Christmas 2010 Buying Guide - Xbox 360

The Xbox 360 has had a pretty big year.  They've got a new, smaller box, it's a little cheaper than last year and of course, now there's Kinect, Microsoft's camera-based motion control system.

First up, much like I did with the Wii, I'm going to start with the system hardware.  If you're new to the Xbox, it's a great time to finally get in on the action.  You've got four different choices on where to start:

1) Xbox 360 w/4GB storage ($199.99):  This is the entry-level model for the Xbox 360.  It plays all the games, it's compatible with Kinect and it's got enough storage built in so that you can download a game or two from the Xbox LIVE Marketplace.  Great for the younger set who are wanting an Xbox.

2) Xbox 360 w/250GB hard drive (holiday bundle) ($299.99):  The larger hard drive allows for more downloads.  This is especially useful for music games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero if you plan on downloading additional songs.  The holiday bundle comes with two games, both rated "Teen".  "Alan Wake" may be a bit inappropriate for the younger set.  It's a "survival, thriller" type game with a complex story that may be difficult to understand.  The other bundled game is "Forza 3", a racing game that should be fine for anyone.

3) Xbox 360 4GB w/Kinect ($299.99):  This bundle gets you the 4GB Xbox from #1 above plus the new Kinect motion control hardware and the Kinect game pack "Kinect Adventures".  This actually isn't a bad deal as most of the Kinect games run $49.99 on their own and the Kinect hardware on it's on is $149.99.

4) Xbox 360 250GB w/Kinect ($399.99):  This is the same system from #2 with Kinect bundled in.  It also includes "Kinect Adventures".

All of the systems come with one controller, one headset for online chat and 1 month of Xbox LIVE Gold.

So that's the systems.  For the younger crowd, I would probably recommend #3.  Kinect is going to be the hot thing in Xbox for Christmas and #3 is far and away the best way to get into it if you don't already have an Xbox.  For teenagers and up, I would definitely get one of the 250GB consoles (#2 or #4).  The extra storage is needed if they're going to be playing a lot of games and/or downloading much content from the Marketplace.

If you already have an Xbox and are looking at Kinect, they sell it as a stand-alone.  The Xbox Kinect Sensor retails for $149.99 and also has "Kinect Adventures" bundled with it.

If you do get a Kinect, you're probably going to want to look at getting a game or two that use it besides the "Kinect Adventures" that comes with it.  The following are the three best games currently available and are the only ones I would recommend.

1) Kinect Sports:  This is basically the same concept as "Wii Sports", just for the Kinect.  It includes a range of different games from volleyball to boxing and some track and field events.  It's been one of the best reviewed Kinect games so far and is pretty much a sure bet.

2) Kinectimals:  Definitely the way to go if you bought a Kinect for your young child.  You get to own a virtual pet and interact with it in different ways.  These aren't your standard kitties and doggies though.  We're talking big cats like tigers and panthers.  As an adult, there's probably not much here of interest, but you can look at a screen shot and instantly see the appeal to kids.  These things are stinking cute:



3) Dance Central:  This is a dancing simulator from the same people that make Rock Band.  You follow the moves on screen and the more in beat and crisp you move, the better your score.  It only scores one person at a time, but friends can stand around you and still have a bit of the experience.  This is the Kinect game for the teenage set.

So that's the Kinect games, but what about non-Kinect games?  Well, I'm glad you asked.  For older teens and college students, especially the boys, you can't go wrong with a good first-person shooter and the Xbox has a pile of good ones.  Halo Reach, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Fallout: New Vegas and Medal of Honor are all safe bets.  Other games for the older set include Fable 3, Red Dead Redemption, Mass Effect 2 and Splinter Cell: Conviction.  For the younger crowd you have Rock Band 3, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, The Sims 3 and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2.  Finally, for the sports fans you have the usual crop of yearly titles: Madden NFL 11, NCAA Football 11, FIFA Soccer 11 and NBA 2K11 just to name a few.

Finally, if you're buying for someone who wants to play online, they'll need an Xbox LIVE Gold account.  You can buy subscription cards in various monthly increments but the best deal is a 12 month card.  Microsoft uses "Microsoft Points" to purchase items from the Xbox LIVE Marketplace.  These are also available as cards.  You can get 1600 or 4000 point cards costing either $20 or $50 respectively.  Also, if you're buying a new system or need an extra controller, they run about $40 each and are available in White and Black.

So that about covers the Xbox 360.  I do want to say that if you have any questions about any of the items/topics I'm talking about or would like a recommendation on a specific item I've glossed over, feel free to email me, message me on facebook or leave a comment here on the blog and I'll be happy to give you some more information.  Also, I changed the font color for the links to make them more visible.

--Paul