Console Games Vs. Computer Games

Certainly there are many gamers who fully appreciate both sides of the spectrum, but there are also those who do not. In the following article we will outline some of the reasons for and against the two different types of platform and help you to decide which is best for you. Seeing as very few of us are millionaires we very often have to make choices such as these even if we don’t want to, given that it just isn’t possible to own every game in existence. Shame, that.

Consoles

There are two distinct types available on the market today; home and portable. For the sake of this article we’re going to be focusing on the former and their advantages and disadvantages. At the time of writing there are three major contenders in the gaming market: Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. Whilst Sony and Nintendo are still developing their next home consoles Microsoft has already sped ahead and released the successor to their XBOX, the XBOX 360. Speculation has it that it won’t be seeing any competition from its rivals for a number of months yet, perhaps not until near the end of 2006!

Over the years a number of companies have popped up in a hope to steal some of the limelight from these other behemoth companies. However in most instances it has been too little avail. Microsoft’s move into the gaming industry from their near-monopoly of the PC operating system market was an interesting development that has helped change the direction of the industry in many ways. Through their products the XBOX and XBOX 360 they have begun to blur the boundaries between home consoles and PC’s. There is still a distinct difference between the two but the gap is beginning to subside. In the meantime let’s take a look at the benefit of home consoles.

• Cost: Whilst not the cheapest pieces of equipment in existence; consoles are general far less expensive then computers. The XBOX 360 is the latest console to be released and currently the most powerful, even so it will only set you back around a maximum of 300 quid whereas a top-of the range PC is going to be at least double that if not more. Of course a PC is capable of a greater variety of tasks, but in terms of gaming the price difference is immense.

• Usability: Anyone can use a games console with less than few minutes of setting up and a few more minutes of getting used to the controller (for many games at least). There’s is no technical expertise required it’s as easy as plug and play! In fact many of the games are actually designed to feature a simpler control system and interface than certain types of PC games (such as RTS’ and RPG’s)

• Sociability This stems as a result of the increased usability, with most consoles up to four people can play at the same time with only one copy of the game, one TV, one console and so on. This provides a level of friendly social competitiveness that just isn’t possible with online games. Although online multiplayer is a feature that many console games are beginning to incorporate as well. Most consoles can be easily transported from room to room as well as from house to house (the GameCube is a perfect example of this as it even features a carry handle, the XBOX less so.)

The Bad

• Upgrading Of course the smaller price over PC’s is a massive advantage for home consoles, but as soon as a certain system becomes outdated there is rarely any way to upgrade certain elements. Rather the company releases a new system to takes its place (often with backwards compatibility, which is a plus point). Admittedly it would take two or three generations of console replacements to equal the price of a brand new PC, but for many people who don’t want to upgrade it can be annoying to have to do so in order to play new games.
  

• Online Gaming Things have definitely been coming along nicely in the past few years. Microsoft’s XBOX live system is a great example of how successful online gaming can be for a home console; a trend that will no doubt continue with the XBOX 360 and be harnessed by rival companies. Sony had a shot at online gaming with their PS2 system and Nintendo with the GameCube but it never reached quite the same level of success. Compared to online gaming on PC systems, though even XBOX live is somewhat primitive and has a way to go before it catches up completely.

• Controls A comparatively minor issue but something that you hear a lot of long-time PC gamers complaining about when they finally do get their hands on a controller. Compared to the combination of keyboard and mouse input for PC games analogue sticks can seem somewhat fiddly and less accurate. This can be cut down with patience and practise but even then it doesn’t change the fact that a mouse is a more accurate way to play certain games such as First Person Shooters and Real Time Strategy titles. Whereas platforming titles and adventure games often feel more comfortable with a controller, so this is only really a disadvantage in some cases.

Personal Computers

PC’s are a completely different kettle of fish compared to games consoles in many ways, but in a number of other ways they are in fact quite similar. In literal terms they both feature similar components in terms of processing chips and so on, but the similarities don’t end there. Both are capable of running a variety of applications it’s just that games consoles are marketed as precisely that; a games console. This is combined with the fact that in most instances only games are developed for them for obvious reasons. There have been exceptions in the past with others types of software being released, such as graphic manipulation and so forth, but they never had much of an impact.

As a result the two have remained separate. A PC is currently capable of far more than most games consoles are. With the option to access the internet, run a variety of software applications including video games as well as they’re ability to be upgraded on demand. Of course much of this is irrelevant if all you want to do is play games, as such we have listed the key positive and negative points of the PC as a system for playing games below.

• Games Library: Despite many companies offering backwards compatibility for their home console products none can match the immense variety of available PC games. Because the format for almost all PC games is the same (CD’s or Floppy Disks for really old titles) any computer that is powerful enough can play any title available. That’s decades worth of titles automatically available to any PC user, something no home console can boast. Although the Nintendo Revolution may be going someway to fix this with downloadable retro content from past consoles, but we’ll have to wait and see how successful that turns out to be.

• Modification/Upgrading: Once you buy a game for a home console (with a few exceptions) there are very few opportunities to fine tune them in ways that PC gamers do all the time. Patches are often made available by developers to remove bugs and similar well into the games lifetime, whereas problems with console games are always going to be that way. Similarly may games offer the chance to design custom levels and characters, this customisation is often so in-depth that it is presented in a completely new piece of inter-linked software. Plus of course the previous issue of having to replace whole systems to play new games is rectified to some extent with the possibility of hardware upgrades.

• Power: Although constant upgrading might not be a possibility for everyone the opportunity is there to be in possession of top of the range hardware at any given time. Consoles to do not allow for this or rather if they do it’s not for very long. Various developers take advantage of the new technology being available to the general public and release intensely impressive games in terms of expanse and graphics. Whilst power certainly is not the only element that makes a game enjoyable it can definitely help and many prise being gorgeous over gameplay in regards to video games.

The Bad

• Cost: As discussed earlier, PC’s are generally far more expensive then home consoles. Sure it is possible to buy slightly older technology for a lower price, but it’s important to get the right balance of power/cost otherwise you may be better off with a console anyway. Before purchasing a PC for gaming makes sure you are sure what games you intend to play on it, if there not all that power-hungry there is no need to spend the extra cash. If you really want the supremacy on the other hand, make sure you research your purchase and don’t rush into it!
  

• Complexity: Compared to the plug and play mechanism incorporated by consoles, PC’s take infinitely more work to get up and running perfectly. Operating systems have to be configured; peripherals require installation often including downloading new firmware and drivers. Some games may inexplicably not run on a particular system or run after hours of tinkering for what would have been instant with a console. This may not seem as daunting for some as it is for others, but in general PC’s a whole lot more work than a games console.

• Anti-Sociability: Something that has been regularly picked up by the press and often blown out of proportion but is needless to say based on some facts. Online gaming is an intensely addictive pastime; Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games are a predominant example. It is possible to enter a whole new world with a character you create yourself; thousands of gamers spend hours and hours in these imaginary worlds interacting with other people through fictional entities. Whilst this can be brilliant fun it is decidedly anti-social and leads to all the traditional gaming stereotypes that are in reality few and far between.

The Final Word

If you’re new to gaming but want to get involved home consoles might be your best bet, easy to set up and get to grips they are far better suited for beginners then the more complicated PC systems. That’s not to say that there isn’t a great deal of in-depth and involving console games out there as well of course. However if you already have a fairly well-powered PC and are confident with using it then there’s no harm in trying out some new games, once you get the hang of how they work they can be great fun too, and often provide an even smaller learning curve if your used to mouse and keyboard activity anyway.

Specifically in terms of games if you’re after FPS’, RPG’s (or they’re massively online counterparts) then you’re probably best aiming for a PC. However if adventure, racing or platforming games, etc are more your thing try out a home console instead. If graphics aren’t your main concern try jumping back a generation or waiting for the next set of consoles to come out and get one of the current ones. That way you’ll be able to get an excellent console for a fraction of its original price and can use that to experiment with a variety of games.