X-Box, GameCube, or PS2

[Guest Mole]

I am sure this question has been asked 1,000 times, but I am asking it again.

 

My birthday is coming up, and I would like to get either GameCube, PS2, or X-Box, which one should I get?

 

Most of my friends have PS2, and I already own a DVD player, so I really don't want PS2.

 

I have never played XBox, but I really don't wanna support Microsoft.

 

So I am leaning towards GameCube. However, is this the right choice, or should I get something else?

[Guest Renegade]

Depends what type of games you like:

 

PS2: It has the best fighting games, SD, Tekken, VF, CvsSNK2 and many more in the pipeline. Plus Megaman X7 is coming out (although i seem to be the only one marking out for it.) Gun games, Devil may Cry, GTA Vice city coming out soon and many more games.

 

GC: Sonic, Mario, rumors of a Sonic/Mario "Dream come true" game. Res Evil galore, Fire pro and other Nintendo exclusive games.

 

As fot the X-Box...meh, stick with one of the above methinks.

[Guest Grenouille]

I'd go with the PS2(It does more than play DVDs ) based on the deep library of games for the console and backwards compatibility with old PSX games. As far as Cube and X-Box, personally I don't like the controls of either one, but if I had to pick I'd go with the Cube since it does have a promising future.

[Guest jimmy no nose]

The PS2 for the game library that is currently out, or the Xbox for better online play.

[Guest KANE]

X-box online play costs money. PS2's will be worse, but also free.

 

I have both a PS2 and a Cube, and I personally would choose the Cube. It seems like the games are spread out more, but they're also better and better looking. Not to mention load times on that system are almost non-existant. If you want Nintendo big-name exclusives, now's the time with Mario due next week, Metroid in November, Zelda in February, and I forget when Star Fox is due.

 

You can call me a fanboy if you like--I just think Nintendo won't dissapoint.

[Guest DrTom]

I'd go with an X-Box.

 

Now that I have an X-Box (it was a gift, for those who remember my anti-X-Box rumblings from the past) along with a PS2, I can definitely say that Microsoft's console is where it's at. Believe me, I'm not a fan of their business practices, either, but they made a damn good gaming machine and I'm not going to take that away from them. The controller is a little awkward at first, but they do make a smaller one that's more similar in size and form to the PSX/PS2 controllers. Online play is a plus, as is the hard drive. It holds as much data as over 1000 PS2 memory cards. Load times are faster, graphics are better, and the game library is improving. Remember, PS2 has been out for twice as long as X-Box. It's true that you need a remote kit for DVD playback, but the X-Box DVD player isn't plagued by incompatibilities like the PS2's is.

 

GameCube has never impressed me. Nintendo finally caught on to the fact that cartridges suck and disc-based games are the way to go, but they screwed it up by making a smaller, proprietary disc player that doesn't even play music CD's. The hardware is also less impressive than the X-Box or the PS2's.

 

I think X-Box is the best value for the dollar right now.

[Guest redbaron51]

X-Box.

 

graphics wise it pounds the piss out of the other systems, if you want to really compare their graphics look at Project Gothem Racing to Grand Turismo, or Morrowind graphics.

 

The controller is a bit weird, but if you are into wrestling games, i'd go with the X-Box, unless you like fire pro then the Cube.

 

As for the games, there's actually a really great list, you have three great NFL games in Fever, 2K3 and Madden 2003, Morrowind is an epic RPG, Project Gothem Racing, a Tom Clancy game coming out soon, Shenume 2, Halo 2 (oh man best FPS game in a long time)

[Guest jimmy no nose]

X-box online play costs money. PS2's will be worse, but also free.

If you think about it PS2 will likely cost gamers more money to play online. With the PS2 the network adapter costs $40 and you only get the adapter. You'd need to buy a keyboard(~$20) to communicate with others. The Xbox Live kit costs $50 and comes with a headset and a free game(PSO) that allows you 1 year of the service as well. Part of the reason for Microsoft centralizing everything as they did is so that they can provide the servers, all first party games will be free and 3rd parties will be more likely to make the online play free because they dont have to keep their own servers(that's not to say that all of them will though). On the PS2 each game is run seperately and while some of them may be free, many games will likely charge a monthly fee for online play because the companies who make the games will have to provide their own online servers.

[Guest Karnage]

If you got lots of cash, get a Panasonic Q. It plays DVDs and GC games from all regions.

[Guest KoR Fungus]

I maintain that tech specs are pretty much irrelevant, and that most people couldn't tell the difference between the systems in a blind test. PGR's and GT3's graphics look almost identical, and I'd actually give the slight nod to GT3's because of the more detailed car models. The graphics of all three systems are just way too similar for it to matter.

 

All that really matters to me is library, and there I think NGC and especially PS2 are head and shoulders above X-Box. Yeah PS2 has been out longer, but I certainly don't see anything coming out for X-Box in the next year that's going to cut into PS2's huge library advantage. NGC is making up ground with Metroid, Zelda and Mario, but X-Box is just kind of floudering.

 

So, I'd recommend PS2, but if all your friends already have one, NGC is also a solid system. You'll be happy with either.

[Guest Big McLargeHuge]

I'd have to agree with KoR Fungus. For ports I usually turn to my XBox. But for exclusives, it does nothing for me. Party Games? GCN. RPGs? PS2. Wrestling games? Can you say Fire Pro...on GCN.

 

What you need to consider is what type of games you like.

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

Buy a Gamecube.

 

You'll be glad you did.

[Guest Jobber of the Week]

Here's an idea:

 

Go look at the libraries of all the systems, count the number of games you want for each, and buy the one with the most.

 

 

 

However, if you hold a gun to my head and tell me I must decide for you, then just buy a PS2 because there's less chance you'll be unhappy.

[Guest jimmy no nose]

Here's an idea:

 

Go look at the libraries of all the systems, count the number of games you want for each, and buy the one with the most.

I like that idea, but keep in mind that in the months leading in to Christmas Xbox and Gamecube are both going to be putting out their big time exclusives. Make sure you look into the upcoming release schedule as well.

[Guest El Psycho Diablo]

Here's the best advice.

 

Don't listen to anyone else. Ever.

 

People all have their own bias. (PS2 Rocks! GC Rocks! Xbox sucks! Xbox rocks!) The simple fact is nobody else is you. What someone else likes, you might not. Try a few games, look through the libraries (and to be fair, no console is behind the other in upcoming games. Let's get thought out.) and then decide.

 

Listening to anyone else will likely get you what they want. Not you.

[Guest -Cutthroat-]

I have Cube, I love it. But all the game platforms are all the same. I hate PS2 and X-Box, go Game Cube!

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

I have a PS2 and a GC.

 

I'm quite happy with both.

 

The GC is about to start paying off with Nintendo Exclusives like Mario, Metroid, Zelda, Star Fox Adventures, Res Evil 0 and so on...

 

But PS2 has GTA4, Kingdom Hearts and the Getaway that I really want too.

 

I still don't se any games on XBox that make me want one.

[Guest C-Bacon]

Final Fantasy marks have to own a PS2

[Guest Jobber of the Week]

I have Cube, I love it. But all the game platforms are all the same. I hate PS2 and X-Box, go Game Cube!

So even though you say that It's All Good, you hate certain systems anyway?

 

Why?

[Guest Rabbi_wilson13]

I got a Gamecube last Christmas, and it was kinda boring for a while, but now with everything starting to come out, it's great.

 

My friend's have PS2's and X-Boxs, and I can't really knock them, either. I'm just a Nintendo fanboy.

 

If I could have a PS2 and Gamecube, I'd be a happy camper. XBox I can live without. Between the Sony and Nintendo systems, you're going to get most of your franchises and big-time games.

[Guest Mattdotcom]

"Final Fantasy marks have to own a PS2"

 

True Final Fantasy marks must also own a GameCube, so they'll be able to ply the Cube exclusive Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicle.

 

I have a GameCube and love it, but I've always been a Nintendo mark. I mean, how can you not go wrong with Mario games, Rare games, StarFox, Zelda, etc.? People say it's kiddy, but it's like this: You can't just market something like games to adults. Kids play games, too. Don't like Mario? Get Eternal Darkness. Don't like the new Zelda look (even though you haven't played it, you fuckers)? Get Resident Evil. Don't wanna replay the first? Wait for another one of the six Resident Evil games to come out. Like sports? Take a look. NCAA, NBA, NFL, NHL, Blits, Hitz, etc. Excellent controller (WaveBird and standard). Great graphics. Virtually no load times on most games (Nintendo ones especially). And look how tiny it is!

 

As for a PS2, I could see myself playing it. Nothing to complain about. Good games, good controller. Plays DVDs. But so does my DVD player...To me, this system is the middle man, as I like it, but can't get behind it.

 

I hate the X-Box. Big controller. Slow. Sentence fragments. Just phrases.

[Guest Perfect Plex]

Final Fantasy marks have to own a PS2

Very true, but as one of those marks, I should let anyone who's thinking about buying one know that a lot of us were quite disappointed with FFX.

 

It should also be noted that the PS2 has become infamous for shitting out. Every single one of my friends with a PS2 has had to send it in at some point to fix some problem, and I have heard countless horror stories of how inept and rude their customer support team is. This is all heresay, however, because my PS2 works great.

[Guest KoR Fungus]

My PS2's DVD player has never worked very well, but the rest of the system has worked perfectly. I haven't heard anything from friends about their systems breaking either. I've heard some stories online, but PS2 has been good to all of us, DVD player aside.

 

I loved FFX, it was easily the best since FF7, imo. It was a little overlinear, but besides that it was solid. First one since FF7 with a good plot from start to finish, and it has plenty to do after you beat the game. The custom monsters are great.

[Guest Perfect Plex]

I loved FFX, it was easily the best since FF7, imo. It was a little overlinear, but besides that it was solid. First one since FF7 with a good plot from start to finish, and it has plenty to do after you beat the game. The custom monsters are great.

We could probably start an entire thread purely on this subject, but I won't. I didn't HATE FFX, but it really seemed to me that Square ditched pure FF gameplay for beautifully done cinema scenes, and a hell of a lot of them. Don't get me wrong, the stories are what keep me coming back, but God damn it, let me PLAY once in a while.

[Guest Jobber of the Week]

IMO, the last good Final Fantasy was #6. Since then, they have turned into romance novels or soap operas with FMV.

 

Final Fantasy went downhill when they ditched the Knights and the Dragoons and Paladins and so on for fruity-colored worlds and CG-created teenagers.

 

I do not want to play some angsty guy in his low-twenties with an emotional problem who has to deal with his "issues" while fighting some monster. I want to play as a brave warrior who embarks on a journey to SAVE THE FUCKING WORLD. FF6 was the last game like that.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Am I the only person on earth who absolutely loves the gigantic X-box controller? My favorite controller ever, hands down. I hate the miniscule Nintendo flimsy plastic miseries that cramp my fingers in a matter of minutes. The gamecube controller is easily my most hated of the bunch. all the buttons are stuck helter skelter on one side, the d-pad is eclipsed by my thumb, and the c-stick needs to be stuffed in a pillowcase and thrown off a cliff.

[Guest WukenBloodstar]

You're not the only person who loves the gigantic X-Box controller Agent. I find it extremely hard to use the PS2 and GC controllers. I found the PS2 controller to be a pain on my fav PS2 games, Ace Combat 4 and GTA3. Anyway..I still think the X-Box is better all around than PS2...but hey, most people here don't seem to think that

[Guest Big McLargeHuge]

I HATE the Xbox controller. The shoulder buttons are the single most irritating thing ever...no wait, the black and white buttons that are about 30 feet away from the rest of the face buttons are.

I can live with the japanese controller, but the American version is just terrible.

 

I'll agree that the Sony Dual Shock is the best console controller out there.

[Guest Jobber of the Week]

I can work with both Xbox controllers (and I do have small hands) , but it depends from game to game.

 

I would NOT want to play Agent Under Fire on the Japanese controller for instance.