by B. Ender

Created on: December 07, 2008

With game consoles averaging at about 300 U.S. dollars, they are expensive hardware. Now you need to know that you are getting the right console for someone because, well, it wasn't cheap and you don't want to see your gift collecting dust next time you come over. In order to get the right game system you need to know what person you are buying this for. The three current-generation competitors have varying prices and target markets. You need to know what your friend or family member likes to play, how often does he or she buy games, and of course how much you'd be willing to pay in the first place.

The first thing you should know is what type of games the person you're buying the system for likes to play. These can be racing games, to platformers, to shooters and role-playing games. If your friend already has an older game console, it might be wise to check out the games he or she currently plays on that system to see what he or she really likes. You of course know this person and I don't, so I'm not going to give any specific recommedations, but whatever type of game your friend plays the most is probably going to help you choose the game console. The Nintendo Wii is targeted at a broader range of people, and most would consider it the system "for kids". If your friend or family member is a more laid back, casual gamer who isn't really into intense games then the Wii would probably be best. If your friend is a much more "hardcore" gamer, who often plays intense action games then the PS3 or the Xbox 360 would be the better choices.

Another thing to consider is online multiplayer. If your friend is more laidback and rarely plays games online, then the Wii is the best choice probably. If your friend plays multiplayer games frequently, however, the Xbox 360 would probably be wisest. The Xbox 360 has Xbox Live, which for $50 a year allows you to play as many online games as you want, and has a large userbase so you will probably always be able to find somebody to game with online. The PS3 has its own multiplayer, PSN, and it is free, but there isn't as much as a userbase currently and some would say its online multiplayer isn't as polished and refined as the 360's.

Price is a very important factor in buying a console as a gift, at least for you, the buyer, anyways. The cheapest game console today is the Xbox 360 Arcade (the 360 comes in three models, Arcade, Premium, and Elite) which goes for about $199 at most retailers. If your friend enjoys a large lineup of intense

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