Every million or so blue moons a small unheard of developer comes out of the rough and creates a game that not only puts them in the spotlight, but also lands in our hearts as that game we remember forever. Media Molecule is small- very small as you can see by the opening level of LittleBigPlanet.

LittleBigPlanet is a creative PS3 title that just hasn’t got enough love from PS3 owners. There is no such thing as perfect game. When the gaming world sees a perfect game, then there’s nothing to improve on. Games need to be criticized and  nit picked to ensure future games get better. Let’s see how LittleBigPlanet fairs knowing that no games perfect.

LittleBigPlanet takes place in the dreams of the gamer. Its whole intention is to get your imagination going. From the first moments of the game long through your 20th created level this game stays original. Whether you’re looking to just jump in and have a good time or be the video game developer you’ve always wanted, the possibilities are endless.  This is a game for any gamer, so now lets in to the reasons this should be firmly sitting in your gaming collection and getting its share of game time.

So the game opens with a quirky British fellow giving you an introduction to the crazy delight known as LittleBigPlanet. The opening level introduces you to the brilliant minds behind this marvel while teaching you the beginning controls of the game. And with that level over you opened to the LittleBigPlanet. The “Pod” is your start menu. From it you can jump in to the campaign area, which envolve mild story telling but nothing that draws at your strings. The beginning levels get you in to the groove, and then your on your way. Also the pod allows you your typical options and what not, but it also allows access your moon. The moon is where you can create anything your mind imagines.

The moon is bigger than the mind allows for. The depths of the moon far surpass how much imagination the mind has. Each crater is a place available for level creation. And there’s alot of dimples on that moon. Once you dive in to the level creation mode, it’s a very good idea to get going first with the tutorials. Not only do the tutorials teach you how to play, but they give you add ons. Level creation works in 3 levels in 3 deminsions. You can build levels upwards, sideways, downwards, backwards, and wardswards.

It impossible to clearly explain everything available to in the game.  A quick YouTube search will show you just a mild bit of the creations out there. Level design is by no means simple, they can some times be quite difficult to perfect that image in your mind. A worthy level can take days to perfect. But the satisfaction of completely a “hearted” level is more than worth it. A user expecting to build a memorable level takes any where from 6 hours (a very modest amount) upwards of months to perfect. A hearted level is a level some other player has identified as a favorite level. Oh yeah, once you perfect that level of yours, you upload it for millions of users to enjoy. Uploaded levels have a huge battle to over come, good levels climb, great levels soar, but the duds sink- FAST. A quick look at available levels will show you whats out there.

So you have the fun campaign and the amazing creation mode, but LittleBigPlanet is more than that. Everything is customizable. Character costumes add flair, stickers can go on anything, and don’t forget how much fun it is to slap a friend playing along. There’s something magical about this game. Campaign entices players to play with 2 players. Many levels require 2 players to get all the unlockables. Unlockables include stickers and costumes which just add to more to the game. It’s really hard to explain everything this game has to offer.

Sure it doesn’t offer the amazingly detailed cinematics of Metal Gear Solid 4, sure it’s not a bloody M rated shooter that involves cutting your villians in half, but it is a masterpiece. Its an amazing game, and it came from first time developers. Media Molecule nailed this game.

They showed that the PS3 is a worthy console to develop for. While at times the controls may feel odd, and frustration of not perfectly timing that jump may set in, the game delivers something  games haven’t in awhile. LittleBigPlanet is unique, fun, original, simple, deluxe, entertaining, challenging, and amazing. The list of adjectives could go on  and on. This is the Wii game that never was. It’s fun for a 4 year old or a 40 year old. It’s simple enough for everyone. Yet it’s hardcore enough for those considered hardcore.

No game is perfect. And frankly 10 out of 10 says just that. It says a game is 100% of what it can be. But truthfully no game is 100%. This game is amazing. It’s not perfect though. The times you smile well overwhelm the times you grit your teeth in frustration. And those times you grit your teeth come back to make you smile after you complete the challenge. The simplicity of this game brings it to shine brighter than most people think. Possibly the lack of advertising has kept this from truly excelling, but this game is truly one of a kind.This game is by far the best PS3 game out there, and should be considered the for the highly prized title of best game of the year.

So February can’t get here fast enough, and as soon as it gets here it needs to end. Why? So I can get my hands on my eagerly anticipated copy. From the beta to media footage, everything about this game looks amazing. Boasting some of the most amazing graphics and utilizing an interesting online mode of compilation matches, this will surely be in your PS3′s disc drive for months to come.

To all my fellow shooter freaks and PS3 owners, I tell you now- play all those games you haven’t gotten around to yet, because come the end of next month I’m going to be owning you online. And yes that is a challenge to you all. Can’t say you’ll win anything except that warm feeling inside if you do beat me, but I’m confident in my shooting skills. (Oh yeah I already know how to play )

So get excited. If you liked Call of Duty 4 and World at War then be prepared to have you mind blown by this game. We at Gamer Limit look forward to seeing you online, and you can expect a very in depth and conclusive review from yours truly late Febuary/early March!

Oh yeah if you’re willing to accept my challenge- PSN Hagaf22 -See you online!

So those of you PS3 owners who bought Socom Confrontation on release and never played it again, get ready! The 1.30 patch is out and ready for install. Coming in at 526 mb it will take a few minutes, but if it delivers on its many promises this patch could bring Socom Confrontation back to the for front of gaming.

Patch 1.30 is set to include the highly wanted prone dive, it will list your room under your name on xmb so friends can find you. It also has a fully updated lefty control, d-pad lean and server stability. They mentioned the addition of quick match and party mode (which were seen in the beta), oh yeah and a little something called Trophies!

So for all our Socom fans and trophy whores out there, put this back in your disc drive and get ready! See you online.

Source: Socom Site

Yes, it’s true, gaming magazine EGM will no longer be arriving to your mailbox. If you have recieved your January 2009 issue, consider it your last. Today the owners of EGM, Ziff Davis Media, has sold the rights to the magazine and its affliated websites. So from now on 1Up.com, MyCheats.com, GameVideos.com, and GameTab.com will be owned and operated by UGO Entertainment.

UGO Entertainment is a unit of the Heart Corporation (Hearst.com). Based of UGO Entertainments main website (UGO.com) Ziff Davis has put their websites in good hands. UGO.com attracts 40 million viewers each month, ans that number is sure to go up with the new acquisition. Congratulations on the pick up UGO Entertainment, and sorry to see EGM go.

The official press release can be found here.

Ok, so has your wife or mom ever complained about your gaming mess? Yelled at your for having the controller on the coffee table? Well Target might just have the answer to your problems. I know it sounds slightly crazy, but while shopping with the wife today we ran across a must have for us. The Gaming Ottoman.

So I’ve been a gamer for years and along with that comes a mess of games, controllers, cords, drum sticks, guitars, racing wheels, etc. I would normally stack my games on my subwoofer which sits next to our TV and then the controllers in front of their respective system. While my system worked it wasn’t the most appeasing to my wife. My wife loves cleanliness and organization. Well games stacked up and controllers on the floor just wasn’t doing it for her.

So while at Target today we found an associate unloading these “Gaming Ottomans” on to clearance racks. Upon examination, the idea is something I could have seen my wife coming up with. It’s simplicity makes it a great idea.

The Gaming ottoman is a cube shaped ottoman with a hollowed out center. Inside they have placed 2 levels of storage. The bottom level consists of a tray that allows you to place all your games. Ok maybe not all of your games. 28 games can fit on the bottom. Not a bad amount for a casual gamer or even a gamer who trades in old games, like myself. Along with those 28 games there is room for 2 more on top, possibly your 2 favorites or 2 most recent games.

The top section also has room for controllers. Amazingly enough there is a spot for Wii controllers. The Wii hype has spilled over some more. I was able to get 2 Xbox 360 controllers, 2 Playstation 3 controllers, 4 Wii remotes, and 2 nunchucks on there easily. My other 2 nunchucks lay in the corners. There is also a place for headsets in the middle. I utilized this space for my Xbox headset, PS3 headset, and Rock Band dongles.

So now hopefully you have a understanding of whats going on inside this ottoman. Let me give you my honest opinion.  This thing is great for organization. I had more then 30 games, so we found some old ones to get rid off. It was sad but hey I wasn’t going to play them any ways… might as well get some trade in value from them right? Playstation 3 games come in cases that aren’t as long as 360 and Wii ones obviously, but surprisingly enough they fit very well.

So for the bottom part of it- GREAT! AMAZING! EXCELLENT! But then again how do you mess up game slots? Now let me get to the top part. First off they did a great job allowing for controllers of all systems to fit. The Wii remotes fit snuggly standing up. The nunchucks….not so much. The odd shape doesn’t allow for them to stay tightly. But it does hold them. As for the PS3 and 360 controllers, they fit perfectly and look good in there spots. The center is good for small accessories, but does look slightly cluttered when stuffs in it. Atleast the clutter is inside and not on the outside.

There are a few downsides. The cost may be more than some want to pay. I found mine on clearance but on the Target website they are charging the full 60 dollars. Maybe you can get lucky and find it near you for only 41 dollars like I did. Also the colors are limited- VERY limited. You can choose red or dark brown. The suede material is nice and the top is comfortable as a seat. My biggest problem is the slight smell of the material its made from. It has slight smell, however I feel it will go away with time. There is very little room to put much else in there. I tried to place drumsticks in there from Rock Band, but had no luck.

So overall, for the cost of one game you can have a place to hide everything else in your gaming collection. Those of you with wives or mothers that don’t like the mess could easily find the benefits of something like this. But then you have to ponder the question- is this worth giving up a game? For 40 dollars, its a no brainer- buy this. For 60, it becomes alittle more tough.  For those of you interested, the Gaming Ottoman is available at Target stores and online.

This is a solid 8.5 out of 10.

So for years upon years, I have loved gaming. I enjoy nearly every genre, although I do claim shooters as my favorite. There’s something about shooters that have always claimed my attention. With shooters, the graphics may change and a few quirks may be thrown in but for the most part the games are the same.

You can continuously carry over your skills from shooter to shooter and feel right at home. That’s not the same with other genres. Action games can be drastically different. RPG’s all differ, at least to me. I guess the closest genre to shooters in the carrying over of skills is the new hype around music games. But for me, role playing games have always been my kryptonite.

Role playing games take simple things out of life and make them all so important in gaming. For example, you take a test in Fallout 3 that determines characteristics that your character will have for ever. Decisions you make at the beginning of the game are stuck with you throughout the game. And RPGs aren’t known for being short games. They have tons of longevity. For me, I have never enjoyed the choices I make in the first hour of a game coming back to kicking me in the ass 42 hours later. And from my first 6 hours of Fallout 3 this looks to be the case again. But there are things about Fallout 3 that make me rethink my position on RPGs.

So a video rental store here in my local area was recently bought out and became a 99 cents rental store. Rent anything for 99 cents. New rentals, Blu-rays, and the best of all video games- all 99 cents a day. So I figured this would be a great chance to spend a dollar to give those games I had no interest in and try them. So over the past 2 weeks I have rented Fable 2, Need for Speed Underground, Wario Shake It, Mortal Kombat vs DC and so on and so on. Yesterday though I figured I would waste dollar and try an RPG, Fallout 3.

So I walked out of the store totally anticipating to return it today.  But when I started playing I was sucked in, despite the lack of a tutorial which made me open the manual. The opening cinematic did a great job opening the story and giving you a since of why the world is the way it is. The character customization was intriguing, but the best was the G.O.A.T.- a bunch of questions that have no right answers but sure are some funny ones. While I went the route of what is considered right in the world, I can only imagine what the end factor is. Several times I’ve caught myself wondering what will happen when I make my choices, but some times I hate worrying. Like when I steal stuff and lose karma… do I care about my karma? Let me remind you I am only 6 hours in to the game.

While I don’t want to give any story cues away, this game has captivated me. I am eagerly awaiting what will happen in my mammoth adventure. But the fact of the matter is Fallout 3 has changed my view on role playing games. This game has sucked me in on so many levels. With the easy adjustment from a shooter kind of guy while still holding to the roots of rpg’s, this game is exactly the game to get me out of my rpg hate and into a new genre.

Who knows maybe Final Fantasy and WoW are next….. ok so lets not get crazy now…..

So lately for some unheard of reason the internet has been bashing Sony’s name, claiming that the Playstation 3 is dying, and that Sony has ruined the console. Sound familiar to any one? Wasn’t this the same thing we heard for the first 6 months after launch? In my opionion these claims are completely unfounded. There is nothing at all that shows any sign of Playstation 3 growth stoppage and here’s why.

Sales. Sure Novembers sales were down, but how is it everyone forgets that Sony’s Playstation 3 sales this year have blown last years away? This year Sony has completely turned around sales. The Playstation has been doing consistently well against it’s main competitor the 360. 360 and PS3 sales have been neck and neck, while Nintendo runs away with the numbers. So next month when Xbox sales are down will we see the market turn sour on the 360? It seems the market takes Sony’s firm loss of the top spot in the gaming market means the PS3 is a failure.

A failure? Are you all serious? Have you not seen Killzone 2 footage? Do you not see the potential of Home? Did you miss LittleBigPlanet? And did you completely sleep through Metal Gear Solid 4? Nothing this year has shown any signs of what I would consider failure. Home may not be what everyone expected but it sure does something different than just giving us avatars that stand in feminine positions and sit in snow globes. Home delivers a great median to get new info across to the masses. Killzone 2… really nothing about this game says anything other than greatness. Surely the end of February will turn haters of the PS3 around and see the potential after this release. If you haven’t played LittleBigPlanet…. you have been truely missing out. The sheer enjoyment of this game makes the oldest feel like the youngest. It brings simplicity back to gaming in a huges way, while delivering a great developers insight to level design. And boy was MGS4 a delight. Blending a movie with great gameplay this game will continue to shine through out this generation.

All in all it seems that most of the hate aimed at the PS3 is purely out of ignorance. Those people who own the Playstation 3 tend to be very pleased with their purchase. The Playstation 3 isn’t only shining today, but with a growing understanding of how to get the most out of the system, it will continue to shine for some time. We can only imagine where Sony is going to take the Playstation 3, but I would venture to guess its going to be great.

Gamer Limit knows that November was packed full of awesome game, and with so many to choose, you may need some help on deciding which games are worthy. Here we have compiled the top 5 games of the past month. These games aren’t only great games for the past month but great games from the past year. With all those gifts you have to buy for those relatives that you hardly talk to, this should help you make a wise purchase with that little dough you have left.

Coming in at number 5 for the month is Resistance 2. Insomniac has delivered a huge sequel, and by huge WE MEAN HUGE, to Resistance: Fall of Man. 60 player competitive matches- Check, 8 player co-op- Check, and 300 foot chimera- OH YEAH Check, this game delivers on a massive scale. We have yet to find a facet of this game that doesn’t scream replay value, and with Insomniac boasting it takes 400+ hours to max out everything, you’ll definitely be enjoying this game way past Christmas of this year, and close to Christmas next year. This game is sure to deliver a complete experience and memorizing moments.

Read the full review here.

Following up next on the list is Call of Duty World at War. Oh yeah Call of Duty is back, and you better be ready.  Following Call of Duty 4 is a taunting task, but this game delivered. Never has been World War II been this memorable in a game. This game delivers on those original feelings you got from Call of Duty 4 while still adding something new. Watching kill cam can show you the gruesome reality of your death. Tanks can show you the brutal power of machinery. And dogs deliver a finishing blow like now other. This is definitely a must own for any fan of Call of Duty, first person shooters, or a good time online.

Read the full review here.

Are you ready to run? Ok, well obviously not. But what’s almost as good as getting out and running? Making some one else run! So why not Faith? Mirror’s Edge delivers a fascinating experience while jumping from roof top to roof top. The unique experience of Mirror’s Edge is sure to keep you interested is the game. Go from timing that jump to avoiding that train, and find the quickest route- just keep moving all while enjoying a unique look. With a global leaderboards in the time challenge, you’ll constantly be striving to find that best line.

Read the full review here.

Ready to kill hordes of locust? Ready to finish what you’ve started? Well get ready because Gears of War is back and looking, feeling and playing better than ever.  Getting back in to the heat of things, Marcus Fenix has a point to prove to the locust and this time its personal. Get ready to saw locust in half and watch the blood splatter. Claiming high reviews and lasting gameplay are sure signs this is a 360 title to own. While arguably claiming the title of best looking game this generation, Gears 2 will keep you  wanting to play over and over again. So take off that Santa costume and get in to the battle!

Read the full review here.

And the top game of this month? The game you MUST own? Valve’s latest entry- Left 4 Dead. Oh yeah put down Half Life and Portal and pick up this.  Proving that the zombie thriller genre isn’t dead, Left 4 Dead puts you in the heat of the battle, killing hundreds of zombies, and not feeling bad about it. Left 4 Dead continues to prove it’s replay value with the outstanding coop aspect which makes the game extremely enjoyable, long past the single player aspect. What screams post Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner gameplay more than zombie genocide? With a variety of powerful weapons to blast those pesky different zombies, you’ll be begging them to bring it on. With powerful graphics, and a slick coop gameplay, Left 4 Dead is the game of games for this month.

Read the full review here.

Wow, what a month in gaming! One of the most powerful gaming lineups in one month and some many games left out. But with the holidays quickly approaching, every dollar counts, so pick wisely. The gaming industry knows just when to put the hurt on, and the holiday season is that time. We here at Gamer Limit hope that this list has helped you make a better decision to spend your hard earned money. And we look forward to seeing you again next month.

So by now every one who has any interest or knowledge of the gaming industry knows a few of the big names around. There’s Miyamoto, Kojima, Cliffy B., Phil Harrison, Shane Kim and so on and so on. I could go on for a while on all the big names in the industry but that’s not why I’m writing this. Why I’m writing this is because of what I’ve seen from one specific person in the gaming industry. While you big talkers like Cliffy B and Shane, there is one person in the industry who is still down to Earth.

David Jaffe isn’t a new face to the industry, and don’t get me wrong David Jaffe has said a thing or two that has drawn him some negative attention, but he’s still (in my book at least) one of the most respected men in the industry. Of course I have some reasons why and that’s why I’m here to share them with you.

So, hopefully, by now you’ve read or watched one of Jaffe’s infamous rants. And whether you agree or not you have to respect him for it. Here is a guy who has created some of the greatest games that the PlayStation has and he’s willing to tell any one what he sees and how he feels about the industry. He doesn’t sugar coat things, he is as blatant as they come. Like I said you don’t have to agree with him, but just having some one with any influence that is willing to speak his or her mind makes a big difference and a huge contribution to getting things heading in a better direction. He takes the time to film blips and blogs letting us “common folk” know whats going on, and he does it not as a game designer, but as just another guy (one who has just established himself in the industry to make valid points). So whether you like his rants or despise them, they are here and they give us a good view of whats happening that we might not always see.

Ok so the man speaks his mind, he’s not the only one that does that, we know that for sure. But a huge reason gamers should love Jaffe is that he is a gamer. Like I said, he has created some of the greatest Playstation titles we know, but he still buys 360 games. He buys games because they are good, not because of the system they are on. Recently he revealed he purchased Left 4 Dead, a 360 exclusive made by Valve. At no time does he mention any controversy about Valve and their relations with Sony’s Playstation 3, but displays genuine interest in playing and enjoying the acclaimed game. He buys and plays the games we do, not thinking he’s above us or better than us, but more like one of us. (But I will state he bought them at GameStop…enter many Gamestop hate comments here…)  While he will tell you how he feels about games, he’s honest and fair.

So what else puts Jaffe above others. God of War. I love Twisted Metal, Calling All Cars was enjoyable, but I Love God of War. The way the games played out was just amazing, battles against God’s and massively lovable attacks make this series a true gem in gaming. Who doesn’t love destroying God’s and their most armies. I, just like any other PS3 owner, can’t wait for God of War III.  I’m mildly disappointed that Jaffe isn’t the man in charge of 3, knowing he supports it and enjoys what he has seen thus far keeps me satisfied. Which is another reason to give him props.

Any person who lets some one else take the reigns of one of the greatest IP’s of recent memory and doesn’t bash the living snot out of the game deserves some credit. While I eagerly await a full release from Eat. Sleep. Play., knowing that Jaffe supports and assist on the next God of War makes him a man of value to us gamers. While many people who buy the game won’t know the difference, those of us who do will know.I know Jaffe worked with Barlog on 2 and that they have similar views on the series, and so on and so on, but this is going to come out as Barlog’s game with minor influence from Jaffe- major recognition for that Jaffe.

Ok, so before I get some crazy comments about me sucking up to Jaffe or anything idiotic like that let me say. One I don’t know Jaffe, and I’m pretty sure he won’t read this, so I’m not sucking up to the man. Two, the man’s not perfect, he’s said some thing he probably shouldn’t have, and we’ve all read the stories. And three regardless of your views on him, he’s done some good things for the industry, alot more good than harm.

Lastly, if by any chance David Jaffe does read this, I got to ask. Can we get some info on what to expect out of Eat. Sleep. Play. Surely Twisted Metal is being developed- any details? Got some new IP’s lined up for us? What can we expect from you guys in ’09?

For those who haven’t had a chance to check out his blog- David Jaffe Blog

Just announced on the Playstation Blog, the highly anticipated Playstation Home enters open beta status on Thursday. After much anticipation and hype, every PS3 owner will now know what Home really is all about. So charge your controllers and warm up your hard drive because you’ve got something to download. Expect a full overview of Home here on Gamer Limit soon, but as for now, get out there and explore the offerings of Home!

Just a few of the things you can do when you first get started in Home…

• Customize your avatar
• Go Bowling
• Play arcade games
• Explore Home Themed spaces
• Dance, Dance, Dance
• Watch a vid at the theater
• Go Shopping at the mall
• Customize your living space
• Sit in the middle of the plaza for hours aimlessly doing nothing
• Start a converstation with a complete stranger
• Meet new friends
• Launch games from Home

and so on and so on, Home has alot to do, so get the download and get exploring!

Source: Playstation.Blog

So earlier today, Gamer Limit broke the news on Capcoms viral marketing for Resident Evil 5. And boy does the new campaign work. With tons of hype building around the next installment, Capcom is due to cash in big with Resident Evil 5. While viral campaigns aren’t new, Capcom is pushing previous made boundaries. Resistance did a great job with their viral campaign, but left many wondering what it had to do with anything. Capcom looks to be adding some good story cues with their campaign, but the same could have been said for Resistance prior to release. But with tantalizing in game footage and with main characters in the video, this looks to be good heads up of what we have to look forward to.

With Hollywood quality video viral campaigns upon us each new campaign and video is going to have to out do the last. Capcom has the ball in their possession and we can’t wait to see what’s next. As this is only episode 1 and plenty of time before release we can expect some great things from this campaign, and hopefully alot of what to expect from the game. Maybe soon viral campaigns will influence mainstream media, such as local papers and news. Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure, we can’t wait to see what Capcom’s got in store for us with Resident Evil 5!

Nothing looks to be holding this game back, and check back as we will keep an eye on this for you. Also if you haven’t already be sure to check out the viral website (scroll to the left, click on 1, type in Refinery).

What sells a console? Is it strong reliable hardware? Is it a powerful graphics processor? Is it huge amounts of ram? Well if this generation is any indication, none of this matters. But one thing surely does. The games. Below the surface the 360 and PS3 have a lot in common and the odd ball Wii tends to sell fine with lacking software support.

The truth is the Wii is unique in it’s high sales of units and the lacking library is odd. Usually a game console needs a strong library with a few exclusives to push that system above the others. Thus this is a list of games from this generation that can or should push consoles. Many, if not all, should be in each respective console owners collection. Some may not seem like system sellers to everyone but in one way or another are of interest to console owners.

First off there’s the Wii. The Wii’s collection is the most unique. With motion controls you can do just about anything. Which gives developers an unheard of amount of creation and experimentation. But the truth is many just don’t deliver. Here are some that not only deliver but hit the nail on the head.

Super Mario Galaxy, Quite simply the best game on the Wii. With fluid motion controls and a small learning curve, you’ll be in the heat and enjoyment of this game in no time at all. Any Nintendo consoles success depends on a good Mario game, and frankly the GameCube didn’t have one… and it suffered. Mario Sunshine? Really? Come on. But Mario Galaxy is a hit, a must own and an all around enjoyment. By far this game hits the mark for any age, any person who wants some fun, any person who bought a Wii.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, So the Wii didn’t really need a launch title hit, as the console itself was a hit, people gobbled them up. But it had one, Zelda. Most people need a console to buy a game, but I bought this game before I could even find a Wii. Selling out just like the Wii itself this was the game to own at launch, and still one of the premier games of the console.

But that about does it. Not that there aren’t more good games that would be nice to play but those are the big games that can push people to buy the Wii, aside from the gimmicky faddish controls. The Wii is a good console, with a few good games but not a lot of games to push some one to rush out and buy it. Sure there’s Mario Kart, Wii Fit, Rayman Raving Rabbid, and so on, but Zelda and Mario push consoles.

Boy Sony dropped the ball on the Console Sellers at launch. Resistance was a great game, but easily over shadowed by the 360′s Gears of War (in single player atleast, multiplayer is arguable, I could write a comparison of the two, but why fill the internet with another comparison, use Google). Ridge Racer 7 was fun but just like the previous 6 with better graphics. And where there any other launch titles???? But Sony’s built a library with some titles this year, certainly console sellers.

So I’ll start with the obvious. If you pack a game in the console as a bundle, and it sells, I think you’ve got yourself a console seller. So MotorStorm, Uncharted, and Metal Gear Solid 4 welcome to the list. Motorstorm is a classic fun time, and with a sequel, an obvious success for Sony’s Playstation 3. Uncharted, wow, you just shocked gamers. You made Tomb Raider look like a chump, even with Lara Croft showing just about everything. With fantastic graphics and memorable game play you are a must own to any PS3 owner. And with the recently announced Uncharted 2, we don’t see you disappearing from our consoles anytime soon. Metal Gear Solid 4 is the most well done game this gen, while some had a distaste for the overly done movie side of the game, the superb story, unmatched graphics, and well delivered gameplay pushed this up and over the top.

2009 will start Sony off with a bang, and alot of console sales. With the widely anticipated and higly acclaimed Killzone 2 coming. This is going to move consoles and this is going to be a defining FPS.  Claiming to only use 60% of the PS3′s SPU, this could show a little glimpse of what we can expect from the Cell in the future. (*** God Of War III***) Everything thus far shows nothing that’s going to slow down Killzone 2, hosting one of the least bugged betas show thus far on the PS3, this games going to shine and be a must own, and a console seller.

Sadly I can’t say that LittleBigPlanet is a console seller. With a lack of advertising and lower than expected sales thus far, the great hit has fallen short of the title. But this is a must own game for PS3 owners. It just hasn’t (yet) sold many individual sales, or shown any number spikes in PS3 sales.

Ok, ok, let’s get it out there. Halo 3, yada yada, it sells systems. Which is why we won’t see a “Halo 4″ until next gen. So until then we will see expansions and map packs, such as ODST. I think we understand the point of Halo and its impact on Xbox sales. Moving on….

The Gears Of Wars series. Before I purchased my Xbox 360, this was the series I craved. I wanted to see Gears in all its glory, and boy was it worth it. This series isn’t revolutionary, but its gorgeous and alot of fun. Sure both games have their bugs but which games don’t. This series pushes hardware, and for good reasons. No wonder the Xbox 360 gets a RROD, with graphics that hot, somethings got to give.

Fable 2, and I don’t know why. It’s a decent game, but doesn’t scream system seller. But some how it does. Maybe its release timed with a price drop caused this, who knows but Fable sales and Xbox sales did well around its release. To the RPG lovers out there, go get your slice of Fable 2.

Now I know very few people are going to agree but I know of a few consoles it pushed and it definitely had an effect on my buying my 360. Ace Combat 6. Yes, this game was at the top of my list of 360 games to must own, and I know of several gamers who call this game a system seller for them. Jumping the Sony ship and coming out looking better than ever packed with a side stick and throttle, Ace Combat 6 broke the heart of loyal Sony lovers and caused them to rethink their loyalties. While it may not be the highest selling game for the 360, it definitely had an impact on hardware sales.

My upset pick that doesn’t make the list for the 360 is a early release in 09, Halo Wars. Calm down, evil angry readers, and let me explain. Who is going to buy Halo Wars? Halo fans. Who already has a 360? Halo fans. So odds are there won’t be a spike or even a noticeable climb around the release of this game, but it will sell well, with current 360 owners.

And the biggest console seller of any system is……… drum roll please……..

The Community. What pushes a console sale more than knowing your friends from school and works are there to have fun with afterwards. Having a good strong community helps push a system. Knowing that 6 of my buddies have similar interest and own a PS3 tends to push me that way. A good online network with the backing of good online games can easily be the make or break of a console sale. Obviously Sony and Microsoft understand this with their ever growing online networks, and some how Nintendo continues high numbers despite doing just about everything wrong.

This generation has given us some of the greatest, most rewarding games of the gaming history, and their is no reason to think its going to stop now, so pick up that controller and enjoy these must owns. And if you don’t own all three consoles, I think I know what you should ask Santa for this year. Merry Christmas all and keep up those scores.