Sony Playstation 2, XBox, or ?

[Birdsnest]

If you were buying a game console for a 9 yr. old, which would game console would you buy? In your opinion, which has best graphics and games of the available consoles, could be playstation 2, or any other?

[HairlessBluetick]

PS2

[flan2dave]

Option other, Gamecube. The sense of adventure and wonder in these titles are in a class of their own:

Pikmin
Super Mario Sunshine
Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
Metroid Prime

Metroid and Pikmin will be seeing equally outstanding sequels this fall, along with a remarkable new Zelda later in fall 2005. There's also a remake of Ocarina of Time out there called Master Quest. Essential to get a hold of if you haven't played Zelda: Ocarina of Time in the first place.

I also recommend Luigi's Mansion, Animal Crossing, and Paper Mario 2 (this fall). Gamecube is the best multiplayer system, offering Mario Kart, Mario Party, Mario Golf, ...and certainly most of all..., the phenomenal Super Smash Bros. Melee. Smash Brothers is Gamecube's most universal AAA title, both single and multiplayer. If I had to choose one cube game with me on a stranded island, this would be it.

If you choose Xbox or PS2, your choice of games are limited, because their top tier games are oriented towards the older crowd (and still less numerous than cube's AAAs IMO). Xbox is the worse in this regard. I would recommend it as a second system (every system has plenty of merits to be sure, but in comparison I think it would be disapointing only to own an Xbox unless you play Halo all the time, you'd be seriously missing out on more important and enjoyable games). PS2 is much more balanced, but for the most part the selections fails to offer the uniqueness and class of Gamecube's best choices. For instance, PS2 has many platformer series: Sly Cooper, Jak and Daxter, and Ratchet and Clank. With each one, it's evident the moment you move the character there's something lacking in comparison to Mario Sunshine. They lack strong physics engines, you are not in intimate contact with their worlds as you are with Mario's. This is what I mean by class, underneath the light-hearted exterior of Nintendo games lies a deep sophistication. Remember, at this stage of the cycle, the quantity is irrevelant. The best of 2001, 2002, and 2003 can be supplemented with today's releases for PLENTY of games. You don't buy an entire system's library.

In addition, PS2 is a very weak multiplayer system (unless your in love with mundane sports games, ugh), which is something I don't think enough people consider, judging by the system's runaway sales.

One more thing, Gamecube is INSANELY cheap, systems sell for $100 bundled with excellent games (a kmart ad showed it bundled with Metroid Prime). It's a steal.

You also asked about Graphics. PS2 is the weakest, being a year old technology. Xbox uses brute force and gets away with a lack of efficiency with pure power, Gamecube is the sleekest and most efficient in design and approaches Xbox's best on a purely technical bases. If you asked your eyes, you probably couldn't tell which has the best graphics. Because of their difference in strengths and weaknesses, the games actually look pretty different, it's dificult to compare. How would you compare Wind Waker to Halo?

[Birdsnest]

Thank you for your tips Hairless Bluetick and Flan2Dave. My childs birthday is coming up this week, and he wants something better than the playstation 1 that he currently has. I plan on going shopping tomorrow--hope they have something in stock.

Flan2Dave, I've read your reply several times and found a lot of information in that. You write very well & I appreciate the comparisons and game recommendations.

[MacGuffin]

If you choose Xbox or PS2, your choice of games are limited, because their top tier games are oriented towards the older crowd (and still less numerous than cube's AAAs IMO). Xbox is the worse in this regard. I would recommend it as a second system (every system has plenty of merits to be sure, but in comparison I think it would be disapointing only to own an Xbox unless you play Halo all the time, you'd be seriously missing out on more important and enjoyable games).

No way. Anybody over the age of 14 will take the Xbox. There are plenty of amazing games that never make it over to Gamecube:

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow
Dead or Alive 3
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Grand Theft Auto Double Pack
Ninja Gaiden
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3
Full Spectrum Warrior
ESPN NFL 2K5
Project Gotham Racing 2

and most of all: Halo 2

[flan2dave]

I know McGuaffin, Xbox has a lot of great games, I don't mean to get in a system wars fight. You are not even listing all of Xbox's best fall/2005 titles, let me help =p :

Guilty Gear X2#Reload
Fable
Headhunter: Redemption
Outrun 2
Forza
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2
Conker: Live and Reloaded
Mech Assult 2

(!?!) And you forgot to list one of my favorite system exclusives: Panzer Dragoon Orta

I don't get what you mean about 14 year olds...is the fact that sex and violence appeal to some 14 year olds a console merit? Yipee.

[flan2dave]

Birdsnest wrote: "Flan2Dave, I've read your reply several times and found a lot of information in that. You write very well & I appreciate the comparisons and game recommendations."

Thanks and your welcome. :) Good luck on being able to find everything, some stores aren't too nice to the Gamecube shelves, even bonified classics can be absent in favor of enlarging their PS2 sections. System bias at the retail level is an ugly thing.

[Utopmk]

I agree with flan2dave. Gamecube isn't the best for graphics, but they have alot of fun games aimed for the 7-13 range. XBOX is the best console, but the games are far too complex to grasp for a 9 year old.

[Melody]

XBox is best in graphics, but...the games...maybe not so good.
Gamecube is second best in graphics, the games are allright.
PS2 worst in graphics (Dreamcast looks better than PS2,) the games are probably the best of the three.

I would buy all three if I had the money, but if I had to choose, it would be Gamecube because it has Zelda, Pikmin, Metroid, Mario, etc. PS2 and XBox do not have as many quality family-fun games.

[Utopmk]

Dreamcast looks better than PS2

Yes. Dreamcast is a good option as well.

[file cabinet]

get the latest gameboy.. cheaper++

[sme_bro]

im 17, bought the gameboy sp, dissapointed-im taking it back to get an xbox

[Avengardh]

Atari!

Lol, if you can find it ^^;

My brother has a Dreamcast and he seems to like it a lot...but otherwise, I will go for the Xbox (yeah, I am a graphics freak...), he has that game...Yu-Gi-Oh or something like that, he likes it a lot.

~*Aven*~

[Hunter]

Thank you for your tips Hairless Bluetick and Flan2Dave. My childs birthday is coming up this week, and he wants something better than the playstation 1 that he currently has. I plan on going shopping tomorrow--hope they have something in stock.


You already have a PS1? A PS2 would be a good choice because it's backwards compatible. SO you can pla old Ps1 games on it. And we can assume the PS3 will be that same. X-Box 2 won'tbe, and we haven't heard from nintendo.



And some [insert console here] games have better graphics than [insert other console here], and vice versa. Buy a console for the gameplay of the good games, not for graphics.

[Birdsnest]

Ok, thanks for all your tips. I liked the idea that the ps1 games were backwards compatible with the ps2, and so got my dad to buy the PS2, then I bought a James Bond 007 game, a memory card, and also bought the Game Cube to try. It came with Metroid free and I also bought Smash Brothers Melee. We are allowed to try it out for 45 days before we have to return it at Walmart.

He will get to open the PS2 on his birthday, but I let him open the game cube to try it. I told him we could try it for two hours and take it back if he didn't like it. He likes it. But metroid is really weird, maybe not exactly for 9 year olds, but he hasn't stopped yet. Smash Brothers is like a Mario brothers game on tv. We have a Sony XBR-800, so I am amazed at the quality of the surround sound from the Game Cube games its really quite good. I think we will keep the Game cube, and later try Zelda too.

Thanks everybody for your tips, they really helped.

[flan2dave]

Yeah, I should have said something about metroid, it's more of a gamer's game instead of a begginner's, not as easy to pick up as others, but just about any 3D adventure takes some getting used to because of the inherent complexities not present in a 2D game. My sister can barely play Wind Waker due to the fact she has to control the camera, for instance. On the other hand, she finished Final Fantasy X, a much harder game, where the camera guides itself. It's hard to know just what to suggest. Guides are easy to find on the internet though if he gets stuck.

[Birdsnest]

Yes, but Metroid came free with it, so I didn't lose anything, and I actually think he does really like it. So its all good. Thanks again.

[MacGuffin]

I know McGuaffin, Xbox has a lot of great games, I don't mean to get in a system wars fight.
Yeah sorry. Nintendo just burned me.

I owned the NES, Super NES, and N64. I got tired of waiting for interesting games on the N64 while the PS1 had great games out the wazoo. I ditched Nintendo after that and haven't looked back.

Platform games and other games that dominate the Gamecube can be fun, but just not what I've been looking for since junior high. No matter how well made, those cute Nintendo games just don't get it done anymore.

Nintendo better pull their head out of their ass. They used to be #1 in the U.S. Now they are a distant third. If Dreamcast (I have that too) had sold better, Nintendo would be 4th.

[Mr.G]

In the true spirt of Halloween, I'm raising a thread from the dead. I found it relevant to do so because I'm nostalgic of older technology. I also found it funny reading over this whole tread of how much we've evolved in gaming consoles.

[Ellipsis]

For a 9 year old: Gamecube or DS....

Every kid needs those early Nintendo memories!



Edit:


In the true spirt of Halloween, I'm raising a thread from the dead. I also found it relevant to do so because I'm nostalgic of older technology. I also found it funny reading over this whole tread of how much we've evolved in gaming consoles.

:mad:
so you are a noob for Halloween?:gm:

Anyway...I find that game consoles haven't really gone too far...multiplayer and access to extra content are great features. But my N64 and Zelda: Ocarina of Time will always win in my heart against anything.No game to date except maybe the original Halo and KOTOR has come close to that standard of being memorable and "life changing". It is the games that really matter..graphics are nice but I rather they spend money on level design or a better writer. Graphics are really all that have improved since the last generation...well that and additional pay-for content.