The defending champ
Out of the three major consoles (Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation3, and Microsoft Xbox 360), the Wii managed to capture the majority of the family-friendly market. Meanwhile, the 360 was the runaway favorite for "serious" gamers. Between its superior online service, earlier availability, and impressive library of exclusives (including the wildly popular Halo series), the Xbox edged out the PS3 in the minds of hardcore gamers. Recently, though, the PlayStation has been mounting a comeback, with lower prices, slimmer design, and increased storage. Well, now 360 is back and ready for battle. Not only is it slimmer than before, with more storage and built-in WiFi for the same price, the 360 is more compelling than ever. The new model also takes measures to prevent the dreaded Red Ring of Death, so you can play worry-free for years to come. Plus, the new high-gloss design is pretty slick. But perhaps the most impressive improvement is the addition of a Kinect port. Due out in November, Kinect lets you use your body as a controller. This makes this the ideal console for the whole family, since you can enjoy the light-hearted fun of games like those you'll find on the Wii, then after the kids are in bed, toss in Modern Warfare 2 for some serious shoot-em-up fun. Better yet, as more games take advantage of the motion — and voice — controls of Kinect, hardcore gamers will find more and more games designed for them that take advantage of Kinect. It's safe to say that this 360 is here to stay.
Every night, LIVE
When it comes to gaming's online service, you get what you pay for. Nintendo and Sony both offer free online services, and both services could be accurately described as "lackluster". Microsoft offers free online access too (using your existing internet connection), with Xbox LIVE Silver membership, but upgrading to Gold is where it really gets fun. What's the difference? Well, with Silver membership, you get some benefits of LIVE, like content on your dashboard, game updates and patches, the ability to purchase and download games and add-ons like maps, vehicles, or weapons, the ability to maintain a friends list, and even the opportunity to chat with one friend at a time using the included microphone. But for a small fee (less than cable movie channels), you can get so much more. Like what, you ask? Well, for starters, you can check and update your Facebook page and Twitter account for no extra charge. Then you can listen to your own personalized radio stations on Last.fm. If you have a Netflix account, you can instantly stream thousands of titles in High Definition, and unlike Wii or PS3, you don't need a disc to do it, just the console. But here's where the Gold membership really starts to pay for itself: say you've got friends across the country, and you've been chatting on Facebook about how much you want to see a movie that just came out. With a 360 and a Gold membership, you can Party Up (up to 8 consoles at a time) and watch the movie together, chatting on your headsets while it plays. It's the perfect way to reconnect with friends and family across the country. Plus with Gold, you get multiplayer gaming, so you can team up with friends or mix it with randoms for some fun, competive online action. Some games even have other online features, like an online car auction service in Forza Motorsports. In fact, most popular games are supported. One thing, though - a lot of games support voice communication, and not everyone out there shows good sportsmanship, so use discretion when letting kids play online. With features like these, it's easy to see why Xbox LIVE is so popular and highly-acclaimed. LIVE is worth every penny. Oh, that reminds us. On an older Xbox, a wireless adapter would cost you about $80. This has built in WiFi (802.11b/g/n), as well as an ethernet port.
Something for everyone, really
No matter how great a console is, if it doesn't have great games, it doesn't have great value. Fortunately, the Xbox 360 serves up plenty of great titles, with something for everyone. Seriously, it has over 700 games, with more coming out all the time. There are Xbox games available for everyone from kids to teens to adults in all interest areas. Kids will love titles like Kung-Fu Panda, Wall-E, and Cars. As they get a little older, games like Lego: Star Wars or Burnout: Paradise will appeal to them. Teens can have fun playing all sorts of games from to Battlefield: Bad Company to Skate 2 to Midnight Club: La to Marvel Ultimate Alliance. More mature gamers have a wide variety of options from shooters like Bioshock to RPGs like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion to combinations like Fallout: 3. Then there are games like Guitar Hero or EA Sports games that most everybody will like. But all of those games are available on other consoles, too. Xbox 360 has an impressive library of exclusives. Some recent 360-only games include Forza 3, Alan Wake, Halo 3: ODST, Gears of War 2, Fable II, Halo Wars, Lips, Mass Effect 2, and Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction. And there are plenty more great games, exclusives and non-exclusives, on the way. On top of that, there are dozens of great arcade games you can purchase and download right from the dashboard! Remember, this is only a small sampling of the hundreds of great games available for your Xbox.
Kinect with your games
We talked before about how this new Xbox 360 has a port already for Kinect. And we talked a little about what Kinect is and what does, but we want to expand on it. Microsoft Kinect, formerly known as Project Natal, is a whole new way to play your games. This small device has a lot of potential. It features cameras and a microphone, enabling you to use your body as a controller without necessarily needing to hold anything, as you would with a Wii. The microphone can be used as another means of control in some games. For example, a military game could allow you to give verbal commands to your troops. Furthermore, Kinect allows you to connect with friends visually, without the need for a separate Xbox LIVE Vision camera and no external microphone. Oh, and Kinect even recognizes you, so you can step in front of the camera to automatically sign in to your profile. It's a whole lotta fun. You won't want to miss it when it comes out this holiday season.
Hey, cool it!
The biggest complaint about the Xbox 360 up to this point was the high failure rate. Overheating caused the demise of many an Xbox, prompting the infamous "Red Ring of Death" to appear on the console. This time around, things are better. The console was redesigned to better deal with heat. In addition to changing up the design, Microsoft went the extra mile to ensure that this 360 won't be plagued by RRoD by installing heat monitors. So, in the unlikely event your Xbox starts getting a little too toasty, a message will display letting you know. Then the Xbox will power down, and will not be able to be turned back on until it's cooled off a bit. To anyone who's ever had to deal with Red Ring, this will be a huge relief.
Don't forget the extras!
The new 360 is a great entertainment source, playing DVDs and ripping and playing CDs. And, with a LIVE Gold Membership, you can access all sorts of movies, music, music videos, and games. But the more time you spend with it, the more you'll want to add. Some of the accessories are best to buy early. Read on for some of our picks. 1. Games. You can buy and download a lot of arcade games, demos, and even some full games. But, chances are that you'll want to start your own collection. We've got some pretty good games at really affordable prices right here to get you started. 2. More controllers. The Xbox comes with one controller, but if you ever want to play with a friend, you'll probably want at least one more. Some games let you use up to 4 at a time. And if you and your friend want to play online, you may want to grab another mic, too (provided he doesn't already have one). 3. Batteries. A set of AAs will last up to 30 hours in a controller. If you spend much time playing, your battery costs can really add up. Save yourself the money (and the hassle of swapping out the batteries) with rechargeable batteries from Microsoft. Theyr'e designed specifically for the Xbox controller, replacing the whole battery holder (not just the battery). To charge them, you can either get an external charging kit, or better yet, buy the battery in a Play and Charge Kit. With this kit, you get the battery and a charging cord. Just plug it into one of your Xbox's USB ports and keep playing — the battery will charge while you do. It's a good idea to have a Play and Charge kit for each controller you have. Tip: to save money, you can get a wireless controller bundled with a Play and Charge Kit. 4. LIVE Membership. 'Nuff said. 5. DVD remote. Probably not essential, but if you watch a lot of movies, you might benefit from an Xbox-specific remote.
What's in the box?
Your Xbox 360 includes: Console (with 250GB internal storage and WiFi), 1 wireless controller (black), 1 power cord, 1 A/V cable, 1 headset, and 1 Gold LIVE Membership trial.
