Waging an epic war, fighting off demons and monsters, or locking horns with the Red Devils. The living room is where all the action is as game consoles take centrestage.

Yong with the Xbox 360.

Chong (front) with friends.

Thrills and spills

RESTAURANT owner Wiiliam Wee knows how to spend quality time at home with his family. He will gather everyone in the living room, set up the Nintendo Wii, and get on the infamous Wii Sports before gradually adding other games such as strategy, platform and puzzle-based genres.

According to Wee, the Nintendo video game console inspires wholesome family fun.

“It’s both exciting and engaging, and easy too. All it requires is the player to move the Wiimote and nunchuck to navigate. You’re not just pushing buttons on the controller, it’s like you’re really doing it. For example, when playing tennis or bowling, you need to move your hands – clutching the Wiimote – appropriately to hit or throw the ball. This provides a nice exercise and a good way to lose weight too,” he says.

Wee represents one of the growing number of people who find it fun to be able to live their fantasies in the virtual world – right in the comfort of the living room – through a newer breed of game consoles like the Nintendo Wii, Sony’s PlayStation 3 (PS3) or Microsoft’s Xbox 360.

These are the tech-savvy kind who finds it cool working with high-flying broomstick-riding wizards and armies of armoured knights to vanquish evil creatures, pitting soccer skills against some of the world’s best team or engaging in dogfights in airspace.

• Marketing manager Bernard Yong currently plays the Xbox 360 console. He has tried out every platform available, from the humble Micro Genius to portables such as the GameBoy, the two generations of PlayStations and even the PC. He does not play as much as he would like. He hardly plays on weekdays, but tries to spend a couple of hours on gaming during the weekends.

“To me, the thrill of gaming is all about the challenges presented, the problem-solving mechanics required, the thrill of victory (and the agony of defeat), as well as the immersion of oneself in the virtual worlds presented by games.”

• Another Wii advocate is account director Justin Then, whose previous gaming experience was confined to the personal computer.

“I first came across the Nintendo Wii about two years ago when one of my ex-colleagues brought the console to the office. Although I only played on the Wii for a short period, it was enough to convince me that it would be the future of gaming, especially for young children and the less avid gamers. I finally bought my Nintendo Wii about six weeks ago,” Then says.

The former tech journalist says Wii’s main attraction lies in its ability to interact with the user. “What I mean by interaction is that you actually move physically when playing the games (especially with Wii Sports). This is made possible because you hold on to the Wii Remote (which is basically a wireless controller or pointing device), and your movement with the Wii Remote will be detected by the sensor bar which is placed in front of you. Your movement will be reflected in the game on the TV screen.”

Then agrees that game consoles provide good home entertainment for the family.

“My wife and two kids absolutely love the Wii because the gaming experience is truly immersive and interactive. For the young kids especially, the Wii helps improve hand-eye co-ordination. For the adults, well, we get some exercise to complement the outdoor activities.”

• Product specialist Chong Yi Yin played the good old Nintendo as a kid, and moved on to the Nintendo Wii, PS1 and PS2. She’s currently hooked on to the Xbox 360’s Halo.

“I am into game consoles for various reasons. One, it is a team play where four persons can play simultaneously per console. It really strengthens the bond if you are playing with family or friends. Second, the weapons are so cool – with rocket launchers, shotguns, snipers, you name it! And this game goes live, so we’re competing around the world,” she cites.

• Marketing executive Suhana Ishak currently plays Nintendo Wii, but says the PS2 and PS3 are commendable gaming consoles too.

“I usually play sports games on the Wii, and the occasional role-playing game on Kung Fu Panda. I am not a serious gamer as I only play when I am exhausted of other forms of entertainment or when I am challenged by my husband,” Suhana says. She sees gaming as one of her many hobbies, or simply an avenue for entertainment.

Looking ahead, Suhana says games should cater for more segments. “I do think that there is an untapped market among the females.”

• Sub-editor Angela Looh Yin Hsia currently owns the Xbox 360. She plays Halo 3, Winning Eleven and Gears of War. She plans to try out Fallout 3 and Gears of War 2 soon.

Looh plays at least three to four times a week – almost every weekend at a friend’s house and sometimes on weekdays at home. she says the workout is a good stress reliever after a long day at work.

“I never imagined myself ever playing, let alone liking, console games. But when I first tried my hands at Halo, I was hooked. I guess the fun part is being able to play with friends.

“The plot is unpredictable and each game is different because it is a multi-player game. It’s like a box of chocolate – you will never know what you are going to get. And the online feature is a huge plus point. I can log on and play with anyone, anytime, anywhere,” Looh adds.

Choosing the right ‘box’

LOOKING for a new game console this holiday season? Well, you’d only need to decide between three notable brands – Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3 (PS3) and Xbox 360.

Jason Lee, who blogs on game consoles at www.nineoverten.com, says these new breed are better equipped in their role as living room entertainment hubs today compared to the previous generation of consoles.

Here’s a brief rundown on each of the game console.

• PS3

Powered by the Cell Broadband Engine, it provides a super-computer-like power and performance. It comes with a built-in Blu-ray disc player and offers multimedia interface for photos, music, videos and Internet. The PS3 delivers “always-on” online connectivity; offering multi-player gaming, text and video messaging, voice chatting, downloading content and browsing the Internet.

The PS3 and PlayStation Portable can exchange media such as photos, videos and music. The current PS3 model offered by Sony Malaysia comes with an 80GB hard disk drive.

Strengths: Doubles up as a Blu-ray disc player for a HD movie-viewing experience in your living room. Official warranty provided by Sony Malaysia. Linux operating system can be installed onto the PS3 (catering more towards enthusiasts).

Weaknesses: Currently the most expensive console around.

Popular game titles: Little Big Planet, Fallout 3, Metal Gear Solid 4.

Average price: RM1,899 with two games from Sony Centre/Sony Style.

• Nintendo Wii

Provides an immersive, engaging experience mostly because of the Wii Remote which uses motion sensor control to let players be a part of the game through natural and intuitive movement. The Wii has entertainment for everyone in the house; anyone can pick up and play games on Wii.

Games can be selected from the original Nintendo Entertainment System, Super NES and Nintendo 64, and new content that will be designed specifically for Wii. The Wii plays all Nintendo GameCube video games. Multimedia integration on the Wii Menu allows you to check the news, create your caricature and play it in a game, view and send personal photos, or check the weather. Officially available at Nintendo Counters and Best Denki outlets.

Strengths: Innovative control scheme offers a level of immersion not available in the other two consoles. Virtual Console allows access to Nintendo’s large back-library.

Weaknesses: Games don’t look as pretty as those on the PS3 or Xbox 360. A gaming device only, doesn’t play DVD movies or other HD formats.

Popular game titles: Mario Kart Wii, Animal Crossing: City Folk, Wii Sports.

Average price: RM1,200 to RM1,400.

• Xbox 360

This console has three core processors that are able to produce HD 720p/1,080i output, 16 by 9 cinematic aspect ratio, anti-aliasing for smooth textures, full-surround sound and DVD playback. There are three packages available in the market – the Xbox 360 Pro (60GB hard disk), Xbox 360 Elite (120GB hard disk) and Xbox 360 Arcade (no hard disk).

The Xbox Guide Button allows access to digital movies, music and games libraries, as well as a range and battery life of up to 30 feet and 30 hours of life on two AA batteries. The removable Faceplate can be swapped out and customised.

The Xbox also comes with a headset for talking to friends or opponents while playing games on Xbox Live. Video comes from component, standard and HD cable. Microsoft has recently released Xbox 360s with updated motherboard configuration codenamed Jasper to address the console’s high hardware failure rate.

It is currently available, with some form of support from Microsoft Singapore, and at Gamers Hideout, Cineleisure Damansara.

Strengths: Robust online multi-player, community marketplace facilities.

Weaknesses: High hardware failure rate (and Microsoft Malaysia does not handle warranty claims, consoles need to be sent to Singapore instead), used to support the now dead HD-DVD standard through an add-on drive. Does not support Blu-ray disc playback.

Popular game titles: Gears of War 2, Grand Theft Auto IV, Halo 3

Average price: RM1,300 to RM1,700, depending on the version.

Global game consoles sales (US$ million)

Nintendo Wii 34.6

Xbox 360 22.5

PlayStation 3 16.8