Couldn’t get a Wii or a PlayStation 3 at launch? Don’t worry; we have the info that will help you snag one before the Holidays. The PS3 is going to be in very short supply for the next month or two, with retailers getting shipments limited to 10 to 20 at the most. You should also expect there to be more 60GB models ($600), and 20GB models ($500) The Wii on the other hand will be much easier to find. Nintendo has stated that there will be weekly shipments to retailers and that they plan to ship 4 million consoles worldwide by the end of the year. The local Germantown Target apparently had 81 consoles on launch day. After speaking with the local EB Games, they said they should be getting Wiis on a weekly basis, and since they have fulfilled all of their pre-orders, anyone can just walk-in and purchase one. The Germantown Best Buy in the Milestone shopping complex has an automated inventory phone-line, which tells you if they have any of each console in stock. This number is the same as their regular phone number. One word of advice for any prospective Wii owners: If you’re definitely going to get a system, pick up additional controllers and component cables (if you are playing on a LCD or Plasma TV). This year, no one should worry about not getting an Xbox 360. The 360 is much easier to find now than it was a year ago, being in stock in most, if not all local retailers.
As we all know, Games are what make systems successful. This can be attributed to the success of the PlayStation 2, and the Xbox, in addition to the poor sales of the GameCube. So this is more than likely the main factor in your console purchase. This console generation, expect even more cross-platform games, particularly on the Xbox 360, and the PS3. This is a result of rising development costs, and the economics of the game industry. Because of this, certain versions of games will look better on one console than the other. An example of this can be found with games like Call of Duty 3, which looks better on the Xbox 360, because it was developed on that console first, and then ported over to the PS3. To see for yourself the difference in the graphic quality 
between these 2 systems, check out 1UP.com’s feature “What the Cell?”, which provides side by side screenshots, and video comparisons between the 360 and PS3 versions of multiplatform games. Here are few gaming recommendations for each system. The PS3’s must-have launch title is Resistance: Fall of Man, from Insomniac, the makers of the Ratchet and Clank Series. Resistance is a First Person Shooter, set during World War II, but has a strange Sci-Fi twist (think of it as Call of Duty with Aliens). With 40 Player online Multiplayer, this game is a must have. Another launch title one should consider is Genji: Days of the Blade. Genji is a Hack-and-Slash action game which is set in feudal Japan, very much like God of War on the PS2. You can switch between four different characters on the fly, and you can use the PS3’s SIXAXIS controller to dodge enemy attacks. This allows you to inflict massive damage with your thumbs on the buttons. To fill the obligatory Racing game space, Namco has released Ridge Racer 7. Ridge Racer 7 takes the foundation provided by Ridge Racer 6, which was released for the 360 last year, and throws in more tracks, cars, improved visuals, and improved online gameplay. Any one of these three games will make your PS3 experience very enjoyable.
The Nintendo Wii has many games which take advantage of its new controller in many different ways. The biggest game by far for the Wii is The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. This is the latest adventure in the Zelda Franchise. You play as Link, as you slice up enemies, shoot arrows, go fishing and numerous other activities with the Wii Remote (or Wiimote J), 
and Nunchuk. This is the must buy for the Wii, at launch. If you don’t plan on buying a Wii in the foreseeable Future and have a GameCube, you’ll be able to pick it up for the Cube this month. Another great game for the Wii is Wii Sports, which is a compilation of sports games that turn the Wiimote into a variety of different sports equipment. In Wii Baseball, the Wiimote is held as a Baseball bat. In Wii Bowling, you hold the controller as you would a bowling ball and bowl as you would in real life, except without the heavy Ball. Wii Boxing turns the Nunchuk and the Wiimote into boxing gloves, and lets you beat the snot out of your best friend (or worst enemy) in multiplayer, without actually beating the snot out of him (or her). In Wii Golf, you hold the Wiimote like a Golf Club, and swing with the amount of force necessary to get the ball in the hole. Wii Tennis rounds out the Wii Sports package, where you swing the Wiimote as you would a Tennis Racket. The best part of the Wii Sports package, is that it’s FREE! If you buy a Wii console this Holiday season, Wii Sports comes with your system. Another thing worth looking into on the Wii is the Virtual Console, which lets you download your favorite games from the NES, SNES, and the Nintendo 64.
No one should count out the Xbox 360 this year. With the Xbox Live online service that rivals both Sony and Nintendo (which admittedly hasn’t launched yet), and better looking titles, the 3
60 is looking better than ever. One game that is bound to be on top of many if not all 360 owners’ wish lists is Gears of War, the third person shooter from Epic Games, makers of the Unreal Tournament series. This game has the absolute best graphics of any game on any system, even the PS3. The gameplay is even more fun, and the online co-op and Multiplayer will keep you coming back for more. Another game to look out for is Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas, 5th iteration of the great strategy. This game, like Gears of War, has an intuitive cover system that allows the player to take cover behind walls, and other objects, and fire on the enemy without losing health. This game has 4 player online co-op, and great online Multiplayer that lives up to the series’ pedigree. Another surprisingly good game this year is Viva Piñata (based off of the cartoon of the same name), from Rare, the developer behind last year’s Perfect Dark Zero and Kameo: Elements of Power. This game is definitely not another licensed cash-in, like the Family Guy game and others. In Viva, you manage a garden, and try to attract Piñatas to come and live in it. There are various levels of customization in regards to the garden, and the species of Piñatas that live in it. Think of it as the Sims, meets Biology.
Good luck in your shopping purchases (you’ll need it if you are trying to get a PS3), and remember: What you buy this year determines what comes out next year!
This article was originally published in the Talon Newspaper
