My kids (aged 10, 7 and 3) want a game system. So far they have just been asking for a gamecube, but the reviews of this system say it is best for kids under 10 and there isn’t as much selection for this as for the other systems.
Any one have any thoughts or experiences on these systems?
If I do get a gamecube, how much additional memory will I need?
Well I don’t know anything about Gamecube myself, but it’s a bit of a toss up between the Xbox and the PS2. Both can be had for between $99 and $130 bucks ($99 refurbished, $130 new). What I would do is take the kids to a used game shop, and see what games it is that they want. Base the system choice off of that, instead of picking a system and then having them find a game they want but can’t play. Another factor (one that my girlfriend used on me a few years ago when I got my Xbox) can be which systems do their friends have? If they can go next door to Jimmy’s and play all the PS2 they want, why not have something different at home?
About the only reason my kids said “gamecube” over the other systems is precisely because that is the system their friends have, so your point about getting the same system for our house is a good one.
Your advice about selecting based on what games they’d like is a good one, too. With my luck, though, they’d each pick a different set of games!
It also cuts down on the dreaded childhood “trades” that can have your kids ripped off in a heartbeat. You can’t trade system specific software 
True, but many games are multi platform, at least for some of the biggest titles. At 10, 7, and 3 most parents aren’t going to be letting them fire up Grand Theft Auto anyways.
Most happily, for the games that are available on all the consoles, those games run better on either the PS2 or the Xbox than the same ones on the Gamecube so you’d be getting better performance for your buck.
It’s worth noting that Nintendo is known for being more family friendly than the other systems insofar as it applies to game choices. Personally I don’t see this as a positive thing, it is tantamount to censorship to my ideals, but I don’t expect everyone to feel the same way as I do.
In fairness, there are tons of family titles for the other systems too. So long as you police what games it is the kids buy and play you can avoid the more mature titles for any of the systems. The possible upside being that in 2 or 3 years when your oldest is possibly mature enough for those titles he’ll be able to play them on your existing Xbox or PS2. Chances are good that there will come a point when your 10 year old will be more interested in the range of titles on Xbox and PS2.
Food for thought anyways.
Its pretty much the consensus that the first generation Xbox is the most technologically advanced of your three choices, followed by the PS2 leaving the Gamecube as the least robust. If the kids will place a premium on sound and graphics you might want to tend towards the Xbox.
The PS2 has by far the largest selection of games. Thats a strong feature for many buyers. Of course a large number of those titles might be too mature for your kids which brings your practical library of games closer to the others.
Also be aware that all three systems are going to be selling next generation consoles this Christmas. Their pricing, with the possible exception of the Nintendo Wii, will probably put them out of your price range but it could mean that finding games for each of the earlier systems you’re targeting will get progressively harder as time goes by. It’s unclear to me which system’s first-gen games will stay on the market the longest, but I would wager the Gamecubes will disappear first. It has the smallest following and the least third party support. As it is stores and rental stores have the least shelf space for it now.
The PS2 is in the most households and therefore might have games available for quite some time. The Xbox is the newest of the three and subsequently most powerful and modern. By that logic you might see games to continue to be released and available for a time to come.
Luckily none of the older systems are so expensive as to be that great a risk. If you buy them with an eye on them being in use for the next 18 months or so you shouldn’t have any real reason for concern.
I owned the Xbox and liked it and found it’s gameplay to be the best.
Gamecube has some of the most likable franchises with Mario and Zelda.
PS2 is the ubiquitous one, just about every kids played one and it’s got tons of games available.
If the kids REALLY want to play Zelda you should just get the Gamecube and forget everything else. They’ll be disappointed with anything else. If they just want a game system either the Xbox or PS2 would be good. Most games are available on both and the few exclusive titles for each should influence your decision only if those are top priorities for your kids.
Personally, I have an X-Box.
I really like it.
I’ll give you two words on why you should get PS2: “Guitar Hero”. That game rocks!
Guitar Hero II is due out any time.
I’d recommend holding out for the Nintendo Wii, their next-generation console due out for Christmas. Like the PS3, it’s supposed to be backwards compatible with the previous console, meaning you can play Gamecube games on it. Unlike the PS3, you won’t need a second mortgage to afford it. It should retail around $250. You could get a last-gen console for less than half that, but those consoles are going to be officially obsolete by the end of this month, and the number of new games coming out for them will drop precipitously. A new console, however, should stay current for at least five years or so.
Plus, your kids will be the envy of all their Gamecube-owning peers, and we all know that’s what it’s really all about.
I’d say bang for your buck, no research necessary, get the gamecube.
They’re cheap, and if you go to a used game store (Gamestop, EB Games, etc.) all you have to do is grab any game with Mario in the title and your pretty much guaranteed a decent game. And used titles are going to be under $20 a game.
With 3 kids, get them each their own controller, each a different color.
Buy one big memory chip and that should be enough to save all your games (unless your doing Madden Football).
If you’re planning on playing yourself, get a second, smaller menory card too. For whatever reason, many (most?) of the adventure type games (e.g. Legend of Zelda series) allow only three saved games, no matter how big your memory card is.
I have a gamecube and a ps2. Gamecube is deffinatly better for kids games and it is cheaper to get good titles for game cube. The PS2 is nice because of the sheer number of games available(plays ps1 games too). As the PS3 can run games from all three systems I’d skip buying a ps2 for a few more years and jump in when the ps3’s get cheaper.
I’d have to agree with the Gamecube. It’s a dead system, but as everyone has said, the machine is cheap, and the games are cheap, and it’s absolutely loaded with kids games.
The controller is also very kid friendly. For the most part, everything is controlled using the BIG GREEN BUTTON. And it is probably a good size for a kids hands. I have both the normal “duke” controller, and the smaller “S” controller for my xbox, and my wife actually cannot comfortably use the controllers, as her hands are very small. She can use the GC and PS2 controllers comfortably enough though.
Also, for the most part, the games are accessible. There are certain ones that are not really for kids (Resident Evil, Metal Gear etc) but even fighting games like Smash Bros. are kid friendly… big cute characters, no blood. The kid friendly motif is spread nicely across the whole range, mostly from first party Nintendo product (kart racing, soccer, tennis, golf, previously mentioned Mario Party).
And don’t forget it also has exclusivity on Pokemon.
At age 10, you’ll get a good couple years of play out of it for the oldest child before it really becomes too uncool for him to play it, and by that time the new Wii will have come down from it’s already deliciously low price, and when the older kid moves on to the next generation, the Wii will still play all your old GC games for the younger ones, using the controllers they’re used to even.
Even my mother was able to get into a gamecube. She has her own. For myself, I only packed my GC up last week so I could make room for the Wii that comes out here in December.
On previewing that post, it seems as though I really were a Nintendo fanboy. I assure you that I do like Nintendo, but my reasoning comes from owning all of the currently available consoles, and selling them for several years.
The points about software availability are good ones though, but if you’re OK with using Ebay, it will never be a problem. And historically, stores like EBgames have sold pre-owned copies of older systems for quite a while after the new ones are gone. They might be kept out the back though, and not taking up shelf space. In the back rooms of many stores around now you can still find dozens of Nintendo64 games, and that machine has been dead for 5 years.
Tomorrow, actually. And the wife and a coworker of hers are going to buy them on their lunch break tomorrow, as well as a copy for another friend of ours who is coming over tomorrow night to rock out! 
Buy them a PS2 for this game alone. And for Katamari Damacy, which can be enjoyed by folks of just about any age.
Bolding mine.
As I long time user of Nintendo consoles, I feel that I should point out a few problems with this post. “Tantamount to censorship” is a rather unkind way of describing Nintendo’s practice. The company has positioned itself in such a way as to appeal to a broad range of gamers, including families with children. Saying that this is “tantamount to censorship” is like making the same of Disney for not making gory slasher horror films. It just isn’t what the company is about.
I’m not saying that Nintendo is a kiddy company, or that the Gamecube is a kiddy console. There are still a plenty of games that I wouldn’t let even let kids watch, let alone play (Resident Evil 4 being a prime example.)
I would highly recommend the Gamecube, especially given the ages you mentioned for your children. Nintendo does tend to publish much more kid friendly games and a good number of these games are still entertaining to more mature players without being inappropriate for younger ones (just as adults can watch and enjoy PG and G rated movies.)
I’m a firm believer that parents should take an active role in selecting what games their children should and should not play. You can find game suitable for your kids on any of the three consoles, but Nintendo’s focus on family friendly games will make it much easier for you to find appropriate titles on the Gamecube.
I’m sorry, upon rereading that my post is a bit hijackish. Omniscient’s post happened to touch on an issue that is something of a pet peeve for me. The bottom line that any system can be suitable for kids as long as you keep a close eye on what games they play.
In regards to the Wii, arent you able to use Gamecube controllers instead of the weird looking 2 handed thing, and aren’t you also able to download older games, like from the original Nintendo? I heard that, and if it is true I would love to get a Wii and use Gamecube controllers (dunno if I will be able to use the new fangled motion sensor ones) and then download all old school games I miss from my childhood.
At my work, I have to help out in the video game section often because it’s near the camera department where I work. I get a lot of parents coming in looking for Gamecubes for their young kids. Mario Kart is family fun!
I understand that it’s a business decision. I understand that Disney makes the same choices. And WalMart makes these choices as well. It’s a free country and a free market. Have at it. But I’ll be damned if I support it. The problem isn’t a fundamental one but when these companies reach a point where they are dominant enough to be dictating to the market what should be available. I’ll be my own nanny, thanks.
Of course, to end the hijack, I conceded in my first post that whats important to me may not be important to others. To each his own, but the OP solicited opinions on comparing the systems and it’s an aspect I consider.
I think the under 10 label is pushing it. The gamecube is not directed at ‘the gaming community’ which is mostly teenagers, 20somethings and adults. I’d say under 14, but I’m sure anyone could have fun with the damn thing. I wouldn’t worry about selection being a problem as it’s been out for years.
Nintendo sell games they think will appeal to consumers, they’re running a business, however odd an idea that may have seemed at times to their observers Where’s the nannying exactly? There’s enough diversity in the games market (just) that pretty much anyone can have any game they want.
But to the OP, a Gamecube will be cheap to buy, cheap to buy games for and there are still plenty of games available, unless the kids are hardcore games nuts 
From what I’ve read, the Wii will suport standard home networking, but will also be set up for wireless networking directly out of the box. You will be able to buy classic Nintendo games online to download to the Wii (similar to what the 360 does). I think it does support the Gamecube controller for the games that do not specifically require the new controller.
Another vote for the OP to pick up a Wii. In addition to the backwards compatibility and you being able to get your retro-groove on with the downloading of classic games, the system will include one game with it and the controller is designed to (it seems) encourage some physical moving around to take full advantage of it.
They are available in less than 2 weeks, are much cheaper than the next-gen competitors, and should be in fairly ample supply.
If you insist on getting an older system, the Gamecube is a great choice.
Warning - The following post is basically one big hi-jack. Feel free to ignore it if you are following this thread.
Bolding still mine.
So any company that doesn’t produce kid friendly and “mature” material in equal quantities is trying to be your nanny? Does this include cereal companies for not putting pictures of naked women on their boxes? They’re deciding for you whether or not there should be porn on your corn flakes box. It seems to me that this would constitute “nannying” under your definition.
What about musicians who’s musical styles don’t involve much profanity or violence or other “adult content?” Doesn’t that mean that they’re trying to censor such things by not including them in their songs?
What about the New York Times? When was the last time that they printed anything by William Shakespeare in their paper? They’re obviously trying to keep you from reading Shakespeare if they aren’t actively making it available. Talk about censorship!
It would seem to me that you have some very non-standard definitions of censorship and nannying. Accusing a company of such things simply because the company’s doesn’t focus on “mature” material is a bit silly, isn’t it?
Only because of the EyeToy. I’ve never met anyone (esp a kid), that did not love it.