Vintage Electronics

Best Video Game Consoles Of The Decade?

Video game system technology has come on leaps and bounds in the last decade. From the excitement that followed the Wii’s release to the later arrivals of the Kinect and Playstation Move, there has been quite a lot to choose from. But what’s the deal with it all? If you’re interested, read on.

Nintendo Wii

The release of the Wii sparked great fervour amongst the gaming masses. Able to replicate the wireless remote’s (known as a Wiimote) movements in three dimensions on-screen, it was also backwards compatible with GameCube games and most accessories Super Smash Brothers Brawl anyone?). Nintendo’s fifth home console led the seventh console generation in sales upon its release in November 2006, something the company had not done since the SNES’s (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) release.

Xbox 360 Kinect

First bursting onto the scene in November 2010 (four years after the Wii), the Kinect was originally known as Project Natal until its eventual renaming and release. Relying on the user’s body for direction, the Kinect has no controller (although it does have rather sophisticated voice recognition technology). Full body 3D motion capture and facial recognition are further features of Microsoft’s shiny new peripheral, and there have been whispers of it being adapted for use for Windows PCs as well.

Sony Playstation Move

With some similarities to the Nintendo Wii, the Playstation Move emerged just before the Kinect in September 2010. With a wand-like main controller and an additional navigation one, it has various attachments (for example gun ones, which are also available for Wiimotes). The Playstation Move (and its littermates) is still impressing today, and was named the most immersive game controller by Popular Science in 2010.