Another "what should I buy?" thread
 

Sorry for the redundancy in this matter but I figure I'll get more replies if I make a thread of it.

Dilemma: Nintendo DS, Wii, X360.

Scenario: I'm in college and about to get a job that I know I'm gonna hate so to make myself feel better about it I'd like to spend my first paycheck (or spend money now and save the paycheck) from it on something I really want. At first it was a choice between a game system and a DVD player, but I'm fine with my MacBook for that stuff; then it was a choice between a game system and a stack of DVDs/books, but I can always buy that stuff gradually. So now it's a choice between game systems. This is the rundown as I see it:

DS - much cheaper than anything else. Fun games. Not too addictive (from what I've played). Can play with my sister, who has a DS, while I'm at college. Portability is great.

Wii - mid-range price for the home console experience. Should be fun for parties if I ever feel like shelling out for more Wiimotes. Should have some really fun games as the console comes into its own. Zelda.

X360 - will probably win this generation and have the exclusives I care about. More powerful of the three systems, also the most expensive at my college budget. Also would probably need a decent TV. Will not be worrying about Live or the HD drive, so perhaps the Core system will do?

At the moment I'm leaning toward the DS because of the much lower price and the fact the games are only a little more than half the price of "next-gen" games. It should prove the most hassle-free experience and the games seem like a lot of fun. I dunno how it works yet but being able to play SCUMM games on it would be sweet.

What are your thoughts on each system, considering that price, ease, longevity, and fun are my main concerns? Also, any nice deals related to any one of these systems?

You live in an alternate reality? While the Xbox 360 is going strong, the PS3 will "win" eventually, saleswise. It hasn't even been released here in Europe yet, and it's only been out for a few weeks.

But to get on topic - from what you're, I'd buy the X360. If it's got more exclusives that you want than any of the others, I don't see why you're considering anything else. Also, it's got a very decent dvd-player integrated. But I recommend not getting the core pack. If you don't buy the premium, you'll miss out on a wireless controller and the HD is pretty essential for the Xbox 360. If you don't have a HD, you'll have to get a memory card instead (if you want to save your games and profiles), which has very little memory, and where I live, buying a core pack plus a memory card almost brings you up to the price of the premium pack anyway, so getting the core pack is basically a waste of money.

Oh, and Live is also essential, so I'd seriously consider it unless you have no way of connecting it to the internet. You'll miss out on game demos and more importantly, SWOS!

I think the PS3 will eventually catch up, but it may take more than a year or two for it to do so as a long term investment I'd say it's not a wise one. This is because Sony is losing up to $300 on each console, they CANNOT afford any kind of price drop any time soon (even if they can lower production costs with slightly cheaper hardware, they're still very deeply IN DEBT and need to at least break even), thus it could prevent mainstream consumers (read: NON-fanboys and early adopters) from considering the PS3.

Consequently game developers and publishers may not be as enthused about designing titles just for a console with a comparably smaller install base, thus fewer exclusives (as we've already seen happening with once PS3 exclusive titles going multiplatform). After all, why buy a $600 console when you can enjoy the same game on a $400 one (or even a $250 one)?

I'd say stay away from the PS3 for at least a couple years until many more games launch for it and maybe, JUST maybe, a $10 price drop (LOL!!), and DO NOT fall into the trap of wanting to be among the first to brag about playing MGS4 or FFXIIIMMMCCC. It's just not worth parting with $600 this year.

Anyway, your best bet, Spiwak, is the X360. It has a much larger selection of games, currently the most exclusive titles and diverse titles, listen to your own personal soundtrack while playing your favourite game, watch your DVD movies, the Xbox Live Silver tier of service is free (you can d/l game demos, trailers, HD movies to 'rent', music videos, watch DVD movies, chat/message fellow members like me, Dasilva, and EvoG, and....erm, tons of other goodies too numerous to mention).

EDIT: Forgot to add, you DON'T need a $3000 HDTV with the X360. For now you can enjoy it on an analog TV. Microsoft is very sympathic that way. Before I got my little HDTV I played Burnout: Revenge and Oblivion on a regular screen and I was still blown away by the graphics. However, once you can afford an HDTV it'll be a very sweet thing indeed.

Buy a DS AND a Wii for the price of the X360.

Forget all those X360 games, you won't have time play them. :)

And you'll probably have a PC someday that can play them.

And you're right. DS games are a lot of fun.

http://www.playfeed.com/blogimages/g...arsevolved.jpg

:P With the Xbox Live Arcade and broadband connection you can play 'minute games' like Hexen, Geometry Wars, and Lumines for free. I just counted them, there are at least 41 'minute games' available to play.

EDIT: Many of these games are free, but some of them are demos. To unlock the full game requires a small fee.

But there are hundreds of them on the PC.

And you still can't play them on the bus/train like the DS :)

Personally I would never play on a portable while on the bus and train. I will miss my stop. Plus they're not as engrossing, and if they are I will be so engrossed that I'll miss my stop anyway.

Thanks for the suggestions thus far. For the record, I can't even consider the PS3 because it's so damned expensive at the moment. I love my PS2 but I really don't think PS3 will have the same success, and I really don't like Sony this time around. I got to play around with a 360 finally (Viva Pinata, to be specific) and I was so addicted to that game. I stood in front of that gaming station for at least an hour constructing a garden that I couldn't keep anyway. If I do decide on a 360 I'll have to wait for a little while because, as wilco astutely pointed out, I don't know if I have the time to be throughly addicted to games...and I'd like to see if they drop the price any time soon. Of the three systems I'm considering, the 360 definitely has more games I'm anticipating or would like to play (Oblivion, Gears of War, GRAW, R6:V, Mass Effect, BioShock, Assassin's Creed, Viva Pinata), though... But it would also be the most expensive route, to be sure.

I also really like Nintendo as a company and would like to support them. Plus, Mario Kart DS, New Super Mario Bros., Brain Age I guess, Phoenix Wright, MP: Hunters, Elite Beat Agents, Phantom Hourglass, and I'm sure many many more I'm just not aware of yet. And for the Wii, Twilight Princess, Raving Rabbids, Smash Bros. Brawl, Metroid Prime games, future Mario Kart, every GameCube game I wanted to play...

If I bled pure gold I'd just slit my wrists and get all three, of course.

Does XBox 360 have more exclusives than DS? I find it suprising, considering the latter's popularity and two-year head start (and that's not even counting the fact that "porting" from or to Nintendo's handheld is often de facto making a new game altogether, because the interface is so unique). Can anyone provide any sources on that?

Since I just bought a 360 and haven't regretted it in the slightest I'll say: "Get a 360" :P
Also, when I look at the coming titles Alan Wake, BioShock and Mass Effect; I start to drool ;)

I don't think you should skip the hard drive though.

No.

Spiwak, I'd take a DS if I were you. Cheap, good, has loads of games and a great future ahead of it. Wii is neat, but I think it will be going through a drought of good games in the following months. I'd wait till next Christmas before picking one. Xbox 360 would actually be my first choice, but I'm not sure if I would recommend a Core system and no Live Gold subscription. So, since money is an issue...

If you get a 360 it also acts as a DVD player.

The Wii doesn't have DVD playback as standard.

Personally I think it depends on what you want from a console. The 360 has some class games, but tends towards the shooter end of the market (not many RPG's, which was an Xbox problem as well). It certainly has some fantastic games and most if not all of the PS3 games are also being released on the 360.

The Wii is unique and great fun to play (if a bit tiring), but so far mini games seem to be the flavour and i've yet to play Zelda for an extended period to see if it works as well as with a normal gamepad. Red Steel is fun, but not the greatest game. Rayman is mini game tastic and Wii Sports is enormous fun. Certainly more fun in groups.

The DS is the adventure game portable of choice and has some excellent games. It's also releatively cheap to pick up.

360 for serious gaming, Wii for fun and parties or the DS for portability.

Hard choice. If i had to pick i'd say 360.

p.s I think the 360 has a decent chance of spliting the market with the PS3. The PS3 is not selling as well as they had hoped, even in Japan. When more titles are released it might take off, but Sony will have no where near the market share they had with the PS2. (anyone who says differently is a PS fanboy)

http://www.xbox365.com/gdb/images/GG...fect_6_500.jpg

< pimp > Hey Spiwak, have you seen the recent X06 gameplay demo for Mass Effect?

http://www.gametrailers.com/player.p...pe=wmv&pl=game

high def version : http://www.gametrailers.com/player.p...pe=wmv&pl=game

< /pimp >

Not yet, but many are coming this (and next) year, of both Japanese (Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, Eternal Sonata, Infinite Undiscovery, Cry On, Operation Darkness, Magna Carta 2, Absolute Blazing Infinity...) and Western (Two Worlds, Mass Effect, Elveon, The White Council, Fable 2...) variety.

Yeah, it's almost dizzying, the amount and diversity of the RPGs coming to the 360. I'm hoping that there will be idiosyncratic artsy games, too (of the Katamari and Colossus kind). I'd faint if Tim Schafer announced plans for a 360 game.

Well, you could also "hook up" with Trep. From what I've heard he's not only got a Three-Sixty, but a big Tee-Vee as well (plus, he's got cool taste in food)! :P

Hm, IF I would decide to invest in one of these, my decision would mostly depend on the gamey stuff available. Which is why, for example, the XBox would probably be the last system of my choice, 'cause, almost about each and every gaming experience this system is offering I can also get for my PC. The PS3 has its fair share of Eastern developers, which often provide a different take on things, and the Wii is its own thingamabob entirely. :)

I own a 360, and the exclusive games have made me think that it was a wise investment. Especially Gears of War. However, the 360 just isn't as fun as flinging a Wiimote across the room. :P

If you don't care about the exclusive games, then I would highly recommend going a a Wii. Just my opinion.

If I were you, I'd go with the DS.

What does your instinct say to buy? You have a great list of pros and cons for each but which one jumps out at you quickly as sounding the most right for you?

I won't even argue about games. X360 at this point in time has way more games I'm interested in for the now and for the future (including their upcoming RPGs). If money weren't an issue but I could still only choose one I would no doubt run out and get a 360. I suppose one way I can think about it is that I wasn't really planning on having this job in the first place, so I wouldn't have been making money next semester and so I can freely spend the money I make since I wasn't planning on having it anyways. In which case a 360 could very well work for me. I'm also not sure how the 360's presence will affect my study habits; perhaps I should in fact stay away from the system that has more games I want to play...for my work ethic's sake.