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The 2001 Console Wars: The Ultimate ReviewJun 19 '01 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line The console wars have heated up and are as chaotic as ever! Who will it be pulling in the most dollars?!
Favic here, I took it upon myself to make my 69th review an advice column. The console wars have been bugging me lately and have created quite a stir. I will take the three main competitors and describe each to the "T" and at the end will make my finally conclusion. Let us start with the system I currently own... Sony's Playstation 2 Originally I had asked for a new stereo system, but instead for Christmas I received a flashy new Playstation 2. I was quite excited partly because I was surprised and I was the first in my grade to get my grubby little meat hooks on one. I set up the Sony Entertainment system as soon as I could pry open the blue box. I hooked the unit up with no problem, like any other system. I couldn't wait to pop in Madden 2001. I was amazed by the incredible visuals, but my amazement was short lived. The first two games I got were Madden 2001 and Espn nba 2 Night, okay they were great while they lasted. But as the days went on, the dust started accumulating on top of my unit. The sports games are the only ones worth while, the rest of the launch games are horrible. I am amazed after 3 months that there has been no major improvements in the games. Although some may look good, most were rushed into production and thrown on the shelves. I became very dissapointed and still am. It was so bad that I began playing Playstation one games on it. I have been playing Tony Hawk and Mat Hoffman every chance I get, because there is not one game released on PS2 that has caught my attention. Hopefully, Gran Turismo 3: A Spec, Tony Hawk 3, Resident Evil, Final Fantasy X, Smackdown 3 will bring some of my original excitement for the machine back into my little heart. But what sucks is that the games I mentioned won't be released until the winter of 2001. Now it is time for the DVD player. Most bought PS2 for this feature only. And boy were they upset when they saw the playback. The color fades in and out when your watching movies, no it is not your tv. And there are so many choppy scenes with blocks running across the screen. It's amazing they can brag about the DVD feature when it does not deliver. Just one more negative to go before I get to the few positives. Once again Sony went with the 2 port controller panel. When will they realize the value of the multiplayer feature. They should have just added two more freakin' ports. Now we have to buy a special multitap for $34.99. And that is another thing, this "dream machine" will cost you endless amounts of money. Your memory cards from PSone can't be used to save PS2 games, your lucky PS2 supports PSone games and controllers. It was simply over hyped. Gamers and retailers made it sound like the Playstation 2 was going to do your chores, go to school for you, AND walk the dog! Ofcourse it did none of those things. ::Sigh:: On to the positives. Allright, the graphics are awesome. I must give credit where it is due. The playstation one playback is also a nice little feature. But seriously, that is about it. Hell, even Dreamcast is better! Dreamcast is only $99, and comes with one game. The graphics are just as good and there are so many great games. Especially RPG's. Also Dreamcast can go online right out of the box, unlike PS2 who has yet to reveal it's online power. Once the new systems come out, PS2 will be done and over with, unless the huge blockbuster titles I listed above save it. Then we will see who the king of the consoles is! Microsoft's X-box Oh my my, it is been a while since my panties have been in a bunch. I can't wait for this unit to hit the shelves. From the looks of current screen shots, let me say I am impressed. Hmm..this system is made by Microsoft, one of the best selling computer companies in history. This leads me to belive that the Xbox will have every hook up for internet access and swapping between your personal computer. It is only logical. The system itself is attractive. It takes on the shape of an "X" with a green orbe in the center where the CD drive is placed. There are four controller ports on the front of the unit for multi player fun something Sony didn't add. One of the coolest features of the Xbox is it's built in harddrive. The harddrive stores game information, which leads to no loading times. The unit is also DVD compatiable. The controller reminds me of Microsoft's "X-wing" game pad for the PC. It looks like it would be comfortable. The Xbox should be released sometime next fall. Expect to see Oddworld,WWF Raw is War, Night Caster, and Azurik to be the launch releases. Personally I am looking foward to Raw! Nintendo's Gamecube This unit will also be released during the fall season, or as early as September. It as well looks very impressive. The controller is a little different from the N64. Originally, the controller was sopposed to have longer hand grips, but they decided to shorten them down for easier access to buttons. They added another analog joy stick to the mix and got rid of the C-buttons. The first 3rd party controller to be released is the Wireless Wavebird. The console..also attractive, shape of a cube with a nifty handle so you can carry it to the sh*tter during 'pause' mode. Like the X-Box, this has 4 controller ports fired up and ready to go. FINALLY......Nintendo...has made the change from carts to CD's. Took them long enough. CD Roms, are cheaper to make, and hold more data. This unit is also DVD playable. Conclusion Phew..that was a lot of typing. What it all boils down to is..the games. In order for a system to attract new buyers there must be fun games. Third party publishers will also impact the wars. Playstation 2, tons of games, only a few actually worth buying. Xbox, mini-computer system. Gamecube, fun machine, old clasics in 3D. Now that you've got the info, it is up to you to make the choice!  |
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by krial
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