No, I'm not calling you a "wee" man, I'm saying you might be a "Wii" man - as in Nintendo Wii, the unique and brand-defying entry from Nintendo that escapes the traditional Xbox vs. PlayStation battles by carving its own niche.

The Wii isn't just unique because of its unique games - although NHL '11 will be a Wii exclusive - it's the unique experience that counts. Some people love the multiplayer Xbox Live or the Blu-Ray compatible PlayStation 3; but some of you are simply hooked on standing up in order to play most of your games.

If you aren't sure which of the "big three" gaming consoles to buy, you're about to find out. Let's admit it: in this day and age, buying a game console for yourself is a major purchase. Let's take a look at some of the best questions you'll want to begin asking yourself.

What's your budget like?

Budget, cost, money. It all falls underneath the simple question of how much cold hard cash you have on you. If you're living paycheck to paycheck, then maybe none of the game systems are for you.

Okay, you don't want that bad news. The good news is that many of the game consoles are available used from sites like Gumtree and eBay.com.au. If you do want to buy a new, fresh console for yourself, the Nintendo Wii is not a bad buy. At around $250, you'll get access to a whole different genre of games, as well as a totally different experience from the sit-and-play counterparts from Microsoft and Sony.

Do you need to get exercise?

Okay, so maybe you don't have to exercise a lot to play MarioKart on the Nintendo Wii, but if you do want to get some more exercise while entertaining yourself at the same time, then you're a Wii man. Programs like the Wii Fit are targeted to you, but other games like Mario Tennis will also keep you on your feet and moving. If you ever want to sneak in some exercise under the guise of playing a "game," the Wii is your best bet, short of actually playing sports with other friends.

Don't count on the Wii to lose all the pounds for you, but do consider it an intriguing buy if you want to get in shape for the next season.

Is gaming a "friendly" experience for you?

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that many people take their gaming very seriously, but when I say "friendly" experience, I'm employing a pun: the question is, do you often have friends to play with? If you do, then the Nintendo Wii is ideal for parties and general hanging out. Make sure you buy plenty of games that are four-player capable, and make sure you can buy games in which each player plays simultaneously: you can get more people to play that way. No one wants to take turns, say, bowling.

One note: Xbox Live is also a great "social" experience, but it's a little less personal and a little more serious than the Wii experience.

Have you ever been into video games before?

The Nintendo Wii is a relatively simple way to ease into the gaming world if you've never been a very serious gaming nerd. Buying an Xbox can be a drastic leap for someone who's never gotten a lot of enjoyment out of traditional video games, but the Nintendo Wii's experience appeals to a wider audience who simply want some no-frills games that don't require a lot of thinking. Nintendo Wii fans might take that as an insult, so if you feel a little bit hurt as well, that may be an indication that you are, after all, a "Wii" man. Or woman.

It wasn't very long ago when DVDs were sweeping the world and making videos obsolete - now there's a new technology to contend with: the Blu-Ray. It's entirely possible that as our hardware and software develops, Blu-Ray could actually become the last generation of "hard" copies of movies that really effects us on a global scale. The reason? We can now download, stream, and App our way to a number of films without having to buy a single box.

So if you're going to get in on the Blu-Ray action while it's hot, then you want a PlayStation 3, right? After all, it's practically an all-in-one system that handles your video game entertainment, your movie watching, your dinner - well, okay, that last bit was an exaggeration, but you get the point. If you want high-quality movie picture, you buy that PlayStation 3.

That is, of course, if it's right for you. Here's how to determine if that's the case.

What Are Your Priorities?

Determining whether or not a product is right for you is a matter of questioning your own priorities. If you really want the Sony PlayStation 3, it's probably because your own desires match up with its strengths. (Note: for a nice run-down of the strengths and weaknesses of the PlayStation 3, check out CNet's review). If your loyalties lie with the Xbox and with the Xbox alone, it's probably because you have different tastes than your PlayStation-loving friends.

In the case of the PlayStation 3, the Blu-Ray capabilities are an obvious advantage. The PlayStation in its current incarnation is no doubt a world-class piece of electronic equipment that is entirely capable of being your sole Blu-Ray player if need be. If you already own a DVD player, then there's no reason to buy a new Blu-Ray player if you want one and you need a new game console: the PlayStation 3 will handle both needs for a reasonable price.

When Not to Buy a PlayStation 3

The other side of the argument is that the PlayStation 3 is, therefore, not for everyone. The price is a little steeper than the Xbox's price. Again, it comes down to priorities: if you really want a Blu-Ray player, then you may be perfectly willing to pay a little bit extra in order to secure your high-definition, sharp movie-watching experience.

If, however, you are not so picky about your TV's picture but are more about an overall gaming experience, then the Xbox may be more down your alley, especially if you love to game online. CNet's review of the PlayStation 3 noted that, for the PS3, "online gaming, media, and commerce options [are] not nearly as developed as Xbox Live." If you're all about playing Call of Duty with your friends online, there's no need to spring for the Blu-Ray - after all, how often will you even use it?

Where Technology Goes From Here

One day, a Blu-Ray player might simply refer to an App that you can download to your iPhone in order to project high-definition images onto your screen. It may mean having a subscription to Netflix, where your advanced computer monitor can allow you to view streaming Internet Blu-Ray-quality videos for a few dollars a month.

If you're not crazy about Blu-Ray, then we recommend the Xbox 360 as your gaming system. It provides a similar gaming experience in terms of graphics and usability, but has advanced features like the online multiplaying of Xbox Live that beat PlayStation 3's capabilities. Spring for it if you love Blu-Ray; otherwise, think about some alternative options.

"What's up, man? Where are you from?"

So begins an interaction during a game of Halo. It doesn't matter if you're from Sydney or Seattle - if you're playing on Xbox live, you can have a similar conversation with people from just about anywhere on the globe, typically people from western countries like the U.S., Australia, and western Europe.

That, of course, is just a healthy interaction that might take place on Xbox live. They're not all so healthy.

What goes on at Xbox live isn't exactly real life - it's more like a form of the Internet in which people are free to trash talk anonymously while channeling their aggression into a sleuth of their favorite combat games. This is fun, of course, but it does lead to an important question: is Xbox Live becoming a substitute for real human interaction? Just one look at the amount of players online on any given Saturday night may be a clue, but let's dig deeper.

Video Games and Aggression

You know all about the debate over video games and aggression - some people think that video games inspire greater aggression and increased desensitization in today's youth, while others view video games as harmless fun. That paints a broad stroke on the debate, but those are the bare bones.

As the generation known as the "Millennials" grew up, the increased sophistication of video games and the simulated reality they provided alarmed many parents, triggering a study by the American Psychological Association. Back then, there was concern that video games with aggressive themes and violent images influenced children to become that way themselves. Add the fact that video games are more interactive and involved than television and movies and you can understand why so many were concerned.

But how bad has it really turned out to be, looking back on that study a decade later? Some studies have shown that the crime rate in America was the same in 2004 as it was in 1970, which would suggest that video games haven't had a large-scale impact as the APA study might have suggested.

If you're not concerned about video game violence, then there's another aspect of gaming to consider: plain, old-fashioned, staying in the house.

Video Games and Social Skills

If you're an Xbox Live lover, then there is a bit of a good news. As it turns out, some social interaction is better than none! Maybe you didn't need anyone to tell you this, but sometimes it's better to make sure - you know, just in case.

As ScienceBlog.com notes, even the nerdiest of games can provide some amount of social interaction if they're online. Even computer-based games like Evony have drawn attention for their level of interaction with other players across the world.

Yes, there is still an element of "trash talk" when it comes to platforms like Xbox Live, but some may argue that being exposed to insults can actually be a good experience. The veil of the limited Xbox Live interaction promotes anonymity while the insults provide the sometimes-stinging reality of interacting in the social world. In other words, Xbox Live may not be a "formal," but it's not exactly total seclusion, either.

Parents who are looking for advice on what to do about their child's Xbox Live habit will find some here: relax. Xbox Live is not the scourge of modern social skills. If anything, you should be more concerned about a child who keeps to himself too often. Social isolation is a frequent contributor to violent and aggressive tendencies, and at the very least, Xbox Live provides a platform to vent frustration in a healthy, social way. In other words, it might just beat playing "Clue" with Grandma on a Saturday night.

There's nothing like good old-fashioned competition to stir up new products and innovation in the electronics industry. In the world of video games, it's the direct competition between two video game consoles - the Xbox and the PlayStation - that has ruled supreme over the past several years. The constant updating means that the two game systems are comparable in price and quality, right?

Wrong.

In our opinion, owning an Xbox is much more preferable to owning a PlayStation. (And, yes, we're talking about the latest incarnations of each - the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3). Here's why.

1. Two words: Xbox Live.

Whether you're dialing up a battlefield in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 or revisiting Valhalla in Halo 3, Xbox Live is the premier experience for a gamer who wants to make his entertainment a social activity. CNet calls the service "excellent" and at only several dollars a month, the service is reasonably-priced: just cut your NetFlix subscription if you really have to make a sacrifice in order to make online gaming a part of your balanced budget.

Xbox Live also has the advantage of being an original, which means that it commands a lot of the gaming traffic - you won't find it difficult to find a game of Social Slayer on Halo 3 at 2 a.m. on a Tuesday morning if that's where your life has led you.

If you really want to get serious about your gaming, subscribing to Xbox live will be a worthy investment - and you'll also get an endless supply of new entertainment every time you log on.

2. Better hardware.

You'll notice the graphs at an Examiner.com review of the Xbox 360's hardware matched up against that of the PlayStation 3. Xbox wins in total memory by bandwith and wins in a general comparison of CPU capabilities. Not too shabby considering the Xbox is the more recent entry into the gaming world.

Some are quick to point out that the Xbox has its share of problems, and the Xbox 360 launch was famously muddy, but many of the problems have been handled and 2010 is the perfect time to buy your console if you're looking to become a gamer.

3. Price.

HardcoreWare.net - don't worry, it's not as naughty as it sounds - tackles the issue with a more comprehensive review of the prices between Xbox and PlayStation:

So after all that, who wins the price war? It’s still the XBOX 360, not just because the respective models are $50 cheaper, but all versions of the XBOX 360 come bundled with some games now. The Elite and Premium versions come with Marvel Ultimate Alliance (yawn), Hexic HD (meh), and Forza Motorsport 2 (yey!). While the 80GB PS3 comes with MotorStorm, the 40GB only includes a copy of Spiderman 3 The Movie on Blu-Ray.
Comparing prices is a little difficult due to the differences in versions and capabilities, but a close look suggests that the Xbox often holds an advantage over the PlayStation 3 in terms of price. The 18-24 crowd has to love that.

4. Microsoft ain't so bad. If you own a Zune, your friends might blink and ask you "Why don't you own an iPod?" But if you own an Xbox, no one bats an eyelash: because it's clear that Microsoft has a powerful grip on the gaming world. If you need to ditch the aversion to all things Microsoft, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.

5. Easy upgrades. The Xbox is easy to upgrade, whether you're looking to build up a connection to Xbox live or expand the memory you want. There's no need to buy it all at once.

The history of video game consoles goes back through the 1970's, but many people believe that the Video Game Era properly began with the dawn of Nintendo game consoles in the form of the Nintendo Entertainment System.

They're probably right. Ever since the launch of the NES, video games have been propelled forward to greater heights of graphics, gameplay, and story immersion.

Video games aren't just games anymore; they're a world upon their own, (look at the iPhone & Crazy Birds) -  And a lot of that is thanks to the Nintendo game consoles that pushed the industry forward.

With that in mind, let's briefly review the history of Nintendo gaming systems. (Note: for a very thorough review of gaming history, check out TheGameConsole.com)

The History of Nintendo

 1985: The Nintendo Entertainment System

Nintendo was around in Japan earlier than 1985, but it was the Nintendo Entertainment System that really made Nintendo's mark on the video game world and blew the industry open. Backed by the Super Mario Bros. franchise - released on the Nintendo Famicom in Japan that same year - this version would simply become known as the "Nintendo." By 1986, the NES would reach a much larger scale and start outselling its competitors - by a lot.

1991: The Super Nintendo

Also known as SNES, the Super Nintendo system expanded on the franchises established by the original Nintendo. More buttons were added to the controller - which was now round - and graphics were expanded to provide for a greater range of experiences. Instead of looking like computer screens, the video games now looked more like cartoons, providing a smoother gaming experience and more immersed video game reality.

1996: The Nintendo 64

The next great leap took place with the Nintendo 64. Although the video game market had expanded by this time and the industry had become more competitive, the Nintendo 64 brought its 3-D graphics and settings to a continually growing audience. Popular games like "GoldenEye" also contributed to the expanding world of the first-person shooter, which is now one of the most popular types of games available on the market.

 2006: The Nintendo Wii

Nintendo has continued to strike a chord with audiences and reach a new generation of gamers with its Nintendo Wii, which wisely sidesteps the strides made by Microsoft and Sony by engaging the player in a more proactive way. Together with Wii bundles, the Nintendo Wii reaches a new audience of adults by providing "games" like the Wii Fit, further expanding the genre of interactive gaming into a more serious role.

At some point, old video game consoles become cool again. There's something in the DNA of each console that makes it too "old" at one point, and then "retro" at another.

Having ascended its way to the world of elite Xbox's and PlayStation's, the video game world still has room for those classic game consoles that somehow, after all these years, never seem to get old.

Here are some throwbacks that are a must-have in any die-hard fan's collection.

Atari

There are plenty of versions of the Atari, and as you'll find at TheGameConsole.com, many of these versions were around in the 1970's. In other words, these were in fact your father's video games. Classics like Atari PONG or the Atari 2600 were pioneers into the world of electronic gaming, and few could have guessed that the little white dots on the screen would evolve into the cinematic-style games we have today.

Buy an old Atari PONG for your collection - you'll love the retro 70's controller and can show the game off to guests. You don't have to be a child of the 70's to enjoy the throwbacks.

Nintendo Entertainment System

The familiar gray box of the NES is perhaps the best throwback of all, a great reminder of the leap in gaming that took place when Nintendo introduced us to the Super Mario Brothers.

It's odd to think that an idea like "removable cartridges" was a new concept back then, but in the mid-1980's, it was a revolution that sparked a new industry. Sure, you probably had to blow the dust out of the games, but even today's CD's aren't always totally reliable, either.

The simple Nintendo controller is also an icon of the old video game consoles, an odd-to-hold rectangle that didn't fit as comfortably in our hands as today's controllers, but still has a special place in our hearts.

Other Retro Gaming Systems

The original PlayStation isn't exactly a "retro" choice yet - in fact, it's still stuck in that not-old-enough-yet-to-be-cool-again category. But a few recognizable consoles are quickly becoming nostalgic gems, like the SEGA Genesis or the Nintendo 64, which still has classic games like Mario Kart 64 that are more fun than their current-generation incarnations.

Old video game consoles may be old, but that doesn't make them worthless. A shrewd customer knows that buying game consoles that pack entertainment without a similar increase in price is a great option to purchase. Other video game lovers can't resist the nostalgic throwbacks to when video games were new.

Despite what you may have heard, cheap game consoles aren't make-believe like unicorns or leprechauns. They really do exist here in the real world. But since they can be hard to pin down, a really cheap game console has become something of an urban legend. It doesn't have to be! Instead, starting right now, you can use the strategies and tactics financially-inclined gamers have been using all this time. Let's take a look at some of the most popular strategies for buying game consoles without breaking your bank:

Saving up to Buy a Game Console

Game consoles don't get any cheaper just because you're saving up for them, but having the ability to save for a few months rather than splurge all at once is a skill you'll want to hone nonetheless. It's one thing to buy a $400 game console in one single swipe of the credit card; it's quite another to save $100 for a few months in order to buy it later.

If you can delay satisfaction like this, then you have what it takes to buy a cheap game console. The name of the game is patience: you won't find a cheap game console right away, but if you have the patience to save, you'll have the patience to find the best deals out there.

Older Consoles

A quick gander at The Game Console will show you that buying a cheap game console doesn't have to be limited to what is available in the front aisles today. You can drastically cut your video game budget down to size if you're willing to forgo a little technology to get your game fix in: buying a PlayStation 2 instead of a PlayStation 3, for example, will cost less but still has plenty of modern-style games to enjoy.

What's great about older consoles is that they'll also be available to buy used, whereas current game consoles won't be such popular "used" purchases. A quick search of Game Consoles on eBay will yield plenty of used, older game consoles that have their prices dramatically reduced. You sacrifice a little in the "cool" factor, but since when does owning the latest video game console automatically make you cool?

Buying Xbox's and PlayStations

We all know about the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, two of the most advanced game consoles out there. But if you take a step back in either generation, you'll find you can enjoy many of the same games without the same initial investment.

Buying cheap game consoles isn't about discovering a secret hidden black market; it's about taking to the traditional market and using a little creativity and, yes, a little sacrifice to get a game system in your home without going bankrupt.