Gamecube, buy now or wait? (1 Viewer)

[Keith_R]

I'm really interested in getting a Gamecube and recently just ran into a enough money to buy one as a X-Mas gift to myself. The thing is that right now besides Crazy Taxi, and Pikmin there aren't any other games currently out hat I want. I'm interested though in the Gamecube's future game list and in a few games it will have to offer. So should I buy the 'cube' now while I have the money. Or should I wait till later on down the road when the more games I want are coming out, yet I may not have the money to buy the system? What should I do? BTW also does the Gamecube support DD5.1 and DTS5.1? thanks.

 

[Dave Falasco]

I'm not sure anyone can tell you whether or not to buy the system now, especially if you say none of the games really appeal to you yet. What else is there to base your decision on? If you're not really interested in playing the games, it doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to buy the machine. Personally, though, I think you might be surprised by some of the launch titles. Super Smash Brothers:Melee looks amazing, and lots of people rave about Super Monkey Ball as well. You may find you enjoy the games more than you thought you would.

But as for whether you should buy now or wait, I'm not sure how we can help you make that decision. Certainly it's not going anywhere, so you shouldn't have any problems finding it later down the road if you choose to go that way.

Anyway, I CAN tell you that it doesn't do in-game DD or DTS 5.1. Other than that, it's pretty much your call, man...

 

[Ryan Peter]

If you want Crazy Taxi but don't want to spend the money, just buy a DC. CT is like $10 and a DC is $60. So you'd be $70 vs $250.

 

[Keith_R]

Thanks for the replies. The reason I asked this question is that originally I planned on getting the Nomad Jukebox MP3 player. However after seeing the Gamecube at my friends house the other day I was impressed and feel it is time to upgrade my N64 with a 'cube.'Right now though there are probably 3 games on it that really interest me ( Smash Brothers:Melee, Crazy Taxi, and possibly Pikmin ) the games that I really look foward to getting are going to be coming out later on in 2002. The thing is when those games come out I will probably not have $200 to just go throw around. The question should really be phrased: should I get my Gamecube now to get prepared for the future and enjoy in the meantime?

BTW: I would prefer to get Gamecube over Dreamcast because the DC does not appeal to me as much as the GC does, also IMO it will not be availiable much longer and will slowly become outdated compared to the newer systems. Don't get me wrong though FWIW DC is a good system it just doesn't appeal to me as much as it may to other people.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Think of it as an investment when you buy any new console. If you don't like something right now, maybe you will in the future.

That said, you should research the games that are coming out for it. I have one, and I am getting a blast out of Rogue Leader and Luigi's Mansion right now.

 

[Barry S]

I'd say buy a Dreamcast and about 10 or 15 games. Dreamcast has the original Crazy Taxi and Crazy Taxi 2 (which is on no other system). The GameCube (as well as PS2) version is just a port and is probably not as good.

 

[Jeffrey Forner]

If you want one, and at least two games appeal to you now, then why not get it? Like you said, the future line-up of games looks good and interesting. If you get the Cube now, and those two or three games you like, by the time those new games come out, you'll be ready for them because you've already played through the others.

Seriously, how many games do you need to justify buying a system?

 

[Morgan Jolley]

For a console to be worth it for me, I must spend at least double its price on games. But thats long term. All I need to buy it initially is enough games that I want enough to warrant the purchase.

 

[Neil Joseph]

When are they coming with Soul Calibur 2 for the gamecube? That looks like it will be good.

 

[Ken Ingram]

Keith you could by the Cube now, why you have the money

and rent some games to hold you over untill the games that you like are released.

 

[Graeme Clark]

When GT3 was just about to come out on the PS2, I almost gave in and bought a system, even though there was nothing else that really interested me at the time. Now, there are a ton of games that I want to play in the PS2 and I don't have the money to buy one (truth be told, if I did have the money, I'd probably get a GC or XB right now).

If I had given in, I'd probably be in the exact same financial situation now, but at least I'd have a PS2 and THPS3 to keep me occupied.

In other words, I'd get it now. When Zelda and Mario come out, you may not be able to afford the system and will be sulking.

 

[Keith_R]

When GT3 was just about to come out on the PS2, I almost gave in and bought a system, even though there was nothing else that really interested me at the time. Now, there are a ton of games that I want to play in the PS2 and I don't have the money to buy one (truth be told, if I did have the money, I'd probably get a GC or XB right now).
If I had given in, I'd probably be in the exact same financial situation now, but at least I'd have a PS2 and THPS3 to keep me occupied.
In other words, I'd get it now. When Zelda and Mario come out, you may not be able to afford the system and will be sulking.

Graeme, you have hit on my thoughts completely. I did some more thinking about it and I've pretty much decided that if I get about $70 more in Christmas money I'll be buying the GC. I sure don't want to be left out in the cold when some of the future releases (PD:Zero, DK:Racing etc.) come out.

 

[DaveF]

Think of it as an investment when you buy any new console. If you don't like something right now, maybe you will in the future.

no No NO!!! NEVER think of a toy as an investment. It isn't. An investment is something which is (reasonably) expected to increase in monetary value over time. Further, it's a waste to buy something now, with the hope that maybe you'll get some use of it in the future. If you can't use it, don't buy it. Come the future, if you'll use it, then buy it. (No offense Morgan. I see many adults, who should know better, saying the same thing all the time. If you figure this out while you're young, you'll save yourself a lot of money, and be able to buy even better toys down the road )

 

[Jason Handy]

no No NO!!! NEVER think of a toy as an investment.

Amen. Toys are for NOW! The only thing I wish I had bought more of when i was a kid was the Star Wars action figures. Man did they go up in value some years back.
Back on topic: what does your gut tell you? Are you squeamish? If you think you might want it next year, throw the $300 you would have spent into a 12-month CD and get $12 back on you investment which is enough for another controller. Then the GC is a year old, the developers have warmed up their muscles and the games should be looking SWEEEEET. You can wait a year to hear all the moaning and groaning while we test out the over-hyped games
that ended up being a waste of money.
Another reason for waiting a year - fanboys on forums are like locusts. They only come out right at the beginning and it dies out pretty quickly while they pester their dads for the NEXT big thing. So is the MTV culture - once they stop the "Free XBOX giveaway"...people stop caring so much.
And you still have the money
Jason

 

[Dave Falasco]

Jason and fellow DaveF, I do agree with your points, but I think what Morgan meant was not an investment that will return money, but rather to think ahead a little bit when choosing the system. (I'm sorry, Morgan, if I've misinterpreted your statement--that's how I took it.) In other words, it's probably a good idea to look at not only the games on the shelves right now, but also any titles that have been announced as forthcoming, when evaluating a console purchase.

So if the GCN titles that are out right now don't set you on fire, but you are a HUGE Zelda fan (and you like cel-shading), or a big Mario fan, you still may want to pick up a 'Cube in anticipation of those titles. Then, as others have suggested, you can always rent some of the current titles to see if you might be pleasantly surprised.

I agree that if nothing at all looks even remotely interesting to you then it probably doesn't make sense to buy a console based on screenshots or previews of a game coming out in the future that you think you MIGHT like. But I also think that buying a console with a few games that you are interested in now because you are anticipating some major releases in the near future is not the worst idea in the world, either, especially if you've got the cash now and you're not sure if you will in the future.

I don't think Morgan meant that a console is an investment the way that your "Cheeses of the World" plates from the Franklin Mint are, but rather that it's a good idea to look ahead at future titles you might like, even if you aren't wild about any of the current ones.

 

[Jason Handy]

I was thinking more along the lines that you COULD just put the money away in a safe place (sock, cookie jar, etc.) and wait a year to see if you still want to buy it. For me $200 is nothing to sneeze at, and I try not to buy something frivolous like a console or computer game unless I think it will be of use to me NOW.

I was not trying to flame anybody or discount their opinion - all points in this thread are good; I am just having a hard time thinking that saving up for something is so difficult. My wife and I just bought a house in April and we had to scrimp and save for 4 months to come up with the cash to close (~ $11000). Perhaps I see saving money in a new light after going through that ordeal.

And there is much to be said for not jumping right on the bandwagon - better game selection, a year of playtesting in the field by the die-hards. And for me, getting caught up in the hype kind of makes me feel like I'm giving in to the corporate machine. But that is just me, YMMV.

Jason

 

[Barry S]

I sure don't want to be left out in the cold when some of the future releases (PD:Zero, DK:Racing etc.) come out.

Don't forget about Eternal Darkness. That's one game I'm looking forward to and I'll probably buy a Cube for. Damn, I want a PS2 and I want a GameCube. Man, why can't all systems be compatible so I don't buy to buy different systems for all the games I want. :frowning:

 

[Ike]

One of my friend's one a freakin' Gamecube with Luigi's Mansion off a Dr. Pepper! So lucky...

My advice: go for it. You got the cash, you'll play the games you want, and when the games come out that you want, buy 'em. Why not buy it now?

 

[Rusty Ray]

plus you can always rent games and find games you love that you normally would purchase blindly..
---waiting till xmas for my luigi, rogue, and waverace...

 

[Morgan Jolley]

If anything, you should buy the console, and then rent the games that are short so you can get an instant satisfaction and still save a lot of money. If you like the games, either buy them now or when they are cheaper in the future.