memorization, moseyed over to Dead or Alive because we were teenage boys, and eventually settled on Guilty Gear.

My friends are brothers, and trash talk often ended in fraternal violence. Good times. As the first high-definition game console ever introduced, the Xbox represents a milestone in videogame hardware history.

The Xbox represents a first-time shift in standalone platforms to crisp, clean, high-definition graphics with advanced shading and physics effects. While these features were long-since a staple of PC gaming, they had never before been seen in the console market.

Additionally, the Xbox was also the first console to hit the market with an integrated wireless controller system. Although wireless controller solutions were present in previous game systems, wireless connectivity could only be achieved through external dongle attachments.

But beyond its hardware innovations, the Xbox marked a huge software push in terms of creating an all encompassing media and gaming platform. The Xbox launched with a completely revised Xbox Live online networking system, which enabled new and unprecedented ways of accessing video, audio, and game content, as well as connecting with friends.

Xbox Live has since grown to be one of the most successful console-based online gaming networks ever created, with over 17 million members as of January, Through its extensive online-integration, which allows for practically boundless optimization, feature additions, and improvements, the Xbox has drastically extended the lasting appeal and life expectancy of the average console. I was playing with co-workers Dave Clayman and Ryan Clements so late into the night one weekend that I fell asleep mid-match.

I woke up about ten minutes later to the voice of Ryan screaming for help. Asking if we were still playing wasn't what he wanted to hear. It was a rainy day in March. I wore my green cardigan and she wore a FEAR faceplate. It was love. True love. But then she died on me. Maybe I pushed her power button one too many times.

I couldn't help myself — I liked playing games in HD and with Microsoft's amazing online service. She just couldn't handle the strain. Sure, she was easy to replace. And so was the next one that died. But I'll never forget my first. Especially not after I had a picture of her red rings tattooed on my chest.

Rest in peace, little Rest in peace. It isn't difficult to prove why the software lineup was so successful considering the recent release and success of Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection. Just tick down the list and you'll find a bundle of absolutely brilliant games.

The Phantasy Star and Shining Force series combined to offer role playing options that were equal to, if not better than anything available from the competition and titles like Ecco the Dolphin and Comix Zone offered dashes of edgy action that were highly original at the time.

There were brief moments when the SEGA Genesis overtook Nintendo in terms of market share and at the time they were the only two players in town. This meant for a time, the Genesis was the most popular game console in the world and for a good reason. When I advanced to the part of the game where you blast off and unlock the solar system my mind was blown. I was both dismayed that I'd never complete the game in time and astounded that a cartridge could contain such a large adventure.

The first true battle of the consoles began in with the US release of the Super Nintendo. Boasting bit graphics and a superior soundcard than its competition the audio system was entirely standalone , Nintendo pushed its art style and name branding against SEGA's "SEGA does what Nintendon't" campaign, but in the end it was what Nintendo did — or had, rather — that put the SNES higher on our chart. The sales showed it as well, with the first true console war ending in an important Nintendo victory on both the hardware and software front.

The Super NES's library was the start, or continuation in some cases, of franchises that are still alive and well today both on a first party and third party front — proof of its legacy.

Whenever I got together to play multiplayer games with my buddy, D. Remember how looking at your opponent's screen was a crucial tactic in playing Mario Kart? After what must've been a hour Battle Mode marathon, I noticed that D. The bastard had fallen asleep in the middle of the game, with his finger on the accelerator!

Armed with a red shell, I positioned myself at the far end of the stage, lined up the shot, woke up D. Yep, it's all about the little things in life. I spent more hours playing Pilotwings than Super Mario World, which might tell you where my tastes of gaming have been evolving.

And then, Super Mario Kart landed on the system, and that could easily be called my favorite game of all time the way it always managed to end up in my rotation. The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling videogame console ever with more than million units sold by the end of That alone says a lot regarding its place in history and its reception amongst the general population.

The PS2 was not only a major highlight in Sony's history for both its games business and the company as a whole , but it also helped launch the DVD format into the VHS-killer that it became. But company financials and movie formats aside, it's really the games and wide accessibility that made the PS2 what it was, and even now, nearly a decade after its release, it still is.

The fact that the system is supported to this day and that we're still seeing games released for it on a weekly basis is a strong testament to its staying power. Looking at the system's library which is nearing 2, titles at the time of this writing , there are a number of games that were not only breakout releases, but have defined what we're playing today. Grand Theft Auto III and Guitar Hero are two that paved the way for some of this generation's most popular genres, and when you're talking about software as an art form, you needn't look any further than titles like Ico and Shadow of the Colossus.

I waited nine hours in line at Meijer I was No. What really sticks out for me, though, was the huge buzz that the system had garnered in my neighborhood because it had Tekken Tag Tournament. Tekken Tag was THE game in our local arcades, and when a friend of mine convinced his girlfriend to buy him an import PS2 with Tekken Tag along with it, it was like having an extra Christmas. Our whole crew spent months learning techniques, brushing up on our skills and having an all around great time with our Tekken parties.

This is it -- the console that our entire industry is built upon. Shepherded to market in by visionary Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari, and his head engineer Allan Alcorn, the Atari was the second home videogame console to use removable, programmable cartridges instead of being a dedicated machine like Atari's own Pong The Fairchild F beat Atari to the punch by a year.

The system was not an immediate success, though. It wasn't until when the videogame craze truly exploded did the begin its meteoric path. Atari was quick to license popular arcade games for the machine like Space Invaders, Missile Command, and Pac-Man, which also helped it become the dominant console in American living rooms. But the good times were not to last and the skyrocket trajectory of the Atari was partially to blame.

With videogames white-hot, everybody wanted in. And Atari did not have any solid quality-control mechanisms in place. No game epitomizes this lack quite like E. Atari took a bath on E. Thus began the great video game crash of which laid waste to the entire industry. It is this incredible story, a console that is responsible for the incredible games we're playing now yet almost drove a stake through the heart of the industry.

Unfortunately, I grabbed a present I probably shouldn't have, "Bowling" for the I still feel guilty about that.