While I've wasted plenty of my life pushing little buttons for transitory electronic glee, it's been awhile since I've touched any game systems and I need advice.
My 11-year old has asked for an X-Box for Xmas. He has a GameCube, a Playstation 1, and a PC. From what I can tell, the X-Box seems to be hotter, but has fewer games which cost more. The Playstation 2 will play his PS1 games, and play DVDs. But coolness might trump practicality, and I know for a fact he wants Halo 2 when it comes out.
So. Who's played both? Which is better, overall?
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
The Playstation 2, IMO, is better, especially if you have a large number of Playstation 1 games. The XBox is more technologically advanced, but let's face it: that doesn't actually matter.
Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :
Forgive the question if it seems rude, but isn't the little dude a bit video-game intensive as is? My advice would be to buy him a football. Cheaper, better for his health and social interaction, and makes many more memories.
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
No forgiveness necessary, it's a valid question. There will be other presents intended to get him the heck out of the house. Also in his defense, he tends to be a serial gamer - a new game system tends to drive out the old, so the previous one gets boxed away until he gets bored with the new one, etc.
Posted by Desu (Member # 5941) on :
PS2 is cooler than the XBox anyways... Although maybe not for an 11 year old. I'd stick with PS2 for DVDs and simply because it has more games. Halo for PC is in stores right now, so you can get that for him aswell, depending on the type of pc you have (high or low performance).
As I have already told someone on this forum, if you want the kid to be content just buy a highspeed internet connection and set up Counter-Strike on your computer, however you run the risk of ruining your suns life.
Posted by ae (Member # 3291) on :
The PS2 is more bang for your buck, IMHO, but I don't think there's really that much difference. If he's got his heart set on the Halo franchise, X-box would probably be the better idea.
Posted by BobbyK (Member # 5970) on :
Before I got my PC, I loved my XBox.
It plays DVDs I might point out. 19.99 for the remote control reciever. Yeah, it's a little extra, but I was impressed with video quality.
It rips music from cd. You can make playlists, and some(VERY few) games allow you to play from your personal playlist.
And as far as Halo goes. You can't beat the control style of XBox. It works. I'd suggest the system featuring the smaller style controllers. There some still out there with ping pong rackets for controllers.
My 2 cents.
Posted by Book (Member # 5500) on :
You know that much of what prevents osteoporosis is an active lifestyle during youth? Bone mass, I believe, is continually added the more active a kid is, and you stop adding bone mass at around 21. Then it steadily is worn away. Many physicians are actually very worried about the console generation.
Aren't I just a little barrel of sunshine? I apologize if that was presumptuous, it's just that I learned that recently and I've been going around wondering if my childhood was active enough.
[ December 06, 2003, 03:39 AM: Message edited by: Book ]
Posted by Desu (Member # 5941) on :
You choose to take the pill that makes you ill. It does not help to worry about every discovery.
Here comes the Mac Truck to run over the active and healthy, sparing the indoor Gollum cradling his precious.
Life is too complicated a thing to fathom in a lifetime, do what makes you happy, it's all a mind game in the end.
Posted by Da_Goat (Member # 5529) on :
I'd get him an Xbox with the DVD adapter thing if he really wants Halo 2. Most of the good games for PS2 also come out for Xbox, and with added features. I happen to like my PS2 better, but that's mainly because its got the bonus DVD player and the Playstation games.
The ability to rip your CDs onto the Xbox is pretty cool, though...but, I don't use it that much. I have a stereo in my room - which, I might point out, doesn't mind if I play burned CDs!
Posted by A Rat Named Dog (Member # 699) on :
I think he'll probably end up decently happy no matter which you get him (though the fact that he's asking for an XBox and looking forward to Halo 2 weighs heavily in its favor). Most people who say one system is inherently better than the other are just expressing their own bias towards a certain type of game. Your eleven-year-old probably has much more flexible tastes than us old people. I say, get him the one he wants.
Posted by narrativium (Member # 3230) on :
Whichever system you get him, make sure you pick up a copy of Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. In my opinion, this is the best game of the year.
And it's available for all the consoles, and soon for PC.
Posted by LockeTreaty (Member # 5627) on :
As a well informed gamer I would say that Sony game systems in general are a much better investment. They tend to more and better third-party titles (Squenix, Koei, Namco, Atlus, etc. However, people generally know what they want, and unless your kid has said, "I can't wait for the next Bloody Roar game," he probably isn't any different. Posted by slacker (Member # 2559) on :
Desu, they've got a port of CS for the consoles, but I doubt that it'll get the same following as it did on the PC.
That being said, I'd love to play some CS against someone on a console and see how well they do against my MS natural keyboard (cause that's how all keyboards exist in the wild) and my explorer mouse 3.0.
I did just have a thought - there are many sub-mods for CS now (CS being in and of itself a mod), how would CS on a console handle the submods.
Too much thinking, time to go play CS on a hookmod server (think spiderman with a colt ).
Posted by Batman (Member # 4211) on :
PS2 is definetely better, but if he asked for an X-box, he'll be happier with an X-box. I sure know that if I had asked for a gamecube and somebody went around, asked others' opinions, and got me an X-box, I would have been pissed.
-CM
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
Whichever we get, he'll have pre-approved. No way am I taking a change on a $179 system he doesn't want. There'll be other surprises, but not that one.
Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
Get him a super nintendo. Or, if you had one in the past, bring it out and give it to him again. It can be the gift that keeps on giving.
Posted by Nick (Member # 4311) on :
quote: Most people who say one system is inherently better than the other are just expressing their own bias towards a certain type of game.
<partly serious, sacrcastic rant>
Thanks Rat. I was waiting for somebody to put the haughty PS2 owners in their place. Xbox will have more games. In fact, they outsell PS2 and gamecube right now.
Popular opinion seems to be against the PS2 lovers.... hmmmmm I knew people would come around to the "right" way of thinking. jk
*is an Xbox owner* </partly serious, sacrcastic rant>
That said, PS2 in and of itself is not very good. It's slower, and it has longer loading times (very important for an impatient 11-year-old). It does have a greater library of games, but those games will become old, and Xbox is producing new Microsoft authorized games just as fast as PS2 is producing Sony authorized games.
PS2 might have more games, but that's mainly because of it's backward game capability. The next generation of Xbox will curb that advantage.
Don't get me wrong, I don't want Xbox to be a monopoly on consoles. I don't like Microsoft very much, but I like their Xbox. Chris, go with your son's preference. Use the facts in mine, Tom D's and Rat's post in conjunction with your son's choice. That will make you both happier in the end. Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
We have, by the way, already made plans to cut up and combine two shoeboxes into a single, x-shaped box, and wrap it for him...
Posted by Nick (Member # 4311) on :
Posted by Alucard... (Member # 4924) on :
Chris,
My son and I are avid fans of video games. Currently we have most systems, including:
XBOX PS2 2 networked 2.53GHz PCs Dreamcast 2 Gameboy SPs.
More often than not, we hook up the XBOX and crank out a game of Halo, cooperative play. Otherwise, it is games on a LAN on the PC, namely Starcraft and Age of Mythology.
The only time we hook up the PS2 is if his friends come over and they bring their PS2 games...
That being said, I have found the PS2 to lose time and time again to the XBOX, but that is due to Halo and a select few games.
Worth mentioning is Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and who could pass on Halo 2!
Although it is the new kid on the block, I (and I can only speak for myself and not upset any PS2 fans) would choose Xbox over PS2.
P.S. DVD players are hitting rock bottom at 40 bucks...or as mentioned, splurge on the Xbox DVD remote, so do not let that be the deciding factor! There is also a cool Halo 2 demo with a unique controller for sale at Best Buy for 19.99 right now...
[ December 08, 2003, 02:11 PM: Message edited by: Alucard... ]
Posted by Nick (Member # 4311) on :
You do know that you can buy a Xbox bundle for $179 that includes: Xbox 2 type s controllers dvd adapter and remote tetris worlds star wars clone wars
PS2's cost the same, and they come with less.
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
quote:2 networked 2.53GHz PCs
quote:Starcraft
Mmmm... overkill.
Posted by Nick (Member # 4311) on :
I have three pentium 2s with integrated video that run StarCraft with any problem whatsoever. Now Half-Life however.... Posted by saxon75 (Member # 4589) on :
quote:Worth mentioning is Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Knights of the Old Republic just came out for PC. I was ecstatic until I remembered that my computer is woefully inadequate for that game.
Posted by Nick (Member # 4311) on :
KOTOR... I found it boring.
Posted by LinuxPengwin (Member # 2423) on :
Ahh, another vote for LAN+Starcraft here... 6 networked PCs with Starcraft provided my friends and i like 2 years of fun. Now, I think in terms of systems.... i'm not sure if this is right, but basically, go PS2 if you/your son is an RPG fan, otherwise Xbox (although KOTOR might change that)
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I knew people would come around to the "right" way of thinking. ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
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