If you’re in the market to buy a new gaming console, you currently have 3 options, the Xbox 360 by Microsoft, the Playstation 3 by Sony, and the Wii by Nintendo. The confusing part may be, which one do you buy, or which one is right for you? Hopefully this guide will help to guide you in the right direction when choosing a new system to purchase.

Read on to find out which one is best for you.

PS3

The Playstation 3 is currently available in 2 different models, a 160GB for $299 or a 320GB Bundle with Move for $399. The PS3 is a great system for those who like gaming and even has some games that anyone can enjoy. It’s known to be a media hub. Not only does it have a built-in Blu-Ray drive, it also packs streaming services from Hulu, Netflix, and Vudu. You can also rent or purchase movies from the Playstation Store on the console.

Also, if you have an external hard drive with media on it you can simply connect it to the PS3 and watch all your movies, play all your music, or see all your photos on your TV.

The game library consists of great exclusives like LittleBigPlanet, God of War III, and Uncharted 2 as well as multi-platform games like Call of Duty and Need for Speed. The online community is good, but not nearly up to par when compared to Xbox LIVE.

Overall I’d recommend the PS3 to anyone who loves gaming and wants a wide variety of exclusives and to those who are media eccentrics

You can learn more about the PS3 here.

Xbox 360

The Xbox 360 currently comes in 4 different versions, ranging from $199 to $399. You can get the “Core” 4GB system at $199. At $299 you can either get the 4GB with Kinect or a 250GB system, and at $399 you can get the 250GB with Kinect.

The 360 is known to be the “hardcore” gamer’s system. It has a strong online community through Xbox LIVE, and, like the PS3, it also packs a huge library of games. You have exclusives like Gears of War, Halo, and Forza Motorsport, as well as multi-platform games that are mostly shared with the PS3. One thing to keep in mind is that Xbox LIVE comes at a cost. You need to purchase a membership in order to play online with your friends. A 1-month membership will run you $10, a 3-month will run you $25, and you can purchase a 1-year membership for $60.

If you like motion controls, the Kinect is a great system.  It uses infrared sensors and cameras to detect a person and their movement, and you don’t need a controller to play it. The only caveat is that it requires a large space to play. Overall I’d recommend the 360 for anybody who loves gaming mostly online and to those who want a unique experience a la Kinect.

You can learn more about the X-Box 360 here.

Wii

Last but not least we have the Wii. It’s currently available in one version for $199, but it comes in either black or white. The Wii has always been the most unique of the three systems. It’s completely based upon motion controls and has the most family orientated experience of the three. You have a great library of games that includes Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Other M, and Super Smash Bros Brawl.

Since some users may not like motion controls, some games give the option to use a GameCube controller instead of a Wii Classic Controller. Just keep in mind that the Wii is not good for online play due to the Friend Code system put in place by Nintendo.

If you want a unique and more family orientated experience, the Wii is the system for you.

You can learn more about the Nintendo Wii here.