Help me deal with Xbox withdrawal

September 26, 2007 1:52 PM

My Xbox 360 is in Microsoft's Xbox hospital being repaired and I'm jonesing for some game time, even if I could just play my original Xbox games. I remember back in the NES days you could rent consoles but not so much anymore, I assume because of the complexity and Faberge egg-like delicacy of systems like the 360. But is there someplace, anywhere in the greater Phoenix (AZ) area that I could rent a system? A first gen Xbox would be fine. Failing that, any other creative ideas besides using my computer for games which I've already tried? I'm in the Chandler/Gilbert area FWIW.
posted by mattholomew to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (7 answers total)

just go to a used bookstore and buy an old xbox for $50 and then sell it back to them in a week. or ask around and see if anyone will lend you theirs. i've got a PS2 in the closet that I would loan out without really thinking about it.
posted by andrewzipp at 2:07 PM on September 26, 2007

Well, there are emulators available to let you play some console games on your computer, but you'd have to solve the problem of not being able to use a controller. Don't know too much about it.

I think for the price you could rent one, you could probably buy a used Xbox on Craigslist or Ebay or something.
posted by DMan at 2:07 PM on September 26, 2007

Go to an arcade? (Or, if you can't find an arcade, maybe a Dave & Buster's or a Chuck E. Cheese or something?)

Buy a used Genesis or SNES or Dreamcast or N64 or something (they're all dirt cheap if you can find 'em)?
posted by box at 2:08 PM on September 26, 2007

The wired 360 controllers are USB so you can plug one into your PC and use it to play games. The xbox controller doesn't work half bad with n64 ROMs that you might obtain..uh..legally.
posted by rancidchickn at 2:19 PM on September 26, 2007

Don't GameCrazy's loan systems?

There's a Hollywood Video at Gilbert & Baseline if you're an e. valley folk. And plenty more around the valley, I spose.
posted by disillusioned at 2:39 PM on September 26, 2007

Don't GameCrazy's loan systems?

Not here in MA, but they do sell used Xboxes for $75.
posted by Rock Steady at 5:11 PM on September 26, 2007

What's the standard return policy on a 360? Can you buy one and return it when yours gets back?
posted by PFL at 8:12 AM on September 27, 2007