Playstation 2, Xbox, GameCube reviews

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Johnson73

Playstation 2, Xbox, GameCube reviews

Postby Johnson73 » April 15th, 2006, 1:01 pm

[QUOTE=The Video Game Critic]
As for the component cable, I checked Nintendo's web site, and it was NOT available on there (for North American customers anyway).


[/QUOTE]

Yes, but they were availiable in the past.


Alienblue

Playstation 2, Xbox, GameCube reviews

Postby Alienblue » April 15th, 2006, 2:19 pm

I'm sure there are regional differences in availability...here
in Maine, The PS2 is surely the leader by a HUGE margin, in fact in the store I test games/systems for (last I knew, I've been in hospital a week) they had 35 PS2 games, 3 Gamecube games and nothing for Xbox, and have NEVER had an Xbox in stock.

At all the stores I've been to I see dozens of PS2 games, followed by 20 or so GC games and a scant handfull of Xbox games.

Every local maine freind I know who owns a current gen console
owns either PS2 or the 'CUBE.

I am NOT biased (I don't own ANY current console, just the DS) and I'm sure there are places where Xbox rules. Just the facts here from Mainiacs. Ayuh.

Leo Ames

Playstation 2, Xbox, GameCube reviews

Postby Leo Ames » April 15th, 2006, 2:53 pm

"Also in 2004 Sony released a lighter, cheaper, and streamlined version of the PS2, but it lacked the style and elegance of the original design."

 

How so? I think its attractive, maintains the style and look of the original in a smaller form. Its also the most durable model of the PS2 yet. Its not as nice of a leap forward in looks as the PSOne was to the original appearance of the PSX, but I think it looks good.

 

I'd also bring up the fact that the Thompson DVD drive in roughly 1/3 of the Xbox systems made is very poorly designed. The lucky 2/3's that got good drives will have very reliable systems.

 

I've heard of Game Cubes malfunctioning, but its usually been in very questionable web forums, like I remember one claiming he was on his 5th. Either people are idiots and can't take care of electronics, or he was downright lying. I'm thinking he lied.

 

Component cables are available for the Game Cube domestically. Nintendo regularly restocks with new runs of them (Its gone out of stock several times on their website). Nintendo simply saw that this was the best distribution method for them in the US, much like how the DS wifi USB adapter was only available through Nintendo's website until the past few weeks. And you can easily import the necessary hardware from Japan where it was more readily available, and 3rd party alternatives are available. However, it never really saw the support needed to make it worthwhile from the software standpoint, and Nintendo even discontinued the component port on the consoles themselves the last couple of years. But it wasn't just import only, it was a feature in the US too. It just didn't see the support that many would've liked.

 

"Not true at all. The Xbox and GC sold pretty much exactly the same."


Very true in the US. The Xbox gained a lot of momentum the past two years, leaving the Game Cube behind in the US as well as Europe.

 

And Alienblue, after visting game stores on various travels in different areas, the woods in Maine must be a unique place not to ever have carried the 2nd most popular console of the past five years...doesn't reflect the rest of the country at all from my experience.

 

Nintendo reported that as of January 2006 they have sold a total of 20.61 million Nintendo GameCube units worldwide. Microsoft reported 22 million sold up to that point. Sony has sold over 100 million. But the results don't show the fact that the Xbox has easily beat the Game Cube in Europe and the US thanks to the past two years of success MS has had. The Xbox never really even getting out of the starting gate in Japan which has had a drastic effect on these statistics.

 

And the Game Cube's mini disc are DVD's. The format is based on Matsushiita's (Take out a i in the name, the boards censore won't let it be posted correctly because it thinks its a swear word) optical disc technology. They don't read any differently than standard DVD disc, with the changes being in the encyption and barcode security measures that make them unreadable by most DVD drivers. The console's drive can even read and play standard mini DVD-R's by using a special debug mode which was discovered.


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Playstation 2, Xbox, GameCube reviews

Postby VideoGameCritic » April 15th, 2006, 3:37 pm

There are some good points here, and I'd like to respond to a few :

I've reworded the Xbox/GameCube reviews to reflect that although the Xbox has an slight edge in sales, the two are very close.

As for the new PS2 looking less elegant than the original, I have one word for you: pop-top lid.  Those can't compare with motorized trays.  Then again, this is very subjective.

As for the Xbox drive problems, this is the first I've heard of them, so I can't in good conscious make a big deal out of them in my review.  These reviews are driven by my personal experiences above all else.

As for the component cable, I don't care if Nintendo sometimes sells it on its site.  It was never publicized, and never available on store shelves.  So I'll stick to my guns on that one.

Thanks for keeping me honest guys.


Leo Ames

Playstation 2, Xbox, GameCube reviews

Postby Leo Ames » April 15th, 2006, 3:48 pm

Which drive do you have in your Xbox just out of curiousity. If it's Thompson, theres definitely no reason to change your reviews if you've had good luck with them, despite internet post that state differently.

 

http://www.llamma.com/xbox/Repairs/xbox_dvd_version_comparison.htm

 

Betting you have the Phillips (Which I have), or the Samsung drive.


feilong801
Posts: 2173
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Playstation 2, Xbox, GameCube reviews

Postby feilong801 » April 15th, 2006, 4:02 pm

I agree with the critic's asseessment of the Gamecube. You cannot just look at the smaller library and low support. It had a decent (not great) lifespan for a system, so it wasn't a crash and burn situation like a Virtual Boy or Jaguar. It's library has a high proportion of quality titles, since Nintendo has about a 95% "hit" rate on all of its own softs.

 

They also managed to get some important third party stuff, from Resident Evil and a remade Metal Geal Solid. Ported titles perform better on the cube than the playstation 2 (and Soul Caliber II has the fighting Link!). The Rogue Squadron series are some of the most enjoyable arcade style Star Wars games created in the last decade.

 

Also, one interesting part about the Gamecube that wasn't mentioned in the review: the ability to attach the inexpensive and easily available Gameboy Advance player, which in turn allows you to play any GBA, GBC or GB title on your television. It's always good fun to fire that sucker up and rock some Double Dragon Advance of River City Ransom Advance, as well as playing the better GBA titles like Minnish Cap or Advance Wars.

 

-Rob


bluemonkey1
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Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Playstation 2, Xbox, GameCube reviews

Postby bluemonkey1 » April 15th, 2006, 4:35 pm

Feilong Nintendo hardly made any games for the GC so the 95% quality rate on 1st party stuff isn't really applicable.

 

I think the GC has a lot to offer.  But I am so glad it was not my primary next gen console.  I think that describes the GC perfectly.  A great secondary console but a poor primary one.



Conn

Playstation 2, Xbox, GameCube reviews

Postby Conn » April 15th, 2006, 7:09 pm

Super Smash Bros. Melee, and both Metroid Primes are second-party .

sega saturn x

Playstation 2, Xbox, GameCube reviews

Postby sega saturn x » April 15th, 2006, 7:16 pm

He's saying nintendo didn't develop the games themselves they farmed them out, which is trival and irrelevent.


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