Suggestions for gaming console

[MattClaimer]

I'm not a huge gamer or anything, I just like to sit down and play a game now and then to relieve stress, fill a gap in time, make myself mentally tired, etc.

I've got a particular like for games like Gran Turismo, Need for Speed, GTA, and the old classics like Super Mario, etc. The HALO games and their like are fun, but I don't get into the violence and stress vibe I get from them.

Last time I played anything was on my PS2, until it gave up the ghost a few years back. Not worth having it fixed I'm sure.

Now that you have back-story on my game likes and intentions - what are your suggestions as to what I should buy new?

Walmart has a 4gig Xbox for $165.00. That seems like a pretty good deal. Price is definitely right. Would that be sufficient to handle just playing the lates Forza, GT, Need For Speed and similar stuff? I don't need to connect online and play against others. I don't need power and space to store tons of data and other erroneous items.

So what say you? Would you get this Xbox, or look at other options? What other options would you suggest?

I'd really like to keep the expense for the machine under $200.00.

 

[Scealle]

I am a huge PS 1 and 2 gamer but I only played a few PS 3 and X box games. I think most consoles have driving games. Xbox seems to be a pretty good investment if you ask me.

They haven't really develop anything that will replace the game system completely like hows PS 2 replace PS 1 and how PS 3 replace PS 2 etc.

My cousin bought it 5 years ago and he's till playing the latest games.

Also most games from PS 3/ are usually available in Xbox anyways. I think the only disadvantages about X Box is that their games are more expensive than PS 3 games.

 

[GamerBear]

Most of all the games you listed are on 360, it would be best to buy a 360. A lot of the games on 360 are also on PC except for games like Red Dead Redemption which is a great game. I think if your mind is set on a 360 then get one, I would not get a PS3 because it goes over $200 dollars, not very good deals for a PS3 under $200.

 

[jensu846]

just got a Wii-U for xmas and its awesome!

 

[MattClaimer]

I'd prefer to stay with the Sony product, because I like Sony quality and I have a lot of the older games from my PS1 and 2. But right now it's about saving cash and Sony isn't likely to drop their prices under 200 for PS3. Don't want to hassle with Ebay, etc. Thought about going to pawn shops, but then there's no guarantee that I'd be getting a machine that has been take care of.

But, with the pricing for the 360 at 160 dollars, that leaves enough to rent/buy a few new games and I could sell my PS1 and 2 games for a few bucks probably.

Thanks guys, for the advice!

 

[Corny]

Also you can play PS1 games and even some PS2 easily on emulators, even on somewhat recent laptops

 

[MattClaimer]

Also you can play PS1 games and even some PS2 easily on emulators, even on somewhat recent laptops

Thanks - I've tried PC's and laptops and and it works, but to me there's nothing that takes the place of lying on the floor on your stomach, feet bent up behind you at the knees and crossed, with a controller in your hand while staring up at a large screen TV two feet in front of your face so you're right there in the middle of it all, ya know what I mean? Yeah I know, child-like and bad for you, but hey, what's life if you can't have fun your own way, right?

 

[Corny]

Yep. HDMI cable + wireless USB controller. You can even use most of the gaming consoles controllers on a PC.

 

[MattClaimer]

Yep. HDMI cable + wireless USB controller. You can even use most of the gaming consoles controllers on a PC.

Right. My PC's are both limited screen size, 17 standard flat screen, and 19 flat, widescreen and not really gaming machines at all as far as speed and display.

Just not the same as being on the floor in front of the 55 incher LED TV.

And wiring and space logistics won't allow me to connect my pc's to my TV. And my laptop is strictly for work.

 

[Corny]

fast enough for PS1 games. Also there is HDMI over IP.

If you don't *want* to play the old games over a PC just say so. But don't act like it's impossible.

You could even buy a raspberry pi for less than $50 and play most of them and all the old SNES, NES and N64 games, too.

 

[Negasta]

Don't buy a console now, wait until the 3rd Quarter of 2013, because both the Playstation 4 and XBox 720 are releasing then.

 

[MattClaimer]

Don't buy a console now, wait until the 3rd Quarter of 2013, because both the Playstation 4 and XBox 720 are releasing then.

And both for far more than a 160 bucks I'm sure. But thanks anyway.

 

[GamerBear]

Also you can play PS1 games and even some PS2 easily on emulators, even on somewhat recent laptops

Backed up my physical copies of my PS1 games and put them on my external hard drive and have a PS3 controller to play the games with. Played them in public on my laptop and it always gets people going.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

If you want to get into gaming (seriously), consider purchasing a quality PC. with a good PC you can run almost any game with the highest settings, you have the advantage of having free stuff (patches and DLCs) especially if you use STEAM. Steam has also the advantage of often organizing sales (4 times a year) with substantial discounts (I bought something like 7 games for less than 60 bucks). 7 games for €60 > 1 PS3 or Xbox game for 50.
PC gaming is a worthwhile investment.

 

[Corny]

So you don't want a PC, not a different console and you don't want to spend more than $160. What exactly are you asking us for ?

 

[Scealle]

Thanks - I've tried PC's and laptops and and it works, but to me there's nothing that takes the place of lying on the floor on your stomach, feet bent up behind you at the knees and crossed, with a controller in your hand while staring up at a large screen TV two feet in front of your face so you're right there in the middle of it all, ya know what I mean? Yeah I know, child-like and bad for you, but hey, what's life if you can't have fun your own way, right?

Haha totally know what you meant.

Don't buy a console now, wait until the 3rd Quarter of 2013, because both the Playstation 4 and XBox 720 are releasing then.

Oh Man, I cant wait for this! I wonder what the graphics is going to be like. PS 3 games graphics is already so good!

If you want to get into gaming (seriously), consider purchasing a quality PC. with a good PC you can run almost any game with the highest settings, you have the advantage of having free stuff (patches and DLCs) especially if you use STEAM. Steam has also the advantage of often organizing sales (4 times a year) with substantial discounts (I bought something like 7 games for less than 60 bucks). 7 games for €60 > 1 PS3 or Xbox game for 50.
PC gaming is a worthwhile investment.

This is quite true. I have a classmate who spent around $ 10k on his PC, he bought the best specs with that budget and he always play high graphic games and yet still being the top student in class. (Good PC fastens work process)

 

[MattClaimer]

So you don't want a PC, not a different console and you don't want to spend more than $160. What exactly are you asking us for ?

OK - let's try this again. I guess I wasn't clear enough before -- lol Forget everything I've said prior to now.

Here we go:

The top two gaming consoles are PS3 and XBox 360.

There are no choices for any version of the PS3 under the price of 250ish, for a new rig. So that leaves the PS3 pretty much out of the question due to price

So that leaves the Xbox 360 machines. There ARE options for the Xbox 360's.

So what I am asking is, why would I need a 250 dollar, 250gig Xbox 360S, when I have the option to buy a 165 dollar Xbox 360 4gig machine? Why the huge disparity in disc sizes? What's the need for so much vs. so little?

Am I going to get screwed and find that with the cheap machine and only 4 gig space that I need to then go purchase memory cards or expansion discs or something?

I'm not wanting to become an avid gamer, or spend months on end playing games. I don't intend on playing against other people online, using it to stream video or play dvd's or as a music source.

I just want a cheap, new machine that I can come home to after work and throw in a driving game or a shoot-em-dead game, or a sports game and blow off the stress of the day, or to entertain me between naps when I'm home sick on the couch all day, etc.

Is that cheap 4 gig Xbox sufficient for? Or is it necessary to have the bigger machine?

 

[MattClaimer]

Here's the Walmart link. (it went up to $179) < still doable though, at that price.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Xbox-360-4GB-Console/14917960

 

[Corny]

Ok, sorry now we are getting closer

Well much stuff is installed on the X Box HD, not only savegames. This could limit the number of games that you have installed at once. I only play xBox casually at friends' homes, so I don't know if there are some games that would need more than 4gb on their own.

Why the price difference? Standard tactic .. just look at Apple hardware - the versions with more memory are always even more ridiculously overpriced than the small version. Many people won't go with the smallest version, so they make a lot of profit from it.

Maybe somebody else knows if you can upgrade the xBox harddrive ...

 

[GamerBear]

You can upgrade the hard drive later on if space is an issue