When each new generation of game hardware begins, gamers are presented with choices: Which console will they buy? Will they be satisfied with one company's machine or will they need to buy rival hardware too?
Nintendo's Wii U console has been out for a while, but next year Sony's PS4 and Microsoft's Xbox One will hit Japan. Last weekend's Tokyo Game Show gave gamers here their first chance to test drive each of the upcoming machines.
Not all consoles are the same: There are different interfaces, different online services and even different controllers. But probably the biggest thing that separates the various companies' hardware is the games you can play on each console. Some games are multiplatform and are available on a variety of home consoles, while other titles are exclusives.