Should I Buy an Xbox 360?

[Morfiend]

So, I get a call today as I was eating lunch, from a guy at GameCrazy telling me my Xbox 360 is in stock, and I'm at the top of the waiting list. He said he would hold it for 24 hours. Funny thing is, I havent been in my local GameCrazy for like 8 months or so, and I never put my name on the list for an Xbox. Then I remember my friend briefly saying he gave my number to some guy at Hollywood video, about getting a 360. I guess the guy put me on the list.

Honestly, I wasnt planning on getting one yet, mainly because they dont have very many games I like, and secondly because its still pretty hard to find out around here in Orange County.

So, there is now a shiney new Xbox 360 waiting at the store with my name on it for 24 hours. And I cant decide if I should go and drop the $400 to buy it or not. I defenetly want one, but with the current game selection, I wonder if it would be better for me to wait. I cant stand FPS games on a console, so that limits the xbox's limited game selection even more.

The few games I am interested in that are out right now are: King Kong, Kameo, and maybe the Need for Speed game. I dont really like sports games except the extreme sports, and I already have Tony Hawk for my PS2. There does seem to be quite a lot of cool games coming out in the next 6 months.

I am of two minds about it. First being, I do plan on getting one, so why not get it now? But the other one saying, there are not many games I want, so why bother right now?
I am also a bit put off that there is no HDMI connection for the 360. Only Component, and my TV is full on component right now. So it would means fiddeling around a bunch of stuff.

What do you guys think?

[Big Gulp]

I'm waiting another few months or so.  I've got enough on my PC plate to keep me interested, and I completely skipped the last generation of consoles anyway.  Strangely enough, I may pick up a Gamecube this weekend.  They're going for peanuts right now, games only cost 20 bucks, and from what I've seen it has some decent "when company is over" games to play, which is really what I'm interested in when it comes to consoles in the first place.  I'll probably pick up a football game, hockey game, Smash Brothers, and Soul Caliber 2.  Sorry to barge in on your thread, but can I piggyback and ask people to recommend some good multiplayer GC games?

[Morfiend]

Sorry to barge in on your thread, but can I piggyback and ask people to recommend some good multiplayer GC games?

Eternal Darkness, Monkey Ball, Zelda, Metroid.

Ok, back to Xbox please.

[Nazrat]

Mario Party is good if you have younger players. 

[Big Gulp]

Mario Party is good if you have younger players. 

I hate children.

[Kail]

I am of two minds about it. First being, I do plan on getting one, so why not get it now? But the other one saying, there are not many games I want, so why bother right now?
I am also a bit put off that there is no HDMI connection for the 360. Only Component, and my TV is full on component right now. So it would means fiddeling around a bunch of stuff.

What do you guys think?

My two cents:

There are very few games out for it at this point that are really "Next Generation."  Most of the ports (like King Kong and NfS, I think) are identical to the versions on the old Xbox, PS2, GC, etc. save for the graphics.  That might be enough to justify the purchase for you, I don't know.

Why wait?  Well, I can think of three reasons:

1-The price will probably go down

2-I'd give them a bit more time to find and work out any problems with the hardware

3-It's a bad idea, in my experience, to buy a system based on what games might possibly exist in the future.   Better to be able to point to a half dozen titles on the shelf that you want on purchase day, than to spring for an Xbox 360 and Kameo and have jack all to do with your $400 box for six months once you've finished with Kameo.

edit: mangled syntax...
Also: for GC Multiplayer games, I had fun with Mario Kart

[schild]

The gamecube is about to get a price cut actually. The 360 should be getting one soon also. Gamestop received a bunch of new price tags this week for those purposes.

Edit: And for the record, I've been around long enough to know that every system is worth getting eventually. And imo, might as well get it sooner rather than later. It's neat seeing a system evolve one game at a time.

[Hokers]

I think it all comes down to Oblivion, if you are not interested in it, or have it for the PC, then I think you can wait.  That is the only game I have for mine, and I am satisfied with the purchase.

[Kail]

I think it all comes down to Oblivion, if you are not interested in it, or have it for the PC, then I think you can wait.  That is the only game I have for mine, and I am satisfied with the purchase.

Even with Oblivion, though, you might want to wait.  With Morrowind for the Xbox, they eventually released a cheaper platinum version which had a number of bug fixes and the PC expansions, which the original lacked.

[schild]

I bet the expansion ends up on XBL forever and the platinum version is just a repriced regular addition - A YEAR FROM NOW.

[Yegolev]

You only live once.  I hear King Kong is worth getting.

GC multiplayer?  DDR Mario Mix?  Crystal Chronicles?  Double Dash?

[Merusk]

I'd wait just because there's not enough games to pique my interest.  My thinking go along the same lines as Kail.

As for GC games, most of the ones I've enjoyed have been mentioned already.  Lego Star Wars also has a multiplayer mode, but that's only 2 players max.

[dusematic]

Kameo sucks. 


Don't get it yet.  If Kameo and King Kong are the games you most want to play on the system, step back, and reevaluate.   Buy it for yourself for Christmas when it's cheaper and has more games.

[Sky]

I'm assuming you have an hdtv. I'd wait and buy the PS3. HD video discs standard vs an add-on. The 360 simply hasn't impressed me at all from anything I've seen in stores. Crappy selection, barely better than the xbox (the Xmen Legends in 720p or Soul Calibur 2 in 480p look as good as any of the best 360 games imo), no standard HD-DVD (addon only).

Just my 2¢.

[Toast]

I'm waiting for a PS3.

I'm such a sucker whenever there is a scarce product with supply issues. I get so excited when one is finally available to me that I throw aside reason and buy the damn thing. Then, 6 months later when they are everywhere, I feel like a heel. Try and separate the warm feelings associated with the "windfall" of getting a rare shiney from the actual feelings of want for the XBox360.

[schild]

Crappy selection, barely better than the xbox (the Xmen Legends in 720p or Soul Calibur 2 in 480p look as good as any of the best 360 games imo)

It's ok to have a difference in opinion or to even say "Ya know, the games aren't up to snuff yet" but that's a goddamn dirty lie. There isn't a game on the Xbox that even holds a candle to the best games on the 360. I'd question whether you've actually played a 360 on a decent setup if you think that.

[HaemishM]

There's no reason I can see to buy an X-Box 360 right now.

For the Gamecube, Eternal Darkness, Mario Kart, and Resident Evil 4. Probably others, but those are the ones I know are pure luv. Mario Kart is good for the party game.

[stray]

You don't need kids to enjoy Mario Party. Just other people.

[Azazel]

It all depends if you have a need for the latest and greatest hi-tech shiney now.

If you have a HD-TV to make it worthwhile and there's something you really want to play on it now on that format then go for it.
(if you prefer a controller for whatever, like I prefer a mouse/keyboard for Oblivion-type games, but YMMV)

If not, then you can just wait until it's cheaper and there's more of interest to you, and use the money for any one of the other things you're intersted in spending money on. There'll be a nice price war in the lead up to this Christmas, after all. Should be the annual glut of software then as well, and so both the overall library and the number of worthwhile titles will increase then.

 

[WindupAtheist]

Do you really need to drop half a grand on console and games just so you can play fuckin' King Kong RIGHT NOW and not in a few months?

[dusematic]

You should have just quoted me.  Save your strength.  E3 is just around the bend.

[Big Gulp]

Okay, when I say I'm going to do something, apparently I go full bore.  I went out yesterday, got a Gamecube, 2 controllers, and 17 games to go with it.  That said, I'm super pissed that I can't find (and apparently Nintendo no longer sells) component cables for the Gamecube.  I'm also completely incompetent in playing Metroid.  It just doesn't feel right.  Does this inability to play shooters with a gamepad eventually go away, or am I just screwed?  Should I swap Prime 1 and 2 out while I still have the 7 day grace period and just get new games?

[schild]

Ebay for the comp cables. Or try Lik-sang or Play-Asia. Also, make sure the GC you bought has component out.

As for the shooting thing, it goes away. But not until the 360 really. I sucked balls until I got on the 360 controller and beat Call of Duty 2 and King Kong within a week. The 360 controller is the single best thing to happen to a console for FPS games. Aside from the Dreamcast Keyboard and Mouse.

I didn't particularly like the Metroid Prime series (I think Metroid should stay 2D). On that note, Resident Evil 4 is the best shootertype on consoles. Hopefully you picked that up. if you don't mind listing, what games did you pick up? I can fill in any gaps you might have missed if you end up trading in MP 1 & 2.

[Azazel]

Get another 2 gamepads while they're cheap.

FP Shooters on consoles (and even most 3rd-person ones) just don't work for me anymore since I got my PC and upgraded from playing Goldeneye and Perfect Dark on N64. I'm too used to the tight control of mouse and keyboard to ever go back really. I tried, but it's just not for me anymore. You'll have to work out if you're like me or like Schild in that respect.

[Big Gulp]

if you don't mind listing, what games did you pick up? I can fill in any gaps you might have missed if you end up trading in MP 1 & 2.

Mario Kart Double Dash
Mario Golf Toadstool Tour
Super Mario Sunshine
Animal Crossing
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Viewtiful Joe
Viewtiful Joe 2
X-Men Legends
X-Men Legends 2
Pikmin
Resident Evil 4
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime 2
Madden 2006
Splinter Cell Chaos Theory (Yay!  I can finally play it without Starforce!)
Soul Caliber 2
Eternal Darkness

[Merusk]

I completly suck-ass at console shooters, but Metroid wasn't a problem for one reason.  Lock-on. Learn it, live it, love it.   Dance around and whatever but never let-go of that top left shoulder button till it's dead, then click it again to get the next target.

[Strazos]

If the game has a lock-on function, then it's not even a real shooter.

[Trippy]

Okay, when I say I'm going to do something, apparently I go full bore.  I went out yesterday, got a Gamecube, 2 controllers, and 17 games to go with it.  That said, I'm super pissed that I can't find (and apparently Nintendo no longer sells) component cables for the Gamecube.

That doesn't matter -- Nintendo stopped making GC's that supported component output two years ago so unless the box your GC came in was covered by a thick layer of dust it's not gong to support it.

I'm also completely incompetent in playing Metroid.  It just doesn't feel right.  Does this inability to play shooters with a gamepad eventually go away, or am I just screwed?

You are probably screwed. Try RE 4 out and see if you can handle that.

[Big Gulp]

That doesn't matter -- Nintendo stopped making GC's that supported component output two years ago so unless the box your GC came in was covered by a thick layer of dust it's not gong to support it.

Box?  Ha!  You think I bought all this shit new?  The only reasonable way to keep it a little bit north of $300 was to go used.  And yep, now that you guys have mentioned it, I don't have component output, but I do have HDMI output, which is definitely better than nothing.  On the other hand, my computer is occupying the HDMI slot on my TV, and my cable box and dvd player are occupying my two component slots, so I guess I'm stuck with the ghetto-ass yellow video plug unless I want to go switching back and forth in the back of my TV (and I don't).

ETA:  So far the best game I've played has been Pikmin.  That game is friggin' awesome.  The Metroid games and Animal Crossing will probably be going back.

[schild]

Whu? HDMI? The system doesn't, never, didn't have HDMI. But anyway, I can't entirely understand why you picked up Viewtiful Joe 1 & 2, but hmmm.

If you like tactic titles, pick up Fire Emblem.
Also, Killer 7 is crazy interesting.
Lots of people would say to get Paper Mario as well.

[Big Gulp]

Whu? HDMI? The system doesn't, never, didn't have HDMI. But anyway, I can't entirely understand why you picked up Viewtiful Joe 1 & 2, but hmmm.

I heard nothing but good things about Viewtiful Joe...  If they're pretty much the same, then yeah, number 2 goes back.  I played the first one for a little bit, and it looks...  interesting.  And I screwed up when I said it was HDMI, it's a standard digital AV port.  I'll check out those other games also.

[schild]

Yea, return #2. I'd also suggest returning XMen Legends 1. Might as well only play 2 unless you've got a thing for superheroes.  Also, Mario Golf can get boring pretty quickly, but then, I'm more of a fan of traditional golfing titles, so I have to stick to Xbox on that front.

[Morfiend]

I HATE HATE HATE FPS on a console, but mMetroid works. Its take a bit of getting used to, but its not a FPS its a FPP (first person platformer). Give it like an hour and it will be no problem.

Oh yeah. I didnt buy the xbox.

[Azazel]

You're missing Mario Party. 6 is the better one.

Rogue Leader is good if you like Star Wars, And Bomberman Generation of you like MP bomberman.

[Rodent]

Mario Party is good if you have younger players.  Beer!

Beer, lots of beer. Mario Party, Mario Kart, and Super Monkey ball. Tons of fun really.