Achievement unlocked...

There are few more fulfilling moments than the little 'pop' noise that accompanies an 'Achivement Unlocked' moment on XBox 360.

Forget Playstation 3, the next generation of gaming has been with us since November last year, you fool. Anything Sony does now with their next gaming platform will be a pale imitation of what Microsoft (yes, Microsoft) is 'achieving' right here here and now.

Don't follow the herd, follow the gamers. With the 'Achievement Unlocked' moment, Willy Gates has taken gaming back to its roots with that all important high score feeling. Only, in this millennium, it's not a high score, but an 'achievement' that is uniting, and dividing (in a purely healthy and competitive way, you understand) the video gamers of the planet.

It could be a cheap XBox Live Arcade download, or a full price Tomb Raiding adventure that hooks you, but after a week or so you'll be obsessing over your Gamerscore. It's simple really, the more you play, the better you get, and the more you'll achieve. Better yet, everyone will know about it. You might be sitting in your lonely little bedsit in Whalley Range, but the minute you break the 40 wins threshold with online Uno, the whole world is going to know about it... and you'll feel mighty.

Playstation 3 is over £400 (and 6 months away), and you'll have to start your poor-copy Gamerscore with a pathetic Zero and a handful of poor launch titles. But... if you snap up your 360 tomorrow (£200!), you could be scoring highly with the best of 'em and truly living in harmony with your digital 'hub' and moving forward...

After 5 months, I'm approaching 1800 Gamerscore Points... and I dare you to catch up with me....

POP... Achievement Unlocked....

You'd better hurry....