Will You Die If You Don't Buy The New X-Box 360 Gaming System
Today?
Ok, so my kid is driving me absolutely nuts about the new Xbox
360 gaming console from Microsoft, which of course, is all the
rage now. Dad, "I've got to have it!", he says. "My old crappy
Xbox system, my GameCube, my Playstation 2, and all 47 versions
of my Nintendo GameBoy are terrible! The graphics are so bad I
feel like I'm watching non-HDTV! All of my friends have the new
Xbox 360 game! The 360's graphics are killer, like nothing
you've ever seen before! If I don't get one then everyone is
going to make fun of me and I'm going to die!"
Get the picture? Ok, so we may have made a mistake somewhere
around the twenty-third gaming console purchase. Maybe we, as
parents, have encouraged such behavior. Nah, I don't know what I
was thinking. Anyway, as luck would have it, I too, am a sucker
for the latest craze in high tech video games, and yes, I was
that guy sitting in the nice, comfy, black leather recliner
positioned directly in the center of the Best Buy showroom the
day the first, and extremely short-lived, stock of the
graphically phenomenal Xbox 360 game systems arrived! Plus, I
certainly don't want my 10 year old to be made fun of and die,
so I decided that it was my duty as a parent, to at least look
into, the possibility of aquiring the Holy Grail of all gaming
systems...the pantheon that is the Xbox 360.
So, I set off on my typical in-depth Xbox 360 research and
analysis project. I read press releases, searched for the latest
new and articles, called around to various electronics stores,
and to the parents of some of those "cool kids" that my son told
me had already taken possession of this new technical wonder. I
then gathered my data, constructed my spreadsheets, and
scientifically came to the only logical conclusion possible.
Fuhgetaboutit!
That's right, as much I enjoyed those edge-of-the-seat moments
playing the brutally demanding, and gorgeously brilliant, first
person shooter, Call of Duty 2 on the Xbox 360 console at Best
Buy, I decided the only logical decision at this point, was to
hold steadfast and continue to have my son suffer with our
existing, decaying arsenal of gaming consoles that currently
litter the house from top to bottom. So what was the driving
forces that led me to this unpopular (at least with my son)
conclusion, you ask. Well here's the shortlist.
1. The Xbox 360 system is virtually impossible to find, and if
you do, you have to buy the $800 - $1000 gaming bundle, which
includes games that will surely be long forgotten in only a few
short months.
2. Pretty much every video game currently offered for the new
360 system is certainly not appropriate for a 10 year old. You
are limited to titles such as Dead or Alive 4 and Perfect Dark,
both rated M (for mature), or at best titles such as the
aforementioned Call of Duty 2, rated T (for teen).
3. Very few games released for the new Xbox 360 gaming console
will be compatible on the old Xbox system.....that really
irritates me!
4. From what I'm hearing, a fairly high percentage of the
systems are experiencing some very significant technical
problems, if not all together crashing.
5. Oh, did I mention that you're going to have to shell out
between $800 - $1000 for one of these sought after prizes?(see
#1)
So yea, a pretty simple decision after all. Not reliable, no
child friendly game releases, and requires taking out a second
mortgage on your home if you are lucky enough to find an
in-stock bundle. Plus here's the other HUGE reason to hold off.
Both Sony and Nintendo will be releasing their new high end
gaming consoles in just a few more months....the Playstation 3
and the Revolution. It's estimated that the Playstation 3 will
be weighing in at under $500, with the Revolution at a $299
price point, and I'll guarantee you they will be on a mission to
outperform the Xbox 360 in every way possible! Better still,
both of these manufacturers have already stated that their new
systems will be completely backward compatible, meaning you
don't have to scrap the shelf full of video games you already
have! But, if at that point, you're still set on buying the Xbox
360 system, you can give Sony and Nintendo a call and thank them
for saving you a few hundred bucks when Microsoft if forced to
drop their prices in order to compete!
So son, "Hang in there and see if you can take the abuse from
all you buddies for a few more months, then we'll see who has
the most "Rad" gaming system around come this fall!"
For all the current, up to the minute, Xbox 360 news along with
the best deals on video games and accessories, visit the Game
Zone at http://www.gamingsystemsonline.com