3-D Games

How New Game Consoles are Changing the Way the World Plays

Whether you are staying physically fit by exercising on the Nintendo Wii or blasting away your opponents on a first-person shooter, the world of game consoles has come a long way since the release of Pong in 1972. Modern game consoles are equipped with the ability to process graphics that are getting so realistic that many games are downright startling, and the enemy opponents in many games are so well designed that it almost seems like some video games can predict and counter act your every move.

On one spectrum, there are casual games that are designed as a fun, easy game that can be played by busy professionals. At the other end of world of modern game consoles, hardcore gamers play demanding multi-player games that can match up players from every corner of the globe. This is all possible through the recent breakthroughs in technology that have made game consoles incredibly powerful. Playing video games is no longer for lonely young men with too much time on their hands. Instead, today's game consoles have opened the world of gaming to new generations of gamers that find gaming can be an easy way to socialize with friends or stay physically and mentally active.

Given the recent innovations in video game consoles like the Nintendo Wii and Sony PS3, the question comes to mind of what the world of gaming will look like a few more years down the line. Microsoft gave the gaming media an idea what the future might have in store with their announcement of Project Natal. Project Natal represents the next step in the evolution of game controllers in which the player interacts with the game entirely by using his or her body. This is accomplished by the use of video camera that monitors the player's body movements and advanced software, which interprets this information as instructions for the player’s character.

It is impossible to over exaggerate how this technology will change the way that gamers play. Microsoft has released video recordings of a person playing the most well developed game, and it is remarkably similar to early games like Pong and BreakOut. In this game, a player bounces actively from foot to foot as she uses her hands and feet to hit a computerized ball down a court where it breaks down a brick wall. As the game progresses, more balls are entered into the mix, and the player must move faster and faster to keep up. As a result, it is immediately obvious of what a great aerobic work out the player is getting and how games like this will encourage physical fitness in the future.

While it remains to be seen how this game will specifically change the way the world plays, it looks like we will found out soon enough. Project Natal is scheduled to be released some time in 2010 at a cost of approximately $80.

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