What video game console would you recommend?

PJ · 9th December 2003, 21:54

Christmas season is just around the corner. I am considering purchasing a game console for a nephew.

There are a lot of them to consider .... Xbox, Game Cube, Game Boy, Play Station 2, N-Gage. I assume that choosing one over the other depends upon the games that are available.

Since I don't own a game console and never even played one, I am asking for help from the members here. What would you recommend and why?

I am assuming these consoles are do not have to be hooked up to your computer, only to the television. Am I correct?

Thanks.

Firefox · 10th December 2003, 00:33

Yes they plug into the telly but I could never see the attraction of them. The games cost an arm and a leg to buy and you can get so many games for the computer online or much more cheaply. I suppose part of the attraction lies in peer pressure of what consoles his mates have got so if you could get his parents to wheedle some information that would be best.

The playstation2 is the biggest in the market because it's been around longer. More titles, but less technically advanced than the Xbox, Both are reckoned more worthwhile than the gamecube. If all his friends have gamecubes, maybe they can swap games, but if he gets an Xbox he wll get one up so it's kind of an unanswerable question.

Anonymous · 10th December 2003, 02:17

In periods of sales, for the price of one computergame for the XBox, Nintendo, etc., you can get one or even two pairs of entirely leather boots. In January 2003, I bought a pair of patent leather Maripé boots for 50 Euro and Last Sunday, I bought a pair of brown leather Pikolinos boots for 35 Euro. Usally these marks are superb and very expensive.

Computergames are not only relativy expensive men's toys. Modellocomotives from brands as Märklin are very expensive too, for one loco, you pay easily 200 Eruo. And the periods of sale for this things are too short. Or there are not periods of sale for model locomotives.

:(

Yours,

Joost
(from the Netherlands)

PJ · 10th December 2003, 02:24

Speaking of model locomotives, I still have my Lionel trains from the 1950's. I wonder if they might be worth anything?

TXT-1 · 10th December 2003, 03:49

in my case my PS2 was a similar cost to a pair of 7.5" plats! considering I can't do much with the plats (deeply closeted) I bought the PS2, more fun too! I have used an Xbox and I didn't like it. the Xbox may have better graphics, but the PS2 has more games. so the choice is yours personally I'd get the PS2 personally, as for PC's to play the latest games the PC will cost big $$$ to keep updated! (I know from personal experience) a console is better than than a PC in that respect. I also have my expensive toys, my Tamiya Juggernaut 2 and TXT-1 (they both have cost me a rather moderate fortune!)

later,

TXT-1

Laurieheels · 10th December 2003, 04:40

I would suggest the Playstation 2. Xbox might be like a PC, but that means the best games will end up being released for the PC and Mac at some point because it is Microsoft.

PS2 will provide a wider range of games, as others have said, and all it requires is a television. Of course, it can be a DVD player as well, if one is willing to spend the money on the remote control that makes it work.

As well, the PS2 can play games for the original Playstation. So concerns about expensive games for your nephew can be alleviated by looking at some older titles for the PS2 and some original PS1 games.

Nintendo's Game Cube is cheaper, but the games are a bit more limited.

I doubt you'd consider buying your nephew a pair of shoes anyway, so certainly, a game console will make him feel special and allow him to fit into his social circle of friends that much better.

Hey, being young is about having toys and sharing experiences. It may be a bit too materialistic, but it's there.

Being old just means even more expensive toys, in some cases. :)

TXT-1 · 10th December 2003, 05:10

to play DVD's on an Xbox reqires a remote control, the PS2 does NOT! I know because I have a few Iron Maiden and an AC/DC DVD's and they play on my PS2 fine without a remote control!. I'd just thought I'd sort that out.

later,

TXT-1

shyguy · 10th December 2003, 21:29

For amount of games, PS2 wins.
For graphics, it's the Gamecube or xbox (IMHO)
For style, PS2 by miles, especially new silver one.
On price the GC wins.
for hackability the xbox wins

Xbox is ugly and gamecube won't play dvd's due to Nintendos Paranoia about Piracy, so they make small specialised dvd's and console won't take full size cd's/dvd's

Just my opinions, and they're subject to change....
BTW I own PS2 and GC and borrowed my bros xbox for 3 months, so comparison is from experience.

chris100575 · 11th December 2003, 19:09

I think the Xbox will have a fairly short lifespan. If you like more cartoony type games there's the Gamecube. If you like more adult games there's the PS2. The Xbox doesn't fit into a niche, and has very few exclusive games. The vast majority are either available on the PS2 as well or are ports of PC games. Also it's huge and ugly, and the controllers are like bricks.

The Xbox has better graphics than the PS2 on paper, but unless you see them running next to each other there's actually not much to choose between them.

IMO the PS2 is best. It has the widest selection of games, it's backwards compatible, and it plays DVD's out of the box.

Spikey Dan · 13th December 2003, 18:57

As an owner of a PS2 for over 3 years, I would suggest the PS2. Not only I play games, I also have a collection of over 100 dvd movies too. And you do not need a remote to play dvd's. A person can use the game controller to play dvd's.

Dan