The Video Game Critic

The other day I was pulling out some old Xbox games (like Blood Wake) and I was surprised at the heft of the box! It actually felt very sturdy and heavy. And that's not because of the thick, colorful manual. It was the plastic. Compare that to today's game cases that feel flimsy and cheap. Half the time they are cracked before you even open the box from Amazon.

Along the same line, I was looking at an older CD (circa 1994) and had the same experience. The plastic was thicker and heavier. I don't think it's a coincidence that the case was not cracked and looked new. It seems like today's discs are packaged in disposable plastic. It's a shame considering the discs could last 100's of year given proper care.

If this all part of a big conspiracy to phase out physical media, I think it's working!

I used to say I didn't care about the thinner packaging on the 360 boxes (especially since the discs eventually make their way to a binder to save space), but I've come around to your side after buying some PS2 games recently - they really do have a heft to them that most of the newer boxes don't.

Having said that, I think the PS3 cases are great - instead of spreading themselves thin the way the 360/Wii boxes do, they manage to save plastic through a more compact design that also has the benefits of saving storage space and making themselves easy to distinguish on your shelf.

velcrozombie wrote:Having said that, I think the PS3 cases are great - instead of spreading themselves thin the way the 360/Wii boxes do, they manage to save plastic through a more compact design that also has the benefits of saving storage space and making themselves easy to distinguish on your shelf.

I agree 100%. PS3 cases were the best of the last generation. Compared to the Wii and 360 they felt strong and durable.

As for older consoles, I've been surprised to go back and see how tough PS2 cases are. I feel like I could chop wood with some of them...