GameSpot's Guy Cocker argues the Xbox 360 is the Greatest Gadget of the 21st Century

The Xbox 360 had it all when it launched in 2006 -- HD graphics, wireless controllers and a brilliant new concept called 'achievements'. Since then, it's gone from strength to strength, with an evolving user experience, pioneering tech such as Kinect, and perhaps most importantly, a suite of great games that make other console owners look on with envy.

Yes, the Xbox 360 may only be halfway into its supposed 10-year lifecycle, but it already has a claim on being the best games console ever made. I remember getting the console at launch in 2006 and being blown away by the HD graphics of Project Gotham Racing 3, the ability to download game demos, and the concept of earning achievement points for fully exploring games.

Since then, the platform has constantly evolved, so it now offers customisable avatars, movie rentals, downloadable content, social networking and much more. In short, most of the things we've come to expect from our modern game systems were introduced by the Xbox 360.

Any console is defined by its games though, and the 360 has had some brilliant titles. Fable, Halo and Gears of War are the thoroughbreds in Microsoft's games stable, while amazing downloadable titles such as Super Meat Boy, Limbo and Plants vs Zombies haven't appeared on any other console. And then there are the multiplatform releases, such as Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed, which have more often than not performed best on Microsoft's console.

Sure, it's had its missteps along the way, such as its dreadful reliability problems, the obsolete HD DVD drive, the lack of integrated Wi-Fi (until the recent Slim model), and the paid-for online service. But most gamers I know would rather pay for Xbox Live than go with the free option on the PlayStation 3.

As a gadget fan with an iPad, an Android phone and many of the other gadgets on this list, there's still only one thing I'd take to a desert island -- my Xbox 360 S. With a flatscreen TV, an Internet connection and a copy of Halo: Reach, obviously.

Guy Cocker is the editor of GameSpot UK 

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