I’m considering buying a game console, and if I do, it’ll be the PS2 (more games available on this system in India). However, since it costs about $500 to buy one in India (stupid import duties), I’m going to have to bring it in from someplace a lot cheaper.
Information about the PS2 is not easy to come by here, since so few people have it (what with it being so damned expensive)… so gimme all you got! I have a few questions off the top of my head, but they’re limited by my lack of knowledge anyways…
Is the PS2 region-coded? Are PS2 games region-coded, i.e. can I play a game I buy here on a US bought console? And the same goes for the movies too?
Is the console playable straight out of the box, or will I have to buy cables/whatever separately? Do I need to buy any adapters/gizmos to make it work with my TV?
Aside from the need-to-buy (if any), are there any things I should buy to make the gaming experience better? Keep in mind, I’m not a hardcore gamer…
And finally, recommend a few games please! I mainly like first-person shoot-'em-up games with a storyline, and games involving cars!! I’ve been told GTA (3?) is a must have, as is needforspeed (4, 5, 6?). Any other suggestions?
Yes, games and DVDs are both region coded. You can get a mod chip to play games from another country. I’m not sure if it works with DVDs.
Depends on your TV. The PS2 comes with composite (aka RCA) cables. If your TV only has coaxial input, you’ll have to buy an RF adapter. If you want component input, you’ll have to buy cables for that.
The system comes with one controller, so you might want to buy another for two-player games. You’ll probably want to buy a memory card as well.
The only ‘regional’ coding I’m aware of is the NSTC/PAL/Japan formats. Broadly speaking, this equates to USA/Japan/Europe&Australiasia. I’m not too sure on the Indian format. Nip into a shop and check the back of the game - it should list whether it’s NSTC or PAL format.
If you shops around, it’s easy to find PS2 packages with two controllers, a memory card and sometimes a few games thrown in free.
And forget any first person PS2 games. While you can get some decent ones, PC versions are much better; you can’t beat a mouse and keyboard for precision control.
You definitely need a memory card in order to save games or high scores. You can’t get to the higher levels of most games without saving.
You need a second controller for two player games, and if controllers are expensive or hard to find where you are, you might want an extra one because they do sometimes break.
The cords on the controllers are not real long so if your couch is far from your TV you may need extender cables or one of those RF extender things.
(Sure wish I had someone like me around when I first got a PS2. )
Like the original Playstation, there’s the Japanese version and the American/Canadian version. If you want to play both types of games on the same system, you either have to get a modchip or some kind of swap disk system. Sony doesn’t produce either, so buyer beware.
Price-wise, the system isn’t that big a deal (it’s down to $179 stateside). The real expense is peripherals. You’ll definitely need a second controller at some point to accomplish much of anything, not to mention replace the original controller when it breaks or wears out (which will happen in time). A memory card, of course, is also an absolute must. Then there’s an arcade-style joystick, without which a plethora of games are all but unplayable, and maybe even a lightgun if you’re into that kind of game. A multitap is necessary for games that allow more than two players at once. As I mentioned earlier, you need a reliable modchip or swap disk to play imports. Then there’s “cheat” devices…which aren’t strictly necessary, but unless you’re the most insanely hardcore gamer on the planet, it’s going to be really, really hard to resist the temptation (assuming you even have macho issues to begin with). All these things cost money, and you can easily spend at least as much for them as you did for the original system.
Do your homework, however. I have no idea why, but sometime during the PSX era, the attitude sprung up that if you weren’t completely under Sony’s thumb, you were completely free to release the shoddiest crap imaginable. I’ve exchanged a total of three virtually unusable controllers (and nearly a fourth), and I’ve also had to throw out a $40 cheat device for because it’s become completely unreliable. Ask for recommendations, test whatever you can in-store, and always keep the receipt. The best cheat device is probably the new Codebreaker; if there’s none available, the Pro Action Replay is nearly as good. As for joysticks, get an Asciiware if at all possible, and AVOID the Shadowblade at all costs.
That’s all I got for now. You have any other questions, fire away.
Re. the modchip… is it illegal to have one, and therefore am I breaking board rules by asking about it?
What is a modchip? And are there several varieties for different regions, or does a single one do the trick, i.e. play games/movies from anywhere? Is it hardware that I need to install somehow into the console?
Where do I get one? And how much is it going to cost me?
TVs here take RCA cables, and are multi-system (PAL/NTSC), so I won’t have any trouble there.
Obviously I’ll have to get a second controller, as well as a memory card. Are the memory cards of a specific capacity, or do I need to buy one to suit my gaming? Again, I’m not a hard-core gamer…
What are cheat devices, DKW? Also, do I need a joystick for most car games? And maybe some of the RPGs? If not, then I think I can avoid buying a joystick…
We don’t have megastores selling the PS2 here… they’re imported by a couple of dealers in a few big cities. You just go and buy off the shelf - there is no setup to test at the store. Which is why I gotta ask here!
The memory cards come in two basic varieties. Games that can only be played on a PS2 need a PS2 memory card, while games that can be played on a PSX/PSOne OR a PS2 need a PS1 card. There are many, many fine games for the first PlayStation, so I advise you to pick up at least one or two PS1 cards. I advise getting only Sony brand cards. While some people have had good luck with other brands, I’ve heard a LOT of people say that they’ve had other brand cards simply lose all stored information. Of course, only you know how valuable that information is.
As for controllers…I’m still using the controller that originally came with my PS2. I think I’ve had it for a couple of years, not sure. I don’t play multiplayer games, and I’m fairly happy with this controller, except that I wish it had an autofire option on it. I might treat myself to a new controller one of these days, with an autofire.
I don’t have any sort of a cheat device, though I have often THOUGHT about getting one just for Final Fantasy X. I don’t see any other way that I can get through some of the subquests. My reflexes aren’t what they once were.
There are at least two kinds of mod chips that I’m aware of. One kind lets you play bootlegged/pirated copies of games, which violates copyright, so we won’t be discussing those on THIS board. The other kind lets you play games for other regions. As far as I know, this kind is legal in the US, don’t know about India. And that’s all I know about mod chips. I don’t have one on my game system.
Lynn, I don’t think the legality of a modchip has as yet been defined in India yet - we’ve only just started getting the PS2 console! Glad you’re in this thread - you can stop me before I cross the line of discussability!
diamond den, I’d move to England, but it rains too much there, and your food is just awful
I’ve looked around in some of the stores that have PS2 games, and the choice amongst them is extremely limited, i.e. almost any game I buy will likely be from abroad. Since I may not always have the luxury of choosing where the game will be bought from, I will definetely want a modchip.
My problem is that it will be rather difficult to get my console modchipped here in India, so I would have to get that done first and then bring it down. To be on the safer side, I’d want to get a bullet-proof one reliability-wise, which does everything, i.e. play region-locked games as well as movies (the movies are secondary though).
Could someone who has a modchip suggest one? Are these available in stores, or must I buy it online? Any recommendations as to how to go about modchipping?
Finally, I’ve looked up a few websites and read about the Swap Magic Disc v3 + Slide Card… does anyone have experience with this thing? It would make my life a lot easier, if it does well what they say it does.
If you want racing games, you must not miss Gran Turismo3, I’ve bought it recently and I’m completely blown away by it. Great graphics, high level of realism and an amount of cars and events which I bet ensure hundreds of hours of gameplay. This game alone justified my purchase of the PS2 (which happened about a month ago, BTW). Those you mentioned are also good ones, though I only played them on PC. GTA3 and GTA3:VC are definately must-have’s, and I can also recommend Need for Speed: Underground (which would be -I think- the 7th in the series) for some arcade feeling after GT3.
GT3 is a great racing game. If you want to try some other genres, look at Amplitude (music), Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (platform), and ICO or Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (adventure).
As to the legality of mod chips… IANAL but in my reading of the DMCA, I don’t see anything to differentiate between a “good” mod chip that only plays imported discs, and a “bad” mod chip that also plays backups (which aren’t necessarily illegal copies - many people back up their games to protect the original discs). They both circumvent a system that controls access to a copyrighted work, so either they’re both legal or they’re both illegal. Of course, most countries don’t have a DMCA equivalent, so that’s only for the US.
Okay. YAY! I did some looking around, and whaddyaknow… there are a few dealers who sell the PS2 and X-Box in Bombay. Best part is, their prices reflect those in the US! What is means is I won’t have the Sony warranty, but since I’m getting it chipped, it makes no difference eitherways.
Last I heard, a chipped PS2 works out to about $250, which is only a little more than its equivalent in the US.
Yay!
I’ve been told that there is a PS3 and an '04 X-Box on their way out sometime soon. Is this true? How soon?
If you are going to install mod chips or use any unlicensed hardware, you better know what you are doing, and prepare yourself for the possibility of frying your console. Sony will not repair any modded system, and while they might repair damage from unlicensed hardware that plugs into the existing ports, you will void your warranty so you will have to pay for repairs.
My advice on unlicensed hardware is: don’t bother. Controllers are usually OK, but a bad one can kill your port. Memory cards tend to suck a lot. Game Sharks, LCD screens, and other weird crap has a high incidence of causing damage, as they pump more power through the ports than they are designed to handle.
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Game Sharks, LCD screens, and other weird crap has a high incidence of causing damage, as they pump more power through the ports than they are designed to handle.
Sorry, you’re wrong. The majority of port damage calls I took were due to Game Sharks and other junk plugged in that the PS2 wasn’t designed to handle. Now, I’m not saying that a Game Shark is always going to do this, but the risk is certainly higher than if you don’t use one.
