Why not a Game Cube or an Xbox??

I've always been out of loop with the "other" current consoles that weren't a PS2 until Thomas (Skyewelse here) got me hooked on Super Smash Bros Melee for the GC and playing HALO on the Xbox.

It seems like a majority of you still don't consider buying these two consoles.

The number one reason seems to be the fact that they lack choices in the RPG genre from the people that I've asked. I can understand that reason for Xbox, but Game Cube actually has good RPG games to offer. The price of the Game Cube has consideraly gone down (I saw one for $69 used), and most of the RPG games can be found used at a nice economical price.

I'm not going to argue that the selection is not diverse as the PS2, but I have to say that so far the RPGs that I've played on the Game Cube has not let me down.

I've always thought of myself as someone that just can play RPGs, but I think that I've been awaken to try out other genres because of the Game Cube. My list of games that I enjoy playing and didn't think I would ever like it is quite surprising in a good way.

So why aren't you buying either of these consoles?

 

I would love to buy a Game Cube, I've been wanting one for a while now.
The reason I can't get one is simple: I'm still living with my parents and they call the shots, they don't believe that I need another console and even if I bought one with my own money they wouldn't allow it. So I guess I'm waiting until I leave for University then I might buy it.

I never intended to get an Xbox, Halo isn't a game that I would buy a console for and I can play on the PC if I wanted to. There just isn't a game on the Xbox that makes me want it. Now that would change if Yu Suzuki decides to create the next chapter of Shenmue and release it only on the Xbox, then I'm buying one.

 

One game series that Thomas (Skyewelse) raves about constantly is Panzer Dragoon. The newest (not that new anymore) game for that series is only available on the Xbox. It seems like fans of that series bought an Xbox just for that reason.

Although I like the Xbox, the only game I play is HALO and HALO 2. X_X So no convincing argument for me.

Shenmue has always been a series I wanted to try ever since I saw this commercial for it while I was visiting Japan. I was able to try the English version, but I got turned off for some reason. It might have been the voice acting.

(Off topic: Thomas and I saw this video clip of a group of people who parodies some games in real life situations and Shenmue was one of it. It featured this guy dressed up as one of the characters in the game and he was asking local American town folks some questions the character in the game asked. The American folks actually started thinking that the guy needed medical attention (mental kind).

 

Well, I happen to have all three of the current major consoles. PS2 was first simply because it had the most impressive line-up available and scheduled. XBox was second due to a few select titles I wanted to get my hands on (KOTOR, Fable, PDO, Ninja Gaiden, Halo), and I've since found more to raise its esteem (Otogi <3). It's also taken on the role of the Genesis back in the day, in that sports titles always seem to be better there than on the other consoles. Game Cube was the last to enter the fold, only like a month ago, because I felt dirty about not keeping up with the Bros., Samus, and Link, among others (and the price drop didn't hurt, either).

PS2 still has to be considered my "primary" console, however, as I easily have more titles for that system than either of the others. I don't limit myself to a single genre, but my affinity for RPGs is light years ahead of the rest, even if I never have time anymore to actually play them.

 

If there were multi-platform releases of a "must buy" game and you own two or all three of these:

For which console will you buy this game for if

1) the release date was the same for all three
2) there are no added bonus exclusive to one console
3) same price

What factors would affect your decision?

(I'm not exactly sure how realistic a situation like this would be)

 

Well some people might base their decision on how the technical differances of the game, for example how the Xbox versions would have better graphics.
For me, its all about the controller. If I had all three consoles and the game was the same on each I would purchase it fpr the PS2 since it is the one I feel the most comfortable with. Granted I haven't played enough of the other two to make a final decision, so far I enjoy playing on the PS2 more.

 

I think that if I have already played a previous installment of the game on a certain console, I would definitely stay with the same one.

If it's a totally new game, I think that I would go with the Game Cube or the Xbox. I'm quite picky about sound quality, and the Xbox totally blows away the competition with that. Of course, that's only if the sound of a game is very important.

I think in general ways, I enjoy using the GC controller the most. I don't know why I'm so challenged with those PS2 button names, but I can never remember which button goes where. Eventhough I've had more time using a PS contoller, I can exactly say which button is located where on it. Maybe it's probably just the difference in color and shape that is helping me remember it.

I think another small factor would be the loading time of starting a game on the PS2 vs GC. The GC just has that Nintendo ping sounding logo thing. I really sometimes get frustrated with the whole swirling intro when you turn your PS 2 on. The excessive swirling of those circles makes me nauseous and I hate that wait of "Is the game starting? Now? Now?" Wow, I'm so picky.

 

As much as I <3 my PS2 and its library, I'd probably go the XBox route. Games tend to appear more polished, I like the controller the most of the three (I don't have much practice with the GC controller yet, but it's definitely ugly as hell), I don't generally need to bother with a memory card or the like, and it brings back nice memories of tossing my SNES down the stairs and having it still work perfectly afterwards.

 

Obviously there are occasions where this is valid, mainly it must be said not from the Japanese developers whose releases are either not multiplatform or tend not to manage a concurrent release schedule.

The major factors involved would vary from person to person as to what they find most important.
Let's take an example, the game X-Men Legends had a concurrent release in the US and a later one in Europe and it is available on PS2, Gamecube and Xbox (actually also GBA and N-Gage, but those versions are not comparable.)

The PS2 has the slowest loading times of the three, unless you have a harddrive (not avaialble in PAL regions) with the Gamecube in second and the X-box leagues ahead.

The game can be played four player, so the PS2 is already inconvienienced by its two controller ports compared to the other's four. Thus it requires a multitap as well as the extra controllers to play in this way.

Control wise the PS2 has the easiest button arrangement to make the most of things, the X-box is second and the Gamecube languishes in third with more awkward combinations that could result in people using up the wrong potions.

The game suffers from bugs almost universally so isn't a deciding factor; although some minor content seems to be missing from the X-box version for some reason, but that isn't a major gameplay issue.

The PS2 has slightly weaker graphics than the Gamecube, but the art style doesn't leave much difference in this field, the X-box can operate at a higher resolution so can look better, but in this case it isn't that much of an improvement.

Sound quality is apparently consistent throughout so isn't an issue in this case.

In cases like this people would be best to weigh up the differences before making a purchase (of course it may come down to what the shop has in stock) and decide on what best suits you.
One issue might dominate: as an action based game then choosing one where you dislike the controller could seriously jeopardise your enjoyment of a title; even if it does load faster.

Of course for those of us who do not have all the consoles and cannot justify the cost of a console and game to play something then it is a moot point. It may even be that you decide to get the copy on the console you have least games for as a way of justifying why you bought it in the first place.

There are other reasons, even brand loyalty comes into things, that will determine judgements, but in the end it is down to personal choice. Even a game that is content wise the same, is different on each console; either wait and see how others have experienced the game or take pot luck and pick one at random.

 

If there were multi-platform releases of a "must buy" game and you own two or all three of these:

For which console will you buy this game for if

1) the release date was the same for all three
2) there are no added bonus exclusive to one console
3) same price

What factors would affect your decision?

(I'm not exactly sure how realistic a situation like this would be)

I guess my deciding factor when deciding to purchase the game is first and foremost, the graphics. The graphics are the single most important aspect that I look for when it comes down to choosing which console to buy for. Usually for me, I feel that the Xbox offers and better graphical representation of the game with the Game Cube following a close second. This is apparent to me by comparing titles such as Splinter Cell together with that of the PS2 version. While the graphics are still great on the PS2 version, the lighting issues do not feel quite as solid as they were in the Xbox version. This seems to be the case in most games I've seen that are dual or triple released on other consoles.

The second factor that I consider, and this could be equally as important as the first is this: Does the title come with any additional or different extras from that of the other versions. We didn't have a choice at first, but going back now to purchase games that were once exclusive to one console, only now to have been released onto multiple consoles over time, some of these newer released versions are actually director's cuts or special editions of the original game. Take Silent Hill 2 for example. Originally it came out for the PS2 exclusively and the PAL territories received a different version from that of the States in that they received additional features added to the game that added on to the story. When the Xbox version game out, they ported over the additional extras of the PAL version, which it made it very clear as to which version of Silent Hill 2 you should purchase. The same could be said for titles like Viewtiful Joe, where the Game Cube version has the original game, but the newer released PS2 version contains secret unlockable characters. Sonic Mega Collection, originally for the Game Cube exclusively, is now Sonic Mega Collection +Plus for PS2.

And then there are versions of games that are different from one another at the same time of release. Take MegaMan X Command Mission, released at the same time together on GameCube and PS2. The PS2 version allows you to unlock the (now ancient) Mega Man X8 demo, of which I wanted to play very badly to see what kind of game X8 would be like. The Game Cube version however was able to link to your Game Boy Advance system through the link cable and read the data off of your MegaMan Battle Network series games in order to unlock additional secret data within the game. Which is the better buy? You have to choose. That same also went for MegaMan Anniversary Collection in which the Game Cube version had one different unlockable extra that was an interview with Keiji Inafune, the MegaMan creator and the PS2 unlockable was an anime clip of the Mega Man anime. And let's not forget Soul Calibur 2's different characters depending on the version you buy.

The third factor to consider is the controller. If I think that controlling the gameplay of the title is going to be difficult using one controller type over the other, I'll usually go with the one I think would feel more convenient for me when playing the game. But, I also have adapters to play PS2 controllers (Which I think are generally the best model controller type) on the Xbox and the Game Cube. Certain games, I'm not used to playing with a Game Cube controller, such as when the Resident Evil series first took the move to Game Cube with the Resident Evil remake and Resident Evil Zero. Because those two Resident Evil titles used virtually the same type of gameplay as the PS2 titles, I wasn't used to using the Game Cube controller when playing the games and I had no other choice but to use the adapter to make my PS2 controller work for playing the games. Now with Resident Evil 4, coming out first for the Game Cube, I would have to say that the game is very much engineered around the design of the Game Cube controller and it feels like you have very good handling on the gameplay using the controller, however because the R Shoulder Button (The button for firing the gun) is spring loaded, meaning it pushes back against your index finger, you will most likely find that it gives your finger a new meaning of artheritis-esque pain if you play the game for a long period of time. I don't think you'll have the same problem playing the PS2 version with the PS2 controller due to the R Shoulder button not being a spring loaded button. However, the graphics on the PS2 version as a general rule may not be quite as good at the Game Cube version, we'll have to see.

And I guess the 4th and last factor depends on whether I've been collecting the series in a certain format, such as the MegaMan X series being on the Playstation and Playstation 2 for the most part. I would want the PS2 version to add to the collection of the same type of format.

-SkyeWelse