Well, I have a bit of a budget surplus this year, and I’ve decided it’s time to get a video game system for me and my son. The last one I personally owned was my old Atari 2600 waaay back when.
So I’m looking for advice.
I’m thinking about the Nintendo 64. We like the Pokemon games. My son and I played Pokemon Battle Stadium 2 on his cousin’s Nintendo (he whupped my ass), and I’d really like that one. Trouble is, I’m not sure how many other games Nintendo has that I would like. I am not a fan of the whole cute-characters-run-around-and-jump-over-stuff genre (Mario Bro’s, Crash Bandicoot, etc.) which seems to be a Nintendo staple. What else do they have?
Or should I go for the Sony PS2?
I generally go for the blow-stuff-up games, as well as strategy-type war games, and RPG’s.
Son is almost seven, and likes robots.
So can anyone offer some advice?
Anyone have particular favorite games I mightr like?
Have you ever played Goldeneye on N64? If not, go rent it. If you don’t like it, don’t buy the system. Personally, I think that every N64 should be hardwired with this game.
The 007 game on N64 was supposed to be very good. StarFox was pretty good on the SNES, haven’t seen the N64 version.
It’s basically going to come down to this: You would probably enjoy the PS2 more, your son will probably enjoy the N64 more.
One piece of advice I do have, if you are going to get the N64, wait until Nintendo releases the GameCube (should be in the next couple months) – then you should be able to get an N64 for much less.
Sounds like you’d be best off with a Gamecube, if you like Nintendo’s games. Better to get that than an N64, because that console isn’t going to have much of a life left once the 'Cube lands.
If not, the PS2 is a good choice.
Just stay away from the XBox – Microsoft has a lousy track record of developing software, and all indications are that they haven’t improved much for game consoles…
I’d go with the Playstation 2, for one big reason: it is backward compatible with regular Playstation games, so in addition to new PS2 games (of which there aren’t a ton yet but the list is growing) you will have access to a huge library of PS1 games, most of which can be had now for 20 bucks or less.
The old Playstation library is chock full of cute-characters-jumping-around games, the best of which are the Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon series. There are also a ton of sports titles, racing titles (the first two Gran Turismo games are the best and can be had for under 20 bucks in most places), lots of good RPGs (including the Final Fantasy series), as well as some really cool shootin’ and blowin’ things up games (Syphon Filter and Ace Combat come to mind).
I haven’t yet made the leap to the next generation of consoles (I’m still playing my trusty old Playstation) but I’m not in a real hurry because there are still a lot of good PS1 games that I keep finding in the discount bins for 10 bucks. Can’t beat that!
Anyhoo, having pressed submit too early in my last post…
Your best bet would be to wait until both Xbox and Gamecube are out. Both systems are going to be having some really kickass games (Halo for Xbox, Metroid for Gamecube).
PS2 is good, but I recommend you wait until the release of these two systems so you can accurately compare (remember, many people thought Sony was gonna flop with the PSX).
The PS2 is a great choice because it can play PSX games too (you do need a psx memory card for that, but its only ten bucks). You can buy a second ps2 controller for about $15, one not made by Sony…
Shop at Circuit City & buy the PS2 GT3 package. ALso, buy used ps2 games & psx games on ebay.com they are really cheap compared to new. But alot of times you can buy new ps2 games there too.
Used Pokemon games cost more than used ps2 games there it seems. Odd.
Also, for a ps2 your tv needs a s-video or a/v hookup.
Don’t buy an N64 unless you only plan on getting a few choice games and sticking with those, the system is going the way of the saturn pretty soon. PS2 is a good choice for reasons already stated, but you might want to wait till the game cube and Xbox come out, if only because the price will likely drop.
I really doubt it. The Xbox will premier at $299 just like the PS2 and will only be able to play DVDs with a $20 add-on. The Game Cube will come out at $200, but will not have any DVD capabilities. There would really be no reason for Sony to lower the price of the PS2.
The latest edition of Newsweek did NOT give X-box glowing reviews, apparently it’s anothe case of Bill gates rushing product to make the release date. Apparently Ps2 has some killer games coming out this Christmas. My vote is for Ps2.
And the best advice is to wait until someone comes out with a system worth buying.
The Playstation 2’s rate of development makes the Whitewater investigation look like a freaking JAG episode. I guarantee that it’ll be at least 2002 before we even have any news on a modchip. Let alone games that might actually be fun for most people. Right now I can count on one hand the games that a non-super-hardcore, non-arcade hating, non-unimaginable-complexity hating gamer (e.g. me) would feel comfortable owning. How this can be considered a next-generation console when it’s failed utterly to kill off the system it was designed to replace is beyond me.
Nintendo is Nintendo. They milk. They have to; they’re just barely recovering from the catastrophic (and completely self-imposed) “family system” albatross that started with the Super NES, the result being that a lot of eggs are in the baskets of Zelda, Mario, Metroid, Pokemon, etc. Creativity is not something this company does well. And was there any real third-party support for the N64? If you’re willing to put up with a lot of superfluous cuteness and cartooniness (always remembering that the games Feature Cartoon-Like Characters In Fantasy Settings), the Gamecube is the system for you. Otherwise, I think you’ll be disappointed.
And already the apologists are making excuses for the X-Box. Bit of advice…whenever apologists have to make excuse for a system before a single game has been released, that should be a screaming 40-alarm warning to avoid this system like a tank-buster mine. And really, do you TRUST Microsoft to make a quality product that can stand up to strong competition?
Wait, it gets better. Because of Orochi-knows-what-reasons, most of the new games will be for only one system. Which means that you have to buy MORE THAN ONE SYSTEM if you want to have an even passable library of games to choose from. And since these companies are taking a loss on the systems as it is (don’t remember the exact economic reasoning behind this and DON’T CARE), don’t expect the prices to go down anytime soon.
Gee, things have gotten sooooo much better since the Dreamcast “died”! :mad::mad::mad:
That’s console gaming, my friend. If you want to take up pencil-and-paper roleplaying after reading this, I understand.
It could be time to bust out the old Atari 2600. See if your boy could whup you in Combat. Its no Pokemon Battle Stadium 2, but the tanks could be thought of as robots!
