Xbox 'best' electronic games console

By KATHERINE HOBY

Xbox is the best electronic games console, says the Consumers Institute.

It places Microsoft's console ahead of the Nintendo GameCube, with the market-leader, Sony's PlayStation 2, a close third.

But in reality, choice of console depends on what people want most from their machine.

Xbox and PS2 are the easiest to compare, says Consumer magazine. Their features are similar and both play DVD movies.

The institute ratesXbox highest on performance and ease of use. It also performed best in their DVD player test at the end of last year.

But PS2 comes up trumps for the number of games available - 367 in New Zealand - and is a solid performer for DVD movies.

Nintendo GameCube is not a DVD player, but is portable and generally cheaper than competitors.

Tests carried out by the Australian Consumers Association compared prices and graphics on a game compatible with all three systems. It also checked out the moves of a standard PC computer when used for playing games.

Xbox and PS2 fell within $75 of each other. A PlayStation 2 costs about $469 including a $70 memory card, an Xbox $398 without. The GameCube, with a $50 memory card, was cheapest, about $300.

Wilf Robinson, Microsoft group marketing manager for home and entertainment in New Zealand, was "absolutely delighted and not at all surprised" by the independent result.

Herald IT writer Peter Griffin compared the big three in September, when Xbox was launched.

He crowned PS2 king for its number of games and sleek size. But he noted Xbox's "slick graphics".

Cody Rodger, 12, of New Plymouth, has just spent his hard-earned money on a PS2. He considered Xbox and GameCube, but chose the Sony console because of the number of games, particularly sports games. Xbox's were more often fantasy and "shooting" style games.

"PS2's more popular, fun and enjoyable," said Cody, who found the Xbox controller harder to use.

GfK Marketing sales figures for last month show PlayStation 2 took 68 per cent of the console market, Xbox 30 per cent, and GameCube 2 per cent.

Interactive Software Association of New Zealand president Mike Wynands said Sony "stole the march" on Microsoft by launching PS2 months earlier than Xbox, but Xbox was competing hard.

Alternatively, says Consumer, consider the humble PC for gaming.