Why hello Mr. Xbox 360 slim

So in preparation for college I needed a gaming system for the dorm. The family owns a Wii and Ps3. No one used the Wii much anymore so it's a given I'll take it. The system I needed to ask for was the Ps3. And so began the following conversation with my little brother.

Me: Hey Alexander can I bring the Playstation-
Little Brother: No.
Me: Crap....

So that idea was quickly dashed. And so it came down to me buying a Xbox 360. I wasn't keen on using $200 graduation money for a system, so I dug through my closet to find my PSP and DS Lite. I went to the local gamestop and traded my:

• PSP
• DS Lite
• Uncharted 2 (I shed a few bitter tears, but 3 is coming out Nov.)
• AC Brotherhood
• LBP (I already had 2)
• Gran Turismo 5
• A Number of DS games at least 9.

and Bought:

• Refurbished Xbox 360 slim 4gb
• Halo Reach (Preowned)
• Powerup reward pro

And it all came down to..... $21. So ya, It was a pretty good deal. I'm not really keen on selling on Ebay.  (I know I could've gotten more, but considering all the time selling and shipping, not exactly worth it).
I also bought Xbox live gold for 2 months for $2 on this awesomely convenient deal. I got a bunch of games from a friend who doesn't play anymore, and finally go a headset for $20.

So my opinions on the Xbox 360?

The Controller:

Compared to the Ps3, the Xbox 360 has a much better controller for shooters. The Ps3 does pretty well for all games. But the triggers on the Xbox 360 controller feel much more natural for shooters. Unfortunately for any other games, the Xbox 360 controller feels weird, like I never really liked playing racing games on the 360.

And between the Kinect and Playstation Move. The Kinect is so much better. The Playstation Move just seems like a Wii controller except for Ps3 games. The Kinect on the other hand. I had doubts on it, but after playing Dance Central it's awesome. However that seems like the only game I'll actually enjoy with the Kinect because all the others just seem like reboots of Wii games I've already played.

Graphics, Dashboard and Gameplay:
I already established the feel of the controllers. The Xbox 360 pretty much has similar graphics and gameplay as the Ps3. The only thing I have to get used to is the different dashboards, which isn't anything to complain about it's just a matter of adapting. Only problem with the 360 is no bluray player so no awesome HD movies.

Gaming Services:
PSN: I loved the free service. But ever since it was down due to the hackings and the lack of any of my friends online, it felt lacking. Ya I got some fun out of multiplayer, but it is nothing compared too....

Xbox Live: Yes I have to pay for it, but that's the small fee for an awesome experience. I finally got to play in full parties with a lot of people I know, it's extremely fun. I also do better with people I know. 

Verdict: I really like both the Xbox 360 and Ps3 and I can never choose which is better between the two.
If you were to choose between the two it depends on a number of factors:

• Blu-ray? or no?
• Which Exclusive games you want? You really have to make choices and sacrifices on which games you want. For awhile I gave up on Gears of War and Halo for a bit for Uncharted and Final Fantasy.
• The importance of multiplayer to you. Do you want to play with your friends? If so what system is the majority of your friends on? and if it's Xbox live, would you be willing to pay for that?