Electronic Games & Consoles

Kinect, released by Microsoft for their years-old Xbox 360 product in November of 2010, changed the way we look at controller inputs to computers or consoles. It opened the door for completely new controls, and new ways of looking at how we can control our computers systems. For the Xbox 360, these came mainly in the form of games, such as using your body as a wall or block, dodging objects, playing sports, learning dances, flying, and so much more. Kinect was a big success for Microsoft, and developers are only beginning to scratch the surface of what Kinect can do outside of the gaming world. And perhaps, it can be used in the music world, possibly even as a way to control musical instruments. But could Kinect, say, be converted to be used as a MIDI controller? Perhaps like a Theremin, where you can wave your arms in a certain direction to change the pitch and volume of the sound? Or perhaps the position of your arms can control a CC channel, such as the basic modulation wheel? Or could use a forward motion to activate hits and drum pads? All of this is certainly possible, but I believe the Kinect has an inherent lag or latency that may be too high for precise musical applications. Whenever I play games on the Kinect, there is always a latency between when I move and when the Xbox 360 completely senses and understands my movement. I'm not sure if it's software or hardware, or if it's simply a fault of the Xbox 360, or a fault of the Kinect in general. There is a lot of data that much be processed, and perhaps, when software processes become more efficient, and they are run on faster computers (as opposed to the Xbox 360's CPU), then the latency will drop. That, we can only hope.

Microsoft's Xbox 360 is probably the best selling home console right now, and it is very versatile, very valuable, beyond the obvious gaming capabilities. With the newer software updates, you can now use the Xbox almost like a computer for your TV. Mainly, there is now access to Youtube, Vevo, internet radio, just to name a few of the newer apps. Of course, there's always the option of connecting to your desktop computer over the local network, and accessing media, such as songs and video, from your console as well. I find the Xbox to be a great alternative to watching tv, and trying to be more productive at the same time. By switching to the Vevo app, I can watch live Thrice videos, get some inspirations for stage setups, performance ideas, songwriting ideas, what gear they use, and so on. By taking a routing that for most of us, wastes time (watching tv or playing video games), we can now switch it over to something that is more useful, yet still enjoyable and relaxing. And because it's built right into the Xbox, it is incredibly convenient. What I used to do, was I hooked up an old laptop to my television, downloaded a bunch of fly format music videos from youtube, and watching them on shuffle mode from my laptop. I always had an an Xbox 360, but it is incapable of playing videos in the flash video format, flv, and I had no easy way to convert it. With the new Youtube and Vevo apps, this is now unnecessary, and now I've essentially ditched my laptop. I can set up playlists in Youtube and Vevo directly, and watch my music videos. The only different now, is that there are occasional ads, but they are short and not too invasive. Overall, Xbox360, and possibly all future game consoles, will be build with more than gaming in mind. Let's hope they can keep options open for us professional musicians (especially with Kinect!)

Activision DJ Hero was a game that was kind of like a spin off of Guitar Hero and Rock Band. The game is pretty fun, but I feel like it fell short in the gaming experience. Was nothing like being a DJ at all to me, it was a fun game to pass time though. But I couldn’t do any more with it than that. After watching some kids play it at the store made me want to try it. But it was no where near as fun as Rock Band To me, and the “record” or “scratcher” just didn’t do it for me, it was just like a chunk of plastic and didn’t work well. I would suggest passing on this on, just still to Rock Band and do the drums or guitar and enjoy it. But Activision has created a lot of other things that have far passed this. I was a little disappointed with Activision with this program, I think there is another company who created on of the “DJ” things as well and it fell short too. Maybe its just the whole DJ theme cant really be replicated like a guitar or drum can in a game. Not to mention some of the songs they had weren’t really the best songs to have in a DJ game. There weren’t enough commercial songs in this game, I don’t know if Activision had the contract problems with some record labels and using there songs but they definitely fell short in that category as well. Stay away from this game, stay with Guitar Hero and Rock Band like everyone else has, there is a reason that this game hasn’t had the best sales record or that much hype behind it, the proof is in the game its self. Test it out and you will see what I mean.

Super Nintendo came out right after the Nintendo around the time of Sega Genises. Super Nintendo was like a breath of fresh air to gamers when it came out. Just when we thought the First Nintendo was great, here comes something better. Super Nintendo, but the thing about Super Nintendo that made it that much better was the fact that it had more games. Some of the best sports games that we still play today started on the Super Nintendo. Super Nintendo used the top load for cartridges unlike the first Nintendo which had the front load for the games which later down the road ended up being more of a problem that’s why you saw the second generations of the first Nintendo switch to top loading. The Super Nintendo (when it first came out) was pretty expensive but not too bad. One of my favorite games for Super Nintendo was Mortal Kombat. That game changed the face of fighting games forever, and so did other games like Street Fighter and Tekken. These games where like miracles compared to some of the games that where on the first Nintendo. The Super Nintendo paved the way for a lot of the games we still play today, and people are still trying to buy a Super Nintendo to this day. Its crazy that system is considered vintage now, it seemed like just yesterday that system came out. As long as Nintendo continues to create powerful systems that keep exceeding the previous one, Nintendo will remain on top of the battle for the best system. Nintendo always brings the best products out and continues to be a solid company with a great reputation. If you still have a Super Nintendo , pull it out and play it. You will remember what it was like to be a kid again!

I have been using the Nintendo Wii for about 3 years now, and I love it. This system is for the family, my kids love it and play it all the time. I have no complaints with the Wii. But for myself, I am more of a sports gamer and the sports game on the Wii are more cartoonish unlike playing them on Xbox or on Playstation. But the Wii wasn’t made to play games like Madden or NBA Live on. The Wii was made for family friendly games. The Wii has good graphics and a great flow to the system. You have channels on the main screen that are all right there in front of you, no need to flip through a bunch of different screens. The Wii remotes are wireless and motion censored. We love playing Golf and Bowling on the Wii, its very fun and competitive. You can also create your own character called a Mii. You can put your “Mii” in most of the games and use them when you play, but not in all of the games. The Nintendo Wii can also connect to the Internet via wifi connection and you can download more games and channels right to your wii over the internet. You can download games instead of going to the store to buy games, not to mention you can download classic games like the original Mario and Zelda. Overall I love the Wii and its a lot of fun for the family, especially now you can download the Netflix app right to your channel screen. You can stream all of your favorite movies right to your tv from the wifi connection on the Nintendo Wii. The Nintendo Wii has so many possibilities and it will only continue to grow year by year new things will come out and it will get more fun.

The Nintendo Gameboy is classic, bottom line! There hasn’t been another handheld gaming system that has changed the game the way that this system has. Nintendo was one of the first gaming systems, and the Gameboy might have been the first fully functional handheld game system. I have had my gameboy from almost 20 years now, and I still pull it out to play classic games such as Tetris. Its amazing how a low bit game like this can still be played today especially with all of the powerful handhelds out today like Sony PSP and Gameboy 3d/ Advanced. But if you ask me Gameboy started all of this off right. There would be no PSP if there wasn’t a Gameboy many many years ago. The Nintendo Game boy has paved he way for all of the current hand held gaming systems we use today and for all of the ones yet to come. My parents got me my Nintendo Gameboy when I was young and of course have no regrets about it, I loved it then when I got it for Christmas and I love it now. I suggest for Nintendo Gameboy to come out with the exact same Gameboy again and do a release and I bet the sales will still sky rocket. Like they did with the Nintendo when they came out with it again just a different version and made some changes. They should do that with the Nintendo Gameboy and I guarantee all of the kids and adults will want to get it for the first time or for some of us for the second time around. Nintendo has always made quality products for years and years. Nintendo is a company that will be around for a long time and continue to make innovative gaming systems for users of all ages.

I absolutely love the Playstation 3, they graphics on here outshine all of its gaming competitors. You have the ability to get online for game play that’s absolutely free. They don’t charge any type of monthly fee or anything. It also comes with a solid built in hard drive that can handle/play Blue Ray. Everything is turning into Blue Ray. Or you can use the Play Station 3 for Netflix and watch movies instantly. The possibilities are endless on this gaming system. Sony always improves from Playstation 1 to Playstation 2 and Now this unit. You can also get some HDMI cords and play in HD! This system is very developed and hasn’t crashed on me yet. I wish the system wasn’t so bulky though, you would think they would have made it more sleek and attractive. It sits on my TV stand clogging up space. But its worth it because its more than just a gaming system. it’s a entertainment powerhouse for the whole family. If I had to go back and make a choice between this and other systems I would choose this one again. It was very pricey when I first got it though, it was right around 550 dollars. But aren’t all electronics high priced when they first come out? I think the price has dropped some, but either way its well worth the price they sell it for. I have had other models of gaming systems and nothing has compared to this one. The thing I love the most is the graphics. They are very realistic and can make your jaw drop! I love playing Madden! Definitely get rid of your old systems and get this one, its worth the upgrade! They also have what’s called Playstation Move, Huh Oh.. Watch out Nintendo Wii, you aren’t alone any more.

I’ve been using the Nintendo Gamecube electronic video game console for about four or five years since it was introduced and it is definitely a unique console for a number of reasons. Let me first say that I’m a big supporter of Nintendo consoles and have been playing them since the original NES. When Nintendo Gamecube was introduced I was impressed with how small the discs were and how easy it was to play the games and understand the controllers. While it does take a little bit of getting used to, it is true that all video game consoles and controllers take a little bit of practice before you completely understand all the ins and outs. The graphics on the Nintendo Gamecube are very good, but as time has gone on to no one’s surprise gaming has gotten more and more in depth and now the graphics might seem a bit plain when compared to some of the more modern consoles like Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Nonetheless, the graphics are more than playable and it is certainly easy to navigate through everything as it is all laid out smartly and conveniently. The size of the actual console is also very impressive, as not even in modern games have we seen a console as small as this with all of the power it has. There are tons of great games to be played on Nintendo Gamecube, including Super Mario games as well as puzzle games. While no longer in the forefront of the gaming world, Nintendo Gamecube is still a great video game console and would be a great steal for someone who doesn’t care about the latest systems and just wants a good, adequate console. You can find some great deals in terms of price of the Nintendo Gamecube these days and I would say one hundred per cent that it is worth a try.

Sega Dreamcast is an electronic gaming console and one of the first of its kind in the fact that the games are CDs. It has connections for four controllers and each controller has four buttons, a joystick, and a directional pad. They also each had a small screen on each that would display things that were going on with the game. The system is easy to navigate with and to play on, with the graphics and overall game play being pretty accurate and responsive. It is overall a well made game that only had one real issue. The downfall of Sega Dreamcast was in the fact that games could be ripped off easily and burned onto CDs. Since most gaming companies make their real money on the games themselves not the consoles, this was a huge problem for Dreamcast and as a result was unable to perform in the market place. This aside, the games for Sega Dreamcast are pretty good and while its time was pretty short lived, while it was out it was a great system to play on. It was one of the first to have as good of graphics as it does and to have quite realistic game play. It is especially great for playing sports games like NBA Live and Madden Football. If you still have one of these systems, it is a great benefit now to be able to download games from the internet and burn them to play. It saves a lot of money if you don't mind playing games from a few years ago. Overall, Sega Dreamcast may not be one of the most popular gaming consoles ever made, but it was a stepping stone to where we are today in the world of gaming and is a good system in its own right.

I've been using the Nintendo 64 electronic game console for about six or seven years and I can remember the days when there was no better console than this one. While it is now a bit outdated, it still holds a place in video game history as the first 64 bit system that made for a new type of graphics. The console has a nice look to it and will last a pretty long time if you treat it properly. The console is pretty easy to use and figure out, even though the controller have a lot more buttons than its predecessor, Nintendo NES. You can have up to four people playing at once, which comes in quite handy for games like Mario Kart 64 which is a staple of this system. While at first the amount of buttons on the controller may seem daunting to the simple video game player, it is easy enough to use that it won't take too long to figure out what everything does. The graphics are clear and 3D looking, which was a huge selling point of this console when it came out. While it can't match anything close to what is out today, it is still playable and for those of us who grew up playing Nintendo 64, there is no substitute. Some other classic games that can be played with this system include Ken Griffey Jr Baseball, All Star Baseball, Super Mario Bros, and Wrestlemania. I have grown to love the games made for this system, and there is really something for everyone. I'm pretty sure that if you aren't familiar with this system already, you probably won't find too much appeal in this system as it probably isn't modern enough for your taste. However, if you like older video games, Nintendo 64 is a great choice. This console with remain as part of video game history, as well as use for those who still have this great gaming system.

Sega Game Gear is a color screen portable electronic video game. It is one of the first of its kind, besides Nintendo Game Boy of course. I have been using Sega Game Gear for about ten years, and the original console that I have still works after all of these years. While a bit bulky at modern standards, and does take a lot of batteries, it it easy to bring around and to play and use on the go. It has built in speakers as well as a headphone output. It has pretty basic controls including a directional pad, a start button, and a both an A and a B button. The color screen comes in crystal clear and everything is pretty easy to navigate through and understand in terms of overall use. All of the games are pretty easy to play, and I usually use this system for playing games like Sonice The Hedgehog 2, Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers, and Jurassic Park. The price of the Sega Game Gear has no doubt dropped since they were new, but if you can find one used that still works you can probably find some good deals on this console. The ease of use of Sega Game Gear makes it great to keep kids occupied. While there are definitely more modern portable game consoles out there, if you are nostalgic for Sega Game Gear, nothing but the real thing can fill this desire. This system helped to pave the way for modern colored portable systems, and continues to be one of the best ever made. For those of us who were around when this came out, this is a classic portable game console that is hard to replicate. Overall, one of the best portable game consoles ever made that hasn't been matched current day.

Nintendo NES is one of the first portable gaming consoles to be made available to everyone and was definitely the first popular home gaming console. I've been playing Nintendo NES for about fifteen years and this system will always hold a place in my heart. I still have my original console to this day, and even though it doesn't work as well as it once did, it still works and is playable. I love how simple the games on this console are to play and to learn. Games today take too much time and effort to play in my opinion, and it is nice to be able to go back to the basics and play some simple games. Even though these are no longer manufactured, it is very easy to find one of these used for reasonable prices on eBay or otherwise. They even make modern day NES consoles that are very cheap, but don't have the exact make up of the original Nintendo NES systems. I've played all types of games on this console, including Super Mario Bros 1, 2, and 3, RBI Baseball and Tetris. This is the console that really started it all and set off a frenzy of home gaming. There were some others before it, but Nintendo NES was the first to really catch on strong. If you are into older video games haven't tried a Nintendo NES, it is about time that you did. All of the games are easy to learn and play, as the controllers only have a limited amount of buttons. Most kids these days won't get this system as they are probably used to a whole different style of gaming. However, if you are into the old school world of video games, it doesn't get too much better than Nintendo NES. Overall, Nintendo NES is a classic gaming console that holds a special place in video game history.