What gaming console should I buy?

November 20, 2006 9:12 PM

I'm thinking about buying a gaming system, but I'm unsure about which one would be a good fit for me. What gaming console should I buy?

After seeing a few threads about the Wii here in The Green, I'm starting to get gaming envy. I'm thinking about buying a gaming system, but I'm unsure about which one would be a good fit. I'm a very casual gamer who has owned/played lots of systems in the past (most recently a PS2 and a Gamecube, although I sold both a while ago). Which system (and games) would you recommend for me, given the following?

1) I LOVE the Zelda series. I'm a total Zelda fanboy. But beyond Zelda, games for Nintendo systems have never held my interest.
2) I really like EA Sports games, also; specifically Tiger Woods golf and Madden/NCAA football.
3) I also like 3rd person action games like Grand Theft Auto. Other 3rd person games like Hitman, Godfather, Rainbow Six, and the Star Wars series look interesting.
4) I don't care about online gaming at all. I certainly wouldn't pay extra for it.
5) The ability to watch DVDs would be a plus.

Cutting edge isn't a necessity, as I don't have a fancy-schmancy television, so I'd be willing to consider an older system. In fact, $500 is the probably the most I'd be willing to spend. I've checked this thread and it doesn't quite give me all the information I was looking for.

What say you, hive mind?

posted by LouMac to technology (30 comments total)

PS: I'm not a fan of first person shooters (I hated Metroid Prime) and I like racing games.
posted by LouMac at 9:25 PM on November 20, 2006

I would get an Xbox 360. Seriously. If you're a Zelda fan, the Elder Scrolls series will be right up your alley. And as for all the sports games, Madden looks gorgeous (I prefer the 2k6 series for hoops, EA sports for football).

Gears of War and Ghost Recon are both really good 3rd person games (albeit short) and GTA/Scarface/Godfather are all on the Xbox 360.

I really think Nintendo is going after the little kid/don't really played, just want to play occasionally set, Sony is going for the hardcore, "must play all my japanese RPG's" set, and Xbox 360 is trying to be the yeoman of the group.

And I say this as a Nintendo, Super Nintendo, N64, then PS2, and now Xbox360 loyalist. (so no fanboyish-ness)
posted by unexpected at 9:26 PM on November 20, 2006

4) I don't care about online gaming at all. I certainly wouldn't pay extra for it.
5) The ability to watch DVDs would be a plus.

I was going to say Xbox 360 until I got to this part. The best part about 360 is Live and Live Arcade, and the Wii doesn't offer DVD support. But the PS3 is expensive and doesn't have great games yet. I'd still say the 360 at this point, though.
posted by frogan at 9:27 PM on November 20, 2006

Like I mentioned in the last thread on the subject, take everyone's suggestions here with a grain of salt, as gaming console discussions walk a fine line between objective advice and fanboyism.

Looking at your preferences, I don't see the Wii being the best choice for you since you value DVD playback, GTA and sports games. I am pretty sure the PS3 and 360 do these things and from what I understand GTA is no longer Sony-exclusive. In my opinion, the lower price point of the 360 makes it the best deal.

I am in a similar position as you in that I love Zelda, but I'm not really interested by the other Nintendo games. My plan is to just go with a 360 and then buy a Wii later when the price drops. Considering the Wii is only $250 and Nintendo is actually making a profit on console sales, I don't think it will be long before they drop in price.
posted by Paul KC at 9:27 PM on November 20, 2006

Yes, XBOX360 is hitting its stride. In a year or so when developers get a handle on what works with the Wii control system and figure out how the hell to program for PS3 I'm sure they'll be exactly where the XBOX360. You can buy them used and not have to fight to get them. As of right now, I would not recommend those two systems as the titles are limited -- that is if you can even get those two. I have all except the PS3 right now (does anyone have that?) and plan on picking it up. If someone said to me "I want a system right now, what should I get?" I would tell them 360. The Wii might be too much of a departure for the standard sports games that you are looking for. The controls are vastly different and will take some getting used to. I plan on playing the whole GTA/Madden standard fanfare on the 360 for now and leave the Wii to party games that it can do best it. Of course that all could change in 6 months to a year ... but I don't suggest you try to predict the future.
posted by geoff. at 9:34 PM on November 20, 2006

I wouldn't consider an older system. Games get dated fast and $500 is more than enough for an XBox 360 Core System or a Nintendo Wii; the only system that's out of your price range is the PS3 which may be moot, since it's near impossible to buy one right now.

I wouldn't base your decision on a single series either. Unless you're a Zelda superfan (though if you were, you'd probably already have a Gamecube) you'd be better off renting a Gamecube and marathoning through Wind Walker and perhaps Four Swords Adventures.

Since you're interested in playing DVDs, you should note that the Wii isn't going to get an external DVD drive until sometime next year.

The XBox 360 seems like a solid choice for you; all the games that interest you (barring Zelda) are on the 360 and it will be a top of the line console for a while.

(On preview: XBox 360.)
posted by Loser at 9:37 PM on November 20, 2006

You can get a pretty good DVD player for less than the price of a game. Certainly a better DVD player than any of the game consoles. I wouldn't treat that as a deal-breaker.
posted by smackfu at 9:55 PM on November 20, 2006

Wait for both the Wii and the 360 to drop in price, and buy them together for under $500. Because between the two of them, you have everything you want.

It sounds like if you pick either one alone, you miss out on alot of what you want.

(Even now, you could get them both for $550).
posted by visual mechanic at 10:21 PM on November 20, 2006

Next year there will probably be a DVD-playing Wii. You might want to wait until then.
posted by krisjohn at 10:44 PM on November 20, 2006

Games get dated fast...

Not unless you're in fifth grade, and you need to have the cool games. Good games are like good books or good movies — or pretty much anything else, for that matter. Is Super Mario Bros. "dated"? If so, sign me up.

If you care about having the "hip" system and being on the cutting edge, then yeah, you need to choose between the 360, PS3, and the Wii. But if you could give a fuck about all of that and you just want to have some fun, then your best bet is to buy a PlayStation 2. You can get the system cheap, and there's an absolute slew of games already available. Instead of waiting for the new games, you can browse through 5-year-old "Best PS2 Games" lists to see what you might like. Metal Gear Solid 2, for instance, was rated among the PS2's best-ever games, and you can find it used for 5 bucks.

I understand why kids get psyched about new toys. I did, too, when I was a kid — but if you're an adult looking to buy a system, I honestly don't understand why you'd choose a $500 system with a library of only a half-dozen games (each of which costs another $50) over a slightly older system with a couple of hundred titles to choose from, most of which you can find for less than $15.

Personally, I think the NES had a better library. But even if you can find a working Nintendo, you'll still have to track down the games — whereas the market is flooded with PS2 games, so you can find them easily and buy them cheap. No other system compares, in that respect. Add the backwards compatibility of whatever PlayStation discs are still floating around out there, and...well, you get the idea.
posted by cribcage at 10:45 PM on November 20, 2006

Should you really let DVD playback affect this decision? You can get a decent set-top DVD player for $30 these days that will play anything and everything you throw at it. That's about half the price of a single game. I wouldn't let this one factor lock you in to an entire console system for the next while.
posted by Rhomboid at 10:49 PM on November 20, 2006

Oh, I totally missed smackfu's comment that says the same thing I just said.
posted by Rhomboid at 10:50 PM on November 20, 2006

krisjohn: Really? I thought the Wii had it's own sized disc, like the Gamecube. (right?) Or was that a "I hope they come out with an add-on" ?
posted by niles at 10:50 PM on November 20, 2006

Yesterday's NYT review of the PS3 might be helpful.
posted by mediareport at 11:01 PM on November 20, 2006

Nope, it's confirmed: a DVD-capable Wii will be out in the second half of 2007. The current Wii will physically accept DVDs, but it can't do anything with them.
posted by chrominance at 11:29 PM on November 20, 2006

Whatever you do, DON'T buy a PS3. There are no games out yet and everything i have heard from people who got them is bad. Bad, bad, bad. Sony messed up bigtime on this launch.

If I had to pick just one I think I would buy a Wii just because it looks like fun.

If you've got the money, I would pick up an XBox 360 now and a Wii later. Gears of War is already out and Halo 3 soon, plus all the other games. In a few months, if you are feeling bored again, grab a Wii, which is already a steal @ $250 and will have more games and stuff out for it by then and drop price to be super bargain.
posted by sophist at 12:01 AM on November 21, 2006

I'll echo the people above who are encouraging you not to choose based on DVD playback and ask: which would you rather wear out by watching lots of DVDS - your $75 DVD player or your $500 games console?
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 12:21 AM on November 21, 2006

Not unless you're in fifth grade, and you need to have the cool games. Good games are like good books or good movies.

<groan> Fifth grade indeed. You are no true gamer. In fifth grade, I was daydreaming about the games that can be had today for a paltry $500 console. If you had shown me Halo, I would have though you were from outerspace. Or God. Or more likely an Elder Space God.

Believe me, I could write a treatise on why Nethack is the best game ever made or why Juffo-Wup is the hot light in the darkness, but I'm not such a curmudgeon to suggest that the bargain bin is the end-all-be-all of gaming experience.

And really, buy a PS2 now? If you desperately need to play the hottest games 2001 has to offer, at least wait a few months until Craigslist is saturated with PS3 owners ditching their old consoles.

Oh and SMB? Just because I've been humming the theme song all day and it put me in a cheery mood, I'll share this with you: download an emulator, play all the SNES games you want.

Moral of this rant: get a next gen system, get an XBox 360; you won't be dissappointed.
posted by Loser at 1:02 AM on November 21, 2006

If you do get a PS2 you should play Okami; it's very similar in gameplay to recent Zelda games, and is very very good.

My suggestion would be to get a Wii and get Twilight Princess. I assume if you're a Zelda fan who's owned a GameCube in the past you've already played WindWaker, but if you haven't, the Wii offers backwards compatibility, provided you get a GC controller to plug in to it.

If you liked Wind Waker or Ocarina of Time, which if you like Zelda of course you did, I would also suggest you think about reacquiring a PS2 and play Okami, which is similar both in gameplay, and over all fun-ness, while still having a very well developed style of its own.

If you wait a few months a Wii with DVD playback is scheduled for release. But you'll probably have a better time using a standalone dvd player for this.
posted by aubilenon at 1:40 AM on November 21, 2006

And really, buy a PS2 now?

I don't know... I've been thinking about it myself. It's a fraction of the price of next-gen at only $129, and the slim one is tiny. You gets you quite a few exclusives, some of which are down to the $20 price point. For instance, Katamari and Shadow of Colussus. Not to mention that one of the hottest games right now, Guitar Hero 2, is PS2 exclusive. (Best games of 2001, my ass.)

And I wouldn't buy a used PS2. That's just asking for a headache.
posted by smackfu at 6:36 AM on November 21, 2006

Thanks for all of the responses!

The DVD playback is not a make-or-break feature, at all. I have a DVD player in my living room. It's likely that I will put the system in my bedroom, where there is no DVD player, and therefore DVD playback is a nice bonus.

aubilenon: I owned, played, and loved Ocarina and Wind Waker. Unfortunately, after playing through Wind Waker twice, I got bored with my Gamecube and sold it.

I'm leaning towards an XBox 360 because my girlfriend loves the Karaoke Revolution games. Is Guitar Hero going to be available for XBox 360?
posted by LouMac at 6:46 AM on November 21, 2006

The PS2 still has the best selection of good games (a lot of great classic games like GTA, Gran Turismo and Burnout available for $20) of any current system and can be picked up new for $125.
posted by DieHipsterDie at 6:50 AM on November 21, 2006

Given the usual status of launch games, I would say that all the best games of the past 4 years have been for the PS2. With the possible exception of Halo. In fact, probably the best games of 2001 were on the PSone. Usually it takes a while for decent games to come out for a new console.

So buying a PS2 seems to be a good option for someone who doesn't want to spend much money, and wants to have a really good games selection.

That being said, I am looking at buying a Wii right now, because I think the controller looks like a lot of fun. I have a hard time with the dual analog stick and 16 buttons on the controllers on the last generation of consoles. With most games I'd prefer designers to come up with a more elegant control system rather then trying to get every button to do something. That was one of the charms of Katamari Democacy.
posted by jefeweiss at 6:59 AM on November 21, 2006

How about an original Xbox? Sure, there aren't any games coming out for it anymore, but if you haven't owned one yet, now is the time to do so. Most of the great games for the system can be purchased used for no more than $20. Besides Zelda, it easily fills all of your requirements. The system itself also is (obviously) cheaper than the next gen stuff out now.

If you are fairly computer literate, I would suggest picking up a used/refurbished system and softmodding it so you can run downloaded games and homebrewed software. I had a broken Xbox that I softmodded and it was easy, free, and a lot of fun to do.
posted by Diskeater at 7:19 AM on November 21, 2006

I was also going to suggest the original Xbox. You can pick up games really cheaply, and there are plenty of good ones that will keep you busy for the next 12-18 months. At that point, the 360 should have dropped in price, and you will also be able to consider Wii or PS3.

The PS2 is also a solid choice.
posted by salmacis at 7:38 AM on November 21, 2006

You could always throw together a cheap pc with tv-out and a controller and load it up with roms... all the nes, snes, genesis, atari, arcade, n64, psx you can handle. That is, if you are able to obtain the roms and don't mind the illegality of possessing most of said roms.

For a real console though, I am going to nth the suggestions of a ps2. Cheap, huge library of games, many solid exclusive titles and plays dvd's.

Some points for the Wii case... it is backwards compatible with gamecube games. You will be able to download nes, snes and genesis games for a few dollars. It is geared for casual gamers and non-gamers. It looks crazy fun and also has your beloved Zelda.

For the 360 and ps3, I would wait for a price drop before I'd pick up either (assuming it was possible to even find a ps3, of course).

Have you considered a DS? portable gaming, touch screen action and lots of really solid games out.
posted by utsutsu at 7:40 AM on November 21, 2006

I would say get the Wii. Oblivion is nothing like Zelda. And you can play Oblivion on the PC.

I would not really play DVDs on my gaming system - it wears out [the motor] faster - just get a cheap DVD player and hook it to the same TV or whatever. They are like 30-40 bucks now.

It may be Next Spring before any reasonable person will get his/her hands on the ps3 anyway, and they are overpriced.

Most of the more popular games come out for all three platforms anyway.
posted by Monkey0nCrack at 7:55 AM on November 21, 2006

Yes, Guitar Hero 2 is coming to Xbox 360.
posted by mbrubeck at 7:59 AM on November 21, 2006

GP2X


posted by lawhound at 12:12 PM on November 21, 2006

PC or PS3.

Oh ya, and it never pays to be an early adopter: Playstatoin 2 console w/ Lots of extras 20 GAMES = $200
Xbox with 23 games and lots of extras = $218

Don't let the marketing get you down. You're cool, even though you don't own the latest toy - cooler even!
posted by Chuckles at 10:55 PM on November 21, 2006