Xbox 360

THE BEST OF 2005 This year lacked a hyped blockbuster like "Halo 2" - the hype went to the new systems, the PlayStation Portable and the Xbox 360 - but it was still stuffed to the brim with great games. Here are some of the best: Lumines (PlayStation Portable) Lumines may be even better than the perennial Tetris. At heart it's a simple block puzzler - guide clumps of four blocks in two tones, and match them up into two-by-two or larger shapes that are cleared out by a glowing line that moves to the tempo of the game's music.

It's a seasonal miracle that never fails. Last year's high-priced technological sensation can be had for just a fraction of its former price, while this year's wonders promise more. If the pleasure of the latest marvels threatens to be ephemeral, you should know that there really is more in the newest technological toys - more memory, more computing power, more pixels, and, above all, more utility for users of every age. In fact, the extraordinary scope of the flood of technological innovation into our day-to-day lives becomes apparent when one considers the diversity of tech gear likely to be received by family and friends this year.

Nintendo Revolution Price: Not Available Due: Next spring Cool factor: Nothing's obsolete with the Revolution -- aside from playing every GameCube disc, it'll play every other game in Nintendo's 20-year history via download. A rush of nostalgia with the return of Nintendo 64, Super NES and original Nintendo Entertainment System software. Hedge factor: Attachment plays DVD movies, but lack of HD technology makes the Revolution look tired already. Sony PlayStation 3 Price: Not available Due: Next spring Cool factor: Potential Xbox 360 killer with high-definition Blu-ray DVD and HDMI output offering high-definition audio and video connection for an HDTV.

No question, the Xbox 360 is a great game console worthy of all the hype. The games perform incredibly smoothly, and the controllers are a joy to hold. But unfortunately, some of the features that pump up the price to about $300 for the basic system and $400 for the deluxe are useless. What Microsoft is trying to do with the 360, which went on sale this week, is create the perfect gizmo that will be the center of your living room entertainment experience. In fact, the sleek, stylish console was even designed with changeable faceplates for those seeking to coordinate their interior decoration.

They began arriving at 3 p.m. Monday with tents, lawn chairs and the conviction they would be among the first to own an Xbox 360. By midnight, the line at the Timonium Best Buy snaked around the building. Not everyone would go home happy. The store, like so many others, did not have nearly enough Xboxes to meet demand on their first day on the market. The early arrivals were allowed in at 8 a.m. yesterday - an hour before official opening time. By 9, all the Xboxes were gone. "It was like seeing little kids on Christmas," said store manager Jim Miller, who didn't know when he'd get more.

Microsoft is calling the Xbox 360, which comes out tomorrow, the most powerful video game system in the world. Sharp graphics and photo-realistic games can show the rustling of blades of grass or emotions on a character's face. But there's something else about the Xbox that makes it stand out. It comes in pink. Faceplates for the sleek new system also come in faux woodgrain, silver, aluminum and other colors that Microsoft hopes will be at home in a living room. The 360 represents a major step in Microsoft's bid to transfer its dominance from the computer room to the den. The new Xbox can play DVDs and CDs. It can wirelessly connect to a home computer, take music files, photos and video from the computer and play them on the TV. Digital music players, such as iPods, can be plugged directly into the Xbox.

DALLAS-- --The past few years have not been all fun and games for computer game fans, but that might be changing. As attention has shifted to sophisticated video game consoles such as the Xbox and PlayStation 2, PC gamers have watched their preferred platform wither. Retailers have been squeezing shelf space for PC games to accommodate more console and handheld titles, and many PC game creators have migrated to the console market. PC game sales in the United States peaked at $2 billion in 1999, and then fell every year after that, landing at $1.1 billion last year.