Resistance: Fall of Man
5. A Game
Unlike the Wii, the PS3 ships without a game in the box (though initial shipments of the console include the Will Ferrell movie Talladega Nights on Blu-ray). As mentioned above, most of your old PS2 games should work just fine, but to see the new console pumping pixels at its full potential, you’ll want to get at least one of the new games available. Resistance: Fall of Man–a PS3 exclusive–is an early favorite.
PS2 memory card adaptor
Despite reports of some incompatibilities, the PlayStation 3 is designed to play nearly all of the past PS2 and even original PlayStation games right out of the box. And unlike the Nintendo Wii, you won’t need your old controllers or memory cards–the PS3 controller will work fine with the old games, and you can save your progress to the internal hard drive.
Belkin Wireless Pre-N router
3. Home router (wired or wireless)
With the PS3, Sony will be debuting a massive online infrastructure that will allow users to play games head-to-head, download demos, access exclusive multimedia content and communicate with fellow gamers. And unlike Microsoft’s Xbox Live, Sony is pledging that basic online game play will be free of charge (Title-specific subscriptions, upgrades and special offers will cost money, of course). The PS3 even includes a built-in Web browser.
HDMI cable
Sony has touted the PS3’s high-definition pedigree at every turn, so it’s rather ironic that the company ships both versions of the PS3 with just a composite A/V cable–which can’t deliver any high-def resolutions, let alone the vaunted best-in-class 1080p. To see the games and Blu-ray movies in HD (and we’re assuming you have a compatible HDTV), your best bet is to get an HDMI cable, which provides an all-digital audio and video connection from the PS3 to your HDTV (or A/V receiver) on a single wire.
1. Extra controllers
The PS3 supports up to seven wireless controllers, but two to four is still the standard for most multiplayer games. Since the console ships with just a single controller, you’ll need to pick up at least one more if you want to go head-to-head on launch titles like Resistance: Fall of Man, Madden NFL 07, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, or NBA 07.
Sony PlayStation 3
8.8 out of 10 Excellent (Cnet Review)
The good: Swanky design with quiet operation; all games in high-definition; PSP-like user-friendly interface; plays high-def Blu-ray movies in addition to standard DVDs; built-in Wi-Fi; 60GB hard drive; Bluetooth support for wireless controllers and accessories is coming; backwards-compatible with PS2 and PS1 titles; built-in memory card readers; online play is free; HDMI output with 1080p support; no external power supply
The bad: Pricey; first wave of games is somewhat anemic; doesn’t upscale DVDs to HD resolution; no force feedback (rumble) support in controller; a USB port on the back would’ve been nice; no infrared port means non-Bluetooth universal remotes aren’t compatible; glossy black finish is a fingerprint magnet; HDMI cable not included.
The bottom line: Sony’s PlayStation 3 may be the most expensive next-gen game console, and its launch titles are not all that impressive, but its swanky design and bevy of features, including a Blu-ray drive, make it hard to resist–even at $600.