thaddius' Console Classic 2012 Edition: Round 9

[prowler]

oh and also: When The Xbox Nearly Failed

 

[raulpica]

PS2 as an all-round awesome console with great games, XBOX for homebrew possibilities.

The GC had some REALLY nice games, but most of them were Nintendo ones

Third parties mostly deserted it, and that was a real shame. Still a really great console, who many Wii owners got to experience.

oh and also: When The Xbox Nearly Failed

Sigh, how would I love a world where there is still a Sega console and no Microsoft one...

 

[Foxi4]

Well, d'uh. DVD support, USB support, HDD support.

You know that. I know that. Most sensible people know that. In fact the PS2 is still my main console (i'm yet to go current Gen)

I just want to get valid points made for future readers when the vote (inevitably?) goes South for the PS2, and people wonder whether we were all nuts.

IneVITAbly is a good word to describe it. For a while the Gamecube was already ahead of the PS2 until you, me, Gahars and Guild came along to rectify the situation.

You know how this is going to end.

Also,

@[member='SmuffTheMagicDragon']

I am willing to admit that the Dreamcast was one of the most interesting technological endeavours in Video Game history. I'm even willing to say that it was the best equipped console of all time when it came to stock equipment, sporting a modem already in the box. I'm willing to add that using a PocketPC-Compatible CPU and making the console WindowsCE-Compatible was one of the riskiest and most interesting moves in Video Game history. As a Dreamcast owner I'll even add that it's a truckload of fun with loads of interesting titles. As a Sega lover I'll say it provided Sega with the best possible opportunity to transform the Sonic franchise and create an entirely new one - Sonic Adventure, in full breathtaking 3D. Unfortunatelly I have to say with the same breath that it failed. Sega killed the console themselves by using GD-ROM's which were almost identical to CD-Rom's and too easy to pirate. In fact, the console had worse anti-piracy protection then the Saturn. Not only that, they basically withdrew from the fight themselves, choosing to be a software company. I love the Dreamcast but my vote goes to the PS2. It mopped the floor with the Dreamcast and didn't even break a sweat - sad but true.

 

[EyeZ]

It has to be the PS2 for me due to the vast difference in time i spent playing on each console.

 

[Smuff]

.

SmuffTheMagicDragon][/b]Shenmue 1 (&2)

I smell a pirate!

LMFAO

Quite true - I won't deny it, but I do genuinely own a large collection of Saturn and Dreamcast originals (Hardware and Software), and both my copies of Shenmue are GENUINE ORIGINALS. No2 cost me a pretty penny from eBay, I can tell you!

Once I get up in the loft I can provide photographic evidence if required

 

[thaddius]

Just wondering how many people today use a GC as their main console compared to a PS2. I'd almost bet on the fact that there are far more PS2's being actively used as a primary machine than GC's.

I imagine the main reason for that is that Nintendo didn't bork their GC backwards compatibility on the Wii (until recently), whereas Sony did bork their PS2 bc on the PS3 very early on. I'd happily play my PS2 games on the PS3 if I could, but alas...

I recently played through Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, LoZ: Wind Waker and Super Mario Sunshine. I also regularly play Super Smash Bros. with friends when they come over. My cube definitely gets a lot more play than my PS2. Were I to vote, the Cube would definitely get my vote.

both my copies of Shenmue are GENUINE ORIGINALS. No2 cost me a pretty penny from eBay, I can tell you!

Yeesh. Well I have a geuine copy of Shenmue for DC and my brother bought #2 for Xbox when it was $3 in a grocery store bin. I was not aware there were legit copies of it for DC.

 

[xist]

I'd happily play my PS2 games on the PS3 if I could, but alas...

On an LCD? The only TV i have is one of those ancient 14" Portable LCD's (woe is me) which is great for my PS2 gaming but i can't imagine that anyone who is actually up to date with gaming, and uses an HD set with their PS3, is going to be happy playing most PS2 games as they'd look awful. Yes removing BC was a blow, but realistically i think it would take a level of dedication to get over the degradation in image quality.

 

[thaddius]

I'd happily play my PS2 games on the PS3 if I could, but alas...

On an LCD? The only TV i have is one of those ancient 14" Portable LCD's (woe is me) which is great for my PS2 gaming but i can't imagine that anyone who is actually up to date with gaming, and uses an HD set with their PS3, is going to be happy playing most PS2 games as they'd look awful. Yes removing BC was a blow, but realistically i think it would take a level of dedication to get over the degradation in image quality.

My brother-in-law has a BC PS3 and he uses it with his LCD TV. I've never heard him complain about it. I use component cables on my PS2 and most games look like shite but I play them. Same with my Xbox (making my way through Morrowind GOTY at the moment). Granted, you're conversing with someone who regularly plays NES, SNES and Genesis games on his LCD TV.

 

[xist]

Granted, you're conversing with someone who regularly plays NES, SNES and Genesis games on his LCD TV.

I think that qualifies as dedicated...

As for the vote, i'd actually put the Gamecube in last place (although it's the only one of the four i don't own, i did follow it during it's lifespan). The Xbox once unlocked was a great experience, and although it's library was lacking in comparison to the PS2's (i'm not a fan of KoTOR, but Ninja Gaiden Black is one of my favourite games of all time), the emulation experience it provided was unparalleled for that period. Chuck in XBMC as you mention and it was more than simply a games console and far closer to what Sony wanted to achieve with the PS3.

I love my Dreamcast too, but going back to it's pad is difficult for me these days after so much time spent with the PS2's Dualshock and the D-Pad's on the PSP, and it's library is even more limited than the Xbox's. (and i really do own real life copies of Shenmue 1 and 2! Although the first is a bit tatty) I even remember fighting with the internet connection to get the two special weapons in Skies of Arcadia and hours spent on Toy Commander. The DC was ahead of it's time no doubt, but even without the Behemoth of the PS2 it would have struggled thanks to what seemed like a lack of interest by games companies.

The PS2 is, and i expect always will be, my favourite gaming platform simply due to the wealth of treasures it contains in it's catalogue.

 

[Scott-105]

I loved all 3 systems. I'm gonna have to vote for Gamecube though, so many memories playing Melee with friends, ha ha The PS2 is gonna win undoubtedly though. It was a great system as well.

 

[Qtis]

PS2 because of the game library available. At that time, playing PS1 and PS2 games on the same console. Previous and this gen. COOOOOL! Only problem with the PS2 is the load times that hurt quite a few games here and there (yes I'm looking at you FFXII). Graphics aren't that bad, even on a 32" FullHD. If you play very close to the TV, then possibly yes. Considering for example my average 5 meter distance from the TV (I blame my living room architecture), the graphics work nicely.

 

[thaddius]

I do like how people keep saying that they liked the PS2 because of the large® game library. Most of the third party games released for the PS2 were released simultaneously for the GC and Xbox (when they were out). And once the GC and Xbox died out, all the PS2 really got was ports of Wii games (mostly focussing on Guitar Hero) as well as a crap tonne of SingStar games.

The PS2 does have a huge library, yes, and there are a large amount of exclusives for it, yes, (both because it was around for a year before and some time after it's contemporaries) but the Xbox and Cube seem a lot more compelling to me. [/opinion]

Also, 4 DAYS REMAIN! Vote now!

 

[emigre]

Randomly today I bought a NGC controller for my Wii. Freaky innit.

 

[Gahars]

I do like how people keep saying that they liked the PS2 because of the large® game library. Most of the third party games released for the PS2 were released simultaneously for the GC and Xbox (when they were out). And once the GC and Xbox died out, all the PS2 really got was ports of Wii games (mostly focussing on Guitar Hero) as well as a crap tonne of SingStar games.

The PS2 does have a huge library, yes, and there are a large amount of exclusives for it, yes, (both because it was around for a year before and some time after it's contemporaries) but the Xbox and Cube seem a lot more compelling to me. [/opinion]

Also, 4 DAYS REMAIN! Vote now!

Here's a list of all the PS2 only games, many of which were from third parties. (Not to mention all the upgraded PS2 ports, like Viewtiful Joe, Resident Evil 4, etc.)

While (obviously) not every one of those games is a winner, that's still a pretty extensive list. When it came to games released for all three systems, the PS2 still had the advantage; you would be able to play those games and have access to the longest list of exclusives (assuming you have only one console, of course).

 

[Guild McCommunist]

I do like how people keep saying that they liked the PS2 because of the large® game library. Most of the third party games released for the PS2 were released simultaneously for the GC and Xbox (when they were out). And once the GC and Xbox died out, all the PS2 really got was ports of Wii games (mostly focussing on Guitar Hero) as well as a crap tonne of SingStar games.

Because the PS2 didn't have any exclusives? Practically every other modern system pales in comparison when it comes to good exclusives compared to the PS2. People like the PS2 because it not only had the multiplats, but it had the exclusives, and lots of them.

 

[thaddius]

I do like how people keep saying that they liked the PS2 because of the large® game library. Most of the third party games released for the PS2 were released simultaneously for the GC and Xbox (when they were out). And once the GC and Xbox died out, all the PS2 really got was ports of Wii games (mostly focussing on Guitar Hero) as well as a crap tonne of SingStar games.

Because the PS2 didn't have any exclusives? Practically every other modern system pales in comparison when it comes to good exclusives compared to the PS2. People like the PS2 because it not only had the multiplats, but it had the exclusives, and lots of them.

I guess you missed the rest of my post:

The PS2 does have a huge library, yes, and there are a large amount of exclusives for it, yes, (both because it was around for a year before and some time after it's contemporaries) but the Xbox and Cube seem a lot more compelling to me. [/opinion]

 

[Foxi4]

The PS2 does have a huge library, yes, and there are a large amount of exclusives for it, yes, (both because it was around for a year before and some time after it's contemporaries) but the Xbox and Cube seem a lot more compelling to me. [/opinion]

No wonder he disregarded this part - it's sort of silly. From what I gathered, you believe that the PS2 has alot of exclusives and that it has the same multiplats the cube and the box have, and we already established that it has a gajizzilion more games available for it other then the two forementioned types. The only possible reasons to like either the box or the cube more is "because Mario" or "because Halo" which are both subjective arguments, really. But yeah, it was an [opinion].

That said, I find it mind-boggling that people choose the cube over the xbox when in fact the cube failed miserably and the box lived on to spawn a successor to its name and was one of the most successful "online" consoles to date.

 

[xist]

That said, I find it mind-boggling that people choose the cube over the xbox when in fact the cube failed miserably and the box lived on to spawn a successor to its name and was one of the most successful "online" consoles to date.

Plus the 'box was a doddle to softmod (compared to the methods for PS2 modding at that time) and once it was modded it was the bees knees. The PS2 had the games, but modding the Xbox opened up a world of possibility. The PS2 is a passion, the Xbox a guilty pleasure!

 

[Foxi4]

That said, I find it mind-boggling that people choose the cube over the xbox when in fact the cube failed miserably and the box lived on to spawn a successor to its name and was one of the most successful "online" consoles to date.

Plus the 'box was a doddle to softmod (compared to the methods for PS2 modding at that time) and once it was modded it was the bees knees. The PS2 had the games, but modding the Xbox opened up a world of possibility. The PS2 is a passion, the Xbox a guilty pleasure!

Where I live you have stores that'll install modchips for you plus conventions are held twice each week so I never had a problem with modding when I couldn't do something myself...

 

[thaddius]

That said, I find it mind-boggling that people choose the cube over the xbox when in fact the cube failed miserably and the box lived on to spawn a successor to its name and was one of the most successful "online" consoles to date.

2 million units less than the Xbox constitutes a failure? I was always under the impression that a failure was selling a lot less than 22 million, but you're apparently the expert on systems you hated being a failure so I'll concede to you on that.

The only possible reasons to like either the box or the cube more is "because Mario" or "because Halo" which are both subjective arguments, really.

Not necessarily. I really liked the Resident Evil games for the Cube, that's what stood out for me, personally. (It would have been great if Capcom had stuck to it's promise of GC exclusives, but what's done is done) And there were plenty of non-Nintendo exclusives for the system that had my attention. Just as there were for the Xbox and PS2.

To be quite honest though, I own all four of these systems and like them all. The PS2 had an inordinate amount of JRPGs, which I'm not a huge fan of, so my PS2 game collection is decidedly smaller than my Gamecube, Xbox and Dreamcast collections. After the GC and Xbox were done, if I wanted to buy any Guitar Hero/SingStar/Wii port/PSP port, I'd rather get them for the current gen (as I have a launch PSP, 360 and Wii, as well as a non-BC PS3).

I just can't imagine too many people paid attention to the PS2s post-PS3-launch library. If you did, you probably either had a BC PS3 or didn't own a PS3 at all.