So last weekend I went down to California to see my sis and her bf and to hang out. They have this play station set up and the Guitar Hero game. I got into playing it, and now that I am home, I still want to play. I do not have any video game consoles*.
I would like to get the play station and the GH game but I don’t want to spend a lot of money on it. What would be the best places to look for the console and the game (game plus the guitar controller) for cheap?
I had considered eBay, but I don’t really feel comfortable buying electronics and such there for fear of being ripped off and/or getting a damaged unit/game.
Any suggestions?
*the last video game console I had was the original Nintendo back in the late 80’s and before that the Atari.
The PS2 costs about $129 new, and you can get them all over the place. It’s rare to see the console itself go on sale; usually stores will keep the price the same and throw in a crappy game or two as an incentive. Stores like EBGames / GameStop will sell used consoles for somewhere around $100, but I’m leery of secondhand electronics, especially from the horror stories I’ve heard from people who work there. However, if you’re set on buying it for the cheapest amount possible, those stores named be the best place to get a used console from, because they have a replacement policy that actually works if you’re quick. It only lasts something like 7 days, but they will honor it if you come back within that time.
Guitar Hero (with guitar) will run about $70, and an extra controller will run you usually around $40, though probably less for third-party brands. Used games aren’t usually that bad,* but if you’re going to buy it from a store ask to look at the disc first - check for scratches or rings on the bottom.
Oh, and you’ll need a memory card, too. One of those is about $20, and don’t skimp out and get a used one.
Of course, there’s always swap meets / classified ads / Craigslist, but I don’t have any experience with those and probably wouldn’t want to get them that way anyway.
*Speaking as a person who works for a game company, I urge you not to buy a game as easy to find as GH used. The people who made the game don’t get any money from the sale if you do.
Did you try Craigslist? PS2s should be around $100 used or $129 new, Guitar Hero II w/ Guitar maybe $60 used and $80 new.
If you have a lot of time and not a lot of money, an alternative is to try Frets on Fire, an open-source clone of Guitar Hero for the PC. It supports PS2 and Xbox 360 Guitar Hero controllers and it can import the original music from the games, but you have to go through the pain and hassle of setting it all up. (FYI, the official home page is currently down. You can still get the game from the Sourceforge link.)
Thanks BraheSilver. So, If I were to buy a new PS2 new, where would be the best place to buy. Like I said, I am so clueless about the video games nowadays. If they have them at Target for a good price, it should be ok to get it there, right? As far as getting a decent quality console or does it not really matter?
The game if only ~70 new for the game and controller isn’t all that bad, I guess. I would pay that to know that it works. I have had bar tabs higher than that
I feel like such a dork for not knowing something about buying a video game console/games.
:o
Reply (I didn’t see your post). I think I would stay away from Craig’s list here in Vegas. There is a lot of scams/stolen stuff on there.
I would consider the PC game, but my laptop isn’t geared for gaming at all.
If you’re getting a new one, it doesn’t matter where you get it. Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, GameStop, wherever.* They come from the factory sealed, so the quality will be the same. Hope this helps!
*caveat: “Crazy Earl’s Mobile Back-of-My-Pickup Vidja Gamery n’ Doodad Emporium” probably isn’t a good place.
You might check out the game publisher (Red Octane) web site. I just purchased the game, wired guitar, wireless guitar pkg and got a gig bag, 10% off for being a first time purchaser, and free shipping. The whole works cost me $125. Not sure if they’re still offering that, but it’s worth a check, I think.
Just to be safe, I’d go with a store with a good return policy in case anything goes wrong. Target has a 90-day return policy and no restocking fee, so it’s a good choice.
This is a lot of if’s, but IF you are remotely interested in an XBox 360 and IF you have an internet high speed connection, I would give serious consideration to the XBox 360 version of the game which came out last week. In addition to all of the other benefits, it is supposed to (I don’t own it yet, take this with a grain of salt) allow you to play against others online and have several songs available for download over time, with the first pack due out very soon if not already.
One of our fellow Dopers, who lives here in LV and whom I will let stay anonymous, contacted me and offered to sell me his PS2 and some games. I took him up on the offer.
I am going to got the Guitar Hero game/controller this weekend.
Right now I am obsessed with the game God of War. I am about halfway through the game.
