tofferman

I am considering buying a Playstation 2 for my 10 year old daughter since it is affordable, as are many games for this system. Also, I tend to play PC games only these days, and I did have a PS1 that was sold several years ago due to inactivity.

Lastly, I have a Toshiba HD-A1 for HD-DVD, but consider the PS3 to be out of my price range despite the Blue Ray capability. Knowing that fact, and seeing that the Xbox 360 is about $200 more for the core system, would you consider the PS2 to be the way to go for a 10 year old? New PS2's are only $129 and there is a PS2 bundle at Costco that includes another controller, 2 games and a memory card for $199...and some games go for under $20 each as well.

I guess have a hard time justifying the additional costs for a system at this time; especially since it is for my daughter. It would probably be hooked up to a 27" SD television, but I suppose I could hook it up to my 65" Toshiba widescreen (65H80). I welcome your input!

corbin dallas

If you happen to have a Sony outlet anywhere near you they have refurbs for $99.00
To answer your question, I cannot see a reason not to get a PS2 for a 10 yo girl. There's plenty of games for the PS2 that are reasonably priced and aimed at younger kids. You can always get a used one and some used games for less at Gamestop or EB Games too.

I have kids at that age and have a 360, they have a hard time playing most of the games with the exception of Viva Pinata. Actually most of the games they CANNOT play because of the content most are T or M rated.

The kiddies play the Wii and the PS2 most of the time.

DRG

If its for a 10 year old girl, why not get a Gamecube? There might actually be more software titles on that system she'd be into. Plus it's cheaper than the PS2 even.

dvd182

This actually isn't a bad idea. The GC will have a lot more for kids (that you might even enjoy, as well). However, the PS2 is still a great value now.

Goldberg74

I would go that route and grab the Donkey Kong Jungle Beat deal at EB Games.

pinata242

If you're going to consider gamecube, you might as well give the wii a look as well for the extra $150. It is a gamecube and plays all those games PLUS whatever else is coming, not to mention the ability to download classic games over a variety of systems.

And the Miis are cute as all get-out.

No matter how you slice it, the gamecube is officially dead, you can only look backwards with it.

sniper308

That was hilarious...

chess

I don't know about that...

I think for your purposes, a Gamecube would be a great idea. You could probably pick one up for $75 or so, and there are plenty of kid friendly games for it...not to mention several you are bound to enjoy. The Zeldas and Metroids are better than anything on PS2, and Mario Sunshine was the best platformer this past generation. Resident Evil 4 and Eternal Darkness were both f'ing brilliant as well.

For the kiddo, you'd basically be looking at anything with Mario in the title...especially Mario Strikers.

Heck, I've got a spare I could part with if you want to shoot me an email. It's indigo and has all of the original packaging. Gold Trader and all that jazz.

All that said, I'd recommend a DS Lite over either the PS2 or the Cube...especially for a girl.

sniper308

I'd agree with the DS Lite. But either the PS2 or Cube would also be good solutions. DS Lites have been hard to come by in some places here recently due to the Christmas rush...

There's a good selection of titles for any of the previous gen consoles at this point even the cube. And any games you buy for the cube will work on the Wii if you decide to go that route later... same could be said for the PS2 if you later bought a PS3, but doesn't sound like that's a direction your contemplating due to who its for and the costs associated with a PS3, etc.

I'd lean toward the cube, or as stated the DS Lite.

taffer

Psychonauts wants a word with you.

chess

Sunshine > Ratchet and Clank > Jak and Daxter > Psychonauts

taffer

Blasphemy!!

Psychonauts > R & C > J & D > Voodoo Vince > Sunshine

porieux

>> Is there any reason NOT to buy a Playstation 2 at this time?

In my opinion they are highly overpriced at $129, that's what has
kept me from getting a second one so I can play GH2 in my living room.

The GameCube is a better system and has been $99 for years.
I wouldn't pay more than $70 for a PS2, myself, and that's still too much.

Funny that of all the systems I own I have TONS of PS2 games due to
a (now ex) family member working for Sony and getting them free,
not wanting them and giving them all to me. Truth is, even though the PS2
has the most games, very many of them suck. Guitar Hero is great though.

MAH4546

If it is for a 10-year old girl, I'd spend the $129 on a Nintendo DS Lite. I would argue that it has the highest quality game library of any gaming system, ever. There are just so many good games out there for the DS - Animal Crossing, Mario Kart, Yoshi's Island 2, Elite Beat Agents, New Super Mario Brothers, Princess Peach - and the thing is that anyone of the games I mentioned can be loved and enjoyed by just about anyone - an ten year old who play games casually, a hardcore video gamer, or a 30-something soccer mom. The average ten year-old will get a lot more use out of a DS than a PS2, IMO.

edstein

So your ok with getting a next gen system for yourself (Toshiba A1) but won't put the cash down for your kids. Nice touch. Take that same $129 you'd spend on a PS2 and put it into a DS Lite. You and your daughter will thank me later.

edit Damn Mah I just saw your post after typing mine. We are on the same wave length today.

tofferman

I would prefer to purchase a next generation game system, but it is a lot of money, and I don't see a lot of games as of now (Xbox 360, PS3 for example) that were made for a 10 yr old girl in mind. The DS Lite is tempting as is the PSP, but one of the issues I have with the portables is that I also have a 2 yr old. I can imagine what would happen to a portable when my 2 yr old gets a hold of it, especially when my 10 yr old leaves the game lying around the house somewhere despite my telling her the risks of doing so.

Based on what I have read in numerous threads, I tend to favor the Wii. However, it's the aforementioned concerns (cost, take care of it, etc...) as in the portables. I don't think there is a perfect solution to my concerns and don't consider myself to be cheap since I do have a HD-A1, but kids do not appreciate things given to them for the most part, plain and simple. Maybe it is just me, but IMHO, most parents cannot expect a 10 yr old to treat a game system with the same respect (i.e. take care of it) as an adult like me.

fumanstan

Since when does having other fancy electronics mean your kid should get the same?

I think a Gamecube or PS2 are fine choices for a 10 year old. I think i'd lean towards the Gamecube since the high quality titles on it are more kid-friendly then the PS2. A lot of the other "kiddy" games are multiplatform I think, ala the Spongebobs and such.

msdmoney

That would be my choice too, I see kids all the time walking around with a gameboy or ds, and it has so many games to choose from with the gameboy and DS libraries. Plus many of those games are enjoyable for everyone.

If you are set on a home console, you really can't go wrong with the PS2 or gamecube. I would lean toward the cube because many of the AAA titles are good for kids too like Mario Sunshine and Zelda Wind Waker. But the PS2 has such an extensive library I think that would be fine with that choice too, probably a Kingdom Hearts and a platformer.

edytwinky

For a little girl, go with the Gamecube. There's a ton of cheap games now. Even at Gamestop they have Donkey Kong Jungle Beat and two sets of bongos for $9.99

tofferman

I appreciate everyone's input on my thread. It ends up that I was browsing Target's electronics department this morning at 11AM with my daughter when I overheard an employee state that they had 20 Wii consoles that would be available for sale in a few minutes. While I wasn't planning to purchase one at this time, but was leaning to buy a Gamecube, I did the impulse buy anyways. Hopefully the wife will approve (the 10 yr old already did). Now figuring out which games to purchase dilemma begins...

sniper308

Should be a blast... let us know what your daughter thinks of it. I'm interested in the Wii as well for both myself and my 8 year old son. I've recently picked up more games for the cube then I have in a long time as they seem to be getting discounted left and right and it will be nice that they will work with the Wii... as I tend not to like to keep a bunch of consoles around.

pinata242

Talk about lucky! I really think that the difference in price over a gamecube is justified for the future of the console. Plus Wii Sports Bowling is basically worth it alone.

Josh H

Yeah, the Wii is the way to go since it pays GC games.

The PS2 is great, but probably not the best for a 10 year old girl. For others, their is certainly no reason not to buy one as it has a phenomenal game library, and the PS3 backwards compatibility sucks.

gimmepilotwings

Wii > DS Lite > Gamecube > PS2 for a 10 year old girl.

Brent L

Put me down for another vote for a Wii. You get a system from last gen, a system from this gen, and both have and will have a lot of great games for a kid, as well as plenty of great games for you to enjoy.

Trust me, it's worth buying a Wii just to see the look on the kid's face the first time that they play the system. I haven't seen looks like that since I was little and video games were really taking off with the NES. What is old is new again, in terms of people "experiencing" video games once again for the first time.

You'll know it's worth it as soon as she starts to play the Wii, I promise you that.