Cheapest possible console setup to just have some fun?

[floydo]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction in terms of finding the cheapest possible home console option.

I live in a house with a few other friends, and we are looking to buy a games console, but are on a very tight budget (Probably around the £50 inc. accessories). We don't mind a retro console (N64, GNC, PS2) if there is some way to get one of these cheaply.

Or is there some other option such a cheap android PC setup like the Raspberry Pi that we could get emulators running off? There will probably be 2-4 of us playing most of the time.

We are particularly partial to Nintendo, including the Mario Party & Mario Kart series (especially the GCN titles), but these are not a must.

Also, I have a mac (with windows 7 bootcamp) if that helps. Also, the TV that we would probably be working with only has component plugs (red white and yellow ones), a SCART plug, etc. No HDMI port or VGA port...

So what do you think? Is there any way that we can manage to find a console that will be a lot of group fun?

Thanks a lot in advance for any advice you can give.

P.S. ignore my country, we are actually in London, UK.

 

[emigre]

Just get a Wii with NGC compatability which second hand costs less than a brand new PS3/360 game. Hack it for Dios Mios and emulator goodness and also pirate Wii gaems. Buy component cable because composite fucking disgusts me. You get your Nintendon't gaems and a decent system for multiplayer.

 

[floydo]

Holy crap yes. My mouth is already watering. Ok, so I just have to find the cheapest possible place to get a secondhand wii, some wii & gamecube controllers & a hard drive for the soft modding & storage of roms? Will I need a gamecube memory card?
I don't know how I could have missed this, I guess I just forgot about the gamecube compatibility on the wii.

I'll have a lurk of Amazon & Ebay and whatnot.

 

[Foxi4]

Consider either a Backwards Compatible Wii (Gamecube titles, Wii titles - family fun and some core games at the same time) or a PS2 (If a Slim, LAN Cable = All the gaems, if Classic, get the Network Adapter and an HDD. The library is massive, you're bent to find something you'll enjoy).

 

[emigre]

Holy crap yes. My mouth is already watering. Ok, so I just have to find the cheapest possible place to get a secondhand wii, some wii & gamecube controllers & a hard drive for the soft modding & storage of roms? Will I need a gamecube memory card?
I don't know how I could have missed this, I guess I just forgot about the gamecube compatibility on the wii.

I'll have a lurk of Amazon & Ebay and whatnot.

White Wii for £35

I know GAME sell some okayish NGC controllers for £5 apiece, the official ones are better but they go for like a tenner used. I also think they sell the Mario Kart wheel controllers for £2 apiece. With storage, you could just use a standard USB stick, I use a 32GB USB stick with my Wii. You don't need a NGC memory card but I recommend getting one because shit generally works smoother with one.

 

[Maxternal]

I second emigre on this one. Probably the most out of your money on a tight budget. What he said about it being compatible with GameCube is very important, though. You need it to be able to do this

so if the box shows it laying down like this

It WON'T work (and all "new" ones will be this wrong kind so you'll have to look for a fairly used one.)

EDIT : like the next post says, avoid these.

Spoiler: An image of what ilman is talking about with the "Wii Mini"

 

[ilman]

You said it yourself, just lurk around Ebay and Amazon(usually Ebay has better second-hand offers). Also, try to stay clear from the Wii Mini(no USB/WiFi/Gamecube support) and the light-blue Wiis that come with Mario&Sonic(no Gamecube compatibility). The Wii has a fantastic homebrew/emulation scene and you can play pretty much any Nintendo game on it(with the exception of some N64 games) and is the best option if you're on a tight budget.


Edit: Ninja'd

 

[Chary]

Will I need a gamecube memory card?

Well, technically, you don't need one, as there's a function on the Wii called "No More Memory" That replaces the use for a GC memory card, but it's buggy and doesn't work too well. You'd be better off getting a memory card.

 

[floydo]

White Wii for £35

I think I will be getting one of these tomorrow from my local store. Excellent. Do you think they come with a controller?

I'll also look into those cheap GAME GCN controllers, otherwise, amazon possibly? I don't mind if they're 3rd party, and my friends will probably have no idea anyway! =P

Thanks so much for the great advice!

 

[EJames2100]

Cash Convertors/Generators do Wii's at a similar price, if they have controllers and a decent collection of games separate, you can bargain.

 

[LiamGore]

the Ouya is out soon. that has compatibility for any controller with bluetooth/wireless xbox 360 controllers if you get the pc adapter. runs on android so it can run many emulators.

 

[emigre]

I think I will be getting one of these tomorrow from my local store. Excellent. Do you think they come with a controller?

I'll also look into those cheap GAME GCN controllers, otherwise, amazon possibly? I don't mind if they're 3rd party, and my friends will probably have no idea anyway! =P

Thanks so much for the great advice!

It should come with one controller, if I know my shit. You can get cheap GCN controllers off Amazon but Christ knows about quality.

 

[ilman]

the Ouya is out soon. that has compatibility for any controller with bluetooth/wireless xbox 360 controllers if you get the pc adapter. runs on android so it can run many emulators.

Still lacks a proper library and is quite a bit more expensive than what the OP has for a budget.

It should come with one controller, if I know my shit. You can get cheap GCN controllers off Amazon but Christ knows about quality.

I got 2 new third party GC controllers+ a 512 MB GC Memory card(well, that's what it says) for 7 pounds, so you're bound to find something cheap. BTW, I bought those 2 years from now and they're still working without a problem.