I switched from PC gaming rig to game console

In the last couple of years, I have been quite unhappy with the state of PC computers (i.e. ones running on Windows operating system). Instead of improving my creativity, I actually got bogged down fixing software and spending enormous amount of time hunting viruses, spyware, trojans etc.

One of the "time wasters" on PC that I actually didn't mind much was playing PC games. Unlike game consoles, PC games are not as numerous. However, most of the PC games that I played in the last 3-4 years were true masterpieces, either for single-player (i.e. me playing various strategy games) or multi-players over LAN or Internet (Call of Duty, Counter Strike: Source, Enemy Territory).

It was actually my work manager's "fault" that I got introduced to PC games. Like everyone else, I played Solitaire and a few other logical games. In 1995, I bought Activision's phenomenal "Mech Warrior 2", which to this date represents the only game that I completelly finished and thoroughly enjoyed. What a classic that game was.

In late 1990's, I played a couple of great strategies (i.e. Ceasar 3) and in early 2000's, The Sims. At this stage of my life, time has become a precious luxury that couldn't be wasted on games. And most of PC games at that time were so good that you could play them for day(s) without even noticing it.

The above mentioned manager at the company I used to work for hyped big time how much fun he is having playing Enemy Territory. Initially reluctant, I eventually gave in and decided to give this game a go.

As expected, I was hooked. ET is really something special - for 2003 standards, graphics were quite decent, sound was great, but it was the multiplayer part and the map designs that made this game truly unique at that time. Best of all, the game was free !!!
Then, the dark side of PC gaming appeared. To run this game in full glory, I had to do a number of rather expensive upgrades. Video card (~ $300), CPU, RAM, motherboard - all this for one game. But boy, did I have fun : )

Work manager eventually succeded in convincing others at work to give this game a go. Before we knew it, we were organising LAN parties at work place with 15-20 avid gamers. This was my first time to attend LAN parties, and I never thought how fun these events can be.

Time was passing by and alongside Enemy Territory, new games appeared on my PC. Call of Duty, a few strategies, Far Cry and Halo 2 / Counter Strike: Source. With every new game, my video card (ATI Radeon 9600 Pro) and PC were straining to show decent graphics at satisfactory frame rate. With the last 2 games, I actually had to lower quite a few settings to be able to play them.

Next game I tried was Battlefield 2. Although very well done, I was irritated by appaling performance on my PC setup, as well as numerous bugs that game featured. Another round of rather expensive PC upgrade was required, in order to play a single game properly.
I was also getting tired of first-person-shooter (FPS) games, and wanted to try something different. Avoiding rather expensive PC updates was also one of the goals.

So, the logical solution was to purchase a much cheaper game console, and enjoy playing games for at least 3-4 years without worrying if console can handle frame rate, have enough HDD space on it, or if I have to again fiddle with keyboard re-mapping to get the game going.

But, which one to get ? Xbox360 was released in March 2006 and at that time, didn't have many appealing games. Moreover, the price was quite prohibitive. At $650 for console + games + Live Gold account, and the fact that games at that time were nothing special, I quickly dismiss it from further consideration.

Sony Playstation 3 was promising to be a major gaming powerhouse for the next 4-5 years. Tech specs are impressive, but it doesn't mean much if the console is riddiculously expensive (cheapest one will be $1,000) and there is not much originallity into it, bar the high definition (HD) graphics and plenty of CPU grunt.

Which led me to third contender - Nintendo. I never owned Nintendo before, although I did play "Donkey Kong" in TimeZone and other arcade places in 1980's. I also had to consider the fact that I now have 2 small kids which will eventually ask about computer games. Therefore, a family-friendly gaming system would be prefered.

And therefore, a Nintendo Wii has been purchased on it's release day in Australia. For $400, I got a nice n' small console with 1 controller (+ nunchuk), and 5 mini games. I paid a bit extra to get another controller + nunchuk + WiiPlay 9 mini games. It quickly became a hit in our household.

Family enjoyed designing Wii's (online characters). Partner quickly learned how to master tennis and bowling. Daughter loved bowling straight away, while she grew to like Boxing too. We regularly play Boxing against each other, great fun + requires a bit of physical activity.
When I am by myself, I tend to play a game of pool (part of WiiPlay) and test my co-ordination skills in simple battle game "Tanks" (also part of WiiPlay).

Compared to PC games, Wii games can be picked up very quickly. When I don't have much time, I play for about 15-20 minutes and I am happy to move on. I noticed a similar pattern with the rest of my family. So, on a daily basis, we have these short bursts of gaming, and we are all happy about that. Compared to lonely PC gaming experience, Wii is something different.

Remembering my PC gaming roots, I just bought Call of Duty 3 and Need for Speed: Carbon for Wii. Are they any good ? Stay tuned.