The Xbox 360 is promising to be a phenomenal console. But despite all the bells and whistles and an improved game selection, it may still have an achilles heel that keeps it from grabbing new buyers from Playstation.

Not only will the slick Xbox 360 design build on the grean and black of the original, you will be able to snap on customizable face plates for your own look. In answer to the dismay over the apparent lack of an included hard drive, it was recently announced at http://www.xbox-games.xbox-360-news.info that attachable hard drives will be available. No harm done.

The Xbox 360 will include a much hyped "Ring of Light" and Xbox Guide Button on the xbox controller. This button will " connect you to your games, digital media, and the world of Xbox Live™ ", but I still see the controller as having a potential deal-killer. It's about control.

The Xbox 360 controller appears to still hae the same button configuration at the previous incarnations. That setup, tho adequate for many games, doesn't work well with one of the best selling game franchises of all time, the madden football series. Altho the xbox controller's trigger works extremely well for 1st person shooter games, it lacks 2 additional buttons in the trigger areas, which means fewer control options.

For instance, Madden football games on the playstation consoles use the 2nd button for additional audibles, and quick decision options during any play. The Xbox 360 controller, lacking those two buttons, means any Madden player will be limited.

Let's cross our fingers and pray to the powers that be that the Xbox 360 controller is as versatile as the Sony counterpart.

Jay Turner is certifiable nut case who is obsessed with computer games and console systems. He runs a blog dedicated to the as-of-yet unreleased Xbox 360 at http://www.xbox-games.xbox-360-news.info

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