Mom's Minute

Ouya Video game system and controller

Are you excited about the Ouya video game system, or are you waiting to actually play or develop a game on the system before you decide how you feel about it?  The good news is that if you are in a "wait and see" mode, at least you will not have to shell out an "arm and a leg in money" to get a Ouya. The big selling point of the Ouya seems to be its relatively low price of $99 when compared to other systems such as the upcoming PlayStation 4 and the Xbox 720.

The questions are -- What will you really be getting if you buy the Ouya, even at the $99 price and will you be getting a bang for your bucks?    

Ouya video game system

Due its small size, the Ouya has been compared to such devices as the Nexus 7 and the Asus Transformer Pad Infinity.

The Ouya runs on its own Android  operating system. You can play games on the Ouya, or if you like, you can also develop or create your own video games on the system.  The open source capability of Ouya sets it apart from some of  the other video game consoles.

Several video game  companies have announced they will be developing and publishing video games for the Ouya.  The first to commit to  making games for the Ouya console was Infinity Ward with a plan to  create a prequel to its game, Human Element,  which is a post-zombie-apocalyptic game.  Other video game companies followed suit in providing games, including Square Enix's with Final Fantasy III,  XBMC from the developers of the game as well as others. Recently another exclusive game, Soul Fjord from the Portal makers has been announced for the Ouya.

Soul Fjord video game for the Ouya

By being an open source video game system and selling at only $99, the Ouya may look like it is headed for success. But not so fast.  There have been some complaints about the low number of video games that will be available when the Ouya launches and  there were tactile and other problems reported with the controller.  There were some complaints about the  plan to release Ouya units, yearly after the initial release, as well as the fact that the technology for the Ouya may be inferior to that of your regular smart phone.  In fact, during initial tests, a small delay was noticed during game play -- which may or may not be corrected prior to the Ouya being released for retail.

Ouya

With the June 4, 2013 release date for the Ouya steadily approaching, you can purchase a Ouya very soon if you are in the market for one.  The downside is that you will be out of $99 if you are dissatisfied with the Ouya and it ends up just sitting idle, gathering dust. The upside is that if you buy and enjoy your Ouya, you will be able to play and even develop games on a new, innovative video game system, which will hopefully enhance your video gaming experiences.

Update:  Due to demand, the new launch date for the Ouya as of May 9, 2013 is June 25, 2013.