Buyer's guide - Games consoles

Overview...

By Alexandra Aussenac Your guide to games consoles

Games consoles - let the fun begin!
Gaming and more!
Portable games consoles: a world of games in your pocket
Focus on… interactive gaming
More fun?

Games consoles - let the fun begin!

Games consoles are constantly developing. They combine cutting-edge technology, versatile multimedia and new ways of playing. Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony have come up with high-tech consoles that are suitable for the entire family, without letting down hardcore gamers.
Bluetooth, High Def, DVD players, networking…. Games consoles offer such a wide variety of entertainment options that it can be difficult to keep up with them all. Let Pixmania guide you to the right games console for you and your living room!

Gaming and more!

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You may be ready for a new games console, but which one to choose? Here’s a little overview to help you make a decision.

Delve into High Def with a Sony Playstation 3!

Powerful, exceptional, a technological gem… No adjective is too grand for the PS3!
Aside from its excellent performances, the PS3’s main innovation lies in its Blu-ray player, which is compatible with both DVD and MPEG4. For the price of a games console, you get a high-quality HD player, a good-size hard drive (80 GB) and WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity to boot. With a PS3, you can watch blockbusters, view photos, listen to music and browse the internet - all in the comfort of your own living room!
The PS3 still fulfils its primary purpose as a games console to perfection. With ultra-realistic graphics, High Def games and amazing reactivity, the PS3 really lets you experience the action, especially when paired with a Bluetooth joystick. You’ll be able to steer your ship, car or bike simply by tilting the joystick in the right direction. You'll be plunged right into the heart of your favourite games!
The PS3 also gives you access to the Playstation Network, an online service provided by Sony that allows you to download demos, full games and in the near future, films. One of the PS3’s major assets is that it allows for online playing. You can play with anyone, anywhere for free (as long as you have an ADSL connexion and a compatible game). It also has a vast selection of games and can take up to 7 joysticks at a time – plenty of family fun in sight!

See all PS3 games

Microsoft Xbox 360: multimedia in your living room

As the ultimate next-gen console, the Xbox 360 is in direct competition with the PS3 and brings sensational High Def to the table. The Xbox 360 has a whole library of fighting, role-playing, racing, shooter and action-adventure games to keep you right in the middle of the action. A subscription fee even gives you access to online multi-player gaming, as well as game demos, arcade games and film downloads.
The Microsoft Xbox is available in different packages – Arcade, Premium or Elite – so you can choose the one that suits you best. All the packages contain a wireless remote and a memory card, the Arcade package even has a few mini-games for you to play. The Premium and Elite packages come with a hard drive (60 or 120GB respectively), HDMI outputs and a headset – a must for online gaming.
The Xbox remains competitive, as it’s currently the only console that offers VOD (video on demand). DVD and Divx compatible, the Xbox makes the most of your living room set-up by giving you excellent sound and picture quality while taking up little space. If your Xbox has an HD-DVD player, you can enjoy your films in High Def on Blu-ray, the standard HD media. The Xbox 360 is a real multimedia platform. It’s WiFi compatible, and thanks to its USB port, you can connect it to your PC, your MP3 player and even your digital camera!!

See all XBOX 360 games

Nintendo Wii: it's your turn to play!

Experience a new way to play with a Wii! The Wii is intuitive and has been designed for players aged 7 to 77, and especially families – with several players, the Wii is even more fun. The more the merrier!
Nintendo’s games console comes with a variety of sport mini-games you can use your whole body to play. Play tennis, golf or go bowling in your living room and get in a little workout too, thanks to the Wii’s innovative controllers: the Wiimote and Nunchuck.
Browse the menus and even the Internet with these controllers by pointing them toward your TV screen as you would a laser pointer. This sounds strange but it’s handy and incredibly easy to get used to, at any age!
In recent years, technological advances were overshadowing the entertainment value of games consoles – but no longer! The Wii is here to put the fun back into video games! The Wii has a good, standard resolution picture, whereas the Xbox and Playstation 3 only swear by HD. Just like other consoles, the Wii has WiFi and provides players with a network for online gaming. Watch the weather report, the news or download games straight from the Internet to your Wii!

See all Wii games

The right games console for you

The Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 have different features to adapt to different player profiles. The PS3 and the Xbox 360 are similar when compared to the revolutionary Wii.
With high-definition graphics and excellent responsiveness, the Xbox 360 and PS3 are essentially aimed at gamers who are role-playing and action game fans, while still offering games that are suitable for the whole family. These consoles are multimedia platforms; they have Internet, HDMI ports, online gaming and hard drives to bring you the best of High Def!
The Wii isn’t far behind. Designed for a much wider audience than its competitors', the Wii allows the whole family to come together around a game thanks to its fun and innovative controllers. The Wii is less expensive than the Sony or Microsoft consoles but only features a CD player, not the latest Blu-ray.
Whether you just want to have fun or want to be completely immersed in your game, you’ll find the right games console for you!

Portable games consoles: a world of gaming in your pocket

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If tearing yourself away from your games console is proving more difficult than you’d imagined, keep gaming on the go with a portable console!

Nintendo DS

Nintendo’s Gameboy has been reshaped and revamped into the Nintendo DS. The DS handheld console boasts dual screens (one of which is touch-sensitive), a stylus so you can write, draw, select and control games, and a microphone to allow for interactive gaming. Just like with the Wii, Nintendo is set on revolutionising the way we play.
The DS isn’t just for serious gamers; it appeals to mature audiences just as much as to children. Like the Wii, the DS has wireless technology that allows for multi-player gaming. With some games, only one player needs a copy of the game card and the other players can use WiFi to participate in a multi-player session. You can even confront opponents halfway around the world!
The DS packs in all of Nintendo’s expertise and offers an extensive catalogue of games. From adventure games to brain training through to cooking classes, it’ll follow you everywhere; it has a very good battery life too (between 6 and 10 hours)!

See all DS games

Sony PSP

Sony’s PSP is a more multi-faceted handheld video game system than the DS and includes all the latest high-tech features.
The PSP lets you access the Internet, play network games and play audio and video files. Its picture is exceptional for the size of its screen; the PSP boasts the same advanced graphic capabilities as the PS2.
The PSP is more than a gaming machine. Thanks to its Universal Media Disc (UMD) and MemoryStick, it can work as an MP3 player, digital picture viewer and video player. With the proper receiver, your PSP can even turn into a GPS – you’ll wonder how you ever got by it!
The PSP is also WiFi-enabled, allowing you to play multi-player games and access the Internet even when you're on the move. You can even get VOD on your PSP!

See all PSP games

Which one to choose?

: The PSP has better graphics but the DS offers a unique playing experience thanks to its touch sensitive screen.
Although new software is always being developed, for now the DS offers a much broader selection in terms of network gaming. Thanks to WiFi, you can easily network with the entire world, whereas the PSP requires you to install software and properly set up your console to achieve this.
The PSP, however, is much more advanced in terms of multimedia; what with videos, photos and music, you don’t even need a game to be entertained. Nintendo plans to add accessories to the DS to allow users to surf the Web and access films, MP3s and even television programmes!

Best-sellers

Wii Fit Plus (Wii Balance Board included) [WII]: ~~€ 99~~; € 89 Inc. VAT -10%; IN STOCK

Black Wii Console + 1 Nunchuk + 1 Wiimote + Wii Motion Plus + Wii Sports Resort - Limited Edition: ~~€ 209~~; € 195 Inc. VAT - 6%; IN STOCK

Wii Remote [WII]: ~~€ 39~~; € 34,90 Inc. VAT -10%; IN STOCK

Wiimote + Wii Motion Plus - black [WII]: ~~€ 54~~; € 48 Inc. VAT -11%; IN STOCK

Nunchuk Controller [WII]: ~~€ 19~~; € 17,99 Inc. VAT - 5%; IN STOCK

Xbox 360 Elite Games Console: ~~€ 249~~; € 229 Inc. VAT - 8%; IN STOCK

Focus on ...

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Interactive gaming

Most consoles feature interactive games, meaning you don’t just play the game, but really live it.
The Wii may just be the most interactive console of all. You need to move around to play, especially with the exciting Wii Fit accessory. With it, your Wii becomes a real personal trainer to help keep you fit while having fun.
Music and other quizzes also provide good interactive fun. These games evolve based on your feedback and not the other way round, guaranteeing hours of entertainment!

More fun?

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What better way to delve into the action than with a specially designed accessory for your console?

Games

Games consoles are all about the games, and there’s a wide variety of them out there designed to satisfy your thirst for adventure, action and entertainment!
You may have been told to choose your console according to the games you want to play, but all consoles offer equivalent types of games, especially the Xbox 360 and the PS3. They mainly offer action games, ranging from shooter to tactical combat, racing to role-playing and even sports games. These sometimes violent games – which aren’t meant for children – are incredibly realistic when played on HD Sony or Microsoft consoles. Age recommendations, lifespan, gameplay and scenario are all to be taken into account when purchasing a game.
You’ll find interactive music games for Sony and Microsoft consoles; but if interactivity is what you’re looking for, Nintendo’s Wii is the best option. Supplied with several sports mini-games, the Wii also has an extensive software library full of quirky titles and exciting quests, as well as platform and memory games. You’re sure to liven up your evenings and delight guests of all ages with a Wii!
Playstation and Xbox games are available for PSP and DS, and are tailored to fit the handheld consoles’ ergonomics (the DS’s two screens for instance).

Accessories

Bring your favourite games to life with a steering wheel, guitar or gun-shaped controller!
Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles all have wireless controllers, or remotes, that offer a very good range of action and mobility. As long as you keep a docking station or some batteries nearby, you can keep on playing!
To make your controller more “enthusiasm-proof”, slip it into a case to protect it. You can even customise your console by choosing a coloured or custom case for your controller.
If you own a handheld console, cases and screen protectors will help to avoid scratches or a broken screen.
For even more intensive gaming, there are specially adapted seats for racing games that really make you feel like a professional driver!
Choose only the best connectivity for your interactive console!
Really enjoy the HD resolution on your Xbox 360 or PS3 by opting for a longer HDMI cable and a fibre optic cable to get surround sound.
If you want a wireless console, WiFi or Bluetooth receptors for your PS3 make transferring movies from your PC, surfing the web and playing online games child's play! Really live the action and communicate wirelessly with gamers all over the world with a Bluetooth headset.

Online games

“Massively multi-player” online games let you share the fun with loads of people, even when you're alone in your living room.
Multi-player online games are available on both Sony and Nintendo handheld and stationary consoles. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 also allows you to play online, as long as you have a compatible game and an ADSL hook-up.
Multi-player online games let you hatch team strategies during role-playing games, try out new war tactics and participate in wild races with people all over the world! Join communities of like-minded players and participate in tournaments and competitions online. Watch your avatar, or character, as he or she evolves in the game, even when you’re not connected, and experience the thrill of a second virtual life!

Conclusion

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Games consoles are far from children’s toys, as they're providing multimedia entertainment in more and more households. Chock full of the latest high-tech innovations, Games consoles open up a whole world of possibilities, bringing music and video players, Internet connections, network games and more right into your living room.
By now, Games consoles have all adopted HD technology and are evolving towards the convergence of systems, which means that you can extend your game from your console to platforms such as your PC or even your mobile phone!