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I've been asked a lot lately about which system is the best and what would be the system to get for various circumstances and preferences.  For my first article back, I'll just talk about this and give you my opinion.

There are 3 major systems right now and, naturally, all want you to believe they are the best. As parents, grandparents, spouses, loved ones, and individuals looking for something for ourselves or as gifts, we all want to know what the best options are.  Does each system offer something better than the other?  Will the recipient of the system be disappointed when they see the other systems and what they can do?  Are there enough quality titles to warrant a purchase?  These are all valid questions and ones that should be considered heavily when making your purchasing decision.

Let's first dispel some myths about each system and then move on to the high points of each.

First off, the XBox 360 and the PS3 are clearly the "powerhouses" in the mix.  The Wii is pretty much a slightly tweaked Gamecube with added motion controls.  So, while the others try to "wow" you with their graphics and power, the Wii tries to amaze with innovation.  The XBox 360 and the PS3 are about equal in power, and neither has a gigantic advantage as far as capabilities and graphics.  None of the systems "suck", they each have their high points and their lows.  Let's discuss each.

Let's start with the PS3.  To be honest, Sony really dropped the ball with their launch of the PS3.  There were no real unique titles and the ones that were out were mostly ports of older XBox 360 games that were, for the most part, poorly ported.

With a year under its belt, the PS3 now has a few really good titles and is starting to show its true potential.  Their online community is free and they've added their Playstation Sore which allows you to download (each download has a price) games, demos, and other bits of mulitmedia (like movie trialers).

The PS3 is also a Blu-Ray DVD player.  This high definition format seems to be winning the new format war, but as that battle rages, there's still no clear winner and so the future of the format is still up in the air.  But, for what it's worth, the ability to play Blu-Ray movies is nice and the benefits are awesome, if you own an HD-TV.

For the most part, the controllers have not changed, so that's either good or bad depending on what you thought of the PS2's controllers.  Personally, I think they are too small and the analog sticks are too close together and positioned in the wrong place, so it makes driving games and first person shooters a chore to play.

One thing that did change with the controller is the addition of a motion sensor feature that allows the system to detect the movement of the controller (think Wii).  While this really hasn't been put to great use, there's some games that show the potential it has (their downloadable bowling game comes to mind).

The PS3 so far has been a very big disappointment, though the potential is there.  It's a good system, has plenty of power, and will eventually have the killer games we've come to expect from Sony.  The price is coming down, but with that they have limited backwards compatibility with the 40GB model and only software emulation with the 80GB model.  While not perfect, the 80GB model is clearly the choice if you plan on getting a PS3 simply because it has more features, more USB ports (4 compared to 2 on the 40GB model), and has better backwards compatibility.  Why they even made the 40GB model baffles me.

Good:  Built in wireless, Hard Drive, USB Ports, Blu-Ray player.

Bad:  Where's the killer games?  Ports are not what we need.

Bottom Line:  Name brand loyalty is the only thing that is saving the PS3 right now.  It will eventually come into its own, but right now it's just not a good value and will collect dust (mine is in need of dusting at the moment).

Those that know me will tell you I'm partial to the XBox 360, and it's true.  But it's not a bias that I have for the system, it's a love for what it offers.  There are so many killer games out right now that it's hard to keep up!

The XBox 360 started out with a big bang at launch, and then ran into a huge amount of defective systems (both my systems have had to be replaced twice).  With the defectives systems seeming to be filtering out, the only big issue is the DRM issue.

The 360, other than the defects and the DRM issue, has done everything right.  The system has plenty of games for everyone, and XBox Live has grown into a 9-million strong community where finding a game to get into online is both easy and accessible at pretty much any time of the day.

The 360 has had the time and resources to make nearly everything about the system right.  From the online features, to the games, to the downloadable content, the 360 excels at what it set out to do: become your multimedia hub. 

On my 360, I not only play my games, but I watch my DVDS (There is an HD-DVD add-on you can buy), and listen to music (streamed from my computer).  This all-encompassing multimedia machine has wowed me time and time again with its features and games, and continues to be my system of choice simply because of all the options it gives you.

XBox Live (the name for the service) is $50 a year to subscribe to, but here's where that old saying, "you get what you pay for", comes into play.  The price is well worth the benefits and is a must for all 360 owners to fully realize the potential of their machine.

In an article in the Official XBox Magazine (OXM), it was stated that the 360 shows its true "next-gen" status by the way you interact with it.  After reading the article, I realized I do the same thing the person writing the article described.  Instead of picking out a game, putting it in the system, and then playing, I turn on the system and then think "what will I do now?".  The options of the system are vast and with the amazing XBox Live features, there's never a lack of choices as to where the system will take you.

To be fair, the 360 has had 2 years on the market, and has the financial backing of Microsoft, so they could go all out and make the system amazing.  In this case, I'm glad they did, as it really does set the standard a little bit higher for the rest.

Good:  Fantastic lineup of games, XBox Live, Awesome controllers.

Bad:  No built in wireless, faulty systems, DRM issues kill!

Bottom line: Hands down the best system out there.  It's online features and games will keep you happy and coming back time and time again.  Easily the system of choice.

After the debacle that was the Gamecube, many people had written Nintendo off and expected them to go into software development only.  Nintendo laughed and said, "No, we're in the hardware business and we know what people want!"  and everyone laughed.  Then they showed off the "Wii" and again, everyone laughed and said, "Nintendo, are you insane?  It's a souped up gamecube with a motion sensor gimmick!" and Nintendo said, "Look, we know what the gamers want, and it's not great graphics and powerful systems, and fancy games.  They want simplicity and something new."  And with that, the world laughed.

Fast forward to today, and the Nintendo Wii is the best selling system out right now.  Good luck trying to find one!

So is the Wii worth the money?  While it's the cheapest system out there, it certainly has enough going for it to warrant at least a look.  The motion sensor controllers work great, and the included "Wii Sports" title is still my favorite for the system!  The Wii Bowling on that disc is still my favorite game.

while certainly underpowered, and lacking many of the "big name" games, the Wii provides a safe name for parents to run to.  Nintendo is synonymous with "safe" in the gaming industry, and that alone is what keeps Nintendo rolling year after year.

The Wii ditches the standard controller for a "Wiimote" that senses the positioning of the controller and manipulates the game on screen.  There are few buttons, but the innovative possibilities are what makes this system worth a look.

The Wii also has built in wireless and many of the games coming out now support online play.  The Wii is also backwards compatible with the Gamecube and has ports for the memory cards and controllers.

There's also an "online store" that has downloadable games from the old days.  Games from the NES, SNES, N64, SEGA GENESIS, and Turbo Grafix are available to download from between 5 and 10 dollars each.  This is great when you find some oldies that you have missed over the years (Solomon's Key!).  As with the PS3, the Gamecube's online features are free.

Good:  Innovative controllers and gameplay.  Built in wireless.  Online store to download old games.

Bad:  I'm still playing with Gamecube graphics in the "next gen" war?  Since it's a hit, companies have slopped together anything they can to try and cash in.  Tons of "crappy" games (be careful and research your game purchases closely!).

Bottom Line:  A great system that is hampered by lack of power .  It's fun, it's safe, but it's no 360.

So what's the verdict?  Simply put, the XBox 360 is hands down the winner so far.  It's got tons of games, a fantastic online community, and has proven the clear leader in the "next-generation" race.  The PS3 could catch up (will take it a couple of years if it does), but so far, the 360 leaves the competition in the dust.

The Wii is a great addition to one of the other systems.  As a main console, the Wii just wouldn't cut it with me.  There's just not enough quality games to keep me coming back.

Winner:  XBox 360