Microsoft has three basic versions of the Xbox 360 console: the Xbox 360 Arcade, the standard Xbox 360 and the Xbox 360 Elite system. The base system is the same for each with added benefits to enhance gameplay and media enjoyment for each different console bundle.

The Arcade version has limited storage for arcade games. It would not be gamers first choice for a video game console. The standard Xbox 360 has a 20 Gb hard drive, which is sufficient storage for games and a few songs and a video or two. The Elite has 120 Gb of storage and comes included with a HDMI digital audio-video cable. This is for those users who expect downloading and storing many video, photos, game data or music. The HDMI cable is convenient for those that need that type of connection for their home theater system. The Elite is the only system that is all black as well.

All the systems have Silver Xbox live memberships and a wireless controller included. Game compatibility is the same for the regular and Elite consoles. They are compatible with all Xbox 360 games plus over 300 original Xbox games. The Arcade version is compatible with all Xbox 360 games.

Obviously the prices for the consoles are different. The arcade machine can be had for around $280. The standard sells for around $350. The Elite goes for $450.

The Xbox console is not that large when compared with the Nintendo Wii and Playstation 3. It is sleekly designed and has interchangeable faceplates that allow it to be fitted into a home cinema rack. The wireless controller is really cool and wonderfully convenient. The Xbox console supports four wireless controller devices.

The Xbox 360 has amazing graphics. All the games are optimized for high definition output. In addition, it has USB 2.0 ports for attaching accessories. Accessories include a steering wheel for driving games and a chat messenger that allows you to send instant messages to your friends while you are playing. These accessories are not included with the console bundle and must be purchased separately. The Xbox 360 console is HD ready for games and has Dolby Digital sound to give players a complete surround sound gaming experience.

The console will play on any television, high definition or not. You just need to have the video and audio inputs for the TV or home theater system. The Xbox 360 console plays audio CDs, as well as DVDs, stores photograph and will play mp3’s. The Xbox 360 truly represents a big leap forward in next generation gaming technology.

Guitar Hero 3 is one of the world’s most popular games, but mastering it will take a bit of time. The typical guitar hero strum involves one push of the strum button while holding down the fret buttons associated with the notes. While this strategy works well for songs on the lower level difficulties, as you begin to push yourself to the next level, you’ll want to begin incorporating pull offs.

A pull off is one of the most difficult techniques to master in Guitar Hero 3. It requires precision timing and quick reflexes. Only certain song sections have pull off sections in them. The sections will be denoted by notes that have a white border, as opposed to the typical black one.

If you have 3 notes, let’s say green, red, and yellow, in order one right after another you could complete these notes using the pull off technique. When the first note hits, you’ll want to have all 3 fret buttons pressed down. This is the start of the pull off, and the only time during the technique that you will press the strum button.

As the notes ascend the scale you simply “pull off” the already completed fret notes as they pass across your screen. This type of action allows you to play songs and note combinations that would otherwise be too difficult to strum manually. If you want to start playing the most difficult songs on the hardest levels in the game then pull off is a technique you will need to add to your tool belt and master.

The most difficult aspect of nailing your pull offs is getting the timing down pat. On the more difficult songs, the note combinations are quite literally flying by you on the screen. You’ll have to slowly memorize the location of the pull off note combinations to really make this technique effective. But with a little bit of practice and persistence there’s no question you can start nailing those pull off’s and shredding the scales.

Another technique you may consider is the hammer on.

A hammer on is basically a pull off in reverse. Instead of pressing all of the buttons initially, you simply hold down each fret button as the new note comes onto your screen. Much like the pull off, this allows you to play increasingly faster and more difficult note combinations.

While it may take you some time to get accustomed to these new techniques, once you have them mastered and burned into your muscle memory, you too can be a guitar hero!

That’s right, a game of strategy with frickin’ lasers. Mine eyes have seen the glory.

I bought this game years ago, maybe in 2003 or so, and I believe it was called “Reflection” or something like that. I bought it as it was being produced, I think, and it was available from this tiny little site. One of those where you’re not really sure if you going to see anything after you make the purchase.

The concept is still the same, but it’s been given a story line, and is now available at Think Geek, one of my favorite retailers. The story goes that Khet was a popular ancient Egyptian game, so the object of the game is now to eliminate the competing pharaoh. You do this by aligning the mirrored playing pieces so that the frickin’ laser you shoot from your home base bounces from mirrored piece to mirrored piece, and ending up on the opponent’s pharaoh. In the way of your frickin’ laser are non-mirrored pieces, but one hit from your frickin’ laser, and those pieces are removed.

Simple and fun. Think Geek also offers an expansion pack: Eye of Horus Beam Splitters. So now you have to track multiple beams. Sort of like Tridimensional Star Trek Chess.

ThinkGeek Khet Laser Game

I consider this one of my must-have games, but it’s not what I would call a party favorite. It tends to be slow, quiet, and intense, and generally appeals to analytical and technical types, though I’ve found that the best competitions comes from the creative types. Better spacial reasoning, pattern recognition, and maybe intuition, I expect.

Each card in the SET deck contains one of three symbols (squiggles, diamonds, ovals) in varying numbers (up to three), colors (purple, green, red), and degrees of shading. At the same time, players try to create sets of three cards by creating various patterns or anti-patterns. Patterns must share a characteristic, and anti-patterns can’t share any characteristics. Three patterns, three anti-patterns, or a combination of three pattern(s) plus anti-pattern(s) is required to create a set.

First one to recognize the set shouts it, points it out, then collects the points.

It’s actually easier than it sounds, and there are two levels of difficulty. You can remove one of the decks to start with, which leaves fewer set possibilities. One or two quick runs through the deck, and you’ll have it.

Available via Amazon.