Video Game Consoles

Every game needs a console, just like every wagon needs a wheel. Early video game consoles were simple computers that were capable of only limited graphics and sounds. Modern video game consoles are dedicated gaming machines with enough processing power to run a factory. There are dozens of video game consoles, each with large libraries of video games to play.

What Is a Console?

Video game consoles are generally described as dedicated machines that are designed to play video games. While you can certainly play games on your cell phone, they usually aren't considered a gaming console. The PC and Mac computers are also a separate category from video game consoles. The term video gaming console is most frequently used in reference to home-based gaming systems such as the Sony PlayStation or Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), while handheld gaming systems are usually called "handhelds". For the purposes of this category, we use the term to include both handheld and home systems.

A few examples of video game consoles from past and present:

• 3DO
• Atari 5600
• Game Boy
• GameCube
• Neo-Geo
• Nintendo 64 (N64)
• Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
• Phillips CD-I
• Sega Game Gear
• Sega Genesis
• Sega Saturn
• Sony PlayStation
• Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)
• Xbox

Current Video Game Consoles

Currently there are three major video game consoles for the home market (not including computers) and three handheld console systems (not counting cell phones and other multi-use devices). Approximately every five years, any company in the video game console business unleashes a revamped version of their current hardware offering. These successors up the ante and feature more power, more speed and more games than their previous incarnations.

The current console systems (as of early 2006) are below:

• Microsoft Xbox 360
• Nintendo GameCube
• Sony PlayStation 2

And the handheld devices...

• Game Boy Advance
• Nintendo DS
• Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP)

Sometime in 2006, next-generation systems will replace the Sony PS2 and Nintendo GameCube, namely the Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Revolution. Microsoft's Xbox 360 was an upgrade to the original Xbox and was released in late 2005.

Video Game Console Category

The video game consoles category here at LoveToKnow features articles and information on many video gaming platforms, including cell phones, computers, and dedicated gaming hardware both past and present. We even go so far as to allude to the future, so be sure to check out the articles below for a taste of video gaming heaven!