GeoffM

In the UK we had a Wii but not with the newer motion thingy. I'm looking to buy a console here in the US but quite frankly I'm way behind on what's good for what. Yes I can read reviews but they tend to be for hardcore gamers. We're a family, I rarely play, and DS is 4.5 years old. We used to like Wii Fit and the winter sports games, several of which DS could play quite happily.

As I understand it there are three main options:
1. Wii with motion plus
2. Xbox 360 with Kinect
3. PS3 with move/eye (?)

Also any reccos on HD sizes given we're not hardcore gamers. Ones with regular DVD player built in would be useful. Thanks.

fatbrit

You can pick a Wii up real cheap at the moment if you shop about as the next generation Wii-U is just about to be announced.

Xbox is probably the best system out there.

Sony lost the plot a long time ago, even if the focus at the moment is Nintendo losing the plot with the Wii-U.

Sally Redux

The golden age of games is over Playstation had some incredible games.

HumphreyC

I loved my Wii (which I left in the UK) but it's very long in the tooth now. I have an Xbox Kinect now which is great for fitness type stuff like Dance Central 2 & Kinect Sports ( I need this as I work from home and sit on my arse all day). For 'hardcore gaming' it isn't that good (yet) but for kiddie's games I think it is the best thing out there as it gets them up and moving.

Remains to be seen which of the next generation is worth getting. My money would be on the new Xbox and the Kinect 2 but Nintendo might pull something out.

Bob

You can softmod a Wii easily these days without any long lasting hacks, so if you wanted, you can then get media software installed to use the DVD drive as a DVD player. If you do that, you can get a usb hard drive, about a gig a game to install.

It's probably the cheapest option around and everything built in, with the Wifi as well, but it's a bit meh for online playing.

PS3 is probably the best value for money as a media player, with built in Blu-ray and decent online stuff, also better value for multiplayer.

The Move, works really well, but hasn't taken off very much and gets expensive to add all the bits together, though can be found second hand.

360 Not much different to the above, but you've got to add on extras, decent hard drive is pricey for it and the monthly subscription to do online stuff might add up a bit if you don't use it much.

Kinect is a bit shit and a waste of money, but because of that you can pick one up second hand for not much money.

Basically it all depends on what you're planning on playing...for little kids, Wii is probably easiest to play, but then again, so is a iPad.

E3 is on at the moment, so plenty of announcements...Wii-U is sounding interesting, but a little meh at the same time, lot of social media gaming being added to it this time.

fatbrit

Not for a good while now. They actually went so far as physically removing chips from the DVD drive to prevent you doing it. Sometimes you wonder what the hell they're thinking at Nintendo.

GeoffM

I noticed the Wii is about half the price of an Xbox/Kinect or PS3/Move - but it does seem about half as good! Can't be bothered to wait until autumn or whenever it is for the Wii U. I think I'll look out for an Xbox.

Thanks.

Bob

Well if it's that important, you can pick one up for $20 to go backwards.

The reason they didn't allow the DVD drive to be able to play movies in the first place was the licencing cost, something like $13 a machine and unlike the other consoles, they didn't want to sell at a loss.

Don't know why they bothered to remove the chip in later versions though.

Bob

It depends on what you play.

The good thing with the Wii, you get everything in the box, which you don't for the other consoles.

If you're into the latest and greatest games yourself and playing them online with 12 year olds slagging you off, then 360...if playing quietly, the PS3 and if it really is for the kids, under 10 then the Wii is better value.

Bink

The Wii is probably the most 'family friendly' IMO, especially as Bob has said for under 10s. It's definitely not the best 'gaming' system but in terms of ease of use, family fun, family friendly games and price it's hard to beat.
We have a Wii and use it for things like Mario Kart, Wheel of Fortune, tiger woods and then the wii sports etc. It mainly comes out at xmas, family gatherings etc as a light humoured means of keeping the kids entertained.

fatbrit

They're getting so cheap now you could almost justify one as a DVD player and Netflix/Hulu streamer. Well you could if it would play the freakin DVDs!