PRESS START NOW FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ENTER THE VIDEO GAME ARENA, WE SALUTE YOU.Byline: Addison Pate Staff Writer Christmas time is here again - and with it, wish lists full of toys you know absolutely nothing about. So for those who don't understand the difference between an Xbox and a GameCube, or don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. what a ``first-person shooter'' is, or think ``Animal Crossing'' is a road sign, then here is a breakdown to help you this holiday season. There are three game systems available this year, each with distinct advantages. The small and compact Nintendo GameCube The Nintendo GameCube (GCN) is Nintendo's fourth home video game console, belonging to the sixth generation era. The system itself is the most compact and least expensive, next to the Dreamcast, of the sixth generation era consoles. is the most affordable console, coming in at $149.99. The starting price starting price n (COMM) → precio inicial starting price n → prix initial starting price start n (at auction includes the main system and one controller, with additional controllers costing about $20. Famous characters like Super Mario, quality games such as ``Animal Crossing'' and strong licensing support make this a great bargain for gamers of all ages. The most popular game system to date, the Sony PlayStation Sony Playstation - Playstation 2 (PS2), costs $199.99 for the main system and one controller with additional controllers starting at $25 each. Backward-compatible, meaning it plays games from the older PlayStation One, the PS2 ranks high with many gamers due to its enormous library of games. They include popular hits like ``Metal Gear Solid  This article is about the original Metal Gear Solid released for the PlayStation. For the Game Boy Color spin-off of the same name, see . 2: Sons of Liberty'' and ``Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy.'' The PS2 is also able to play DVD DVD: see digital versatile disc. DVD in full digital video disc or digital versatile disc Type of optical disc. The DVD represents the second generation of compact-disc (CD) technology. movies and music CDs, making it a more well-rounded entertainment center and not just a game system. The final contender in the game console See video game console. war is Microsoft's Xbox. For the holiday season, Microsoft is sweetening the deal by adding two games (``Sega GT'' and ``Jet Set Radio Future'') to the standard system package, which features the main game console and single controller for $199.99. Additional controllers begin around $30. Also able to play both CDs and DVDs, the Xbox touts the better graphics and stronger picture quality of the three systems. Unfortunately the Xbox has, to date, a lack of quality games showcasing its superior attributes. With strong support from Sega and other developers, Microsoft hopes to be a powerhouse by summer. One key element that all three systems require and that many buyers overlook (as do the game-console manufacturers) is the memory card. Many games today require loads of memory to either run properly or to save progress. Without it, many games can be quite useless. Be sure to pick up the appropriate memory card, ranging in price from $15 to $35, when you purchase your system. So now that you've bought one, the time has come to decide what games you will be playing. With hundreds of choices out there the task can be overwhelming. Below is a short list of recommendations sure to keep the kids - or you - entertained on Christmas Day. Nintendo GameCube Animal Crossing: Before you open the box, be aware that this game can and probably will consume your life. To try and explain this game in a few sentences would be impossible, so here it is in a nutshell: You live an alternate life in a world where villagers, both computer and player controlled, are living everyday lives in time with an actual 24-hour clock. You get a job, buy a house, pay your bills and more, just like you would in the real world. Currently, up to four players can play at one time, but once this game goes online, a whole planet of people could be living inside the pixels of ``Animal Crossing.'' Rated: E for Everyone. Metroid Prime This article is about the game. For the creature, see Metroid Prime (creature). Metroid Prime (メトロイドプライム : The newest first-person shooter  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled. (meaning you see exactly what the character would see), ``Metroid Prime'' is a solid, intense adventure featuring a 3-D realm perspective that gives an uneasy, almost-too-realistic feel. The sounds, the weapons, the characters, the story line, the controls - everything about this game screams perfection. It's too bad Nintendo made the major flaw of limiting it to just one player. Be prepared to spend long hours in front of the TV attempting to defeat the evil Mother Brain and those troublesome Space Pirates This is a list of space pirates, often found in the science fiction and fantasy genres.: Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 0-9 A
Sony PlayStation 2: Grand Theft Auto - Vice City: This is one of the best, if not one of the most offensive games out today for the PS2. Set in the 1980s in a place called Vice City (think ``Miami Vice'' only with bad guys winning), the game posits you as an ex-con looking to take back what is rightfully yours. With beatings, massacres, prostitution and adult language, this game is outside the range of anyone under the age of 18. For those who can handle it, ``Grand Theft Auto - Vice City'' has it all, from fast cars, classic '80s music and exciting cut scenes (interstitial movies shown between levels of play). Rated: M for Mature. Kingdom Hearts: Mixing the worlds of ``Final Fantasy'' and Disney in an unusual fashion. Young Sora so·ra n. A North American rail (Porzana carolina) having grayish-brown plumage and a short stout bill, commonly found in freshwater bogs or swamps. [Origin unknown.] (voiced by Haley Joel Osment) discovers a terrifying ter·ri·fy tr.v. ter·ri·fied, ter·ri·fy·ing, ter·ri·fies 1. To fill with terror; make deeply afraid. See Synonyms at frighten. 2. To menace or threaten; intimidate. power that threatens the citizens of two universes. Along the way, you meet up with some of Disney's greatest heroes - and villains. An exciting adventure for all ages, with a basic control concept easy for anyone to pick up. Rated: E for Everyone. Microsoft Xbox: Splinter Cell: The answer to PS2's ``Metal Gear Solid'' this new release, based on characters by Tom Clancy, pits an NSA NSA abbr. National Security Agency Noun 1. NSA - the United States cryptologic organization that coordinates and directs highly specialized activities to protect United States information systems and to produce foreign agent against a terrorist group looking to start World War III World War III (abbreviated WWIII), or the Third World War, is a term used to describe a hypothetical conflict on the scale of World War I and World War II, or even larger, such as a nuclear holocaust. . Unlike other shoot-'em-all first-person games, ``Splinter Cell'' requires stealth and infiltration as keys to success. Amazing visuals, gripping plot and tense action will keep you glued to your controller until the mission is complete. But as with most first-person games, this one isn't recommended for the young. Rated: T for Teen. Halo: Though over a year old, this game stands out as one of the best. A science-fiction first-person shooter, ``Halo'' pits you against the Covenant, mankind's sworn enemy. Fight on foot, in vehicles, inside and outdoors, with human and alien weapons ranging from a rocket launcher to a alien plasma sword. Up to four players can play on missions, or take on each other in head-to-head competition. You can even link multiple consoles for tournament-style play. Just be prepared for some sore thumbs. Rated: M for Mature. - Correspondent Steve Robles Robles is a common surname in the Spanish language meaning oaks, and may refer to:
CAPTION(S): 6 photos Photo: (1) Nintendo's GameCube has won praise for its relatively low price, compact design and quality of titles. (2) Sony's PlayStation 2, released a year before GameCube and Xbox, has become the undisputed leader among video game consoles This is a list of video game consoles by the era they appeared in. Eras are named based on the dominant console type of the era (even though not all consoles of those eras are of the same type). Some eras are referred to based on how many bits a major console could process. . (3) Boasting the best processor on the gaming market, Microsoft's Xbox looks to win even stronger support from game manufacturers in 2003. (4) Metroid Prime (5) ``Kingdom Hearts'' for PlayStation 2. (6) ``Halo'' for Xbox. |
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