The Battle Between Nintendo and Microsoft: Viewing the Horizon

"I have freakin' Halo 3...why would I want to play something else?"

"Dude, the Wii brings an unparalleled experience to my hands. It's so much fun!"

Yeah, that about sums up what Microsoft and Nintendo have seen in sales so far. Great numbers, but no real clear indication on who's winning the console wars. And no, MSNBC, it's not the Playstation 2, it doesn't matter how many people have stuck with that console (including myself) because the PS3 has been classified as total suckage.

The truth is, most of the "target audience" for the industry (gamers 18-25, usually male) aren't quite sure themselves about which is the better gaming experience wrapped into a box. The 360 has the definite edge in graphics, the Wii in innovation. And while both companies have brought out their best thus far in terms of available games, the war is still very much alive and being played out.

The Nintendo Wii

I have a lot of friends who own it, and absolutely love it. It takes gamer involvement to a whole new level, and thus games don't have to rely solely on an amazing game to indulge a player's mind. That could easily be shown through Warioware: Smooth Moves, which is basically a collection of many, many mini-games the user has to get through. It's the multiplayer madness that sells, and the creative use of the Wii-mote (using different position of the controller in relation to your body) allow for a truly unique segment of entertainment.

Games such as The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Super Mario Strikers: Charged take a different aspect to selling; they are the next installments of great-selling games. Zelda was the big hit when the Wii first came out, and the designers did an excellent job by making what is arguably the best game ever that blends puzzles with action/adventure and proving that graphics can still be top-notch. Meanwhile, developers have been going nuts over Mario and his friends in sport games. However, they made a very challenging game that is so fast paced and difficult, I can't help but lose myself when trying to slip the ball by the opposing goalie just one more time. You don't even notice that Wii-mote's features aren't used, it just becomes one with your hands as the game goes on.

Even though the Wii has covered many genres of games in a completely different way, what could be the biggest seller is the original title that comes with the game, Wii Sports. Every time I head back home for a weekend, I'm invited to head to a friend's house for some good-natured Wii Golf. It's just that fun! Nintendo has been able to capture the essence of fun and infuse it into each and every game so far, giving its lineup no real weak points as it heads towards new release dates and a new year in 2008.

Microsoft's Xbox 360

The graphics are stunning. But that was a given, wasn't it? When the first next-gen consoles were announced, screenshots started making people drool right then and there. But the real reason the 360 has been such a hit is not due to one or two games (though that's a very big factor), it's because of the online experience awaiting the user.

Through the massively popular Halo 3 and Gears of War titles, Xbox Live has probably become the most popular gaming service in the history of games. Not a day goes by when some group of friends is gathered in a room, all online, teaming up against the world in a who's-gonna-die-first slugfest. Chances are, I'm in the mix. The fact is, by combining awesome gameplay, stunning looks, and an experience with other people like no other, the 360 is implanted in the lifestyles of many gamers. I have a group of friends back home who gather around a big-screen and form a party for a dubbed "Halofest."

It's not just the FPS genre that has helped propel Microsoft near the top, however. Racing has found a solid niche, with titles such as Forza Motorsports making its rounds in quite a few dorm rooms, and sports is always up there with NCAA Football and even FIFA. And don't forget the ultra-hyped Guitar Hero III, a game that I can honestly say has many, many followers in my dorm alone. Maybe that's just the age group at college, but isn't that who's being targeted, anyway? Consistently great gameplay is what keeps the Xbox in the console mix for domination, and by bringing a solid mixture of games to the table, the selection of good gaming is unmatched.

And the favorite for 2008 is...

....both. Though Microsoft lost exclusive right to Bungie, it still has an extremely wide variety of excellent games to wow consumers with, and the sensational Xbox Live service that will keep raking in the cash. Meanwhile, Nintendo is slowly building an online base, and has a strangle-hold with single-player games. Because both offer such exclusive choices, neither will overlap too much into the other's domain, and both companies should see enormous success with future game releases. Which means I should be able to enjoy plenty of gaming fun with some friends while we all avoid working on that next paper.