What console is best for YOU ?

[torkworld]

Choosing the best game console

Xbox... PS2... GameCube... Which is right for you?
November 17, 2003: 7:41 AM EST
By Chris Morris, CNN/Money Staff Writer



NEW YORK (CNN/Money) – Ten years ago, it was all pretty simple. If you wanted to spruce up your family's living room with a video game console, you'd head to the store, buy a Nintendo machine and wrap it up. Maybe, just maybe, you'd grab a Sega Genesis if you were feeling rebellious.

Picking the right console for your friends and family today, though, takes a fair bit longer. There are three machines to choose from, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. And while it's hard to go wrong with any of the three, choosing the perfect gift will all depend on who you're buying for and what they enjoy playing.

Sony PlayStation 2
Let's not mince words: The PS2 is the dominant console on the market and, barring an incredible turn of events, will remain in that position of power for the next two-and-a-half to three years.

It has the exclusive rights to the next Grand Theft Auto game, which is scheduled to ship about a year from now. And if you want to play Electronic Arts (ERTS: Research, Estimates)' Madden football games online (or any EA sports game, for that matter), this is your only choice.


There are also more games available for Sony's (SNE: Research, Estimates) console than any game machine on the market. And that's not counting the catalog of titles for the original PlayStation, which can also be played on the machine. Add that in and there are more nearly 2,000 games that are playable on the PS2.

That said, the PS2 is the most expensive console on the market at $199. (Granted, a $179 version is available, but it comes without an online adaptor and no bundled games -- and is a worse deal.) It's also the oldest of the current consoles -- and that's obvious immediately after you turn it on. The graphics are certainly not bad, but lack the polish you'll find on the Xbox or GameCube.

Microsoft Xbox
For the Xbox's first 18 months, Microsoft (MSFT: Research, Estimates) let its marketing dollars do the majority of the talking. Now it's letting the games get their say in.

While the Xbox coasted on the strength of "Halo" for much too long, 2003 has been a banner year for exclusive games, with titles like "Knights of the Old Republic," "Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge" and several of the games in its XSN Sports line. And let's not forget that "Halo 2," "Doom 3" and "Half-Life 2" are right around the corner, which should only add to its momentum.


Pricewise, the Xbox is a little more reasonable than the PS2. For $179 you'll get the console, a two-month free trial to Xbox Live and two free games -- "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and "Tetris Worlds." Neither of those games is a AAA title, but they give new owners something to play out of the box. The Xbox also does away with the need for those pesky (and somewhat expensive) memory cards, thanks to its internal hard drive.

While you won't have to pay extra for an online adaptor, Xbox Live isn't free. A one year subscription costs $50 -- and how many of the 500,000 current subscribers will renew their existing subscriptions is still a mystery.

Nintendo GameCube
If price is the main determining factor for you, the GameCube is an easy choice. The recent price drop to $99 makes the machine the best deal in the gaming world -- and the recent addition of four classic Zelda games only makes thing sweeter.


The GameCube has crisp graphics that are a very close second to the Xbox and a catalog that's much more tailored to a mass audience. While the PS2 and Xbox have worked hard to court older gamers, Nintendo has stayed true to its roots and continued to attract families and younger players. Before it cut prices, it wasn't having a lot of luck, but it is now set to see a significant sales climb.


Developer support for the GameCube has been flagging over the course of the year, though, meaning you're not likely to see many exclusive titles from third party publishers like Capcom, Electronic Arts and Konami. And it's a safe bet you'll never see a game by "Grand Theft Auto" developer Rockstar on the GameCube. Your kids won't care about that, but if you're buying for a teen or adult, it could be an issue.

Still, at almost half the price of its competitors, the GameCube might be worth the gamble.

money.cnn.com/2003/11/13/.../index.htm

[nbrid]

Im pretty sure Rockstar HAS made a game for GC. It's called Smuggler's Run. Sure it's not really a great game but it's still a game! Also, Capcom makes more exclusive games for GC than Xbox. That comment was pretty uninformed and generalized. However he hit Konami right on the nose. It took another developer just to bring an "exclusive" and "new" title to GC in the form of Metal Gear Solid. I only skimmed this article but I found it to be halfway informative for people that needed it. However, this quote about getting a GC kinda irked me:

Quote:

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Still, at almost half the price of its competitors, the GameCube might be worth the gamble.

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Sounds like an EXTREMELY iffy decision.

[Psydd]

Damn this limited budget...looking at the current state of console games, I want all three. Picking just one is going to be a damn hard decision. I'm leaning towards getting another cube. I miss Prime, I can still get great games...and it's the cheapest. I need to win the lottery.

Nbrid!

[nbrid]

Yeah I just picked myself up a brand spankin new PS2 yesterday (with a psx game) so Im almost there. Honestly, I really dont have a desire to own an xbox. Id like to play Otogi and Panzer Dragoon but that's about it. I guess once Ninja Gaiden and Fable are out, I'll finally have enough of a reason. After playing Halo on PC, I dont know how I could play Halo 2 with a controller...

[BoneStormer]

Gamble? Yeah no shit, what fuckin gamble are they refering to? Buy it, but beware! It might rape your sister during the night!

I also found it very odd it listed a few games available (or coming 'soon') to the PS2 and Xbox, but it didn't for GC. For GC all it listed was the game it didn't have (even if the best of this gen, that's messed up shit).

It was a pretty "craptacular" article from top to bottom. Damn liberal CNN.......

[nbrid]

I guess it's at least a little comforting that GC is still the system that doesn't quite fall into the mainstream.

[BoneStormer]

Quote:

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GameCube Sales Soar
By Mike Viscel -- News Writer
Published 8:50 AM CDT, December 2, 2003

Nintendo had a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving as the GameCube sales ate up the competition.

After slowly moving up the charts over the past few weeks, it seems that Nintendo's GameCube has finally outsold the competition here in the United States. According to data collected from major video game retailers, the Nintendo GameCube sold approximately 500,000 units in one week, which also happens to be the biggest shopping week here in the States.

According to the data, the GameCube was outpaced by only one video game system, the GameBoy Advance, which sold approximately 600,000 units last week. The news comes on the heels of Nintendo's aggressive price drop on September 25th in which they reduced the console price to $99.99.

"All along, our business plan for this year was to maximize consumer interest and sales during the fourth quarter," says George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "But frankly, we're overwhelmed by how successful we've been. Our price cut of Nintendo GameCube has ignited sales to the degree that it may turn out to be the best-selling console for the entire month of November. We're tracking to sell more systems in the last eight weeks of the year than we did in the previous 10 months combined."

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That's a lotta systems man. That $80 price at Walmart sure does wonders bringing in the white trash purchase. Congrats!

Still, I LOVE that second highlighted line. Yeah it was their plan "all along" to suck for most of the year and turn it up at the end. Riiight. So why did they release their biggest title in the spring?

Edited by: BoneStormer  at: 12/2/03 1:24 pm

[torkworld]

135945204 i really want to eat this candy cane, but its not mine

[nbrid]

You people are turning this forum into a giant confessional of uncopyrighted material! I dont even remember how sassy tork is anymore...

[BoneStormer]

Oddly, I agree. This number confession fad got old fast.

{{Yeah, Yeah! The 2 other people that post here agree with me!}}


40306200 I once masturbated in my mother's bed... while she was watching TV beside me.

Edited by: BoneStormer  at: 12/3/03 1:01 am