I recently purchase a PlayStation 2, something that many of my fellow gamers might criticize. With the XBOX 360 just released, and the PS3 and Revolution just around the corner, why would I plunk down $150 on a current-gen system that will be obsolete in a few months. I have my own reasons for this, mainly because there's an entire library of PS2 games that I'd love to play, and, as a video game veteran of 21 years, I've never seen a console as worth buying until it is in the second year of its life cycle. This is a personal choice, and I'm not knocking anyone who has bought a 360, PS3, or Wii.

However, with all of the recent news and talk on the next-gen consoles, along with my current devotion to the PS2, I've realized that Sony has really had a good thing going for the past decade. Ever since the PlayStation debuted in 1995, Sony has been the leader of the console market. They successfully killed off the Sega Saturn before it really got started, and were able to steal away much of the third party support that Nintendo had enjoyed for years. With the PlayStation 2, Sony was able to get the updated version of their console into homes nearly a year before the XBOX and Gamecube arrived, maintaining it's place as the number one selling console in the world.

Today, we are looking forward to the next-generation of consoles that will include the PlayStation 3, XBOX 360, and the Nintendo Wii. It remains to be seen who will sell the most consoles and receive the most support in this next console war, but I must say that I think that it's anyone's game. PS3 has its loyal fan base going for it, while 360 has the distinction of being out of the gate first. Wii, on the other hand, seems to be searching out a different demographic for its system, and has effectively removed itself from the traditional console wars that have characterized the industry in the past.

Historically, no video game company has been able to maintain dominance over the console market accross three generations. Atari had many iterations of its home console, but these consoles are considered to all be part of the same generation. Nintendo ruled the market with the NES and through the SNES, but eventually lost its footing with the N64. Today, we are at a unique point in video game history, where we will see if the PlayStation 3 can break the mold and continue to sell the most units of the next-generation.

With over 100 million consoles of the PlayStation sold in each of its two previous incarnations, there is no doubt that Sony has the biggest video game fan base of all time, and could easily win the next-generation console war by merely selling a unit to everyone that currently owns a PS2. It will be interesting to see how the PS3 fairs in the coming years, and to see whether or not it can break the curse that the third console has brought to the other industry leaders of the past.

I've been a fan of Star Wars since day one of my life. When I was born in 1980, my older brother was already a fan of the movies, toys, and games. Ever since those days back in the early 80's, I've been a huge Star Wars geek. I can say with complete accuracy that I've watched the Original Trilogy movies over 100 times each. Star Wars is an unforgettable part of my youth, and continues to be a major interest in my adult life.

I'm therefore a little saddened by the end of the Prequel Trilogy, Revenge of the Sith, hitting theaters this May. It's the end of a long road, and now we will know the full story behind Darth Vader and the rest of the Skywalker family. It's the end of an era really; and although many new books, toys, fan films, and fan fictions are yet to be crafted, somehow the whole experience won't really be the same. George Lucas is officially hanging up his Star Wars movie hat after ROTS, and it's the reality of the whole thing that has me bothered.

I guess the anticipation of the Prequels were much greater than any movie could ever live up to, so it's no wonder that critics have bashed Episodes I & II. Now with III coming out, that element of anticipation will be over, which is a new thing for Star Wars fans. All long time Star Wars geeks, like myself, have always had a reason to obsess over the Original Trilogy movies: there was so much more of the story to be told. In two months, the rest of the story will be finished, whether we like the result or not.

As I write this, I realize that it's very depressing and defeatist. I didn't intend it to be. To end on a high note, I would say that Star Wars fans will now have to look forward to a new era. An age where no more movies are in the works, but also an age where we can rejoice in having the whole saga in front of us. It's a time when what makes up a Star Wars fan will change, and I'm excited to see how the fan base will evolve of the next 20 years.

I recently picked up Tiger Woods 2004 on Gamecube, and was really blown away by the role playing aspect of the game. Starting with the Game Face feature, the game really lets you create your own persona throughout your golfing experience, which one could argue is the true essence of "RPG's."

While Tiger Woods doesn't contain an overly dramatic story of a late teenager's quest to save the world with the help of his quirkey cohorts, the game really is more of a role playing game than many would think. Not only can you adjust the appearance of your character in almost any way imaginable, but you really get to choose your own path of what kind of golfer you will be become. Using your hard earned cash out on the links, I'm increasingly impressed in the way you can created a unique golfer with unique abilities. Not only that, but being able to buy new equipment, clothes, balls, and clubs is just way too cool for words. This is really quite and amazing experience, and I feel, a glimpse into the future of what sports games may become.