Right, I know that the PS3 has been launched in America and Japan for months now, and to you guys it isn’t a ‘new’ console so to speak. But in terms of fairness, I have waited until now to give the Minty verdict after playing one first hand.

First of all, we all love the 360. Hence the reason we are all members of this little corner of the web. Just because I am a 360 owner, and an Admin on a 360 website doesn’t mean that I am a 360 fanboy. I am a fan of games. I don’t mind what console they are, as long as they push the boundaries and have the wow factor. There’s nothing better than a game you put on for a quick 5 minute game, and all of a sudden you’ve gone through a sunset, and you only know it’s late because the birds have started chirping in the background as the sun starts coming up again.

Now of course, there is a whole lot of media hype about which one of the latest consoles is the best. And I didn’t say Next Generation deliberately. Yes the PS3 and the 360 are both Next Generation in terms of power and graphics. However, as we all know, Nintendo’s latest offering, isn’t in the same league as all of these. However, this tiny little console has one factor that brings it straight back into the big leagues- the fun factor. Yes the graphics aren’t as good. Yes the games aren’t all as good as its competitors. But hell, you have one hell of a smile on your face when you play. And at the end of the day- is this not what it’s all about?

That’s not what this is about though. Apart from the BluRay, the consoles aren’t that different in power. Unless you’re the kind of person that will open up the consoles and reach for a gym sock, the techie stuff doesn’t mean anything. It’s all about the games, and how they look. And both of the Next Generation consoles are really pushing the boundaries. The leader for the 360 at present is Gears of War. This is truly remarkable to look at. However, games like Resistance and Motorstorm are exactly the same for the PS3. In terms of fairness, I compared the graphics on the best console game at present, Tiger Woods 2007. Both consoles look great on the TV, and to be perfectly honest, unless you have super-anal tendencies, you would be happy with either one of them. The differences are hardly noticeable, unless you’re looking hard. There are a few differences in shades of colour and shadows etc, but the difference is hardly noticeable. Back when I was a jumping barrels on my old console, I would have never have dreamed of playing something this good.

So the graphics are pretty much identical, which is good. And the controllers- you either love Xbox controllers, or you hate them. I’m a lover, and always have been. The buttons are in the right place, the directional pads are, and the sticks are right to. And the shape fits into my hands properly. Playstation controllers I have never really gotten on with. The shape has never felt right in my hands, and I never got used to the shoulder buttons. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of the new controller either. I don’t care about the rumble or anything like that- it just doesn’t feel right. And when I'm playing- that’s the most important feature of a controller.

Right, so a quick half way summary now the hardware bits over and done with. Probably the biggest decision on which one is best is the decision on BluRay or HD DVD. Personally, as someone that doesn’t buy many films, I don’t really give a monkeys. I’m not going to say ‘OMG FTW its got BluRay’, as I currently own a grand total of zero BluRay disks, and until I can get Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act on BluRay, I’ll be saving my money. But if I was going to buy a BluRay player, it would 110% be a PS3. However, I’m not buying a DVD player, I am buying a console. So with graphics not providing a difference between the two, the controllers will edge it for the gaming experience at this point.

The main reason that I will not be buying a PS3 is the treatment of European customers. The console was released last year in America and Japan, with Europe not getting it till the end of the 1st quarter. This is discrimination against the market, with Sony basically saying that Europe isn’t as important to them as the rest of the world. Unfortunately, this means to Europe that PS3 isn’t as important to us as the 360. When Microsoft crashed the PS3 launch party in Paris, they may as well have not bothered. No-one cared anyway. Not only is the PS3 launched months later than in America, we also get to pay a premium for the privilege. The UK price converts to $850 for the console alone. This is $200 more than the USA had to pay. I know we pay more for games and things, but this is a major mark up. So it’s not the fact that there is a difference in the consoles for gamers, there isn’t a world of games that are keeping me tied to a console. What’s keeping me with my 360 is the fact that Microsoft didn’t shaft Europe with the console. Admittedly there is a flaw with reliability on the 360- I am now on my 4th one. However, this is where Nintendo help Microsoft out. For less that the price of a PS3, I have bought a Nintendo Wii and a 360. So while my 360 has been away from me, Wii has kept me smiling. This is the main reason why I won’t be buying a PS3. I can have all the Next Generation gaming experience that I need on my 360, and then kick it over to play the Wii. And for those of you that haven’t tried the Wii, go and find one. Even if you beat up a small child for one, any guilt you will be feeling will disappear the second you start playing Baseball. **DISCLAIMER** However, please don’t beat up a small child. Or a medium sized one. In fact, leave all children alone. **END**

This might be why that in walking around the shops a week ago- 4 retailers had PS3 in stock. That’s the day after launch. In fact- it’s harder to get a Wii than a PS3. That’s still a worldwide trend. Well done for taking a stand Europe. We won’t know exact figures for a while- but latest estimates are that they only sold about 15% of the stock. Well done Europe!! So it’s not just me that prefers having the Ninsoft WiiSixty console in our homes. It gives you the best of both worlds.

Sorry Sony – I’m not a 360 fanboy slagging off the PS3 for no reason. You’ve alienated your market, not delivered a console that is notably better than the 360, and put a lot of eggs in the BluRay basket. Add this to the penalty you want me to pay for being in Europe, and you can sell your console to somebody else. Unfortunately for you, it seems like everyone else is in the same mind set.