Shop for consoles

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 2 reviews

The Bottom Line: The supersize Nintendo 3DS XL is a solid portable gaming device, but its thin game library keeps it from being a must-buy for existing 3DS owners and newcomers alike. Read review

Specs: Nintendo 3DS XL - Handheld game console, Cartridge, Flash memory card, Red

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good

  Overall score: 6.0 (3.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 9 reviews

The Bottom Line: Despite some clever dual-screen gaming mechanics, the Wii U's lack of compelling exclusive software and an overall unpolished user experience make it tough to recommend in its current state. Read review

Specs: Nintendo Wii U - Game console, Nintendo Wii disc, Nintendo Wii U disc, IBM, Black

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.5 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 33 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Nintendo 3DS successfully offers a glasses-free 3D experience that needs to be seen to be believed. A weaker-than-usual launch lineup and some previously inactivated online features dampened its launch, but a recent price drop and a promising holiday lineup shine a light at the end of tunnel. Read review

Specs: - Pocket game, Nintendo 3DS, Cartridge, Cosmo black

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 2 reviews

The Bottom Line: The supersize Nintendo 3DS XL is a solid portable gaming device, but its thin game library keeps it from being a must-buy for existing 3DS owners and newcomers alike. Read review

Specs: Nintendo 3DS XL - Handheld game console, Cartridge, Flash memory card, Blue

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 141 reviews

The Bottom Line: With a slick new design, brighter screens, and a growing library of fun and innovative games, the Nintendo DS Lite is an impressive improvement over the original DS. Read review

Specs: Nintendo DS Lite - Handheld game console, Cartridge, 2

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.7 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 47 reviews

The Bottom Line: While not all previous DS owners should upgrade, the DSi is an ambitious and solidly designed portable gaming system. Read review

Specs: Nintendo DSi - Handheld game console, Cartridge, Flash memory card, ARM9 134 MHz, Black

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good

  Overall score: 6.0 (3.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 3 reviews

The Bottom Line: Despite some clever dual-screen gaming mechanics, the Wii U's lack of compelling exclusive software and an overall unpolished user experience make it tough to recommend in its current state. Read review

Specs: Nintendo Wii U - Game console, Nintendo Wii U disc, Nintendo Wii disc, IBM, White

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.8 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 4 reviews

The Bottom Line: At the end of the day, the DSi XL is exactly the same as the DSi, so unless you're desperate for more touch-screen real estate, or your vision is impaired, we can't recommend a purchase over the original DSi. Read review

Specs: Nintendo DSi XL - Handheld game console, Cartridge, Flash memory card, Bronze

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good

  Overall score: 6.5 (3.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 124 reviews

The Bottom Line: Nintendo's latest Game Boy has an interesting design but doesn't offer anything you can't find in the company's other portables. Read review

Specs: Nintendo Game Boy Micro - Handheld game console, Cartridge, Sharp ARM7TDMI, 16.8 MHz, WRAM, 256 KB, Silver

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.5 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 7 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Nintendo 3DS successfully offers a glasses-free 3D experience that needs to be seen to be believed. A weaker-than-usual launch lineup and some previously inactivated online features dampened its launch, but a recent price drop and a promising holiday lineup shine a light at the end of tunnel. Read review

Specs: Nintendo 3DS XL - Handheld game console, Cartridge, Flash memory card, Blue

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 3 reviews

The Bottom Line: For families and lovers of casual games, the still-affordable Wii represents the best console bundle value of the holiday season in terms of dollars spent; however, the Wii's getting long in the tooth, and other game consoles offer more entertainment options and functionality for their higher price tags. Read review

Specs: Nintendo Wii Sports Resort Pak - Game console, Nintendo Wii disc, Nintendo GAMECUBE disc, Flash memory card, IBM PowerPC, Black

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: For families and lovers of casual games, the even more affordable Wii still represents the best console bundle value in terms of dollars spent, but it's also the system that's first on deck to be outdated. With the announcement of the Wii U, the Wii is a declining console. Still, its sizable and often unique back library of games is still worth playing. Read review

Specs: Nintendo Wii - Game console, Flash memory card, Nintendo Wii disc, Nintendo GAMECUBE disc, IBM PowerPC, Black

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 436 reviews

The Bottom Line: The most affordable of the current game systems, the Nintendo GameCube offers great graphics and good performance but few extras. Read review

Specs: Nintendo GameCube - Game console, Nintendo GAMECUBE disc, IBM PowerPC "Gekko" 485 MHz, 24 KB 1T-SRAM - Integrated, Black, 32-bit color

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: - Game console, Blue

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 reviews

The Bottom Line: Now that it has a brighter screen, Nintendo's Game Boy Advance SP is the budget champ for portable gaming. Read review

Specs: Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP - Handheld game console, Cartridge, Sharp ARM7TDMI, 256 KB WRAM - Integrated

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 6 reviews

The Bottom Line: Now that it has a brighter screen, Nintendo's Game Boy Advance SP is the budget champ for portable gaming. Read review

Specs: Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP - Handheld game console, Cartridge, Sharp ARM7TDMI, 256 KB WRAM - Integrated

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.8 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: At the end of the day, the DSi XL is exactly the same as the DSi, so unless you're desperate for more touch-screen real estate, or your vision is impaired, we can't recommend a purchase over the original DSi. Read review

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 22 reviews

The Bottom Line: The original GBA will still appeal to gamers on a budget, but its lack of illumination is a big drawback. Read review

Specs: Nintendo Game Boy Advance - Handheld game console, Cartridge, Sharp ARM7TDMI, 256 KB WRAM - Integrated, Indigo

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good

  Overall score: 6.7 (3.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: By including an illuminated screen, Nintendo has finally fixed the original Game Boy Advance's biggest flaw. Read review

Specs: Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP - Handheld game console, Cartridge, Sharp ARM7TDMI, 256 KB WRAM - Integrated

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: Nintendo DS Lite - Handheld game console, Cartridge, 2, Light blue

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: For families and lovers of casual games, the still-affordable Wii represents the best console bundle value of the holiday season in terms of dollars spent; however, the Wii's getting long in the tooth, and other game consoles offer more entertainment options and functionality for their higher price tags. Read review

Specs: Nintendo Wii Limited Edition Red Bundle - Game console, Flash memory card, Nintendo Wii disc, Nintendo GAMECUBE disc, IBM PowerPC, Red

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good

  Overall score: 6.5 (3.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 9 reviews

The Bottom Line: Nintendo's latest Game Boy has an interesting design but doesn't offer anything you can't find in the company's other portables. Read review

Specs: Nintendo Game Boy Micro - Handheld game console, Cartridge, Sharp ARM7TDMI, 16.8 MHz, WRAM, 256 KB, Black

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.5 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 1 review

The Bottom Line: The Nintendo 3DS successfully offers a glasses-free 3D experience that needs to be seen to be believed. A weaker-than-usual launch lineup and some previously inactivated online features dampened its launch, but a recent price drop and a promising holiday lineup shine a light at the end of tunnel. Read review

Specs: Nintendo 3DS - Handheld game console, Cartridge, Flash memory card, Flame red

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 2 reviews

The Bottom Line: With a slick new design, brighter screens, and a growing library of fun and innovative games, the Nintendo DS Lite is an impressive improvement over the original DS. Read review

Specs: Nintendo DS Lite - Handheld game console, Cartridge, 2, Cobalt black

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: For families and lovers of casual games, the even more affordable Wii still represents the best console bundle value in terms of dollars spent, but it's also the system that's first on deck to be outdated. With the announcement of the Wii U, the Wii is a declining console. Still, its sizable and often unique back library of games is still worth playing. Read review

Specs: Nintendo Wii - Game console, Flash memory card, Nintendo Wii disc, Nintendo GAMECUBE disc, IBM PowerPC, White