Feature - GCN v PS2 v X-box

In the upcoming console war, Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo are fighting for top position, and its set to be a real catfight. In this feature, we will take you through each consoles strengths and weaknesses, and give our opinion on the final result. Enjoy!

NINTENDO GAMECUBE
Headed by the legendary Shigeru Miyamotyo, Nintendo is set to take the lead the console war with the Nintendo Gamecube (GCN). It has many great factors on its side, and has looked to overcome the problems it's had in recent years.

STRENGTHS
Nintendo's obvious greatest strength it has over the other gaming consoles would have to be the Gameboy Advance (GBA). The Gameboy is the most successful handheld console, and coupled with the Gamecube, it looks to be a deadly combination. Already in Japan it has very well, and if the Garnecube can have similar success, Nintendo can look forward to taking the top spot. Another major factor on Gamecube's side is Rare. Rare is the best video game developer in the world, and it is a second party developer to Nintendo. It saved the N64 from certain death, and with its mix of quality and fun games, is sure to have a major impact on the GCN. Nintendo also has the experience. They have been in the entertainment business for over 100 years. No other company can boast this experience. It also has the Shigeru Nfiyamotyo. This legend, and the definite god of the gaming industry is the backbone of Nintendo. His huge amount of ideas, experience and enthusiasm are what keeps Nintendo together.

WEAKNESSES
The Nintendo 64 came out flying, but too many mistakes let the console down in some areas. Nintendo has to look back at these mistakes. Nintendo needs more 3D party support, and with the Gainecube, it seems this problem will be overcome. There have been a slew of support for the Gamecube, and a lot have been third party companies, so the future is looking bright.

OVERALL
Nintendo has obviously got the upper hand in the upcoming war. If Nintendo put more emphasis on gameplay and not just graphics (unlike Sony and Microsoft), Nintendo has will once again show the other giants of the gaming world whose boss.

SONY PLAYSTATION 2
The Sony Playstation 2, the second console from Sony, was hyped up to be the best system ever. Millions of dollars were spent on advertising it, and if it weren't for its very expensive price, it may well have been the best console.

STRENGTHS
The original Playstation was definitely a success for Sony. Looking too further this success, the PS2 was bom. It had unbelievably good graphics, and had huge support from most of the game developers all over the world. But the difficult process of making a game on the system turned many away, and this lead to the systems downfall. Although its graphics were brilliant, this didn't make up for the lacklustre games it produced. The only thing Sony can do now is to, and mix great gameplay with great graphics, that they have already got, too make an excellent game.

WEAKNESSES
The Sony Playstation simply did not live up to expectations. Poor games, more emphasis on power than gameplay, and a massive price killed the PS2 until it had time to show its full potential. What also damaged Sony was that teams developing games for the PS2 were having such a hard time getting the game to work that some of the games were rushed, and even cancelled mid-development. Many Sony fans were dissapointed at this system, and now avidly await the launch of the Gamecube and X-box.

X-BOX
The Microsoft X-box is the console from the wizards at Microsoft, headed by Bill Gates. The X-box is by far the most powerful console, with advantages over PS2 and Gamecube. But Bill Gates seems to making the same mistakes as Sony made, and concentrating on its power, rather than gameplay.

STRENGTHS
The X-box is a very powerful machine. It has a big lead over the other consoles in terms of power, and already it seems there is growing interest in this beast. Now that the Gamecube has been released, X-box has a chance to steal the lead from the very successful Gamecube. It has one of the richest men behind it who is willing to pump billions of his own money to succeed in making this the top console. There has been over 100 third party developers showing interest in developing for the system. But the X-box also has its problems.

WEAKNESSES
Although the X-box is powerful, it seems more intent on showing of its power than its games. At the recent E3 2001, many were disappointed in the unoriginal and boring games Microsoft had on offer. It also has no experience in the gaming industry, and going up against Sony and Nintendo and trying to beat them, is a daunting task. Another weakness of this system is the size of the console.&nbsp; It is 4 times the size of the Gamecube and twice the size of the PS2. This is way too big and it is very ugly. The controller also sucks, as it's bulky, the button placement is akward and it is also ugly. Microsoft has to address this problem quickly, as the controller can have a big impact on its own success.

OVERALL
The X-box is looking promising, but too many problems is making it look a bit of experience could have helped. If the can fix these problems, the the X-box could enjoy a good life in the gaming market.

FINAL VERDICT
It is becoming clear that Nintendo will regain its position as the best company in gaming with the Gamecube. My opinion is that Nintendo has too many things working for it. It will take back the Number 1 spot Sony merely kept warm for a few years. It will be a bitter fight between Sony and X-Box for second place, and we can expect a great future for video games.