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Top games console at Christmas

Top Games Consoles for Christmas

Console Guide

With Christmas fast approaching there's never been more choice in either console or hand-held entertainment. The DS and PSP have revolutionised portable gaming and with the fabled Xbox 360 set for an imminent release, the first wave of next generation platforms is no longer the stuff of Internet rumour and hearsay. We at Tiscali Games breakdown the features of each of the major platforms to help you decide which console is the right one for you.

THE HANDHELDS:

Nintendo DS
Nobody does it quite like Nintendo, and the king of the handhelds certainly hasn't disappointed with the latest Nintendo DS. Dual screens allow for two different simultaneous perspectives, there's a new control system using both touch and voice, and new connections with two kinds of wireless game play. Players no longer have to rely on just buttons to move characters or shift perspectives. They can navigate menus or access inventory items simply by touching the screen with stylus or fingertip. In typical Nintendo fashion, the company has developed highly original titles to take full advantage of the DS hardware capabilities. Nintendogs, a doggy simulator where you own a virtual puppy encourages the user to stroke the dog, by touching the screen! If you want originality at an affordable price the DS is the handheld for you.

Sony PSP
Sony's foray into a market previously dominated by Nintendo has been nothing short of devastatingly successful. The PSP is a technological revolution, and with 10 million units flying off the shelves to date, a whole lot of people are in agreement. The PSP is the first truly integrated portable entertainment system designed to provide users with a wealth of entertainment including games, music, movies and wireless networking. Featuring graphics rendering capabilities comparable to the PS2 on a 4.3 inch widescreen LCD screen, it's the first hand-held that doesn't make you feel that you're compromising on game quality because you're playing on a portable. And if that wasn't enough it also plays the latest Hollywood movies!

THE CONSOLES

Xbox 360
The one they're all waiting for, the Xbox 360 is Microsoft's effort to wrestle the console crown away from Sony in the battle of the next generation platforms. Having ditched its cumbersome black box bulk for sleek new silvered lines and a design, the Xbox 360 boasts wireless controllers, a stunningly smooth ATI Xenos processing unit for state-of-the art visuals, and dual-layer DVD delivery of games, meaning the next outing in the Halo universe should blow our socks off. There's been a huge drive to make the machine not just a games unit. It's been designed as the electronic "hub" for your house. You'll be able to plug cameras, music players and external devices into it, using its hard drive to record movies, stream your media files, burn CDs and, via Xbox Live Gold and Silver services, utilise video and voice messaging across the airwaves. There's also a nifty Ring of Light and patented Guide Button on the new controllers. It allows you to change the electronic appearance of your machine and connects you instantly with all your multimedia add-ons and the Live network. Music, video, real-time interaction and downloads - Microsoft wants the Xbox 360 to be the hub of our entertainment centre, it may just succeed!

Xbox
There may be a different Xbox getting all the headlines this Christmas, but that doesn't mean the original Xbox isn't a fantastic console that really has made a major impact on the games market. A fantastic back catalogue of classic titles combined with the benchmark Xbox Live online game playing service means the original Xbox will still remain popular for a long time to come.

PS2
The most popular platform on the planet with over 60 million sales worldwide, the PS2 is the big daddy of the console wars. And with good reason. A huge back catalouge of games, including many true classics (Pro Evolution Soccer, GTA, Gran Turismo etc), an online service and a sleek, freshly designed console that now weighs about the same as a hardback book, the PS2 is an abolsute must for any gamer.

GameCube
It may be a fledgling when compared to the titans of Sony and Microsoft, but the GameCube has found a place in the hearts of many discerning gamers. With platform exclusive titles from Nintendo, the cheap and cheerful console has carved out a niche as a fun and accessible platform. The GameCube can link with a Game Boy Advance, using the GBA as a controller on selected games, players are able to transfer game information between the two systems meaning you don't have to break up your gameplay if at home or on the move.

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