ps3

It's that time of the year again: a time to look back at 2011 for its gaming prowess, to pay tribute to those elite pieces of electronic interactive entertainment that reside in a league all by themselves.

Just like last year, 2011 treated us to a few new franchises, but ultimately the sequels once again hogged the spotlight. While 2010 stumbled toward the end of the year, 2011 went out with an absolute bang, seeing nearly a dozen blockbuster titles hit store shelves within just a few weeks.

To see my list, check out the slideshow, or click through.… Read more

It sometimes seems that the only time people talk about 3D TV lately is to knock it.

The much-hyped 3D revolution hasn't exactly set the world on fire after it kicked off at CES 2010, and even though plenty of new television sets are 3D compatible, the actual amount of 3D content available remains slim (and with 3D losing its luster at the box office, it may become slimmer still).

One possible exception is stereoscopic 3D video games, currently supported by both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Stereoscopic 3D feels like a perfect fit for this technology, which hypothetically only needs to render the 3D information already present in nearly every game (with the exception of, for example, 2D side-scrolling games).

On the PC side, stereoscopic 3D has been around for several years, thanks to Nvidia's 3D Vision platform, which uses compatible hardware and active shutter 3D glasses to enable you to at least try and play almost any PC game. Some games work better than others, and chances are you don't have the right PC hardware, but it's definitely fun to play around with different games (Dragon Age, Portal, etc.) and try your luck. … Read more

The new design of the Xbox 360's dashboard and press releases touting "the future of TV" make it clear that Microsoft is transitioning the Xbox from a gaming console that also does home entertainment to a home entertainment box that also does gaming.

That's an exciting move, especially for not-quite-hard-core gamers who spend more and more time streaming video on their game consoles.

The Xbox is far from the only contender in the streaming-video space, which has several good options (Roku LT, Apple TV), but nothing that truly nails the category. Below I take an in-depth look at the Xbox in light of new video-centric features, like Kinect-enabled voice search and Bing-powered cross-platform video search, to see how it stacks up strictly as a streaming-video box.… Read more

Battlefield 3's first downloadable content, Back to Karkand, debuted exclusively yesterday for the PlayStation 3.

Soldiers using PCs and Xbox 360 devices will have to wait until December 13 to access the pack, which costs $14.99 (or 1,200 Xbox points). Many gamers who preordered Battlefield 3 Limited Edition automatically received Back to Karkand free, so this will be a nice change of scenery for those already tired of playing. … Read more

Sony's new PlayStation 3 firmware--version 4.00--ushers in new functionality for the console by making it a hub for the upcoming PS Vita handheld.

After spending several years in version 3, Sony has elevated to version 4 in the latest PlayStation firmware that went live around the world yesterday. The console is now a media, backup, and update hub for the Vita handheld.

Specifically, now gamers have the ability to copy music, videos, images, games, and other apps between the PS3 and Vita. This is mostly unimportant now, but will be a nice touch later when the … Read more

Everyone has a gamer on their list this holiday season, so make sure to give my gaming guide a close look when choosing the right gift.

While Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 remain as the two dominating consoles, there's still a few titles for Nintendo platforms I recommend, including games for the 3DS, which has finally gotten some quality software in recent weeks.

After you've checked out my picks for games on each console, be sure to visit my accessories guide as well for gift ideas for the gamer who already has all the top titles!

Finally, if you're starting from scratch, I've updated my console buying guide for anyone who's just first getting into gaming this season. … Read more

A lot has changed since the Xbox 360 debuted in November 2005. After what has seemed like dozens of upgrades, improvements, omissions, price drops, motion controllers, and bundles, the dust has settled (once again) and we're left with three competitively priced consoles.

Editors' note: This console buying guide was updated on November 23, 2011, for the holiday season.

Such an evenly matched trio of hardware brings up the ultimate question for prospective video game console buyers: which home console should you buy?

This question doesn't necessarily have a definitive answer. Quite frankly, the answer could be any of the three depending on what you're looking for. In other words, there is no default "best console." It's about finding the one that's right for you--and what will be the deciding factor in your case will ultimately depend on what you plan to use the console for. That said, in lieu of detailing every last bit of functionality that each console offers, let's discuss the type of person we think would benefit most from each console. … Read more

Sony has greatly reduced the number of gaming devices that can access games purchased from the PlayStation Store through one user account.

In the past, someone with a PlayStation Network account could play a purchased game on up to five PS3 or PSP devices. A revised policy--which went into effect Friday for several countries in Europe, as well as Australia--stipulates that only two of each Sony gaming devices (PS3, PSP) can access purchased games and content (purchased after November 18) from the PlayStation Store.

Sony announced the policy earlier this month on its official European PlayStation blog. Sony representatives did not immediately reply to CNET's request for comment on whether the change would come stateside. … Read more

During my month or so with the Sony PlayStation 3D Display, I was quite content with it sitting beside me at my desk, allowing for awesome 3D gaming whenever I wanted. Then I wondered, "How many people find themselves in similar situations?"

It's this realization coupled with a healthy number of shortcomings that ultimately undid my initially positive impression of this display. Despite boasting the impressive SimulView technology (that lets two players see their own 2D screen), there is a laundry list of issues I have with the new PlayStation-branded display from Sony.

Aside from the fact … Read more