NFL Gameday `98. © Sony Computer Entertainment of America.

Another downfall for Nintendo is that they opted to use the more expensive cartridge disk to house their N64 games, versus the CD-ROM that the Saturn and PlayStation use. For the game developer, the decision as to whether to work within the parameters for Saturn and PlayStation, whose CD-ROMS cost about $2.00 per disc to replicate, or the N64 cartridge that carries a cost burden upward of $30.00 per cartridge to reproduce, left the N64 out in the cold.

Sega, which had been the leader in 16 bit gaming consoles with the original Sega Genesis system, released the Saturn with only three games to support the system. An interesting point is that co-giant, Sega of Japan, released the system in Japan with the support of over 25 games right from the start. By the time Sega could get enough games in their library it was too late. Sony PlayStation was out and aggressively putting together a library that eclipsed Sega's.

To date there are almost 200 Saturn games on the retail shelf, almost as many as the PlayStation, but the initial loss of momentum meant Sega lost customers it could never win back. Why buy two gaming systems?

Sony's PlayStation continues to put out as many games as possible, over 60 games in 1997 alone. Compare this to only 27-30 for the N64 and 20 for Sega. The total list of PlayStation games encompasses over 220 games that cover a wide spectrum of interest, including all manners of racing, sports, role playing, and fighting games. In addition, the library contains games that can be enjoyed by the cartoon aficionado, the X-treme sports dude, the male adolescent or the teenage girl.

For those developing their holiday buy list, it would seem obvious that the gaming console to buy would be the one that provides the most play options - the Sony PlayStation. Technically, the system rivals the Saturn and only the very hard core gamer is able to discuss the merits embroiled in the technical minutia anyway.

What really matters is which system is going to provide the family, from young sister through teen brother to mom and dad, the most gaming options. For no reason other than its extensive library of games and increasingly diminished price point (Sony now offers a line of classic titles in the $20.00 US price range with many new titles available for under $40.00 US), which means there are more games to rent and buy, it has to be the PlayStation.

Top Game Picks
Here's five titles in PlayStation's wide selection that I consider to take full advantage of the Sony technology.

NFL Gameday '98 (Sony Entertainment, $39.95) Yes, it is hard-edged football at its prettiest, if that's possible. Sony has spent a lot of money in building the most realistic football simulation on the market. The greatness of this game revolves around how it looks and reacts. All of the players on the field use motion-capture technology and are fully 3-D polygonal, meaning crisp numbers on jerseys and very fluid, individual movements. Gamers get a Total Control mode that allows for diving over the top of the pile, the pump fake or the one hand catch. This is one of the best of Sony's sports line.

Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee(GT Interactive, $49.95) Mixes the cartoon absurdity of MTV's Oddities with the shocking plot parallels of Soylent Green, to create a technological marvel of gaming. Our hero, Abe, discovers that his species, the Mudokons, are being turned into meat patties at his place of employment and uses intelligence, rather than extreme violence, in an epic struggle to set his people free. 2-D flip screen programming, loads of detailed characters, crisp background animation and a humorously flatulent hero make this a very hip game.