Parenting Gamers

Platform Guide – Which Platform to Buy

ConsoleConfusion

I have gone over the major gaming platforms over the last several weeks. This included the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Wii U, and PC.

If you are looking to buy a console for your gamer this holiday season, your next question is, which one do you get? The answer to that question is going to depend on your gamer. However, here are some questions you can ask to get closer to an answer.

  1. Is there a particular console he wants? This could make your life easier. You do not want to get him a PlayStation 4 if all he has been asking for this year is an Xbox One.

  2. What console do her friends have? She is going to want to play with her friends if you allow her to play online. She cannot do that if she has a different console. If all her friends have a PS4, get her a PS4.

  3. Are there any platform exclusives he is interested in? The Halo franchise is a big one. The new one, Halo 5, comes out later this month (October 27th). If he wants to play it, you will have to get him an Xbox One. If, however, he loves Super Mario Brothers, the Wii U is what you need.

  4. How old is she? If your gamer is younger, you will want a Wii U. The games are much easier to get into, appeal to the younger demographic with their more colorful look, and do not have the more mature content you see in games on other platforms.

    (Just to be clear, I am not saying the Wii U is a kids console and only good for younger gamers. While the games are easy to get into, they are hard to master. My 4 year-old can play New Super Mario Brothers U but even I, a 37 year old gamer with years of experience, have a hard time completing it.)

  5. What is your budget? This question will only effect whether you have to get a Wii U instead of the other options. The Wii U is currently running $50 cheaper than the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. That $50, however, is the price of a game so the Wii U might be the way to go to be able to get a little more for your gamer.

These questions should help you narrow down your choice of console. If, however, you are still unsure, I am willing to help you out individually. Just sign-up for my email list and reply to the email you receive. I will help you get the perfect gift for your gamer the best I can.

Platform Guide – PC

computer-parts

This post is part of my Video Game Platform series.

The next video game platform I am going to cover is the PC. Here is the basic information on it:

Now let’s dig into these a bit.

PC Hardware

The hardware of the PC differs significantly from the other consoles I have covered to this point. With those (the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Wii U), buying the hardware is fairly straight forward. There is a little variation in the hardware and price, such as getting an Xbox One with or without the Kinect. However, you do not have to worry about your Xbox One being able to run Halo 5. Every Xbox One has the same guts so there is no worry about it running games designed for it.

The PC, however, is different beast.

If you have ever shopped for a computer, you will have a little bit of an idea of what I mean. Go into any electronics store and you will see rows of PCs, all with different specs and prices. They will probably range from a few hundred dollars up to $1,500 or so.

The price range for a decent gaming PC is huge. PC Gamer had an article earlier this year where they put together a budget gaming PC for $661. They also have a machine they call the Large Pixel Collider, which would run you over $10,000 to replicate.

So how do you decide what to buy? That is a great question. Unfortunately, it is also too big a question for this post. I am working on something I plan to release sometime next year to help answer this.

For now, if you have specific questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me individually. The best way to do that is to sign up for my email list and then reply to the message you receive.

The Platform Holder – None

Another major difference between the PC and other platforms is the PC has no platform holder. There is no company that controls the hardware or sets the rules for what games can be released on it.

There are advantages and disadvantages to this. The main disadvantage is there is no company out there championing the platform. This is really apparent at trade shows like E3 where Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have keynotes but the PC does not. Recently the site PC Gamer has been working to change this but they have a ways to go before they really compete.

One major advantage the PC has is its openness. Developers have a lot more freedom in what they build and how they distribute it. Also, with the free resources out there, it is extremely easy to get into video game development on the PC. This openness has lead to the rise of indie games over the last several years.

While the PC does not have one company to rule them all, there are several large companies that are extremely important to PC gaming. Here are a few, although this list is far from exhaustive.

Platform Exclusives

PC exclusives are a bit different than exclusives on the other consoles. There are the normal exclusives in the big genres like the first-person shooter Unreal Tournament or the role-playing game Pillars of Eternity.

Where the PC really shines is in its exclusive genres. There are whole genres of video games that are pretty much exclusive to PCs. This is because the PC uses the keyboard and mouse as its control, which opens up the things it can do.

Here is a list of some genres you will find either exclusively or mostly on PC.

  • Strategy games – This includes real-time strategy games like StarCraft 2, 4X strategy games like Galactic Civilizations 3, city builders like City Skylines, and turn-based strategy games like Civilization 5.
  • MOBAs – This genre has become one of the big e-sports genre. The games include League of Legends, DOTA 2, and Heroes of the Storm.
  • MMOs – This genre has moved to the consoles some with Destiny and The Elder Scrolls Online. For the most part, however, games like World of Warcraft and Lords of the Rings Online are exclusive to PC.

Parental Controls

One other disadvantage of not having a platform holder on PC is there are no centralized parental controls. Some companies have good controls, like Blizzard, but for the most part you are going to have to pay closer attention to what your gamer is doing  on the PC.

Platform Guide – Wii U

This post is part of my Video Game Platform series.

The next video game platform I am going to cover in the Wii U. Here is the basic information on it:

Now let’s dig into these a bit.

Wii U Hardware

One thing you will notice about the Wii U is that the hardware is cheaper than either the Xbox One or the PlayStation 4. Nintendo works really hard to keep the price of its hardware down. The downside to this is it is not as powerful as either of the other consoles.

So why would you buy a Wii U instead of an Xbox One or PlayStation 4?

There are two things that set it apart from the other consoles. The first is the platform exclusives, which I will detail in a little bit.

The second is the hardware itself. When the Wii came out in 2006, it started a revolution with its motion controls. Both Microsoft and Sony jumped on the motion control bandwagon, although without anywhere near the success of Nintendo. Between its novel controls, the inclusion of Wii Sports that brought non-gamers in, and the lower price ($249.99 in North America), the Wii was a huge success, selling over 100 million units.

Nintendo attempted to similarly revolutionize the industry with the release of the Wii U. This time, they added a tablet to the console.

Unfortunately, the tablet has not revolutionized the industry as they hoped it would. That being said, there are two features of it that make it pretty cool.

  • Asymmetrical play – The tablet allows developers to create games that allow for asymmetrical play. This means one player will be doing one thing on the tablet while up to 4 others will be doing something different on the TV. The greatest example of this is Nintendo Land, which lead to a great, recent video game memory for me.
  • Play off the TV – The other thing the tablet allows is for the player to play a game on it instead of the TV. This can be good if there are several people in the house wanting to use the screen at the same time. So your gamer can play something on his Wii U while you watch something on TV.

The negative of these things is Nintendo is really the only one taking great advantage of the features.

The Platform Holder – Nintendo

Who is Nintendo anyway?

Nintendo is the granddaddy of platform holders these days. It has been around since the 1800s and has been making consoles since the early 1980s, when they released the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The follow system to the NES, the Super NES, is considered by many to be the best console ever made.

Nintendo, more than any other platform holders, marches to the beat of a different drummer. While Microsoft and Sony are chasing more and more powerful hardware, Nintendo is willing to try something different. Sometimes it works, as with the Wii U. And the sometimes it does not.

The other area Nintendo sets itself apart is in its treatment of its exclusive franchises. Instead of going for big budget action and pushing the limits of content, Nintendo strives to create high quality, family-friendly games. If it is a Nintendo game, you can bet it is good and the content is acceptable.

Platform Exclusives

Platform exclusives is where Nintendo really shines. Nintendo owns some of the most iconic franchises in video games. Nintendo consoles are the only places you can play Super Mario Brothers, Zelda, Metroid, and Kirby games, among others.

The thing that makes these franchises great is not just the characters but also the quality of the games. Two of my favorite games of all time are The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Super Metroid, both on the Super Nintendo. Looking at this list of “video games considered the best“, you will see 5 Nintendo games in the top 10.

These platform exclusives and the lower price makes the Wii U the secondary console of choice for many gamers. They may go back and forth between the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 but they will also have a Wii U.

Parental Controls

Modern consoles are doing a better job of including tools to help parents control the content their children can access. The Wii U is no exception.

Check out this video from Hungry Gamers on how to setup the parental controls on the Wii U.

Platform Guide – PlayStation 4

This post is part of my Video Game Platform series.

The next video game platform I am going to cover in the PlayStation 4. Here is the basic information on it:

Now let’s dig into these a bit.

PlayStation 4 Hardware

The hardware for the PlayStation 4 is less complicated than the Xbox One. There is one version at one price point, $399. The only question is, which game/games do you want?

As of this writing, there are 4 different bundles on Amazon with the PS4.

  • Batman Arkham Knight – This is the fourth and latest game in the Batman Arkham series. I will be posting a review of it in the next few weeks.
  • Destiny: The Taken King – This bundle includes the game and a special console. Destiny is an MMO which can only be played online.
  • Last of Us Remastered/Madden 16 – Last of Us is an end of times, zombie game. Of course Madden is football.
  • Last of Us Remastered – This bundle includes Last of Us but not Madden 16. Honestly, if you are thinking about getting this one, you should get the other to get Madden 16 for the same price.

As with the Xbox One, you will probably want to get at least one extra controller with this console. These are regularly $60. You can get one for $47 on Amazon.

The Platform Holder – Sony

Sony is the company that manufactures the PlayStation 4 hardware and curates the games that are allowed on the platform. As you can probably guess, the PS4 is the fourth console in their PlayStation line.

Sony has been very aggressive in marketing the PS4 to gamers. Microsoft tried to position the Xbox One as an all-in-one media device where you could watch the football game and check your fantasy league stats at the same time, among other things. This did not go over real well with their core audience, the gamers.

Sony saw this and used it to its advantage. When the PS4 was announced, Sony did everything it could to position it as the ultimate next generation gaming console. They also came out $100 cheaper (Microsoft as since come down in price). These two things combined allowed Sony to jump out to an early lead in sales.

Platform Exclusives

I listed some of the major platform exclusives earlier. There is one thing about these that I find interesting.

If you ask me to name the character most associated with the Xbox, I would immediately respond with Master Chief from Halo. If you ask the same question about Nintendo, I would say Mario (and possibly Zelda or Link from the Zelda games, Samus from Metroid, or a few other iconic Nintendo characters).

If, however, you asked me to name the character most associated with the PlayStation, I could not name one. This is not because the PlayStation does not have good exclusives, but because it has several, none of which define the console on their own.

This means no matter what games your gamer loves, there are probably PlayStations exclusives he will enjoy. Does he love racing games? Gran Turismo is for him. Action/Adventure? Check out Uncharted. Hard as nails games that require a lot of skill? Say hello to Bloodborne.

You check the full list of PlayStation 4 games to see what other games are exclusive to the console.

Online Subscription with PlayStation Plus

The online subscription program on the PlayStation 4 is called PlayStation Plus. The cost is $9.99 for a month, $17.99 for 3 months, and $49.99 for a year.

Here are the benefits of becoming a PlayStation Plus member.

  • Free games – Every month Sony releases 2 games for free to PlayStation Plus members. In the past, this has include games like Infamous: First Light and Rogue Legacy.
  • Discounts on games – PlayStation plus members receive discounts not available to non-members. You can find a list of the current deals here.
  • Multiplayer – If your gamer is interested in playing online with his friends, he will have to have a PlayStation Plus account.

So, is the $50 worth it? As with any of these questions, the answer is, it depends. If your gamer wants to play with his friends, you do not have any choice. The good thing is your gamer will get new games to play every month, which could potentially save you money in the long run. Of course, you will want to be aware of what those games are to make sure he is not playing something you do not approve.

Parental Controls

Modern consoles are doing a better job of including tools to help parents control the content their children can access. The PlayStation 4 is no exception.

In the future I am going to do a detailed video going over the parental controls on the PlayStation 4. For now, you can check out this guide on Tom’s Guide.

Platform Guide – Xbox One

Xbox One

This post is part of my Video Game Platform series.

The first video game platform I am going to cover is the Xbox One. Here is the basic information on it:

Alright, let’s dig into these a bit.

Xbox One Hardware

First off, let’s take a look at the hardware. Currently, there are 3 different versions of the Xbox One available.

  1. 500GB (starts at $349) – This is your base console. The “500GB” represents the size of the hard drive in the console.
  2. 1TB (starts at $399) – This model has twice the hard drive space of the base version. This will allow your gamer to download and install many more games. In my opinion, this is worth the extra $50, if you can afford it.
  3. Kinect ($499) – This is the original version of the console that includes the Kinect accessory. The Kinect sensor recognizes voice commands and has motion sensor cameras. This is required for games like Just Dance or Xbox Fitness. This is probably not worth the extra $100 unless your gamer is interested in a game that requires it.

One thing to keep in mind when you are looking to purchase a console is the game or games that come bundled with it. The Xbox One currently (as of August 18, 2015) has bundles with Halo 5 (a special edition that is $499), Madden 16, FIFA 16, Forza Motorsport 6, Gears of War Ultimate Edition, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and Assassin’s Creed Unity and Black Flag (with Kinect, my review).

The two other pieces of hardware your gamer may want are a second controller and a nicer headset. You will especially want a second controller if you have more than one gamer in your house.

The Platform Holder – Microsoft

Microsoft is the company that manufactures the Xbox One hardware and curates the games that are allowed on the platform. The Xbox One is the third console in their Xbox line.

There is one major difference between the Xbox One and the other consoles given that Microsoft is the platform holder. As you probably know, Microsoft is also the company behind Windows, the operating system that runs the majority of the worlds home PCs. This allows them to integrate the Xbox One and home PCs unlike anyone else.

Microsoft has ramped this integration up with the recent release of Windows 10. Windows 10 comes with the Xbox app that allows you to stream Xbox One games to your PC, create gameplay clips just like on the Xbox One, and chat with players on either the PC or console.

Platform Exclusives

I listed some of the major platform exclusives above. The Halo and Gears of War franchises have been ones that have driven the sales of Xbox consoles for a while. They are the heavy hitters in that list for sure.

You might notice that I have “timed” in parentheses next to Rise of the Tomb Raider. This means that it is exclusive to Xbox (it’s actually coming out for the Xbox One and 360 initially) for a while but will eventually come out on other consoles as well.

There is one other thing to keep in mind with Xbox One exclusives. A lot of gamers are hoping to see more Xbox One exclusives come to the PC, given how Microsoft is working to integrate the two. We have already seen this some with Gears of War Ultimate Edition announced for both platforms.

You check the full list of Xbox One games to see what other games are exclusive to the console.

Online Subscription with Xbox Live Gold

The online platform the Xbox One uses is called Xbox Live. New accounts created by a user are free but have certain restrictions. The premium membership is called Xbox Live Gold. It cost $9.99 for a monthly subscription, $24.99 for 3 months, and $59.99 for a year. The advantages to having a Gold account are:

  • Free games – The Games with Gold program gives the user a selection of free games for being a Gold member. These include games like Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes and Child of Light. New games are released each month with others dropping out after they have been available for a while.
  • Deals on games – The Deals with Gold program gives Gold members discounts on games. For example, as of this writing, Gold members can get Batman: Arkham Knight and LEGO Jurassic World for 25% off.
  • Multiplayer – Your gamer must be a Gold member if he wants to play multiplayer with his friends. Free members cannot play multiplayer on Xbox Live.

So, is the $60 worth it? As with any of these questions, the answer is, it depends. If your gamer wants to play with his friends, you do not have any choice. The good thing is your gamer will get new games to play every month, which could potentially save you money in the long run. Of course, you will want to be aware of what those games are to make sure he is not play something you do not approve.

Parental Controls

Modern consoles are doing a better job of including tools to help parents control the content their children can access. The Xbox One is no exception.

In the future I am going to do a detailed video going over the parental controls on the Xbox One. For now, you can check out this guide on Tom’s Guide.

Introduction to My Gaming Platforms Guides

One of my goals as I am ramping up my posting schedule is to have all the information you need about the different gaming platforms out there, especially in the run up to Christmas. This post breaks down how these guides will look.

Before I do that, however, I want to make sure we are on the same page with the words I am using. When I use the term “gaming platform”, I mean the hardware. Here are the hardware platforms I will be covering:

For each platform, I will break down this information:

  • The platform holder – This is the main company in charge of the platform (i.e. Microsoft for the Xbox One and Sony for the PlayStation 4). They manufacture and distribute the hardware. They also set the rules for the platform, such as what games can be released on it, how patches and extra content are released, and what tests a game must pass to be released. Every platform listed above has a platform holder except for the PC. I will talk about what that means for the PC when I get to it.
  • Cost – How much does it cost to get everything you would need for your gamer to play games on the given platform? This will include more than just the cost of the console. It will also include the cost of games, any accessories you might need, and any subscription you need for your gamer to play online.
  • Platform Exclusives – Each platform has “platform exclusives”. These are games that can only be played on the given platform. For example, Halo 5 will only available on the Xbox One and Super Mario 3D World is only on the Wii U. If your gamer is interested in one of these games, you will need to get the correct platform.
  • Online Play – Each platform takes a different approach to online play. I will cover this with each platform so you know what to expect.
  • Online Store – Each platform also has its own online store. I will go over what is in it and how to set limits on it, if you can.
  • Parental Controls – In these posts, I will be including brief information about the parental controls on each platform. I will be creating videos in the future that go over this is much greater detail.

So this is what is coming over the next few weeks. There are a couple ways you can keep abreast of when I release these guides.

First, you can bookmark this page. I will be updating it with links to each guide as it goes up.

Second, you can signup for my email newsletter. I will be sending out an update every Friday with all the posts I have released that week, including these guides. Plus, signing up will get you a copy of my e-book Connecting With Your Teenager Through Video Games.