What game system should I get?

[Gentlegamer]

I used to be an avid video game player several years ago. I am thinking of buying a new game system.

What game system would you recommend? The primary consideration for me is the quality of the games, that is, game-play.

[2Face]

It really depends on the types of games you like. I have an XBox because it has the most multi-player (Halo style games). A friend got a PS2 to play Final Fantasy. PS2 has the most games, but he wishes now that he would have gotten an XBox. I almost bought a GameCube when the price dropped just so I could get Mario Cart. I would go to a game store and see which system has the types of games you prefer to play.

[andrewtarius]

Super Nintendo, the best system-- evah.

Oh, did you mean the current generation?
I own a PS2 and GameCube, so I can't really speak for the X-Box. I am really happy with my PS2. Most of the games I play are available on this console. Granted, the hardware is dated compared to the other two, thus the graphics are less impressive. But there is a huge library for games. Not to mention thaat I was already acustomed to the controller (same as the PS1). There is not much for the GameCube. I basically bought it for Zelda. Other than that, it just sits there. I know a lot of people that have an X-Box that really love it. But don't get cought up in a PS2 versus X-Box arguement, someone would likely be killed.

If games are what you are after, go to a GameStop or BestBuy and play areound with some of the demos. I can't really give you a presice answer that suites you best.

[hail_eris]

Well, if you're thinking exclusively of consoles (for quality of games, you really can't touch PC), I'd say PS2. There's a bunch of garbage in there, but the sheer number of games available mean that you'll find a ton of quality stuff. The RPGs are top notch, there's a much larger emphasis on friendly multiplayer co-op (nuts to Xbox Live), and it never hurts to have a backup DVD player.

[FoxInStocks]

PS2. Just trust me on this one.

Though, keep in mind that the next-gen consoles are all around the corner. :)

[FoxInStocks]

Originally posted by hail_eris
(for quality of games, you really can't touch PC)

I have never understood the love for PC games. While playing a console system, I've never had a game crash, lock up, or suffer issues due to graphics cards, compatibility, or other hardware problems. However, on PC's I have this all the time be it a store bought model or a home-made monster.

Oh, and BTW, thanks for the advice on the PC tablet, Eris. I got a Wacom earlier this week and it rocks four different kinds of hard. I luvs it!

[Ignatz_Mouse]

PS2.

I haven't gotten into PC gaming in ages, unless you cont MAME. My X-Box sits idle. And the Cube doesn't seem to have the same number of games.

[jerrysclix]

gamecube, or gba

cheap systems with more of the top ten games than the other 2 systems.

otherwise wait less than a year and get one of the new systems, Like PS3 or Xbox 360. you could wait till mid 2006 and get the Xbox PC.

I own all three of the big systems, and I can say with some athority that X-box has the best hardware, Gamecube has the best games (overall), and PS2 has the most games.

[andrewtarius]

FIS brings up a good point. If you wait until E3 (first week in May) to see what will happens, with the NextGen consoles, you will be able to buy the current consoles at a huge price reduction when the newer ones are released. Or you could jump onto the NextGen consoles. I believe all three companies are planning to give some update on their NextGen consoles at E3.

[venarnage]

ps2...it rules...then gamecube....not Xbox...they freeze...and just plain ####.

[jerrysclix]

you could pick up 8 cube games right now that are must haves.

you would be hard pressed to find as many x-box or ps2 games that are immeadiately great.

Not to say that they don't have some gems, but the quantity of their titles just doesn't live up the quality of the cube titles. If a game is multi platform I usually go for the X-box version, but I must say that the first Medal of Honor is best on the cube.

PC gaming rules the school, but it costs.

[FoxInStocks]

Oh, and another thing, GG: New Castlevania on PS2 soon. ;)

[jerrysclix]

load time on the ps2 makes me want to murder villages.

Plus the aliasing on PS2 is maddening, it is a horrid system, even DVD looks like garbage, the only bonus is the number of companies that write for it.

too many of my friends who write for platforms complain about having to make games viable for multiple platforms, mostly because they have to write from the bottom (PS2) so that they don't have to dumb it down later. Of course they don't often have time to pretty it up for the other systems, but that is life with junk hardware dictating quality.

[venarnage]

ps3...im not so sure about it....I hear microsoft bout out sony's OS for it. That really dissapoints me..

[Manchine]

I have all 3.

I play my playstation the most. By myself.

When I have Friends over we play Xbox. Far better for group play.

I have a Game Cube. My wife plays that. I play a few games occasionally. It just doesnt have the number of good games that Playstation or Xbox has.

[freakazoid_x]

Hold off on buying anything and save your money. X-box 2 is going to be out by the end of this year and PS3 and Gamecube 2 will come the year after that. You'll be really mad f you spend money on something then it gets outdated so quickly.

[venarnage]

Originally posted by jerrysclix
load time on the ps2 makes me want to murder villages.

Plus the aliasing on PS2 is maddening, it is a horrid system, even DVD looks like garbage, the only bonus is the number of companies that write for it.

too many of my friends who write for platforms complain about having to make games viable for multiple platforms, mostly because they have to write from the bottom (PS2) so that they don't have to dumb it down later. Of course they don't often have time to pretty it up for the other systems, but that is life with junk hardware dictating quality.

...but the cool thing about sony is, is that if you ever have a prob with your ps2 not working right, you can call them, send it in, and they will fix it for free, or if they cant, they will replace it with the new one


but if you do get a ps2, get the new one with the modem and harddrive already in it. It will definately save you some cash in the long run.

[Rando]

The rule of thumbs that I always use before buying a system is that I demand that there be at least 5 games on there that I want to play, not that I'm kind of interested in and might be good, games that I just know are going to be tremendous and I want to play them. The X-box has a strong first-person shooter following, it also has KOTOR and Fable (if you like that kind of thing, which I don't). I feel that Gamecube is primarily a "party" system, it has several games that are just phenomenal if you can get people together to play them (Smash Bothers, Crystal Chronicles, etc.), Gamecube also has exclusive access to one of the best game developers in the buisness:Nintendo. PS2 just has a brick wall of games, they are pretty much the undisputed king of RPG's, it is backwards compatible with the system that has the second best game library of any system (the playstation) so if you are far enough behind that you haven't played a lot of PS1 games then you have that too look forward too, PS2 also has Ratchet and Clank and Jak and Dexter, which are generally viewed as the best platformers in the world. Basically I would recommed going to Gamespot of a video game store and just looking at the games available and seeing which system will offer you the most enjoyable games. Don't get drawn into arguments about which system has the best hardware, the game selection is everything, Super Nintendo is incredibly outdated, it is still the best game console that was ever made.

[hail_eris]

Originally posted by FoxInStocks
I have never understood the love for PC games. While playing a console system, I've never had a game crash, lock up, or suffer issues due to graphics cards, compatibility, or other hardware problems. However, on PC's I have this all the time be it a store bought model or a home-made monster.

Oh, and BTW, thanks for the advice on the PC tablet, Eris. I got a Wacom earlier this week and it rocks four different kinds of hard. I luvs it!
You're welcome. My cousin is a designer and he loves his Wacom - that's why I didn't hesitate to recommend it.

I have a deep love of PC games for any number of reasons. One, mouse and keyboard control allows for much more precise movement and far more customizability. There are things you can do with them that you could never aspire to with a gamepad.

Two, the games tend to be written for a more mature audience. GTA and the like notwithstanding, PC games have traditionally been at the vanguard of the "let's make games for grown-ups" movement. This is a trend that goes back to games like Ultima, the Infocom text games, and the early Electronic Arts titles (they might make all their money on sports today, but I remember them for Archon, MULE, and Mail Order Monsters).

Three, mod-ability of PC games can add *years* to the lifespan of a game. I still play a mod of Red Alert 2, a game that was released in 2001. The most popular online game is still Counter Strike, an end user mod of Half Life (a game that is more than six years old). Games like Neverwinter Nights allow wannabe DMs to create their dream dungeons and test run them against a massive online community. They really come much closer to the initial promise of interactive entertainment.

And finally, the graphic quality of PC games runs riot over even the most powerful console system. I've got a two-year-old video card and a ten-year-old monitor, and Knights of the Old Republic still looks *worlds* better on my PC than it does on my buddy's plasma TV...

[Gentlegamer]

Originally posted by FoxInStocks
Oh, and another thing, GG: New Castlevania on PS2 soon. ;) Okay, see, this is what I'm talking about!!!!

I'm inclined towards PSX because I used to have PS1, still have some games and there are TONS of old games out there for cheap. I'm not in a hurry and if PS3 is announced that is compatibablw with all previous PSX games, it would be pretty much a lock.

Keep the advice coming, though.

[Rando]

Of note in reference to the PC however is that there are several game genre's that either under-represented or not represented at all. There are essentially no platformers or fighting games, and few RPG's. The PC is for people that enjoy playing real time strategy (in all their various incarnations, like WW2 games, Doom style games, etc.), first person shooters, MMORPG's, and Sims, those are the types of games that get made on the PC, don't expect to sit down to your PC and play Zelda.

[Ignatz_Mouse]

Originally posted by Rando
Of note in reference to the PC however is that there are several game genre's that either under-represented or not represented at all. There are essentially no platformers or fighting games, and few RPG's. The PC is for people that enjoy playing real time strategy (in all their various incarnations, like WW2 games, Doom style games, etc.), first person shooters, MMORPG's, and Sims, those are the types of games that get made on the PC, don't expect to sit down to your PC and play Zelda.

That's my basic problem with PC games-- that, and the forced-march to upgrade to play anything recent. Back in the olden days, I was all about Amgia gaming though-- that was pretty much the golden age of computer gaming.

MAME, on the other hand, in gaming heaven. That, and emulators.

[Manchine]

Originally posted by hail_eris
You're welcome. My cousin is a designer and he loves his Wacom - that's why I didn't hesitate to recommend it.

I have a deep love of PC games for any number of reasons. One, mouse and keyboard control allows for much more precise movement and far more customizability. There are things you can do with them that you could never aspire to with a gamepad.

Two, the games tend to be written for a more mature audience. GTA and the like notwithstanding, PC games have traditionally been at the vanguard of the "let's make games for grown-ups" movement. This is a trend that goes back to games like Ultima, the Infocom text games, and the early Electronic Arts titles (they might make all their money on sports today, but I remember them for Archon, MULE, and Mail Order Monsters).

Three, mod-ability of PC games can add *years* to the lifespan of a game. I still play a mod of Red Alert 2, a game that was released in 2001. The most popular online game is still Counter Strike, an end user mod of Half Life (a game that is more than six years old). Games like Neverwinter Nights allow wannabe DMs to create their dream dungeons and test run them against a massive online community. They really come much closer to the initial promise of interactive entertainment.

And finally, the graphic quality of PC games runs riot over even the most powerful console system. I've got a two-year-old video card and a ten-year-old monitor, and Knights of the Old Republic still looks *worlds* better on my PC than it does on my buddy's plasma TV...

Four, THERE ARE NO good Wargames on the console's. To me the PC far out does anything the Consoles do. The only difference between console and computer games. You can play a Console game for fast action. Thats it.

[Dr.Notsoevil]

i would say to go for the ps2 or x-box. I got a ps2 and like it. Get DDR (dance dance revolution) and bust some moves!

\m/ >_< \m/

[hail_eris]

Well, the PC has more than its share of RPGs - they just aren't console style RPGs. The Baldur's Gate series, the Fallout series, the Dungeon Siege series, and the Divinity series are all superb translations of pen & paper RPGs. Last year's Vampire: Bloodlines was a fantastic RPG/shooter hybrid and the recently-released Freedom Force sequel captures the mood of the Golden Age perfectly. The next D&D game, Dragonshard, promises to be a very interesting blend of RPG and RTS (along the lines of Might & Magic, but better).

You're right about the lack of twitch games, though. There's a dearth of fighters and platformers on the PC (with the exception of ports like Prince of Persia). Sports games, one of the big selling points of consoles, transfer just fine, however.

[Ignatz_Mouse]

Originally posted by Manchine
Four, THERE ARE NO good Wargames on the console's. To me the PC far out does anything the Consoles do. The only difference between console and computer games. You can play a Console game for fast action. Thats it.

This is truly a shame. There used to be a few, at least. Panzer General and Allied General on PS1 (which you could still play on a PS2). And a handful of other strategy games that tend to be spin-offs of RPGs for some reason.

I will say that "adult" gaming on consoles has come a long way. I'm not talking about games with swearing a nudity (although there are those) but "games for grown ups" as hail_eris says. Gran Turismo was a big watershed in console games for people who wanted more depth.

[hail_eris]

Originally posted by Ignatz_Mouse
I was all about Amgia gaming though-- that was pretty much the golden age of computer gaming.
Three words: Faerie Tale Adventure. Best Amiga game ever.

[bigkahuna83]

gotta go with the PS2 as my first choice, you can play all of your old PS1 games on it, loads of games available. I also have an X-box and it is a very good system too. but if you have PS1 games that you might still want to play go with the PS2

[SuperGENE]

I don't really play PC games. They used to be the only place you could find graphics heavy games like Unreal Tournament or Doom 3, but consoles are now good enough to handle those games as well. The PC is good for MMORPGs, but I'm not into those because I don't like being locked into a $10-15/month subscription just to be allowed to play a game.

I got Gamecube the day it came out and it's a really good system. It doesn't have nearly as many games in its library as its competitiors, but it does have loads of exclusive titles: Zelda, Mario, Star Fox, Smash Bros, F-Zero, Metroid, Pokemon, etc. If you are into those types of games, GC is worth it. It's only $100 and you can get the best titles cheap (as best hits or used). The controller takes a little bit of getting used to, but it's well designed and once you are familiar with it, you can play games like Mortal Kombat on it with ease.

I got Xbox last year. It's an excellent system. The graphics are slightly better than in Gamecube games, but it doesn't have as many exclusive titles. I haven't gotten many games for it yet, but I do play the few I have over and over - Halo, Halo 2, Doom 3, GTA double pack. I haven't tried Live yet and am hesitant to do so because of the subscription fee, but I have only heard good things about it.

I don't have PS2 but it must be pretty good if so many people have one.

Since the new systems will be out soon, my suggestion is to go with GC. It's the cheapest of the 3 and a great system. You can get all of the best games used for only a few dollars each. (You could really do this for any system - a guy in EB wanted to resell Xbox Spider-Man 2; they offered him $4 for it so he sold it to me for $5 cash.) Even if money is an issue, you should have plenty left over if you do want to wait around for the next gen consoles.

[doctorfate77]

I'm a hardcore Nintendo fan, so you know what I'm going to suggest. However, I also think it would be a good idea to wait. Also everything will get even cheaper when those things come out. So you could easily pick up a used PS2, GC, or XBox from a pawn shop or game store for even less that that.

I'm all about the new Zelda game, personally. Nintendo forever!

[Cell]

Dont get an Xbox (Great system) but the new one is coming out in November, and the rumor is it wont be backwards compatible, so all the Xbox titles you buy you wont be able to play on the 360.

I have all 3, I prefer the Gamecube, sure its less popular but it has some of the best games ever, not just of all 3 consoles. Eternal Darkness, Metroid Prime 1 and 2 and Resident Evil 4 are four of my favorite games ever. The good thing is you could get this console, and games like Eternal Darkness VERY cheap

The PS2 is great too. It has the more popular games. If you like GTA (I dont ) get this. Though i thought Metal Gear Solid 3 was a much better game.

Plus both PS3 and Revolution come out Next year. So you have some more life left in it.

Oh, but really you could just get a PSP. It just came out, so youl get maximum years for your buck :)

[Gacy's Clown]

I've got a PS2, GameCube, and my bro has the X-Box. Personally, I'd go with the PS2, but that's because I play SOCOM 2 online all the time and am totally addicted to it.
We played Halo 2 all day today with a bunch of friends on about 5 X-Boxes and it was fun, but I still don't like it as much as SOCOM 2.
Now, I do like the whole X-Box Live concept and what all they do with it, so if Socom ever went to X-Box, I'd be buying one.
I love online gaming more than just playing games by myself.
I think everyone else has brought up great points on all systems, but like someone else already said, it really just depends on what kind of games you're into.

[Gentlegamer]

Originally posted by Ignatz_Mouse
MAME, on the other hand, in gaming heaven. That, and emulators. I'm all about the emulators! I have several that I love, especially MAME (I can play old stuff like Ghost n' Goblins, and more recent stuff like Marvel v. Capcom, etc.)

[charlesx]

I used to be a big fan of the Sega DreamCast, but since it went the way of the dodo, I am now big into Nintendo. I happen to like their games better, and really do feel that the choice is about personal preference. (But how cool would be if GG went and got himself a Gentle Gamer-cube? Hahaha!)

[Gentlegamer]

Okay, how about if I throw out some criteria:

What game system has the best/most SUPERHERO related games?

[Cell]

All 3

yes its a cop out. But The Best Super Hero games have been released on all 3 consoles. Spiderman 2 and X-Men Legends were released on all 3 consoles. I dont think theres specifically an excusive Super Hero game on a console.


Heck the next big 3 Super hero games, Hulk, Ultimate Spiderman and Batman Begins are on all 3 consoles as well

Really if you want Suuperhero gaming, its better on PCs with stuff like City of Heroes, and Freedom Force, which i plan on buying when i get some extra cash :)

[dragonborne]

I have a gamecube and my brother has an Xbox. The cube and xbox is great for multiplayer games when you have friends over. A couple of my buds have the ps2 and it's almost always just some people sitting around watching another person play. I still enjoy playing the cube, in fact I'm into my 3rd year playing Animal Crossing. It's so much better than Sims! My brother just bought Jade Empire and now I hate BioWare for robbing me of the hours in my life. I just can't put the controller down!

[dragonborne]

Oh yeah and because of Jade Empire, I'm now in the process of making Asian Wuxia movie clix! A Shaolin monk is first on the list!

[WakandaMan]

I'm planning on buying a Gamecube soon myself. It's dirt cheap now (in part because the next gen s around the corner, and in part because it didn't do so well as the other consoles), and I'm fully addicted to Super Smash Bros on the 64 at the moment, and would like the upgrade.

IMO, it is better for 'party play' type games, which is primarily what I use a console for. If I want to play games by myself, I'll use my computer.

Plus I like their exclusive stuff more, and the games I like which aren't exclusive are on it anyway. So it's win win for me. Probably the only downside is that less people have one, so it will be hard to borrow games from friends.