EMZETT.Game consoles and video games
In short: Devices for playing on the TV, with games on cartridges, discs or as downloads. Well known are Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo.
In more detail: Consoles are specialised computers with a fixed design. Games come on a medium that has to fit the console. The media range from plug-in cartridges via CDs and DVDs to Blu-ray and downloads.
In Depth
Nintendo
Nintendo relied on cartridges for a long time: NES, SNES, N64 and Game Boy use plug-in cartridges, Nintendo DS and 3DS small cards, the Wii a special disc and the Switch game cards. The games often hold their value well and are collected.
Collecting and preserving
Cartridges with a battery for saves eventually lose their saved data; the battery must be replaced. Protect discs from light, heat and scratches. When buying second-hand, check completeness (case, manual), region and condition.
Change of media
The change from cartridge to CD-ROM, then DVD and Blu-ray brought more room for graphics, sound and video; most recently, downloads replaced many discs.
See also: Xbox, PlayStation, Optical drives