My own XMAS gift....help a brudda out

[Hipcheck]

Opening gifts yesterday it killed me I didn't have any video games or even a system of my own to play with. A buddy at work told me Game Stop sells used PS2s for 59.95 so thats cheap enough for me. I haven't had a system in years and ive got kids so i wont be putting in massive hours thus the older used crap should serve a purpose.

My question is though-
Should I throw down the extra cash for a PS3 or will it as well be outdated in 2 years? Is the Wii worth it? What about Xbox360?

Ive been out the loop for the last 5 years...which coincides with the birth of my oldest son so any refresher type info is much appreciated. Leaning towards the used PS2-I figure I can pick up an extra control and a couple of used game for around $100 bucks. But maybe theres something Im missing.

Any help would be muchas appreciados.

[Mr. Irreverent]

Well Hip there are different schools on the matter, so you'll have to decide what's best for you and your family.

1) The Wii is good for the whole family (especially smaller children) because most of their games aren't bloody fighting games and nintendo tends to keep vintage characters like Mario, Zelda and the like in the mix. It's not as expensive as the other systems, but it's also a little harder to find. Lastly, it is not a high definition system.

2) The 360 is a great gaming console and is $50-$100 less expensive than the PS3. The hottest games are on this console and it has great online support as well. If you really are into playing the great games now, you'd most likely want to pick up a 360.

3) The PS3 got a later start than the 360 and is more expensive, but like the Los Angeles Kings has more potential upside as it has the fastest processing power of all 3 systems. The addition of the BEST blu-ray player on the market also stretches the value of the PS3. If you haven't seen a blu-ray movie, I highly recommend it. There are already some good games for PS3, and their online network is free, but most of the heavyweight games have yet to come out until 2008.

4) Getting a PS2 is not a bad idea if you just want to have a little fun and not spend a lot of money. You can get some of the best games used for half the price now that most serious gamers have moved on to the other consoles. There is nothing wrong with getting a PS2 unless you want to be at the forefront of technology and be able to play the newest games.

Good Luck!!!

[USCKingsFan31]

Hey Hipcheck,

I've always been a "gamer", not in the super nerdy sense but I've logged many an hour into console gaming. I can tell you with confidence that the PS2 is a GREAT buy.

I've had it since it came out and just about a year ago my original PS2 clonked out on me, so I got one of the new, sleek ones for only $125 NEW. I was figuring it would hold me over until the PS3 came out, but I have since decided I can wait even longer on the PS3 because there are still so many great games. There isn't much "outdated" about the PS2; since programmers have mastered it and are still only feeling out the new systems, graphics are very comparable and are more than enough for the average gamer.

Nothing wrong at all with this system, plus you will be able to get games; especially used ones, for very cheap that were easily worth the $50 I spent for them back in the day. Definitely go with the PS2 over the XBox 360 or the PS3 for your needs.

The Wii is a totally different beast since it is much different gameplay... "interactive" controllers so to speak so you can actually swing the bat, shoot the gun, use the sword. This may be above and beyond what you need/want or it may be a lot more fun to you. I'd suggest trying one out in a video game store. It'd certainly be a lot more expensive so only you can decide if it is "worth it" to you.

Lastly, go to www.ign.com, choose PS2 (or Wii if you take that route), then click "Reviews". Now you will have the chance to sort by Genre, Name, or Score (best 1 to 10). Pick your favorite Genre and you can read reviews and get ratings of all the games on the system. Not always 100% perfect, but generally speaking games on the 9s and 8s are always pretty solid buys. This way you are buying games you have a much better chance of enjoying.

Hope this helps... Merry Christmas.

[Hipcheck]

Thanks for the input....one other item of note is picking up a PS2 for 1 hundred bucks on an impulse is much more palatable to the Mrs then coming home with a $500 dollar system.

USC-Love the sig pics......particularly the 3rd pic.

[USCKingsFan31]

Thanks, yeah, Anya is pretty damn hot. Whats cool is that if you search "anya monzikova" on google images, this sig which I photoshopped together is one of the pics on the first page. I feel like I've done the world a great service.

Consider also when you impulse buy games for < $20 compared to your spankin' new system costing you $60 a pop.

[ianmonsta]

i say go for the wii man, my roommate got it and at first i thought it was stupid but there are a good amount of fun games ( defintely have to get zelda: twilight princess) and its also a good system if you have people over (bowling, baseball, golf etc.)

[Hipcheck]

Originally Posted by imamonsta

i say go for the wii man, my roommate got it and at first i thought it was stupid but there are a good amount of fun games ( defintely have to get zelda: twilight princess) and its also a good system if you have people over (bowling, baseball, golf etc.)

Im married with 2 kids under 5 years old...people dont come over. Ill pick up a used Wii for 59.95 in 2011.

[Nicholls9]

I never upgraded past a PS2. You can get most games for PS2 anyhow. Now that I have a kid, I don't have much time to play, so when I do, it is to escape/relax and I could care less about graphics/HD/etc...

[SuxBeingU]

We have a PS2 and just got a Wii yesterday, The PS2 is far more fun for me and Zack, we do the sports games and driving games. The Wii is great fun for the whole family, last night we bowled adn played tennsi for 2 hours, all 4 of us, even mom thats unheard of.
Hip if its just for you no question get the PS2, if its for the family get the Wii, they
are hard to find but let me know I can get you one.

[Hipcheck]

Originally Posted by SuxBeingU

We have a PS2 and just got a Wii yesterday, The PS2 is far more fun for me and Zack, we do the sports games and driving games. The Wii is great fun for the whole family, last night we bowled adn played tennsi for 2 hours, all 4 of us, even mom thats unheard of.
Hip if its just for you no question get the PS2, if its for the family get the Wii, they
are hard to find but let me know I can get you one.

Thanks for the offer Chief. Ill probably roll with the PS2. Much like Nicholls Im not going to have a lot of time...combined with that and the cost factor for right its best for me to go on the cheap.

Trust me though-I cant wait for Alex to get into his prime Video Game years so I have an excuse to blow a bundle on the current cream of the crop system.

[go]

Hip - you are like me -- with two kids under 5 amongst other things :-D.

I got a 360 a year and a half ago after not playing my PS2 since my first daughter was born (3 years or so).

The 360 is my favorite toy ever. NHL08 is the best video hockey game ever. It even cured me of 1st person motion sickness. I was really not into them because of that problem. COD4 is amazing and cannot be done on a PS2.

Another thing you may not know about 360, PS3 and Wii that you will appreciate if you have one. -- Wireless Controllers.

Anyway, I can't recommend more the 360 and better yet getting it from Costco - Return Policy.

[ianmonsta]

Originally Posted by Hipcheck

Im married with 2 kids under 5 years old...people dont come over. Ill pick up a used Wii for 59.95 in 2011.

the wiis actually pretty kid friendly as well, so if you wanted something your kids might enjoy too id recommend it

[BadIdea]

I am willing to give you my PS2 plus two controllers (one wireless) plus a memory card IF you make a 50 dollar donation to a local animal shelter.

[NastiMarvasti]

As far as how long the consoles will be around goes, I know Sony has said that they intend on supporting the PS3 for at least 10 years and if you look at their history, you can probably trust that statement. They only discontinued the PS1 a short while ago and that thing came out in '96.

Personally, the PS3 is my favorite console because it plays games, Blu-ray movies, can surf the web, etc. Just check the 360 vs PS3 thread to find out how in love with this console I am. And as Mr. Irreverent mentioned, there is more potential with this console than with any other. It's built for the future. Also, if you're really considering a PS2, the 60gb (discontinued but you can still find them some places) and the 80gb are backwards compatible.

The Wii in my opinion is fun at first, especially Wii Sports, but the lack of games and the novelty of the controllers wearing off makes it a not so great buy. The graphics are no better than the Gamecube and it's uses are limited to game play. No DVD playback even. And if you're hoping to play NHL 08, don't look here. I know several people at work who went through a lot of trouble to find a Wii and now three of them have already sold the console so they could get one of the other two. Also backwards compatible with the Gamecube.

The 360 is great if you want a lot of games now. The console came out a full year ahead of the other two and clearly has more games, though not as much as some might suggest. The online features are probably the best right now, though it's not free. Also backwards compatible with the original Xbox.

The PS2 isn't the highest selling game console of all-time for nothing. Great games, great price, though you will probably have it for a shorter amount of time since I don't think Sony will continue to support it past another 2 years, give or take. Believe it or not, that console is already almost 8 years old.

[mitchrock]

hip, lover my PS2 have had one since they first came out. Lizrock digs Lego Star Wars, NHL08 and Rayman (funny bunny game). GAme stop has tons of used games for $9.99 right now so it's an easy way to get a library going with your $100 budget.

If you do get a PS2, let me know, I can dig up some of my old games for you to try out.