X-Box or Playstation 2

[Tan]

Hi

I have been biten by the Gaming bug and am going to buy a console. The game that got me hooked is Burnout 3, the games that I am most likely to play are racing games.

Whilst I have more or less decided on the X-Box, I feel that I should look at the others before making my final decision.

So to all the gamers, please give me your opinions.

Regards

Tan.

p.s If there are any good deals out there, I would be greatfull to know about those also.

 

[GrahamC230K]

I'd say Xbox. There is a new PS2 out no though which is very small and neat.

If you are going XBox - consider buying one already chipped with an upgraded disk etc already done.

 

[Spinal]

GAMECUBE GAMECUBE GAMEGUBE!
If you want quality gaming and a console that works (no disk read problems), and a cosole that is the best you can get, get a gamecube. If you want the console everyone has, get a xbox or a playstation 2 (btw. ps1 was designed by nintendo and sega for those who are sony devotees)
Spinal

 

[uumode]

Most of the racing games are on PS2 (with the exception of Midtown Madness 3, Project Gotham 2, Outrun 2) and are slightly cheaper.

I think there are a wider range of steering wheels too for the PS2 being the more popular console.

The tech spec of the PS2 is behind the Xbox and on complex scenes e.g. many cars, lots of textures, there can be a bit of slow down (though that can be just bad programming I guess). I'm told it can afflict the Xbox too, e.g. in Midtown Madness 3, with the mapping of the streets, the frame rate can be a bit jerky at times too.

This isn't too bad a PS2 package
http://shop.game.net/ViewProduct.aspx?cat=10316&mid=325076

Toysrus had some decent driving bundles for the Xbox but keep going out of stock.

 

[Tan]

I'd say Xbox. There is a new PS2 out no though which is very small and neat.

If you are going XBox - consider buying one already chipped with an upgraded disk etc already done.

If I do go with the X-Box my friend said that he will chip it for me. He has done his own one and that works fine, though he did mention that the newer crystal X-Box may be more difficult to do.

The thing that I like about the X-Box is that once chipped and the hard disk has been upgraded I can connect it to my home network use it as a media center to store films etc on.

 

[uumode]

I did hear rumours that chipped Xboxes have recently been 'banned' from Xbox Live, but you need to verify that fact.

/EDIT

Here is a linky
http://forum.gamesradar.com/viewtopic.php?t=51877

 

[fuzzer]

x box .... i was resisting gaming and was bitten last month

Ive saved a fortune in going out .. is that a good thing?

 

[Mambo]

If you get it chipped correctly you can get a switch that 'turns off' the chip when you use Live so you dont get barred. As for problems chipping the Crystal XBox, I just got my mate one for his bday, no problems as far as I can see!

 

[KillerHERTZ]

GAMECUBE GAMECUBE GAMEGUBE!
If you want quality gaming and a console that works (no disk read problems), and a cosole that is the best you can get, get a gamecube. If you want the console everyone has, get a xbox or a playstation 2 (btw. ps1 was designed by nintendo and sega for those who are sony devotees)
Spinal

I couldnt agree more, get a GAMECUBE loads better than the legions of rubish games on the other too.


BTW Spinal, In the early 1990's Nintendo asked SONY to develop a new CD-ROM drive for the Super Nintendo, after what happened to the SEGA with the MegaCD, Nintendo pulled the plug on the add on CD drive.

Sony, not wanting to waste all the time & effort decided to use this knowledge to develop their very own console.... The PlayStation.

So it wasnt really the Big N that designed the PSX

 

[uumode]

The best logo design is the Nintendo Gamecube logo - it's ace.
Graphics are better than the PS2, not quite as good as Xbox I feel.

Main downside of the Gamecube is you can't go online, well only for a handful of games, and the other is the new releases can almost be counted on one hand. Main high street retailers don't stock the cube or many games. Some say it's on a slippery slide if you compare volumes of units sold with PS2 or Xbox. Perhaps it's the stigma of the N64.

You only have to look at the space given to PS2 it's almost double the Xbox selection in some shops, and Gamecube is absent from most.

Best thing about Nintendo is it's trump card Mario and co.
Though has a slightly kiddie audience to it due to the Mario it's appeal though I do know thirty somethings who play Mario Kart!

 

[scotth_uk]

They are all very good consoles, but one thing to remember are that there are more games for the PS2 than any other console, as it is totally backwards compatible with PS1 games.

Without offending any owners, I don't really class the Gamecube as a serious games console, and sales figures back that up globally. Nintendo are a traditional Japanese console maker, rather than new age, so they have a different approach (which I very much enjoy).

Xboxes are very good, as they are really just a PC with standardisation. Microsoft haven't really been very successful at all with the XBox financially, however they are committed to it which shows in the excellent marketing and software releases.

Personally I have been a PS1/PS2 man since the launch of the PS1. I had an N64 before it, but that was a very limited enjoyment period. I am planning to purchase the new Playstation Portable in December/January for a bit of portable Gran Turismo. No plans to buy a new main console though.

New slimline PS2 will be very good, although my money is on the fact that it will take the "chippers" a little while to perfect their offerings.

 

[GrahamC230K]

I bought Return to Castle Wolfenstein on XBox and have been hooked for days, it's a classic.

We need a MBClub XBox Live session at the Nurburgring in Project Gotham 2.

 

[fuzzer]

I bought Return to Castle Wolfenstein on XBox and have been hooked for days, it's a classic.

We need a MBClub XBox Live session at the Nurburgring in Project Gotham 2.

Maybe not a good idea , you guys would just end up hating me for months once i kick all your butts

 

[Flyer]

It has to be PS2: GTA San Andreas out today, The Getaway Black Monday, and of course, Gran Turismo 4 out ... err, sometime (January ). I bought a Logitech Driving Force Pro wheel just for that and it is awesome.

 

[Big Ed]

Get whichever one you like the games on the most - personally, I MUST have Gran Tourismo, so had to have a PS2. Unfortunately, my 7 year old nephew then got a Xbox, and insisted I play against him using Xbox Live, so I had to get one of those as well!!

I do think that the graphics on the Xbox are a bit better than the PS2, but to be honest I've never really cared that much how good the graphics are - gameplay is what matters (some of the best games I've ever played were on SNES or PS1 - which I've still got!!).

Doubt you will go wrong with either of them, so find your favourite games, and buy the platform that goes with them - I've personally always found that I tend to play a small number of games a lot, rather than a wide selection of games a small amount each. Whichever you buy, it will be out of date in a year or so anyway, so don't worry too much!

 

[GrahamC230K]

I have a free 3month XBOX live subscription - if any of you are already online, let me know your ID etc and I will activate my subscription.

Fuzzer?

 

[scotth_uk]

>personally, I MUST have Gran Tourismo, so had to have a PS2.

Praise the lord. Here stands a sensible man.

The other day I was trying to remember when I first got my hands on the full Japanese release of GT1 - I think it was March or April 1998. Had read about it in a magazine and a mate called me to his place to show it to me as he had just received a copy from Japan. I immediately chipped my PS1, copied it and started playing.

To sum it up, it ruined my life. ;-) I didn't put it down for about 12 months. Work slipped, women left me, but my trusty PS1 never let me down.

Ahh, the memories.

 

[craigyb]

Well it has to be xbox all the way for me. As a media center and games console it's excellent.

My xbox now auto boots to xbmc "Xbox Media Center" and I can play movies, music and look at picture albums all over network shares. All the Apps for the xbox are under the programs menu and there is also file manager and local 5 day weather forecasts. I can run all my games from the programs menu. The games reside locally on the Xbox disk which is 300GB, can be 400GB if you want. The games have thumbnails for the covers.

All the movies and music have thumbnails for easy navigation and best of all it's free. I can ftp updates to the xbox as newer releases of xbmx are made available.

The Xbox replaces all other media playing systems in the lounge.

Craig

 

[Mambo]

The Xbox replaces all other media playing systems in the lounge.

Snap, I think that's what really differentiates the Xbox from the PS2, the 'extra' capabilities once its chipped (I have both by the way before I get flamed)

 

[scotth_uk]

Xboxes are very clever devices, the PC heritage comes in very handy once hacked. Unfortunately I cannot bring myself to buy one as I can't fit a bar fridge under my telly.

;-)