Next Gen Systems - My Rankings

So my buddy Long asked me to rank the three next-gen consoles, having been lucky enough to play all three this holiday break. Here is my e-mail back to him and my friends:

I'm not sure how you define "best" but here are my rankings. Please note that I'm biased towards Sony, having been on their consoles for over a decade.

1) PS3 - amazing power, sleek looks and familiar controls. The Ferrari of gaming systems. Fall of Man is simply stunning to watch and even better to play. GT: HD looks stupendous on a regular set, I can only imagine what it will be like on HDTV. Plato has tried it on his set, so maybe ask his opinion? Driving feel is similar, drift mode is kinda cool. There is a reason this is the most expensive system, and it could very well be worth every penny (need to buy an HDTV to confirm).

2) Wii - one word: Fun! This is the most versatile system and will make the most "gamers" out of ordinary folks. It's great for my 4yr old neice as well as my Mom. Call of Duty 3 is awesome on the Wii, I'll give up some graphics for a more interactive controller. Wii Sports is actually a lot of fun and makes a great party game (like Sing Star of Guitar Hero).

3) X360 - third doesn't mean last - it's right up there with the other two and leagues better than PS2 or Xbox. Gears of War is my favorite game right now. I dig the easy setup (Microsoft thinks things through) and have yet to dive into Xbox Live yet. 160+ titles out make it the clear winner of the Next-Gen trio if you want to play right now. I will likely spend more time on 360 than PS3 in the next three months.

-Hong

Christmas 2006 - I was a good boy this year!

So we went to NYC for Christmas this year, haven't done that in a few years. We usually just stay in the Bay Area with memories of a HORRIBLE American Airlines experience seared into my memory. This year wasn't so bad, but that could be attributed to the timing of our flights.

Before we left, Wendy found this Amazon Customer Vote page. Of course we signed up and voted for the Wii. Having gone to half a dozen stores at 6am over the weekend, this was really our last shot at scoring one for Christmas. I had told everyone I was getting one for the kids, before the news that Nintendo was cutting back on their shipments. Our chances were about 1 in 30, but it was worth throwing our hat in the ring.

Next day, I get the e-mail. Unbelievable! We got a Wii! Amazon rocks!! I tell all the other adults so they can buy extra controllers and games.

NYC was pretty much the same. We did get out of the house a few times but more importantly, we got some quality time with the family. Man these kids grow up quick! After a few days we were bored at home. I convinced my sister to let the kids open up one gift early. Of course they picked the Wii!

What a cool system. The one word that came up most often to describe it was "Fun". That's what games are all about. Even my 4 year old niece was having a blast. She was bowling 136 by the end of the weekend, and that's higher than I could bowl in real life. I'm surprised at how well the controller worked, and how different the game play is. Call of Duty 3 with the Wiimote/Nunchuk is a whole different experience.

My little sister bought her BF a Xbox360, so we had two of three next-gen consoles in the house. Rumors started to spread that someone had gotten the kids a PS3 as well. No way! They are super hard to get.

Well we're done eating the Christmas Eve dinner and it's around 7pm. Our old tradition was to open gifts right at the stroke of midnight. I remember fighting off the sleep fairy every year when I was younger. Of course, I was getting one Tonka truck or something much less exciting than a PS3! So the kids open up the box from their Mom and lo and behold - it's a Shiny Black Box. They simply go nuts. My little sis hands me what appears to be a calendar. I open it up and it's a PS3 catalog - pretty neat, I can leave it in my office.

Then, she goes into the bedroom and brings out another box. No way! It's the same size as the kids' gift and seems to be the same weight. Is it possible? I rip open the box and yes... YES! YES!!! It's my very own PS3! Holy cow. That was an awesome surprise.

My wife bought me the 360 for Christmas, and I opened it before we left for NYC. I bought all the games myself because I'm crazy. Well, the two lying down are from the best little sister in the whole wide world!

-Hong

All "car guys" end up at the track.

It is the holy grail for any self-titled "car guy". I use that in the generic sense, since a lot of "car guys" are actually women. If (or when) I have a daughter, she will also be a "car guy".

My buddy Plato is a car guy. We've gone to the track a few times and had some fun. He's actually managed to write a long post about it. I might have to copy him, like I did with the Top Ten cars list below.

P's Top Ten Track Times

Times meaning instances or events, not actual lap times. Because that would be racing, and insurance companies don't like that.

-Hong