The product is very good.
Pros :
Extremely entertaining and fun.
You do get considerable amount of physical activity out of the game.
Despite the Cons, the product is one of the best games consoles.

Cons – small things that you need to keep in mind :
-Battery dispatched with the games were discharged.
-Additional controls need to be bought separately else multi-player games cannot be played. ($60).
-Connection to TV is RCA, if you need component then you need to pay ($20 from nintendo).
You can buy connector from amazon itself for $5.
-Amazon sells Wii with balance board bundle, but they screwed up my order.
This is more a Seller issue than the product.
But Nintendo can by pass this issue by bundling the product by themselves.

Overall cost, wii+ (optional: balance board)+controller Set+ rechargeable battery .

I recently purchased this system because I was deployed to Iraq again… I figured no need to bring out my classic 60GB PS3 out here to this desert… When it arrived it was packaged neatly and no problems to the outside of the box, shipping overseas to us is notorious for being rough on the handling.

But enough of that here is my point:

* I bought this model because it was cheap and wanted a PS3 in Iraq, it works with the 220V system they got over here and it NEVER over heats on me. Temperatures here have reached over 130 degrees sometimes, and my PS3 never seems to have a problem. It’s even used when I am working by my other buddies who are off work, and it still does not over heat.
* Nice and quiet and plays my games and Iraqi DVD’s real well.
* No chance to go online and try any of the web capabilities this system offers but so far it has been able to well handle the dirt/dust and heat over here real well.

Like I said this is my 2nd PS3 system and BOTH of them have worked great for me. I use compressed air on them at least 1x week and that is as much maintenance as I do for these things. It works great and it is a real tough little piece of equipment. When people say this is cheap and poorly made I beg to differ. It handles the dirt, dust and HEAT from Iraq and everyone in my platoon enjoys playing it. It is a great system for a good price, I am actually thinking of keeping it when I go back to the States. I highly recommend this, and so does America !!! ha ha JK, but it really is a great system…

I bought Just Dance because I had a feeling it was going to be a lot of fun and I thought it would be a great game to play with my kids. I am definitely happy that I bought it. My kids and I played it the first night for hours. We have friends over and play it for hours. Sometime when my kids aren’t home I have my friends over and instead of a Poker Night we have a “Dance Party.” My personal favorite song on the game is “Jin Go Lo Ba” by Fat Boy Slim. I definitely agree there should be more than 30 dances, but I am excited to have just found out that Just Dance 2 is coming out this Fall, just in time for Christmas! More than likely I will be buying it just ’cause once it comes out! I recommend this game to anyone that wants to just have pure fun with their wii. Possibly not a good idea for the serious gamers because even though I am competitive, I don’t always win.

First off, there is basically no functional difference whatsoever between the regular console an Xbox360 250GB- I’ll refer to it as Xbox360S from now on- S for Small. The only area of incompatibility is that I think* the new console doesn’t fit older hard drives. This is a non-issue, as the new console comes with the largest drive available, so if you have a current drive you’ll be porting your information over using a transfer kit**. So really, it’s just a question of where the new console is better than the old one.

Pros:
-Largest hard drive available means more storage space for games, movies, and more.
-Quieter parts mean a better experience. The 360 is easily the loudest console this generation while it has all the fans and disc drive running. The 360S is much quieter, bringing it in line with or even quieter than some PS3 models. I never had a problem with the sound in the first place, but I won’t deny the improvement.
-Decreased power consumption means this new console will put some money back in your wallet.
-Has the HDMI port in back, if you’re still stuck with a first-run 360 that doesn’t have that.
-Cool black finish, which I feel is superior to the iPod-pearl color of the old console.
-Lighter, smaller design makes it easier to place in your entertainment center.
-Although it’ll take some time in the field to get real data, the new hardware seems to have a better build and new cool-down features to all but eliminate the old “red ring of death” problem. This looks to be the most reliable 360 hardware yet.
-And to top it all off, the price is very competitive.

Cons:
-The case looks sort of like a gaming computer, with the new grills on the side. I’m not a fan of “Xtreme” gaming computer design, so I’m not sold on this look.
-These case features also favor a stand-up orientation for the console. Keeping a console vertical can lead to accidentally jarring or knocking over the unit, which can cause damage to the spinning disc inside or the console itself. Keep your console horizontal, even if the design looks a bit odd that way.
-The glossy finish, while it looks awesome, attracts dust and fingerprints like crazy. You have to handle the console with surgical clean-room care, or else a few invisible fingerprints will show up dust-encrusted in no time.

In other words, I feel that the internals of the console are wholly improved while the case design is a draw. If you’re considering getting a new or a first 360, this is absolutely the way to go. There’s a rumor floating around that there may be an Arcade version of this console released later this year for budget-minded consumers, so if budget is a concern, I’d suggest waiting too see how that option turns out.

If you already own a 360, ahould you upgrade? Well, it depends. The functionality is basically the same across all consoles, so long as you have a hard drive. If you’re on an older Arcade console without a hard drive, or if you’re frustrated by your older console’s small hard drive, this new hardware is a pretty awesome upgrade. If you own the Elite model with the 120GB hard drive, or any older console with a 250GB drive, all you’re really getting is quieter fans and a few bucks off your electricity bill.

*I’m not 100% how the new console does or doesn’t support older hard drives, I’ll re-post once I find confirmation.
**Transfer kits are usually available for free if you call Microsoft tech support with your proof-of-purchase of a new console, or they can be purchased separately from most stores.

Having just bought a Nintendo Wii I had a choice to make. What game would I buy? As I looked at the case for the New Super Mario Bros Wii I was swept back to the days of the NES classic trilogy that made Mario the icon he has become. I bought it without hesitation and I made the right choice for my first game. The game’s design barrows some of the good ideas from Super Mario 3. It is not an remake, but does have some nods to the classic.

There are some cool additions to the gameplay. Suits like helicopter hat took over for the Raccoon suit, and others were added like mini suit, freeze suit, and they kept the fire suit from the original game. Some other cool features in this game are now you can save after the halfway point in every world, along with checkpoints in the middle of every level. This is a nice inclusion so that you don’t have to start a whole world over after you lose all of your lives, and if the game ever gets too tough for you there is a Luigi strategy guide. After you die a few times in a row you can watch how Luigi beats the level, and you can even skip the level all together after watching it without any penalty. This helps less experieneced players so that they don’t get frustrated and quit the game. I really liked this idea for the younger audience that Nintendo markets for.

The length of this game (assuming you don’t use warp cannons) will take about 10-15 hours based on your skill level. The only problems that I had with this game is the difficulty. The worlds don’t seem to get any harder as you progress. That doesn’t mean the game isn’t hard, there were. more than a few occasions that had me seething with anger, but you are just left with the feeling that the final world should have been more difficult than it was. There is very little difficulty difference between worlds just singular levels in each stage that annoy the hell out of you.

The game is your classic Mario action. Run on platforms while squishing Goombas racing towards the level ending flag (Classic). If you ever played any of the 2d Mario games then you will feel right at home with this game. I can’t wait for the next 2d Mario game as I feel Mario was always best when side scrolling. This game is one of the best in this series, and should be treasured by retro gamers and newcomers alike.

As a long time Star Wars fan and a fan of the new Clone Wars series, I’ve been looking for a game similar to SW Battlefront for my kids. While not a game that I myself can play for too long, it’s easily a favorite of my sons and they keep it in their regular cycle with their lego, spiderman and ironman games.

The controls were easy for them to adopt, and the penalty for death is similar to lego games: if you’re killed, you just re-spawn. The extra perks like helmet/mask purchasing, droid riding and dancing, and special upgrades are enough to keep them coming back.

…And I’ll admit, seeing notable troopers like Denal and Ponds in action, along with some really cool looking trooper additions, was enough to keep me watching while they played the first few times. A great family game, even if not up to the caliber of more adult-oriented action games

Sorry, but I first have to state the questions for this Xbox 360 12 Month Live Gold Card review “How much fun is this game?” and “How do you rate this game overall?” are a little inaccurate for this type of product. Either way though, I gave it a great 5-star response for each question because I feel like this was a great buy. I don’t think I have EVER found a better deal than on Amazon.com for a Xbox 360 12 Month Live Gold Card. If you see this on Amazon.com, then you know you are getting the best deal possible. An XBOX without XBOX LIVE Gold is like a laptop without wireless internet.

Not sure why anyone would give this item less than 5 stars. It’s a freakin points card! It’s exchanging one form of currency for another form of currency, usually at a discounted rate (unless you get the instant code). Sure, you can say you hate the points system or you hate the game you bought with the points or you hate shipping fees but that has nothing to do with the actual card. It does what you expect it to do and it does it well. I actually think it’s kind of cute too, especially when it’s fresh out of the shipping box. Once again, it’s just a card that happens to have a little strip on the back that you rip off to reveal an alphanumeric code that you enter into Xbox Live to download all sorts of wonderful goodies. Get one. Get two. Get them now!

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a platform game – taking the Mario franchise to 3D levels.

Let me start with a disclaimer – I’ve never liked playing Super Mario Brothers before and never played past perhaps a few stages of the old SNES games. However, Galaxy 2 is set up in a way that teaches the uninitiated how to play – so there is a gradual learning curve.

That’s what makes Galaxy 2 so attractive – there is no tutorial at the beginning telling you all the rules of the game. Instead the tricks and different modes are spread through different galaxies and worlds – each world teaching you something new to add to your arsenal of knowledge. [Recommendation? Play with a Player 2! A competent friend can really make the going easier with great support. (Unfortunately they must sit and watch you during the boss battles as there is nothing they can do.)]

The first galaxy introduces you to Yoshi, the next clouds, the next boulders, flips, spins, swimming, skating, flying, and so much more. As you progress through the game it starts to repeat ideas – but there is always an extra addition to it. And when there is a boss – rest assured because the way to defeat it is by using the skilled you picked up within the galaxy. (But to be noted – not all galaxies have bosses.) That is not to say everything is easy. Galaxy 2 includes a challenging aspect by including comets and prankster comets, green stars and others. To fully complete the game, you have to get all of them!

Of course, one mustn’t forget that it is in 3D, so beware of going upside down, swimming in a sphere, and flying around cubical corners! These details make the game so much more difficult (depth perception!) but also more fun.

If I had a complaint, it would be the unforgiving camera angles. While it is hypothetically possible in the game to manually change your camera angle, most of the time (all the time it is necessary it seems!) the game will not let you change your angle.

Still it is all manageable, camera angles or no. And it is even easy to pick up for first time gamers! It’s a game not to miss on the Wii.

Key Game Features

• CALL DOWN THE THUNDER
• Whether you command the mysterious Protoss, the nomadic Terrans or the ruthless Zerg, you must decide how to outwit or outgun the enemy in an unforgiving universe of intense strategic combat.
  • WEAPONS PRIMED
  • Devise and deploy merciless strategies with over 30 new units and weapons at your command. Torch foes with the Hellion’s flamethrower, ambush adversaries with acid-spewing Banelings or deploy the Void Ray’s prismatic beam to annihilate your enemies.
    • MASTER YOUR DESTINY
    • Lead Raynor’s Raiders in their quest for vengeance and glory as they burn a path across the galaxy. You choose which missions to take, which story-lines to complete and where to invest your hard-earned cash.
      • MEGA MULTIPLAYER
      • Wage unrelenting war on your friends and foes over the all-new Battle.net. Whether it’s your first time gaming online or you’re a multiplayer veteran, Battle.net’s unrivaled AutoMatch technology makes sure it’s always a fair fight.