Video games aren’t a recent phenomenon, with blipping, beeping, joysticking roots stretching back to the days of the cathode ray tube. Today, games reach all walks of life and culture. We carry them in pockets, play them on cell phones, the backs of car seats, on office computers during work hours and yes, still on our televisions at home.

That last part, at least, is still mostly the same as it was back in the ‘old days’ of the Atari 2600, Colecovision and Pong. You remember Pong. It was big when shag carpets were fab and dinosaurs ruled the earth.

Every few years since those embryonic days of gaming, old systems are phased out and new ones ushered in, amid tumult and fanfare, to vie for the top console spot. For those who still remember Pong, it might help to mention that ‘consoles’ are what the game systems are called that still plug into the TV and stay at home.

After over a decade of topping the charts with their PlayStation line (ironically, the first PlayStation was originally conceived in tandem with arch-rival Nintendo), Sony looks to continue the trend with the PlayStation 3. This target of much media speculation and debate has finally landed, and it’s every bit as bigger-than-life as we expected.

Not Intel inside

Swooping black curves can’t hide the fact that the PS3 is one burly box. But does what’s inside justify that spot on top of your cable box?

If you love powerful gadgets, yes. The spec sheet of the PS3 reads like a love letter to Technophilia. Gobs of memory, a 20 or 60GB hard drive, more USB ports than most laptops, HDTV graphics and Cell Processing that can actually combine computing power with similarly equipped devices.

That last bit sounds alarmingly like how the army of machines took over in the Terminator movies, which might not be far from Sony’s actual plan – total home entertainment domination. And, other than an abundance of PR gaffes by mouthy Sony executives and a some early technical issues (like some older HDTV models not properly supported), the PS3 still seems a formidable weapon in any electronics coup.

One thing skeptics can’t do is call the PS3 a one-trick pony. With the higher priced model sporting integrated high speed wireless networking with browser, Linux compatibility, a multitude of flash media slots and Blue Ray optic drive, the PS3 works hard to justify its price. It can check e-mail, use a wireless keyboard and mouse, run HD video from flash media, download games & video (that part is still being rolled out, however, so don’t expect much content for now). It all works through Sony’s simple but elegant XMB interface, the same that runs on their portable PSP. Initial setup and configuration is simple for the average geek, but as with anything this technologically convoluted, some folks might have a hard time figuring the right modes for their TV, even if they’re HD-savvy

Name of the game

Game systems come and go. Not everyone can take the top spot, and many fail, some miserably. Companies like 3DO, Sega, NEC and even good old Atari have fumbled with consoles for years. So then what’s the Magic Key one needs unlock the Secret Level known as Market Success?

Games. Good ones, lots of them.

So, how are PS3 games looking this launch phase of its life? The word on the street is, some good, some not. The standouts seem to be Resistance: Fall of Man, Marvel Ultimate Alliance, and Ridge Racer 7. Of these, Resistance is garnering the most praise on gamer review sites and blogs. Not an original game — a first person ‘shooter’ where you’re a soldier combating creatures in ravaged cities. It’s atmospheric and plays well.

An understandably sparse selection for now, but expect some eye-poppers in the coming months. One promising-looking demo (free online through the Sony Store) is Motorstorm, an off-road race game that will double as therapy for agoraphobics as well as test your driving skills. Hurtling to your death in a flaming truck has never looked so good. Expect it in early 2007.

If looks could kill

They say black is the new black, and PlayStation 3 works it with a liquid gloss finish that would make Darth Vader proud. Mind those fingerprints – smudge-proof this isn’t. And if actual colors are more your style, replaceable top plates will add some variety and diminish that sinister electro-gothic aesthetic.

Controllers are the physical connection to a game machine and Sony has taken a notably conservative approach by incorporating wireless (charge by USB cable) and motion detection into a very familiar-looking configuration. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to tell the newly dubbed ‘Sixaxis’ controllers from the old PS2 ones. Regardless, it works well and charges its internal battery quickly. Just remember to turn it off when you’re done, or your gaming will tend more to the tethered variety.

Game over already?

All the glossy hype is moot if you can’t buy it. As of now, PlayStation 3 systems are virtually absent across the country unless you’re up for paying more than $2,000 over the original cost of the system on eBay. The initial shipment was never going to supply initial demand, as people were camping out well before launch day. It’s likely we won’t see substantial availability for months, possibly not until well into 2007. If the PS3 is going to be that one system to ‘rule them all’ as the PS1 and PS2 did, it’s going to do it later.

Sony has delivered the goods in terms of raw power and potential, but this particular purchase won’t be a no-brainer until it gets more games, and availability improves. Meanwhile, many kids and casual gamers will go for the newfangled motion controllers and low cost of the new Nintendo Wii or the seasoned library of the year-old XBOX 360. Even though this spells lower sales for a while, in the long run it’s a safe bet to call this race in favor of Sony. They have the backing of more developers and there’s no denying theirs is the most capable, flexible and powerful of the three.

A fast track to the top? Not this time, but whether you buy it now or buy it later, if you’re a gamer, Sony will get your money. It’s what they do.