I can see how this can all be a bit daunting to a parent buying video games for their children. With so many different types of systems available it is often hard for someone that doesn’t play video games to keep up with it all. There is Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, PS2, PSP, RPG, ESRB…..

Here I have put together this Parent’s Guide to Video Game Systems in hopes that I might help prevent some poor parent from suffering the shame and embarrassment of not knowing what the hell your kid is talking about.

To start you may want to familiarize yourself with some of the components of a “Gaming Systems”.
Each Gaming System has it’s own technology and is comprised of the following:

Gaming Console: This is the actual component that the gaming media that contains the actual game, such as a DVD or CD, is played on. Without this there is no gaming system as this contains your CPU, memory, and other such input and output ports.

Gaming Controllers: These are your input device for playing the game. These are much like a mouse or keyboard that you use on your computer. Many controllers contain an array of buttons that perform various actions such as making a character in the game run or shoot a gun or some other assigned function. **A PC is a type of gaming system and in turn gaming systems are a type of PC

Video Game Media: The most common type of Video Game Media are DVD, CD, Gaming Cartridge, and downloaded files. **Note that each video game is proprietary to it’s own Gaming System but may exist for several different types of Gaming Systems. So you might find a certain game is available for the PC and for the Xbox 360 but not available for Nintendo Wii or PS3. Each video game will state on the cover what Gaming System it is for.

Viewing Screen:The Gaming Console has to be connected to some sort of monitor or TV to view the game on. Some of the Portable Gaming Systems have small Monitors built into them much like many cellphones now have. In fact many cellphones contain gaming systems along with the rest of their many functions.

This section below explains several of the more popular gaming systems along with the necessary hardware. Some gaming systems may have gaming accessories that are compatible for other types of gaming consoles. But this is not the norm and for the most part gaming consoles have their own “proprietary” gaming accessories and games.

Gaming Systems:
Listed are some of the more popular Gaming Systems

PC:
Some will argue that the PC is not the most popular gaming system but more games are created and played on the PC than on all of the other Gaming Systems put together. The reason is the PC has been around longer and can perform other functions besides just being a gaming system. The PC is often an entry into video games as many families have personal computers and laptops. There are many thousands of video games available for the PC, many of which are not available for any of the other Gaming Systems.
There are also many websites that have video games free to download or play online at no cost. Just Google free PC games and you will find a ton of arcade sites that allow you to play their games for free.

Technical Specs
This list could be vast and would change almost daily so only the basic details are listed.
Manufacturer: Various, Dell, HP, Gateway, etc..
Game Media: DVD, CD, online downloadable files, online remote hosted media (flash games etc..)
Viewing Screen: PC Monitor
Online Playable: YES
Available Controller Slots: Various
Number of Games Available: Untold thousands
Gaming Accessories: mouse, keyboard, guitar and other musical instruments, joystick (flight stick), airplane throttle controlls, gaming automobile steering wheel and pedals, headset, video / webcam, surround sound system, Data storage (hard drive), other

Xbox 360:
The Xbox 360 is Microsoft’s gaming system and is an upgrade from their original gaming system the Xbox. The Xbox 360 is probably the most popular gaming system outside of the PC though the Nintendo Wii surpassed the Xbox 360 in sales. Recently Microsoft lowered what was a very expensive gaming system making it more affordable to consumers. As a result sales have soared and has insured that the Xbox 360 will be around for some time to come. There is a vast array of video games available for the Xbox 360 covering all genres from the hard core shooter games to the more family oriented classic games such as Monopoly. The Xbox 360 is also backwards compatible for many of it’s predecessor the Xbox.

Many new releases for the Xbox 360 are anticipated with zeal from gamers with many titles being sold out within hours of release. You may choose to Pre-Order many popular games before they are released to the public insuring that the game is secured for the customer with the game arriving a day or two after the official release. There are no extra charges in pre-ordering and this is a sure fire way to insure that you get your game before they are sold out.

Technical Specs
Manufacturer: Microsoft
Game Media: DVD, online downloadable files
Viewing Screen: TV / Monitor
Online Playable: YES via subscription based Xbox 360 Live
Available Controller Slots: 4 with wireless controller capabilities
Number of Games Available: The total number of games available seems to be a bit of a mystery. Not counting the Xbox 360 Live Arcade games there is a known amount of 587 games though I cannot verify how close this is to the actual number of games available. There is a list of Xbox 360 Games listed at wikipedia.org.
Gaming Accessories: At this writing there are many accessories available for the Xbox 360. Multi-button controller (many various types to choose from), keyboard, face plates (for changing the appearance of the gaming console), guitar and other musical instruments, gaming automobile steering wheel and pedals, headsets, video / webcam, surround sound system, External Data storage (hard drive, memory card), carrying cases and storage units, auxiliary cooling systems (the Xbox 360 has had some problems with it overheating), remote control, dance pad, and other accessories I am sure that I am missing

Nintendo Wii:
A unique feature of the Nintendo Wii, and one that makes it stand out from the rest of the gaming systems is it’s wireless controller, the Wii Remote, which can be used as a handheld pointing device and detect movement in three dimensions. This revolutionized the gaming industry in that many games call for you to act out actions such as swinging a sword or a tennis racket as opposed to sitting in your chair and pushing buttons. Of course this was a big hit with parents knowing that their children would at least have to stand up and get a bit of exercise.

The Nintendo Wii was the top selling gaming console sold during 2007 and revolutionized the meaning of video games by introducing a video game entitled the Wii Fit, that caused you to get out of your chair and exercise. The game includes all sorts of exercise competitions and has an exercise manager to help you keep track of your workouts.
Video games and exercise combined made for a newsworthy item and the Wii Fit sold off of the store shelves within hours. To date the Wii Fit is still hard to find except at inflated prices on Ebay.

Technical Specs
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Game Media: 12 cm Wii Optical Disc, 8 cm Nintendo GameCube Game Disc
Viewing Screen: TV / Monitor
Online Playable: YES via the free Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
Available Controller Slots: Up to four Wii Remote controllers (connected wirelessly via Bluetooth), Nintendo GameCube controller ports (4)
Number of Games Available: Here again the total number of games available seems to be a bit of a mystery. The Nintendo Wii is also backwards compatible with the Nintendo Gamecube. Meaning that you can play old Gamecube Games on the Nintendo Wii. This does not include games released on Nintendo’s Virtual Console or WiiWare but there is a known amount of 518 games though again I cannot verify how close this is to the actual number of games available. There is a list of Nintendo Wii Games listed at wikipedia.org.
Gaming Accessories: Outplacing the Xbox 360 there are many accessories available for the Nintendo Wii.
Multi-button controller (many various types to choose from), keyboard, guitar and other musical instruments, gaming automobile steering wheel and pedals, headsets, video / webcam, surround sound system, memory card, carrying cases and storage units, various play weapons, remote control, dance pad, and other accessories I am sure that I am missing.

Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3):
The Sony PlayStation 3, also known as PS3, is the next in line of the 7th generation gaming consoles. The PS3 follows its predecessor, the PS2, as Sony’s next line of gaming systems. The PS2 was and I believe still is the leading gaming system of all time with over 140 million units sold to date.

A major feature that sets the PS3 above the PS2 is it’s online gaming service, the PlayStation Network. The PS3 was also the first Blu-ray 2.0-compliant Blu-ray player on the market. Other features include its multimedia capabilities, connectivity with the PlayStation Portable, and its use of a high-definition optical disc format, Blu-ray Disc. Several revisions to the system have been made with Sony now offering various versions such as the 20 GB model and the Premium model with a 60 GB hard drive.

Technical Specs
Manufacturer: Sony, Foxconn and ASUSTeK
Game Media: Blu-ray Disc, DVD, CD (all models), Super Audio CD (20 GB, 60 GB, 80 GB (CECHExx models)
Viewing Screen: TV / Monitor
Online Playable: YES via the free PlayStation Network
Available Controller Slots: up to 7
Number of Games Available: Once again the total number of games available seems to be a bit of a mystery. The PlayStation 3 is also backwards compatible with original PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games. Not counting the downloadable games from the PlayStation Network I found 442 games though again I cannot verify how close this is to the actual number of games available. There is a list of PS3 Games listed at wikipedia.org.
Gaming Accessories: Multi-button controller (many various types to choose from), console skins for changing the look or the system, keyboard, guitar and other musical instruments, gaming automobile steering wheel and pedals, headsets, surround sound system, hard drives to 160 GB, carrying cases and storage units, remote control, dance pad, cooling system, PlayStation 3 Eye, and more as I am sure that I am missing some.

These are the newest gaming systems available. Not to be forgotten are the portable gaming systems such as the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) and the Nintendo DS. These gaming systems are small portable handheld systems perfect for the on the go gamer and for family vacations. The two mentioned do interact with their big brothers the PS3 and the Nintendo Wii respectively. But this is for another article as I am sure you have read quite enough about video game systems for the moment.

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You have the power to access anything on the internet. Through net, you can track and find all the long lost friends you have since pre-school days, find lyrics to the songs you like so much, watch the movie you failed to see at the cinema last week, find games, or even find a job. Although you cannot get some of the files if you are not a member of the forum or live journal of the publisher or author of the said files, mostly are free of charge and are posted via shareware.

Most of these files are supported by a gadget or two such as in the case of of the game console Playstation Portable or the PSP. Such gadget supports files such as games, movies, pictures and music. Yes, our beloved PSP is very much capable of such performance.

PSP music download files are alongside the available videos and games applicable to the game console. It should also be noted that PSP does not support any windows media formats. You must therefore make sure that the files you download are mp3 files, or convert them to .mp3 extension files if they are in another formats, to make sure that they will work in your PSP.

Just like other downloading sites, PSP music download sites are usually for free and operate via shareware. However, these free downloading sites are mostly illegal, therefore, it is advisable for you to be keen in choosing where to download your favorite songs. These are usually via membership and the music files you download are paid per download.

After getting your PSP music downloads, how do you transfer your songs to your game console? This is the next topic we are discussing in this article.

The process of transferring your songs is almost the same as to the process of transferring your movies and your downloaded games. Of course, in here we need a USB Cable—its usually provided for us as we buy our game consoles. From the homescreen in your PSP, go to the settings page and press X when you see the USB Connection. This will automatically connect your game console to your computer. At this point, your PSP will act like a flash disk, and from here we can create a folder for our music files. In this folder, you can transfer the songs you have downloaded from the net, and after safely removing the gadget from your computer, you can start enjoying your music downloads. Take note that your files will be found in the Memory Stick page in your PSP.

Of course, your music files can also be obtained by ripping files from your CDs and purchasing from any online music stores such as iTunes. You have to make sure that your file’s format is applicable to your console, otherwise you will need to convert them before transferring it to your PSP.

Internet contains almost everything we need. It is stressed a million times that we must be careful in downloading not only music but all the files we wish to get online. Along with the vast, speedy growth of the cyber world, the cyber danger lurks and grows with it. Virus, worms and spyware, just like a biological sickness, evolve and get more and more persistent and dangerous as time pass by. So before getting them, make sure to check those downloading sites. Do not be tempted and deceived by the freeware and files they offer. Check their safety, make sure that the files you will download are virus free, and most importantly, affirm the legality of their services before getting your files, so that you can enjoy them happily.

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Are you attempting to figure out how to download games for PSP Go?

Stop throwing away mutliple twenty dollar bills at retail stores and start how to download games for PSP Go online. Don’t know how? Well, I’m going to show you.

It’s not a complicated thing to do at all. And don’t trouble yourself over not knowing how to get downloaded games onto your console, the site I’m going to give you will give you a free guide with your membership that shows you exactly how to do it.

All you’re going to need is your PSP Go, a computer, and the internet of course.

With all that said, how to download games for PSP Go?

Presently there are a few websites that you can get downloads for your system at. Unfortunately, most of them aren’t worth anything.

But there is one that has impressed me quite a bit.

That site is PSP Go Download Center. It’s by far the best there is.

The membership price isn’t bad, either. For only $39 you can get a lifetime membership. What this means for you is that you have unrestricted unlimited downloads from their database forever. Yup, no more payments need to be made after the first one.

The $39 gets you unlimited downloads and a guide on how to download games for PSP Go which shows you how to do it and how to put them on your system to play. There are no mods required or anything. It’s a simple download and play process.

In addition, they offer further than downloadable PSP Go games, you can in addition download PSP Go movies, software and so forth. Your documents are complete and your download speeds are blazing fast.

They own a massive collection and it is well worth your rate. And if in the least updates are vacant on behalf of something you download, you acquire them on behalf of released too. Its a intense value. This kills paying out $40 a piece for games at your local store.

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Gaming is popular world wide and most people play games without knowing how a game is actually made. It takes inspiration, verve, technology, and more to create a game that captures the mind and heart of players all over the world.

The first step to making a game is to have a story. The story or plot is thought about and developed by game designers or players. Once the game is conceptualized, writers and artists work together on the storyboard and create sketches of the sequence with instructions for the technology team. The sketches are then scanned on to a computer and the next step is to breathe life into the story and characters.

Among the many ways to create a game a popular solution is Macromedia Flash MX. This allows the creation of rich, graphic and multimedia driven gaming. Flash has a player, authoring tool, and a file format. Flash allows game developers to use:

• Rich graphics.

• Create files that are user friendly and can be downloaded over the internet.

• Allows the import of graphic formats. This means designers can use Photoshop, Illustrator, Freehand, or Fireworks to develop the game as long as the graphics are vector.

• Flash lends itself to the creation of quality graphics that can be broadcast over the internet.

Flash can be used to create action, adventure, educational, first-person shooter, puzzle, sports, or role playing games.

The actual process of creating a game is complex but involves:

• Creating the characters. Sketches are fine tuned until they are perfect. These are then transformed into 3D characters. The figures are scanned into a computer and a digital skeleton is created. This is what defines the size, shape, and movements of any figure in a game.

• Next the programmers use Flash to bring movement and emotions into the figures of the game.

• Movement and characterization of the figures is followed by special effects and creation of the environment. Skies, clouds, wind, reflections, shadows, and more add mystery and atmosphere to the game. Flash allows developers to produce realistic and complex environments. It is the environment that gives life and motion to a game. The 3D effects are created using polygons along with texture mapping.

• This is followed by coding. Codes are instructions written by developers that lends intelligence to the game and drives a game forward. The more complex a code the more thrilling a game. Codes establish logic to a game and generate the excitement and uniqueness.

• Once the coding is done the testing begins. The testing helps the developer fine tune the game before it is marketed. This is when the game is rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board. The rating indicates the appropriateness of the game for different age groups.

Flash is user friendly and therefore popular software with game developers. The World Wide Web offers Flash Tutorials for those interested in developing games. There are articles and tips and guidelines as well.

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Download Games to NDS

First, you need to have an R4 card that has micro SD and flash drive included to download games to NDS. You can buy it from any Nintendo outlets but because of the growing number of NDS users all over the world, you can pretty much purchase it anywhere. The next problem is where to get the games. Usually, you can download it using any P2P connection or torrent software. Now all you need to do is download games to NDS. Follow these steps:

Open the .rar file. (This is usually the case, but it really depends on the torrent you downloaded) This represents every NDS game file that you have downloaded. Extract your .rar file. (You will need any software that unzips like WinRAR or WINZip) Connect the R4 Revolution Micro SD memory card to the PC Micro SD connector and then connect it to the computer USB drive. Proceed onto copying your NDS game file with the extension .nds to your Micro SD memory card. Safely remove your Micro SD memory card and then insert the R4 into your Nintendo DS. Select your new game and enjoy.

There are websites that offer free NDS game downloads, while the others require a small amount. The thing about getting anything for free is the danger that accompanies it. You can never really be sure of what kind of virus might be embedded on the file so you might want to check about comments and reviews about the said site just to be sure that it is legit or you can play safe and go for the paid ones so you can be sure that when you download games to NDS, your console and your computer is secure.

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The first step to making a game is to have a story. The story or plot is thought about and developed by game designers or players. Once the game is conceptualized, writers and artists work together on the storyboard and create sketches of the sequence with instructions for the technology team. The sketches are then scanned on to a computer and the next step is to breathe life into the story and characters.

Among the many ways to create a game a popular solution is Macromedia Flash MX. This allows the creation of rich, graphic and multimedia driven gaming. Flash has a player, authoring tool, and a file format. Flash allows game developers to use:

• Rich graphics.
• Create files that are user friendly and can be downloaded over the internet.
• Allows the import of graphic formats. This means designers can use Photoshop, Illustrator, Freehand, or Fireworks to develop the game as long as the graphics are vector.
• Flash lends itself to the creation of quality graphics that can be broadcast over the internet.
• Flash can be used to create action, adventure, educational, first-person shooter, puzzle, sports, or role playing games.

The actual process of creating a game is complex but involves:

• Creating the characters. Sketches are fine tuned until they are perfect. These are then transformed into 3D characters. The figures are scanned into a computer and a digital skeleton is created. This is what defines the size, shape, and movements of any figure in a game.
• Next the programmers use Flash to bring movement and emotions into the figures of the game.
• Movement and characterization of the figures is followed by special effects and creation of the environment. Skies, clouds, wind, reflections, shadows, and more add mystery and atmosphere to the game. Flash allows developers to produce realistic and complex environments. It is the environment that gives life and motion to a game. The 3D effects are created using polygons along with texture mapping.
• This is followed by coding. Codes are instructions written by developers that lends intelligence to the game and drives a game forward. The more complex a code the more thrilling a game. Codes establish logic to a game and generate the excitement and uniqueness.
• Once the coding is done the testing begins. The testing helps the developer fine tune the game before it is marketed. This is when the game is rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board. The rating indicates the appropriateness of the game for different age groups.

Flash is user friendly and therefore popular software with game developers. The World Wide Web offers Flash Tutorials for those interested in developing games. There are articles and tips and guidelines as well.

Related posts:

1. How to Build a Flash Game ? Flash Beginners Guide 101 Gaming is popular world wide and most people play...
2. The making of a flash game Certainly each of us has played a game at least...
3. Tips on the Changing Trends Within the Online Flash Game Industry Flash games available online are one of the most popular...

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