Next Gen Experience

I recently had the opportunity to play on a Playstation 3 at the Kobe, Sannomiya branch of Tsutaya. A few demos were on offer which could be switched between when the console reset after a period of time - presumably a feature of the demo unit and not of the retail console. Of notable mention were Ridge Racer 7 and Devil May Cry 4 as well as Gran Turismo HD. The demos currently have no way of allowing the player to try out the sixaxis controls since all setup menus are disabled, which is a shame given that Ridge Racer 7 supports sixaxis controls in its retail version.

These were decent demos in their own right, but one gets the feeling that the Xbox 360 is easily capable of the same level of graphics. What's more, the demos were insultingly easy for an avid gamer - Sony's ostensible target for the next generation.

In addition to the PS3 on display, there was a single encased Nintendo Wii console with Wiimote and Nunchuck alongside, safely out of reach of sticky fingers. The Wii had pride of place even though the console has not even been released yet, with a large flat screen TV showing off the console and control method. The display easily caught the attention of bystanders with girls shouting the typical "Sugoi! Nani sore?" (Wow! What's that?) before adding "Tanoshisou ne." (Looks fun, doesn't it?) It's nice to see that the Wii is living up to its promise of attracting more users than the typical high-school guys that crowded around the PS3.