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Video Game Accessories that YOU NEED
It's not in the box...but it's still important.
It’s an easy decision to pick up a shiny new game console, but with that decision comes a burden. Just buying the box doesn’t get you all the controllers, cables, and accessories you need to maximize your gaming potential. This is a quick guide to the extras that are necessities and the all the needless luxuries.
The Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3 come in a wide range of bundles, so finding a good starting point should be easy enough. Typically, you’ll only get controllers for one player, so the first thing to pick up is an extra controller or two. Unless of course you’re the anti-social/depressed/lonely type gamer...do us a favor and pick up an extra game pad just so you don’t perpetuate the negative stereotype.
Then you’ll need to turn your gaze to cabling. PS3s and Xbox 360s don’t usually come with a HDMI cable, and given every television made in the last 5 years has a HDMI port and it’s the highest quality connection you can use on these systems, spend a little dough and add one to the shopping list. Don’t, however, spend 100 dollars on a Monster Cable or any other equivalent “luxury” HDMI cable. The signal is digital, so you’re either getting the data or you aren’t. Gold plating, alligator skin cable sheathing and diamond studded plugs won’t make your games look any better. There are different versions of HDMI cables (1.3, 1.4), but the differences those cables make for current game consoles is nil. The Wii only has analog output connections, so grab a Wii component cable for the best possible image quality.
Another useful purchase would be rechargeable battery packs and charging docks. The Xbox 360 uses replaceable battery packs that you can pick up a charging station for. It’s worth every penny and you won’t have to worry about hunting down AA batteries to keep your all-night gaming session from dying on the vine. Standard PS3 controllers don’t have removable batteries, so a docking station gets the job done. Energizer makes a pretty useful one that allows you to stylishly charge two controllers at once. The Wii uses AA batteries as a default, but companies like Nyko make rechargeable battery packs and docking stations that can prolong your Wii Sports exercise sessions.
It’s easy to go to the store planning on spending $300 on a new game console, only to walk away spending twice as much on games and accessories. Do yourself a favor, stick to the necessities, and read the reviews for games online. Motion controllers are also now available for all of the big three systems...but that discussion is meant for another guide.
The Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3 come in a wide range of bundles, so finding a good starting point should be easy enough. Typically, you’ll only get controllers for one player, so the first thing to pick up is an extra controller or two. Unless of course you’re the anti-social/depressed/lonely type gamer...do us a favor and pick up an extra game pad just so you don’t perpetuate the negative stereotype.
Then you’ll need to turn your gaze to cabling. PS3s and Xbox 360s don’t usually come with a HDMI cable, and given every television made in the last 5 years has a HDMI port and it’s the highest quality connection you can use on these systems, spend a little dough and add one to the shopping list. Don’t, however, spend 100 dollars on a Monster Cable or any other equivalent “luxury” HDMI cable. The signal is digital, so you’re either getting the data or you aren’t. Gold plating, alligator skin cable sheathing and diamond studded plugs won’t make your games look any better. There are different versions of HDMI cables (1.3, 1.4), but the differences those cables make for current game consoles is nil. The Wii only has analog output connections, so grab a Wii component cable for the best possible image quality.
Another useful purchase would be rechargeable battery packs and charging docks. The Xbox 360 uses replaceable battery packs that you can pick up a charging station for. It’s worth every penny and you won’t have to worry about hunting down AA batteries to keep your all-night gaming session from dying on the vine. Standard PS3 controllers don’t have removable batteries, so a docking station gets the job done. Energizer makes a pretty useful one that allows you to stylishly charge two controllers at once. The Wii uses AA batteries as a default, but companies like Nyko make rechargeable battery packs and docking stations that can prolong your Wii Sports exercise sessions.
It’s easy to go to the store planning on spending $300 on a new game console, only to walk away spending twice as much on games and accessories. Do yourself a favor, stick to the necessities, and read the reviews for games online. Motion controllers are also now available for all of the big three systems...but that discussion is meant for another guide.
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