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n big cities like Jakarta where open spaces are shrinking and parents tend to put more emphasis on extracurricular study activities for their children, favorite pastimes of our childhood like playing hide and seek, climbing neighbor's trees, flying kites and playing soccer with friends are rarely seen, especially in housing complexes.

Nowadays, changing lifestyles and technological breakthroughs in the entertainment industry are gradually shifting our children's interests from outdoor to indoor games.

The current technology of video game consoles (VGC) is designed and developed in such a way that it attracts not only children but also adults. With the extended facilities, they can be connected to personal computers, televisions and other devices.

With both audio and video compatibility, it enables gamers to enjoy unlimited entertainment.

With the availability of advanced technology for batteries, portable game consoles have become more convenient and reliable as options for entertainment gadgets. GfK Indonesia estimates that the 2008 VGC market in Indonesia was approximately one million units.

In areas that GfK covers (Jakarta and Surabaya) portable models accounted for 61 percent of total consoles sold, while desktop (home type) accounted for the remaining 39 percent (excluding VGCs with non-replaceable software)

Leading brands like Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft cumulatively accounted for more than 95 percent of total VGC sales throughout 2008. Among these three players, Sony clearly dominated the market with a more than 60 percent market share, followed by Nintendo and Microsoft with 32 percent and 2 percent respectively.

Besides variety of models, the availability of almost unlimited game software gives Sony a definite advantage in the competition.

Although Nintendo is not considered the biggest player in Indonesia, Nintendo's evolutionary way of playing games and its low price has certainly created a unique position for Nintendo.

Focusing on the portable segment, among the choices of game consoles available, recently the Sony PSP Slimlite became the best selling game console model in GfK areas. This model is a slimmer version of the previous PSP model with a price range of Rp 2.8 million to Rp 3 million in February 2009. In second position, the DS Lite from Nintendo has a more competitive price of Rp 1.5 million to Rp 1.6 million.

Generally, most consumer decisions on which console to buy is influenced by the available game selections. PSP Slimlite offers something more, which is better graphic quality in the portable segment.

Nintendo DS, on the other hand, offers a different gaming experience with its touch screen and unique game selections. Combined, Sony and Nintendo accounted for more than 90 percent of portable game console sales.

With all of the available video game console options on the market, it can be quite confusing when it comes time to make a decision on which to buy.

However, don't be too bothered about it. Just ask yourself a few simple questions, as outlined below, and you can easily decide which system is right for you. There are some points to take into consideration before selecting a console, but indeed no game console can ever be regarded the best by any person other than the users themselves.

In order to make the best choice, consider following points before making a decision:

Portable or home console?

What kind of game type to play?

Budget?

Unique features, e.g. graphic qualities with Blue Ray Slot or more physical interactive games or more options from online features.

Once you have weighed all of the above factors, you should be able to choose more wisely and hopefully get the right one.

So, which game console?

The choice is yours.