I miss Riverraid, Police Quest and SMB
October 19, 2010 2:22 PM Subscribe
I haven't played video games since Sega Genesis and my boyfriend since Playstation 1. We are interested in buying a new game system but have no idea which one, how much they cost and what is needed.
NBA 2K11 and another couple of games have sparked our interest in buying a game system.
The only problem is, we don't know which one to buy. I have a couple of questions I hope some of you could help us with.
Keep in mind, we aren't really interested in online/role playing type of playing. Basically just playing sports games and basic type of games.
1. First, which game system? PS3? XBox 360? Wii? PS2? Why?
2. Which system is less likely to have problems and needing repairs or replacements? I've heard some horror stories about things like that.
3. Where can we find the best deals? Retail stores like Walmart, Target, Best Buy? Or online?
4. What's the price difference in these?
5. What does PS3 offer more than PS2? Are games compatible?
6. What's the going prices for games nowadays?
7. Do these systems come with controllers (how many?) and the necessary components to play games for two players? If not, how much additional should we expect to pay?
8. I've heard about GameFly - I've heard both good and bad stories; what has been your experience?
Of course, don't feel obliged to answer every question.
Thanks in advance!
NBA 2K11 and another couple of games have sparked our interest in buying a game system.
The only problem is, we don't know which one to buy. I have a couple of questions I hope some of you could help us with.
Keep in mind, we aren't really interested in online/role playing type of playing. Basically just playing sports games and basic type of games.
1. First, which game system? PS3? XBox 360? Wii? PS2? Why?
2. Which system is less likely to have problems and needing repairs or replacements? I've heard some horror stories about things like that.
3. Where can we find the best deals? Retail stores like Walmart, Target, Best Buy? Or online?
4. What's the price difference in these?
5. What does PS3 offer more than PS2? Are games compatible?
6. What's the going prices for games nowadays?
7. Do these systems come with controllers (how many?) and the necessary components to play games for two players? If not, how much additional should we expect to pay?
8. I've heard about GameFly - I've heard both good and bad stories; what has been your experience?
Of course, don't feel obliged to answer every question.
Thanks in advance!
As far as the Wii goes, well, it's basically Nintendo games or nothing. Third-party support (ie, games not made by the manufacturer) are embarrassing, and it's really showing its age against the PS3/360. You have less online options and no media functionality. Only worth it for the $250 if you absolutely must play Nintendo games.
posted by Oktober at 2:33 PM on October 19, 2010
posted by Oktober at 2:33 PM on October 19, 2010
1. This really depends on what games you want to play. Check out Metacritic Games, see what games you might like, and see what platform they are available for. Some notes of my own however are:
The Wii has it's unique motion-sensing controller, but it does not support high-definition pictures. It also doesn't do anything except play games. Games tend towards the "family friendly" and "just a quick game" variety, unlike both the XBox and PS3.
The PS3 is also a blu-ray player, which is great if you have an HD television. It also allows you to play online without paying any extra, unlike the XBox 360, which requires a subscription to play online.
The XBox 360 is more popular than the PS3, and therefore has a wider selection of games. However, playing online costs extra and reliability may be a problem. It cannot play blu-ray discs.
2. See above.
3. Probably Amazon. Keep an eye on Cheap Ass Gamer for deals.
4. Check Amazon's current prices.
5. The PS3 cannot play PS2 games. (Older PS3s could, but not very well.) The differences between the two are huge - the PS2 is now very old and not worth considering.
6. Again, check Amazon and CAG.
7. Generally they come with one controller. If you want to play multiplayer, you'll need to buy another one. Note that with the Wii, most games need a Controller and a Nunchuk - and these are sold seperately, you'll need an extra one of each.
8. No idea.
posted by Mwongozi at 2:34 PM on October 19, 2010
The Wii has it's unique motion-sensing controller, but it does not support high-definition pictures. It also doesn't do anything except play games. Games tend towards the "family friendly" and "just a quick game" variety, unlike both the XBox and PS3.
The PS3 is also a blu-ray player, which is great if you have an HD television. It also allows you to play online without paying any extra, unlike the XBox 360, which requires a subscription to play online.
The XBox 360 is more popular than the PS3, and therefore has a wider selection of games. However, playing online costs extra and reliability may be a problem. It cannot play blu-ray discs.
2. See above.
3. Probably Amazon. Keep an eye on Cheap Ass Gamer for deals.
4. Check Amazon's current prices.
5. The PS3 cannot play PS2 games. (Older PS3s could, but not very well.) The differences between the two are huge - the PS2 is now very old and not worth considering.
6. Again, check Amazon and CAG.
7. Generally they come with one controller. If you want to play multiplayer, you'll need to buy another one. Note that with the Wii, most games need a Controller and a Nunchuk - and these are sold seperately, you'll need an extra one of each.
8. No idea.
posted by Mwongozi at 2:34 PM on October 19, 2010
Oh boy, here we go.
I'd suggest the 360. The ps3 has marginally better graphics, but xbox live is really great. The live arcade games are worth the monthly membership. Wii is a lot of fun, when the games are good, but that's few and far between.
My 360 is the center of my media stack. I watch netflix, use playon to watch downloaded videos, rent movies on it and play a metric ton of games.
PS3's online service is painful, graphics are good, but not so much better it upsets me to use the 360, and there aren't a ton of exclusives that I consider must-plays. Wii has a few great fun games, but it spends month gathering dust in my house.
Don't bother with a bundle, you'll just get games you won't like. Get a big harddrive though, you'll eat up that space fast. Get this:
http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=78107
Add a second controller, and a subscription to Gamefly, and you'll be good to go.
posted by lumpenprole at 2:36 PM on October 19, 2010 [2 favorites]
I'd suggest the 360. The ps3 has marginally better graphics, but xbox live is really great. The live arcade games are worth the monthly membership. Wii is a lot of fun, when the games are good, but that's few and far between.
My 360 is the center of my media stack. I watch netflix, use playon to watch downloaded videos, rent movies on it and play a metric ton of games.
PS3's online service is painful, graphics are good, but not so much better it upsets me to use the 360, and there aren't a ton of exclusives that I consider must-plays. Wii has a few great fun games, but it spends month gathering dust in my house.
Don't bother with a bundle, you'll just get games you won't like. Get a big harddrive though, you'll eat up that space fast. Get this:
http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=78107
Add a second controller, and a subscription to Gamefly, and you'll be good to go.
posted by lumpenprole at 2:36 PM on October 19, 2010 [2 favorites]
As far as Arcade games go, the big advantage of PSN vs. Xbox Live is that when you buy a game on PSN you can share it with up to 5 of your friends, totally legally. It's much, much cheaper to build a large collection of arcade games on PS3.
posted by Oktober at 2:49 PM on October 19, 2010
posted by Oktober at 2:49 PM on October 19, 2010
I have an Xbox 360. I've had it almost 4 years. I have a couple of issues with it, both of which I believe are addressed in the new slim black version.
As long as I kept it in a well ventilated space I never had an issue with it. Soon after moving it into a nice new tv cabinet with closing doors and solid wood, I got the Red Ring of Death. On the plus side Microsoft replaced it for free. I got mine soon after release and it lasted two years before the problem. The RROD issue was pretty much fixed with the Jasper chipset in 2008. I've had it shut down when not getting enough air since, but it's always come back after cooling off. I now keep the door open on the cabinet when I use it, which doesn't help with the next issue.
It's loud. Not a problem when playing games, but when watching Netflix, it's a distraction. It's so loud, that if the new 360's are as 'whisper quiet' as they claim to be, I may well be tempted into buying one.
On the plus side, streaming Netflix is awesome, last.fm support is great, XBox Live has a tonne of great features, including Arcade, which is great for a quick retro gaming fix and has a fantastic indie developer scene. They also add great features to it every year. Next month we're going to get ESPN, Hulu Plus and, if the rumors are true allow me to use my 360 as a AT&T UVerse Set top Box, saving me $5 a month.
posted by IanMorr at 2:56 PM on October 19, 2010
As long as I kept it in a well ventilated space I never had an issue with it. Soon after moving it into a nice new tv cabinet with closing doors and solid wood, I got the Red Ring of Death. On the plus side Microsoft replaced it for free. I got mine soon after release and it lasted two years before the problem. The RROD issue was pretty much fixed with the Jasper chipset in 2008. I've had it shut down when not getting enough air since, but it's always come back after cooling off. I now keep the door open on the cabinet when I use it, which doesn't help with the next issue.
It's loud. Not a problem when playing games, but when watching Netflix, it's a distraction. It's so loud, that if the new 360's are as 'whisper quiet' as they claim to be, I may well be tempted into buying one.
On the plus side, streaming Netflix is awesome, last.fm support is great, XBox Live has a tonne of great features, including Arcade, which is great for a quick retro gaming fix and has a fantastic indie developer scene. They also add great features to it every year. Next month we're going to get ESPN, Hulu Plus and, if the rumors are true allow me to use my 360 as a AT&T UVerse Set top Box, saving me $5 a month.
posted by IanMorr at 2:56 PM on October 19, 2010
Yeah, I have an older 360 and it's loud, however the newer ones are whisper quiet, so you shouldn't have a problem with that.
posted by lumpenprole at 3:18 PM on October 19, 2010
posted by lumpenprole at 3:18 PM on October 19, 2010
The ps3 has marginally better graphics
Actually, the majority of games are slightly better on the 360.
I'd say get a second-hand PS2 and a bunch of games (you'll also need a memory card in order to save your progress in games, and probably another pad). Game preferences are so subjective that it's very hard for anyone here to guess what you will/will not like, and the PS2 has such a vast catalogue that you'll certainly find something that caters to your tastes in there. And if you don't, at least you didn't spend a lot of money for what turned out to be an expensive paperweight.
posted by Bangaioh at 3:44 PM on October 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
Actually, the majority of games are slightly better on the 360.
I'd say get a second-hand PS2 and a bunch of games (you'll also need a memory card in order to save your progress in games, and probably another pad). Game preferences are so subjective that it's very hard for anyone here to guess what you will/will not like, and the PS2 has such a vast catalogue that you'll certainly find something that caters to your tastes in there. And if you don't, at least you didn't spend a lot of money for what turned out to be an expensive paperweight.
posted by Bangaioh at 3:44 PM on October 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'll preface this by saying, I own an older PS3 and a Wii, there's a PS2 sitting around somewhere, and I've tried just about everything. I suspect most gamers will tell you that it's a toss-up between PS3 and X-Box 360, which is probably fair. In terms of performance, they're roughly identical, so it really boils down to your gaming style and priorities.
If you have an HD TV and don't already have a Blu-Ray player, then the PS3 is actually a really excellent deal, and this was probably the biggest reason we got a PS3 instead of an X-Box. Both systems have Netflix streaming capabilities, but only PS3 has Blu-Ray. The PS3 has also been more stable than X-Box 360 historically, but it's unclear if that's still an issue for the newer X-Boxes.
That said, if you are or intend to be a more social gamer, then X-Box is probably the way to go. Generally speaking, you get what you pay for, and the PS3 network, while free, isn't all that great, but the X-Box Live membership definitely adds up after awhile. This does give X-Box a definite edge for things like FPSes, since it's much better at connecting up gamers with each other (especially if they want to scream over a headset).
Personally, I've never felt a particular lack when it comes to the online network, but I'm usually only ever playing with my boyfriend or my brother across the country. I'm not very social with strangers via the PS Network, but it does give me a cheap way to have a big screen video chat with my family. It used to be that they were the only ones to offer video chat support, but the Kinect peripheral for X-Box coming out in a few weeks will also allow this.
Kinect and Playstation Move can also provide you with a motion sensor experience, if that's what you're most drawn to, but if that's really what you like most, then the Wii is much more affordable and a solid choice. While it doesn't have the same level of performance or range of games, the Wii's most popular titles are quite good and really well-loved, despite all the hate the system gets from "hardcore" gamers.
If you've got a tight budget and aren't a completely graphics nut, then the Wii is a perfectly reasonable alternative, as is the PS2. The PS2 is not at all on the same level as PS3 and X-Box 360, but it's still the best-selling console to date, and it had a lot of really fantastic games back in the day that you can now pick up for a song. But if you're really interested in getting back into gaming, then I would strongly recommend a PS3 or X-Box 360 over the Wii or PS2.
posted by Diagonalize at 3:49 PM on October 19, 2010
If you have an HD TV and don't already have a Blu-Ray player, then the PS3 is actually a really excellent deal, and this was probably the biggest reason we got a PS3 instead of an X-Box. Both systems have Netflix streaming capabilities, but only PS3 has Blu-Ray. The PS3 has also been more stable than X-Box 360 historically, but it's unclear if that's still an issue for the newer X-Boxes.
That said, if you are or intend to be a more social gamer, then X-Box is probably the way to go. Generally speaking, you get what you pay for, and the PS3 network, while free, isn't all that great, but the X-Box Live membership definitely adds up after awhile. This does give X-Box a definite edge for things like FPSes, since it's much better at connecting up gamers with each other (especially if they want to scream over a headset).
Personally, I've never felt a particular lack when it comes to the online network, but I'm usually only ever playing with my boyfriend or my brother across the country. I'm not very social with strangers via the PS Network, but it does give me a cheap way to have a big screen video chat with my family. It used to be that they were the only ones to offer video chat support, but the Kinect peripheral for X-Box coming out in a few weeks will also allow this.
Kinect and Playstation Move can also provide you with a motion sensor experience, if that's what you're most drawn to, but if that's really what you like most, then the Wii is much more affordable and a solid choice. While it doesn't have the same level of performance or range of games, the Wii's most popular titles are quite good and really well-loved, despite all the hate the system gets from "hardcore" gamers.
If you've got a tight budget and aren't a completely graphics nut, then the Wii is a perfectly reasonable alternative, as is the PS2. The PS2 is not at all on the same level as PS3 and X-Box 360, but it's still the best-selling console to date, and it had a lot of really fantastic games back in the day that you can now pick up for a song. But if you're really interested in getting back into gaming, then I would strongly recommend a PS3 or X-Box 360 over the Wii or PS2.
posted by Diagonalize at 3:49 PM on October 19, 2010
1) PS3. My reason is life expectancy and hardware. Sony has made many of their newer systems compatible with older games (until recently). XBox hasn't done this as much. The hardware in a PS3 is better: blu-ray, better graphics, 1080 resolution instead of 720. The Blu-ray is nice if you are into RPGs such as Final Fantasy XIII. The XBox version requires several discs, the PS3: 1.
2) XBox 360 had a run of systems with the red ring of death. YMMV on all systems.
3) Amazon. If you are feeling lucky punk: craigslist.
4) 5) Don't know.
6) Popular titles for all systems $60 on release, dropping to $40-50 within a month or two, $20-30 6 mos-1 year. Wii games may be cheaper to some extent with $50 titles.
7) One comes with, second is $50. Does not count batteries.
8) GameFly has been great for my roommate who likes to bomb through games. She has their second cheapest service. Also: redbox is starting to have videogames for all systems very soon at $2/night.
The one system I would not get is the Wii. Quite frankly I got bored with it quickly. Nintendo has no plans to go high definition, which stinks when I have my 1080p 40" LCD. This really affects the hulu and netflix.
Also: PC Gaming isn't dead yet!
posted by Mister Fabulous at 3:55 PM on October 19, 2010
2) XBox 360 had a run of systems with the red ring of death. YMMV on all systems.
3) Amazon. If you are feeling lucky punk: craigslist.
4) 5) Don't know.
6) Popular titles for all systems $60 on release, dropping to $40-50 within a month or two, $20-30 6 mos-1 year. Wii games may be cheaper to some extent with $50 titles.
7) One comes with, second is $50. Does not count batteries.
8) GameFly has been great for my roommate who likes to bomb through games. She has their second cheapest service. Also: redbox is starting to have videogames for all systems very soon at $2/night.
The one system I would not get is the Wii. Quite frankly I got bored with it quickly. Nintendo has no plans to go high definition, which stinks when I have my 1080p 40" LCD. This really affects the hulu and netflix.
Also: PC Gaming isn't dead yet!
posted by Mister Fabulous at 3:55 PM on October 19, 2010
1. PS3: Bluray/User Upgradeable Hard Drive, External Hard Drive expandability; Xbox360: better online gaming (Xbox Live); Wii: Meh.; PS2: Dead technology, not worth the $100 anymore.
2. PS3's failure rates are very low. The old Xbox360s were failure prone, but the newer models' failure rates have been comparable to PS3. Wii: pretty solid.
3. Amazon.com, but you will only save a few bucks. Prices are pretty uniform anywhere you buy. Sony and Microsoft have just started making a profit off of the hardware with the Slim models.
4. Not much. PS3 base price $300. Xbox360 base price $200 (avoid this if you can. Only has 4 GB of storage.) Second tier for Xbox 360: $300 (250GB). Wii: $200.
5. A bluray player, better graphics, more powerful processor, big hard drive. Plays music, movies, photos, built-in internet browser, built-in WiFi, user upgradeable hard drive, etc... Backwards compatibility for PS2 games is gone, and has been for a while.
6. New games... top tier releases go for $50-$70, depending on the title. NBA2K11 (PS3): $54.99, (Xbox360): $54.99, (PS2): $29.99, (Wii): $49.96 - All prices are Amazon.com, YMMV depending on the retailer. Older games: I swear by Half.com, you can get some GREAT deals on pre-played games.
7. Most consoles come with only one controller, but bundles exist, and are readily available. For the record, for a new controller: Xbox360: $37.54, PS3: $44.96, Wii: $44.54 (Wii Controller) +$20 (Nunchuck). Save a few bucks and go buy an extra controller for any game system you decide on from EB Games or Gamestop. Get a used one, they are good about testing them out before putting them up for sale.
8. I don't have any experience with Gamefly.
Full Disclosure: In my household, we own all three systems. The Wii gets VERY little play. The Xbox360 gets the most gameplay, and the PS3 was commandeered by my wife for a media-center on our main HDTV. We upgraded the hard drive to 500GB and attached a 2TB external hard drive to it. We ripped all our DVDs and put them on the Hard drive, and all our music. We use it as a music/movie jukebox/DVD Player/Bluray player. I had to buy a second PS3 so I could play games.
My wife is NOT a gamer, can't stand video games, but she is a staunch PS3 user... if anything else for the media capabilities.
posted by Master Gunner at 5:12 PM on October 19, 2010
2. PS3's failure rates are very low. The old Xbox360s were failure prone, but the newer models' failure rates have been comparable to PS3. Wii: pretty solid.
3. Amazon.com, but you will only save a few bucks. Prices are pretty uniform anywhere you buy. Sony and Microsoft have just started making a profit off of the hardware with the Slim models.
4. Not much. PS3 base price $300. Xbox360 base price $200 (avoid this if you can. Only has 4 GB of storage.) Second tier for Xbox 360: $300 (250GB). Wii: $200.
5. A bluray player, better graphics, more powerful processor, big hard drive. Plays music, movies, photos, built-in internet browser, built-in WiFi, user upgradeable hard drive, etc... Backwards compatibility for PS2 games is gone, and has been for a while.
6. New games... top tier releases go for $50-$70, depending on the title. NBA2K11 (PS3): $54.99, (Xbox360): $54.99, (PS2): $29.99, (Wii): $49.96 - All prices are Amazon.com, YMMV depending on the retailer. Older games: I swear by Half.com, you can get some GREAT deals on pre-played games.
7. Most consoles come with only one controller, but bundles exist, and are readily available. For the record, for a new controller: Xbox360: $37.54, PS3: $44.96, Wii: $44.54 (Wii Controller) +$20 (Nunchuck). Save a few bucks and go buy an extra controller for any game system you decide on from EB Games or Gamestop. Get a used one, they are good about testing them out before putting them up for sale.
8. I don't have any experience with Gamefly.
Full Disclosure: In my household, we own all three systems. The Wii gets VERY little play. The Xbox360 gets the most gameplay, and the PS3 was commandeered by my wife for a media-center on our main HDTV. We upgraded the hard drive to 500GB and attached a 2TB external hard drive to it. We ripped all our DVDs and put them on the Hard drive, and all our music. We use it as a music/movie jukebox/DVD Player/Bluray player. I had to buy a second PS3 so I could play games.
My wife is NOT a gamer, can't stand video games, but she is a staunch PS3 user... if anything else for the media capabilities.
posted by Master Gunner at 5:12 PM on October 19, 2010
Folks have this covered. But, to summarize what would have otherwise been a long-winded answer:
The Wii is a practical joke. I had one first day, and I haven't touched it in three years. The first-party, Nintendo-published games are the only ones not technical messes, and only a handful of those appeal to me.
The decision between PS3 and 360 is the choice between playing Japanese titles and having high-quality online play (and Valve releases, like Left 4 Dead and Team Fortress). If you're an FPS player, definitely go for the 360. But, if you just play online occasionally, or only on triple-A titles (Modern Warfare, etc.), then either one is fine.
posted by Netzapper at 6:17 PM on October 19, 2010
The Wii is a practical joke. I had one first day, and I haven't touched it in three years. The first-party, Nintendo-published games are the only ones not technical messes, and only a handful of those appeal to me.
The decision between PS3 and 360 is the choice between playing Japanese titles and having high-quality online play (and Valve releases, like Left 4 Dead and Team Fortress). If you're an FPS player, definitely go for the 360. But, if you just play online occasionally, or only on triple-A titles (Modern Warfare, etc.), then either one is fine.
posted by Netzapper at 6:17 PM on October 19, 2010
Kinda mirroring what folks are saying above, but simply:
1. If you're huge into Nintendo games, do the Wii, otherwise, pass.
2. If you want Blue Ray and/or are really concerned about lasting a long time PS3
3. If you want a broad range of games 360.
Yes, the 360s have had flaky hardware problems.
On the other hand, the 360's online stuff is great. You can get tons of demos for games and play them before deciding to buy or not, there's a lot of older school games which are downloadable- including stuff like Sonic the Hedgehog, for example, and now that they've opened the door for indie-game developers a lot of new stuff has poured through.
Downloadable games are typically $10-15. Top end "triple A" titles come out at $60, but if you're willing to wait a few months, you can get some as low as $20... brand new. The most popular ones might take a year or two to drop in price, but since you're just starting now, you can reap the benefits of the existing game library.
posted by yeloson at 7:00 PM on October 19, 2010
1. If you're huge into Nintendo games, do the Wii, otherwise, pass.
2. If you want Blue Ray and/or are really concerned about lasting a long time PS3
3. If you want a broad range of games 360.
Yes, the 360s have had flaky hardware problems.
On the other hand, the 360's online stuff is great. You can get tons of demos for games and play them before deciding to buy or not, there's a lot of older school games which are downloadable- including stuff like Sonic the Hedgehog, for example, and now that they've opened the door for indie-game developers a lot of new stuff has poured through.
Downloadable games are typically $10-15. Top end "triple A" titles come out at $60, but if you're willing to wait a few months, you can get some as low as $20... brand new. The most popular ones might take a year or two to drop in price, but since you're just starting now, you can reap the benefits of the existing game library.
posted by yeloson at 7:00 PM on October 19, 2010
I'll throw my opinion in the hat for 360. PS3/360 really only differ in 3 ways - price, controller, and online stuff.
1) I really think 360 has much better multiplayer gaming. However, the average moron on Live tends to be much more idiotic - I think older people tend to use PSN.
2) If you are into fighting games like I am, think about the PS3 if you are not going to buy a stick. The dualshock Dpad is pretty damn good, unlike the 360, which has a useless dpad.
3) I'm on my second 360. The first one stopped working/red ring of death, and for a while, we were baking it to make it work for netflix (you wrap the console in a blanket until it overheats, then it magically works for a couple hours). It also sounded like a fucking F16 taking off due to the giant fan. Now I have a new one with a jasper board, and it's grrrrrreat, so I dont think that's a big deal anymore.
posted by wuzandfuzz at 9:30 PM on October 19, 2010
1) I really think 360 has much better multiplayer gaming. However, the average moron on Live tends to be much more idiotic - I think older people tend to use PSN.
2) If you are into fighting games like I am, think about the PS3 if you are not going to buy a stick. The dualshock Dpad is pretty damn good, unlike the 360, which has a useless dpad.
3) I'm on my second 360. The first one stopped working/red ring of death, and for a while, we were baking it to make it work for netflix (you wrap the console in a blanket until it overheats, then it magically works for a couple hours). It also sounded like a fucking F16 taking off due to the giant fan. Now I have a new one with a jasper board, and it's grrrrrreat, so I dont think that's a big deal anymore.
posted by wuzandfuzz at 9:30 PM on October 19, 2010
Basically just playing sports games and basic type of games.
You sound like Wii people to me. It's great for casual games/gamers (like me!). And for people complaining about the supposed lack of quality non-Nintendo-produced games... well, there are definitely good ones, like Guitar Hero. If you want a huge game library of sophisticated games, get a PS3 or X-Box. But that doesn't sound to me like what you're looking for.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 10:00 PM on October 19, 2010
You sound like Wii people to me. It's great for casual games/gamers (like me!). And for people complaining about the supposed lack of quality non-Nintendo-produced games... well, there are definitely good ones, like Guitar Hero. If you want a huge game library of sophisticated games, get a PS3 or X-Box. But that doesn't sound to me like what you're looking for.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 10:00 PM on October 19, 2010
360.
For one, you sound like a casual gamer, and the xbox live arcade is full of titles (Braid, Limbo, Geometry Wars... etc) that are either exclusive to xbox, or are ported to the PS3 months after their initial release.
The larger user base of the 360 means that more of your friends probably game on one, which for me, makes gaming that much more fun.
This is a personal thing, but the PS1...err PS3 controller design hasn't been improved in more than a decade. Shoulder buttons instead of triggers/shoulder buttons, joysticks with a convex top, and a tiny directional pad.
Any discrepancy in graphics is going to be negligible if you are a casual gamer, and also depending on your television. Blu-ray? If you already own a catalog of blu-ray discs, I'd assume you have a blu-ray player.
posted by clearly at 1:24 AM on October 20, 2010
For one, you sound like a casual gamer, and the xbox live arcade is full of titles (Braid, Limbo, Geometry Wars... etc) that are either exclusive to xbox, or are ported to the PS3 months after their initial release.
The larger user base of the 360 means that more of your friends probably game on one, which for me, makes gaming that much more fun.
This is a personal thing, but the PS1...err PS3 controller design hasn't been improved in more than a decade. Shoulder buttons instead of triggers/shoulder buttons, joysticks with a convex top, and a tiny directional pad.
Any discrepancy in graphics is going to be negligible if you are a casual gamer, and also depending on your television. Blu-ray? If you already own a catalog of blu-ray discs, I'd assume you have a blu-ray player.
posted by clearly at 1:24 AM on October 20, 2010
Alright, I'm not here to say that the Wii is the best thing on Earth, but based only on what you said I think it might be good for you.
Yes, the games can be a bit lacking with new releases. But I love Nintendo. I almost peed myself when I saw the trailer for the new Donkey Kong Country. Seriously. I love Nintendo. So I'm full of bias here.
The Wii is soon going to be able to stream Netflix without a disc. The old system didn't have a search option, which sucks. I'm thinking the new one does.
Here's the kicker for you though. I'm guessing you're wanting to get games based on remembering how awesome the Genesis is. The Wii has the Virtual Console, which lets you play NES, SNES, N64, Master System, Genesis, Turbo Grafx, a Commodore 64.
posted by theichibun at 5:33 AM on October 20, 2010
Yes, the games can be a bit lacking with new releases. But I love Nintendo. I almost peed myself when I saw the trailer for the new Donkey Kong Country. Seriously. I love Nintendo. So I'm full of bias here.
The Wii is soon going to be able to stream Netflix without a disc. The old system didn't have a search option, which sucks. I'm thinking the new one does.
Here's the kicker for you though. I'm guessing you're wanting to get games based on remembering how awesome the Genesis is. The Wii has the Virtual Console, which lets you play NES, SNES, N64, Master System, Genesis, Turbo Grafx, a Commodore 64.
posted by theichibun at 5:33 AM on October 20, 2010
Here's the kicker for you though. I'm guessing you're wanting to get games based on remembering how awesome the Genesis is.
I agree with this, that's why I recommended to play it safe and get a second-hand PS2. If you don't have someone who would be willing to lend you a current-gen system and some games for you to try them out for a few days, you may find yourselves underwhelmed with whatever you choose to purchase. Or may find it to be the best thing ever. It's a crapshoot.
Personally, I don't think it's wise to subscribe to the thought that just because the PS2 is outdated, its games are necessarily worse than current ones. A good game is a good game, and PS2 has arguably more of those than all the 3 current gen systems combined.
Unless you feel compelled to keep up with the "latest and greatest", a PS2 would keep you occupied for years. And since you're not interested in online play (IMO the strongest argument for buying games as soon as they are released rather than later when fewer people else are still playing them), you could always upgrade to a more recent console later on and not miss anything.
posted by Bangaioh at 6:18 AM on October 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
I agree with this, that's why I recommended to play it safe and get a second-hand PS2. If you don't have someone who would be willing to lend you a current-gen system and some games for you to try them out for a few days, you may find yourselves underwhelmed with whatever you choose to purchase. Or may find it to be the best thing ever. It's a crapshoot.
Personally, I don't think it's wise to subscribe to the thought that just because the PS2 is outdated, its games are necessarily worse than current ones. A good game is a good game, and PS2 has arguably more of those than all the 3 current gen systems combined.
Unless you feel compelled to keep up with the "latest and greatest", a PS2 would keep you occupied for years. And since you're not interested in online play (IMO the strongest argument for buying games as soon as they are released rather than later when fewer people else are still playing them), you could always upgrade to a more recent console later on and not miss anything.
posted by Bangaioh at 6:18 AM on October 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
A good game is a good game, and PS2 has arguably more of those than all the 3 current gen systems combined.
A very good point. And the average price of a PS2 game now is probably less than $20. A person could build a nice game library at low cost.
posted by General Tonic at 7:07 AM on October 20, 2010
A very good point. And the average price of a PS2 game now is probably less than $20. A person could build a nice game library at low cost.
posted by General Tonic at 7:07 AM on October 20, 2010
If you:
1. Don't have lots of specific games you want to buy that are tied to one console.
2. Find the concept of having 8 buttons buttons doing different things way too complicated.
3. Don't want to spend hours having to "get into" or learn a game.
4. Only get an hour or so every so often to play a game (so not vast amounts of time)
5. Aren't really that good at games.
6. Play games generally with a group of people rather than on your own.
7. Aren't too bothered about online play (for me, mainly because of points 3, 4 and 5)
8. Don't desperately want a machine that can double up as a PVR, BluRay player or some other non-console functionality.
9. Don't need to play lots of first person shoot 'em ups.
then I would recommend a Wii.
Fun games are Wii Sports Resort, Super Mario Galaxy, World of Goo, New Super Mario Bros Wii, Mario Kart Wii, any of the Lego games and Kororinpa.
You only need two wiimotes and two motion plus controllers. Nothing else.
posted by mr_silver at 7:29 AM on October 20, 2010
1. Don't have lots of specific games you want to buy that are tied to one console.
2. Find the concept of having 8 buttons buttons doing different things way too complicated.
3. Don't want to spend hours having to "get into" or learn a game.
4. Only get an hour or so every so often to play a game (so not vast amounts of time)
5. Aren't really that good at games.
6. Play games generally with a group of people rather than on your own.
7. Aren't too bothered about online play (for me, mainly because of points 3, 4 and 5)
8. Don't desperately want a machine that can double up as a PVR, BluRay player or some other non-console functionality.
9. Don't need to play lots of first person shoot 'em ups.
then I would recommend a Wii.
Fun games are Wii Sports Resort, Super Mario Galaxy, World of Goo, New Super Mario Bros Wii, Mario Kart Wii, any of the Lego games and Kororinpa.
You only need two wiimotes and two motion plus controllers. Nothing else.
posted by mr_silver at 7:29 AM on October 20, 2010
1. First, which game system? PS3? XBox 360? Wii? PS2? Why?
We're on our 3rd XBox. There have been quite a few games over the years that we have loved so fiercely that the XBox would run for nine hours straight every weekend day and another 4 or 5 hours every weeknight for weeks on end. If I could only have one console, it would undoubtedly still be the XBox because of the game quantity and quality, XBox Arcade, and Netflix streaming--which is free if you have a Netflix account and an XBox Gold Account.
Some are saying to go with Wii because it's easier. Nonsense. I went from SNES to XBox 360. At first I was kind of frustrated, but it's like second nature now. Just find a game that you know you can really get into, regardless of the complexity.
We used to have a Wii. We bought maybe 3 games for it the whole time we had it, and then when the house was burglarized we decided that it wasn't worth rebuying.
2. Which system is less likely to have problems and needing repairs or replacements? I've heard some horror stories about things like that.
No doubt, the XBox is most in need of repair and replacement, but I'm not sure how much of that is due to it having the best games and therefore getting worn out the fastest. We've had our PS3 for about 3 years or so and it's just now beginning to make dying sounds. Considering it's the most expensive, and our default for movie playback, I really dread the day when it dies.
3. Where can we find the best deals? Retail stores like Walmart, Target, Best Buy? Or online?
If cheap is what you're looking for, you might want to check out Game Haven. They have used ones. If you want to save on games they're definitely worth checking out just because the big box stores don't stock a very wide range of titles that aren't brand new. Same deal with Movies 4 Sale and McKays.
We always go for Best Buy though because every time the XBox red rings, we can just box it up and take it in with the warranty receipt from last time and they will literally hand you a new one to take home if it's within the 2-year warranty period. With us, that's the case every time so it's just a matter of paying $80 to reup the warranty every couple of years when it red-rings.
5. What does PS3 offer more than PS2? Are games compatible?
Awesome graphics. The PS3 games we have bought are incomparably nice-looking on HDTV. And the whole Blu-Ray thing, which is terrific since it updates itself automatically.
posted by heatvision at 12:08 PM on October 20, 2010
We're on our 3rd XBox. There have been quite a few games over the years that we have loved so fiercely that the XBox would run for nine hours straight every weekend day and another 4 or 5 hours every weeknight for weeks on end. If I could only have one console, it would undoubtedly still be the XBox because of the game quantity and quality, XBox Arcade, and Netflix streaming--which is free if you have a Netflix account and an XBox Gold Account.
Some are saying to go with Wii because it's easier. Nonsense. I went from SNES to XBox 360. At first I was kind of frustrated, but it's like second nature now. Just find a game that you know you can really get into, regardless of the complexity.
We used to have a Wii. We bought maybe 3 games for it the whole time we had it, and then when the house was burglarized we decided that it wasn't worth rebuying.
2. Which system is less likely to have problems and needing repairs or replacements? I've heard some horror stories about things like that.
No doubt, the XBox is most in need of repair and replacement, but I'm not sure how much of that is due to it having the best games and therefore getting worn out the fastest. We've had our PS3 for about 3 years or so and it's just now beginning to make dying sounds. Considering it's the most expensive, and our default for movie playback, I really dread the day when it dies.
3. Where can we find the best deals? Retail stores like Walmart, Target, Best Buy? Or online?
If cheap is what you're looking for, you might want to check out Game Haven. They have used ones. If you want to save on games they're definitely worth checking out just because the big box stores don't stock a very wide range of titles that aren't brand new. Same deal with Movies 4 Sale and McKays.
We always go for Best Buy though because every time the XBox red rings, we can just box it up and take it in with the warranty receipt from last time and they will literally hand you a new one to take home if it's within the 2-year warranty period. With us, that's the case every time so it's just a matter of paying $80 to reup the warranty every couple of years when it red-rings.
5. What does PS3 offer more than PS2? Are games compatible?
Awesome graphics. The PS3 games we have bought are incomparably nice-looking on HDTV. And the whole Blu-Ray thing, which is terrific since it updates itself automatically.
posted by heatvision at 12:08 PM on October 20, 2010
KogeLiz: "1. First, which game system? PS3? XBox 360? Wii? PS2? Why?
I have a 360 and Wii, and the Wii is easily my bigger catalog. People complain about Nintendo being the only good maker of games for the platform, which isn't true. If you look at the top 30 metacritic rated Wii games, you'll find several non-Nintendo made games. But Nintendo does dominate the list and set a very high bar. And they've made a habit of farming out franchises they can't do well to what would normally be independent studios.
Wii's success generally caught developers off guard (EA publicly admitted as much), who were used to designing for a specific demographic loosely compatible controller schemes with a slowly growing number of buttons. The Wiimote's pointer interface and reduced button count made gaming less intimidating, but basically made it impossible to design for the both Wii and anything else, thus avoiding what would otherwise be an unfavorable comparison of graphics processing power.
2. Which system is less likely to have problems and needing repairs or replacements? I've heard some horror stories about things like that.
I've never had a problem with my Wii or 360, but friends of mine have definitely had problems with PS3s and 360s.
3. Where can we find the best deals? Retail stores like Walmart, Target, Best Buy? Or online?
I generally shop at Amazon (their "gold box" program offers customized discounts rotated daily), but if you really like deals, there's a site called cheapassgamer that promotes discounts from retail stores and online. Ones to watch out for are the 20 dollar off your next purchase games, and gamefly sales.
4. What's the price difference in these?
Wii is the cheapest console. The other two require a bit more investment in a TV. The 360 charges you a fee for online gameplay ("Gold" Live subscription). That fee is going to go up soon. I think the PS3 is free, but maybe some games require a separate subscription service?
6. What's the going prices for games nowadays?
Wii generally tops out at 50 bucks, PS3/360 tops out at 60. There's a few big ticket items like Guitar Hero and Rockband that require expensive funny controllers for best enjoyment.
Nintendo has an online marketplace for WiiWare and Virtual Console games (emulators basically). If you really want to play River Raid or Super Mario Bros or Gunstar Heros, they've got you set. 360 has a market place as well, but I'm not aware of any retro game catalog.
7. Do these systems come with controllers (how many?) and the necessary components to play games for two players? If not, how much additional should we expect to pay?
Nintendo ships one controller ("wiimote") plus nunchuck by default, but there's a couple of games with a bundled extra wiimote. In addition, they've been pushing out a lot of addons, like an ultra sensitive motion sensor and a pressure sensitive balance board. An unexpected bonus from the Wii controllers is that they're bluetooth devices and people have written drivers to connect them to PCs. I used to use one as a media remote. You'll also need an ethernet adaptor if you don't have wifi.
360 requires a number of add ons as well. A hard drive is generally expected these days, at Microsoft prices, and they're shipping Kinect soon to compete with the Wii's game design. You can get away without HD cables, but you'll be missing out and at a competitive disadvantage in online games. In contrast with the Wii, the 360 assumes you have ethernet available near the TV for network access, which probably isn't the case. You can run a cable, or buy an wifi adaptor separately.
Also, I think the 4 player push Nintendo started with the N64 and kept up with the Gamecube has been adopted by the 360 / PS3. There's a number of good games available for 4 players on a single TV on the Wii.
8. I've heard about GameFly - I've heard both good and bad stories; what has been your experience?
I've bought used games from gamefly twice and the condition was fantastic both times. I haven't used their rental service, but given the pristine condition of the box and manual I received, I'm guessing renters don't get them.
posted by pwnguin at 12:47 PM on October 20, 2010
I have a 360 and Wii, and the Wii is easily my bigger catalog. People complain about Nintendo being the only good maker of games for the platform, which isn't true. If you look at the top 30 metacritic rated Wii games, you'll find several non-Nintendo made games. But Nintendo does dominate the list and set a very high bar. And they've made a habit of farming out franchises they can't do well to what would normally be independent studios.
Wii's success generally caught developers off guard (EA publicly admitted as much), who were used to designing for a specific demographic loosely compatible controller schemes with a slowly growing number of buttons. The Wiimote's pointer interface and reduced button count made gaming less intimidating, but basically made it impossible to design for the both Wii and anything else, thus avoiding what would otherwise be an unfavorable comparison of graphics processing power.
2. Which system is less likely to have problems and needing repairs or replacements? I've heard some horror stories about things like that.
I've never had a problem with my Wii or 360, but friends of mine have definitely had problems with PS3s and 360s.
3. Where can we find the best deals? Retail stores like Walmart, Target, Best Buy? Or online?
I generally shop at Amazon (their "gold box" program offers customized discounts rotated daily), but if you really like deals, there's a site called cheapassgamer that promotes discounts from retail stores and online. Ones to watch out for are the 20 dollar off your next purchase games, and gamefly sales.
4. What's the price difference in these?
Wii is the cheapest console. The other two require a bit more investment in a TV. The 360 charges you a fee for online gameplay ("Gold" Live subscription). That fee is going to go up soon. I think the PS3 is free, but maybe some games require a separate subscription service?
6. What's the going prices for games nowadays?
Wii generally tops out at 50 bucks, PS3/360 tops out at 60. There's a few big ticket items like Guitar Hero and Rockband that require expensive funny controllers for best enjoyment.
Nintendo has an online marketplace for WiiWare and Virtual Console games (emulators basically). If you really want to play River Raid or Super Mario Bros or Gunstar Heros, they've got you set. 360 has a market place as well, but I'm not aware of any retro game catalog.
7. Do these systems come with controllers (how many?) and the necessary components to play games for two players? If not, how much additional should we expect to pay?
Nintendo ships one controller ("wiimote") plus nunchuck by default, but there's a couple of games with a bundled extra wiimote. In addition, they've been pushing out a lot of addons, like an ultra sensitive motion sensor and a pressure sensitive balance board. An unexpected bonus from the Wii controllers is that they're bluetooth devices and people have written drivers to connect them to PCs. I used to use one as a media remote. You'll also need an ethernet adaptor if you don't have wifi.
360 requires a number of add ons as well. A hard drive is generally expected these days, at Microsoft prices, and they're shipping Kinect soon to compete with the Wii's game design. You can get away without HD cables, but you'll be missing out and at a competitive disadvantage in online games. In contrast with the Wii, the 360 assumes you have ethernet available near the TV for network access, which probably isn't the case. You can run a cable, or buy an wifi adaptor separately.
Also, I think the 4 player push Nintendo started with the N64 and kept up with the Gamecube has been adopted by the 360 / PS3. There's a number of good games available for 4 players on a single TV on the Wii.
8. I've heard about GameFly - I've heard both good and bad stories; what has been your experience?
I've bought used games from gamefly twice and the condition was fantastic both times. I haven't used their rental service, but given the pristine condition of the box and manual I received, I'm guessing renters don't get them.
posted by pwnguin at 12:47 PM on October 20, 2010
I've got to go against the current here and recommend a Wii.
There are tons of great games, both casual and "hardcore". The Wii has both original and old school games that you can purchase and download online. It does netflix streaming. It can also connect to any UPNP server running on a computer to steam other media.
There are many good multi player games on the Wii. It's true that there's more crap released on it, but I think thats due to the lower developer costs. There are plenty of good games.
I've enjoyed Mario Galaxy, Wario Ware, Wii Sports and Resort, Metroid Prime Trilogy, Resident Evil 4, Wii Play, Ghostbusters, and quite a few WiiWare and older games. I've been gaming for many years and enjoy more than the "shooters" which are the mainstays of the 360 and Playstation 3.
HD graphics do not a great game make. They do make a pretty game though... :)
It sounds like you would enjoy the adventure games releases by TellTale games for the Wii.
posted by reddot at 12:58 PM on October 20, 2010
There are tons of great games, both casual and "hardcore". The Wii has both original and old school games that you can purchase and download online. It does netflix streaming. It can also connect to any UPNP server running on a computer to steam other media.
There are many good multi player games on the Wii. It's true that there's more crap released on it, but I think thats due to the lower developer costs. There are plenty of good games.
I've enjoyed Mario Galaxy, Wario Ware, Wii Sports and Resort, Metroid Prime Trilogy, Resident Evil 4, Wii Play, Ghostbusters, and quite a few WiiWare and older games. I've been gaming for many years and enjoy more than the "shooters" which are the mainstays of the 360 and Playstation 3.
HD graphics do not a great game make. They do make a pretty game though... :)
It sounds like you would enjoy the adventure games releases by TellTale games for the Wii.
posted by reddot at 12:58 PM on October 20, 2010
reddot: "It can also connect to any UPNP server running on a computer to steam other media."
Really? This is pleasant news to me!
posted by pwnguin at 1:10 PM on October 20, 2010
Really? This is pleasant news to me!
posted by pwnguin at 1:10 PM on October 20, 2010
We've got a PS3 and a PS2 and they both have their merits, but of these two, I'm thinking you'd get more out of the PS3. That's because it's easier to play PS1 games on it--especially if your bf still has any old PS1 games. You don't have to buy extra memory cards for the PS3, either. And the PS3's store often offers demos for popular games--look for updates on Tuesdays.
I did have a problem with my 1st gen console, but it was under warranty and I haven't had problems since. Mine came from an electronics store, but with Black Friday coming up the prices might get better elsewhere.
Another thing I'd recommend is for the two of you to drop by a few game stores or big box stores and play around with the different consoles. Seeing the differences in controllers, graphics, and games might help you make up your minds.
GameFly was fine, but I ended up dropping it because we weren't getting around to playing the games.
Sites like Kotaku and Joystiq can help you get to know the consoles better, too.
Good luck & happy hunting.
posted by dragonplayer at 8:47 PM on October 20, 2010
I did have a problem with my 1st gen console, but it was under warranty and I haven't had problems since. Mine came from an electronics store, but with Black Friday coming up the prices might get better elsewhere.
Another thing I'd recommend is for the two of you to drop by a few game stores or big box stores and play around with the different consoles. Seeing the differences in controllers, graphics, and games might help you make up your minds.
GameFly was fine, but I ended up dropping it because we weren't getting around to playing the games.
Sites like Kotaku and Joystiq can help you get to know the consoles better, too.
Good luck & happy hunting.
posted by dragonplayer at 8:47 PM on October 20, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
As far as gaming goes, it's a tie between Xbox 360 and PS3, essentially. The Xbox has a more robust (but paid) online system and a slightly deeper catalog of 3rd party games, while the PS3 has stronger first-party titles and a free (albeit less developed) online system.
The really differentiator is that the PS3 is also a very solid Blu-Ray player, and it's set up to play virtually anything you download from the internet. The 360 is a mediocre-to-terrible DVD player and requires transcoding to play downloaded content.
1) PS3, for reasons above
2) PS3, but the new version of the 360 hasn't been out long enough to know whether it has the problems that the earlier version did.
3) Amazon generally gives $20 credit with new games, applicable to future purchases. K-Mart has been running some similarly insane deals lately.
4) The hardware is usually the same ($300 for the version you really want, in both cases), but discounts abound on games.
5) Better graphics, Blu-Ray, media playing, web browsing, wireless controllers, online multiplayer...
6) $60 new for games at release. Increasingly, you'll be able to find them for $40 on sale, and $20-30 used after a few months.
7) One, usually, but there are lots of "two games and an extra controller" bundles around christmas. Additionally wireless controllers cost ~$50 for both systems.
8) I enjoyed gamefly, it's definitely worth it if you're planning on trading in games anyway.
posted by Oktober at 2:31 PM on October 19, 2010