Several unique terms and phrases describe the features of services we review on this site, some easier to grasp than others. This list briefly defines terms relevant to Online Video Game Rental.

Ratings

Feature Set

Features that contribute to the ranking of online video game rental services include: free, two-way shipping, no late fee included, no due dates enforced, a free trial membership available, video game reviews from members and the ability to cancel your membership at any time.

Video Game Selection

This ranking is based on the variety and total number of video game titles the service has available for rent.

Search Capabilities

An online video game rental service should offer search tools to make searching for a video game easy. The service should offer a wide variety of search methods including searches by title, by video game console or by genre.

Video Game Arrival Time

Ranked on the length of time it takes to receive a video game once it's shipped from the video game rental distribution center. Services that use several distribution centers often have shorter arrival times.

Available Plans

The number of membership options available through the video game service-often a set monthly dollar amount with limitations on the maximum number of video games rented simultaneously.

Avaliable Plans

Number of Avaliable Plans

A variety of membership options from which you can choose. The number of video game rentals available at a time varies from service to service; some offer as few as one at a time to as many as eight. The average is about three simultaneous video game rentals.

Video Game Consoles

XBox 360

The X Box 360 is a brand new game console from Microsoft that is scheduled for release in winter, 2005.

XBox

The X Box was released by Microsoft in 2001. This 128-bit game console will play either CDs or DVDs.

PlayStation 3 (PS3)

The Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) is the new video game console in Sony's PlayStation series. Estimated release date in 2006 or 2007.

PlayStation 2 (PS2)

PlayStation 2 (PS2) is Sony's latest console of 2002. It is a 128-bit video game console that will allow you to play CDs or DVDs.

Playstation

PlayStation (PSX) video game console has been released from Sony in 1995. It is a 32 bit console was first released in the UK and is the current market leader with well over 6 million unit sales and world-wide sales of around 99 million. It has been superceded by PlayStation 2.

Gamecube

The GameCube is Nintendo's 128-bit video game console. This console will allow you to play high capacity CDs.

Sony PSP

The PlayStation Portable (PSP) was released by Sony in the United States in March, 2005.

Nintendo DS

Nintendo DS (short for Dual Screen) is a portable, hand-held video game console.

Game Boy Advanced (GBA)

Game Boy Advanced (GBA) is the successor of the Game Boy color console. This video game console was released in 2001.

PC Games

PC stands for Personal Computer. Most of these games aren't available for rent, since most of them require the newer computers available. However, there are some video game rental services that rent PC video games after you download a special installer on your personal computer.

Video Game Rental Service Features

Free Membership Trial

Allows you to sign up and try the service for a limited time without committing to a formal membership plan. Most online video game rental services require credit card information as a deposit to take advantage of the free trial.

Video Game Titles

The number of separate video games a video game rental service has available to rent.

Available Video Game Genres

The different categories, or themes, video games are grouped under within an online video game rental site.

Option to Purchase Video Games

After renting and playing a video game, you may want to add the video game to your permanent collection. Some online video game rental services sell video games as well as rent them.

Parental Controls

These controls help a parent restrict access to video games with certain ESRB ratings. ERSP is an acronym for the Entertainment Software Rating Board-an organization that uniformly evaluates and rates software for age appropriateness and maturity level, similar to the ratings found labeling motion pictures.

No Video Game Late Fees

Does not require you to pay extra money for late video games, as retail stores do.

No Video Game Due Dates

Allows you to keep the video game for as long as you like, as long as you are a member.

Free Two-Way Shipping

Most online video game rental services pay the shipping costs to send the video game to you and back, and build this cost into your membership fee. Some services, however, require you to pay for return shipping.

Rent DVDs From Website

The service has the option to rent DVDs from their website along with video games.

Search Capabilities

Video Game Title

Search for your favorite video games by name.

Video Game Console

Search for video games that work on a particular video game console (i.e. X Box, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and so on)

Video Game Genre

Look for video games by category, such as Puzzles, Races, or Role Playing Games (RPG).

Video Games Coming Soon

View and reserve video games that are going to be released in upcoming months.

New Released Video Games

View all the video games that have been recently released.

Support/Documentation

Phone Support

A support phone number is available for the video game rental service.

FAQ

A list of Frequently Asked Questions is available for quick reference. For fast answers, check the FAQs page before contacting customer support.

eMail/Online Form

The service provides you with an email address or an online form so that you may contact the online video game rental company.

Live Support

The online video game rental service has a live chat operator available online to answer questions.

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