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Limited supply and an arguably more “hardcore” fan-base made the November 17 PS3 launch violent; even bloody at times. Across the nation, people were robbed and even stabbed while waiting in line, but far more were attacked in parking lots when they attempted to leave with their new devices. Unfortunately, the chaos escalated to a permanent “game over” for one young man suspected of stealing two PS3s from a fellow student at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington-police fatally shot him when they arrived to serve a warrant for his arrest.

Such turmoil, however, was a fairly rare occurrence. Mike Schuster, a first-year Hamline student and employee at the Oakdale Best Buy, reported no such violent incidents. Customers were allowed to line up 24 hours prior to the release and just before opening, one ticket was given for each console the store had available (roughly 27).

The Wii saw an equally popular, although notably less vicious, release on November 19. Schuster said that the same procedures were followed as in the PS3 launch. This time, there were more than one hundred people waiting in line for the store’s 84 systems.

The rather sober crowds at the Wii release ironically reflect the light-hearted nature of the console. The New York Times describes it as more of an “entertainment device” rather than a “gaming system” and rightly so. The majority of the games are in the same vein as Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero in that they are very physically interactive and are often enjoyed more thoroughly in a group setting.

The key to creating this unique type of interaction for virtually all new games released on the system is in the controller, the “Wiimote.” The device is similar in design, as the name suggests, to a remote control used for a television. In games like Wii Tennis (which is bundled with the console) players must literally swing and serve with the Wiimote like they are playing the actual sport.

The PS3, on the other hand, has been painted as a far less innovative device despite the fact that it has much more “under the hood” than the Wii. One of its key features is built-in Blu-ray, a type of high-definition DVD capability. To accommodate this, the console also has much better graphics than the Wii, however, additional cables must be purchased separately to connect to a high-definition television.

It is important to note that most gaming analysts are not comparing the two devices because they are very different. It is more effective, they say, to pit the PS3 against Microsoft’s existing Xbox 360. Although the 360 has been out for over a year, many say that it is still leaps and bounds ahead of the PS3 while others argue that the PS3 simply needs more time to infiltrate the market and release new games.

When choosing a gaming console, it is really a matter of preference, purpose, and size of pocketbook. If you’re into first-person shooters, or role-playing games and the like, you are best off with an Xbox or PS3). But if you’re looking for something less expensive yet easy to master, go for the Wii.

Those of you looking to buy a PS3 or Wii now would do best to call around beforehand. Online auction sites like eBay also have quite a few units for sale if you’re willing to pay a little more.