wedge

Having been continually frustrated by the Gamecube, having not bought a single game for it since I got the system 7 months ago, and upon realizing I'd bought it for Metroid and Zelda (neither of which I am interested in any longer), I took it to EB and traded it in. I also traded in my Game Boy Advance, which I didn't play often enough to justify keeping, and several assorted games and accessories for both systems. With all that, I got an Xbox, Halo, Rallisport Challenge, extra controller (S type), Advanced AV pack, and extended service plan.

I paid $3.38 out of pocket. Not bad, eh? So far I'm VERY impressed. Xbox just seems to suit me more than the GC ever did. It's got the games coming out over the next year that I want, and so far it's a more impressive overall experience for me.

sniper308

Out of curiousity... did they itemize the amounts of credit they gave? How much did you get for the GBA...

cartman

Good call. If it weren't for Resident Evil 0-2 coming out this year, I would have ditched my GC a while ago. I have pretty much zero interest in anything else for it. I played Rouge Squadron for about a week, Waverace for about 2, and SSB:M for about 3. Bleh. I didn't care for Mario 64, and Mario Sunshine looks like just an updated version. Metriod is no longer Metriod (it may have Metriods in it, but it is NOT a Metroid game!). Zelda, well, I'll give Zelda a chance when it comes out in a year. Eternal Darkness just looks like crap (wasn't it originally a N64 game?). Darn you Resident Evil for making me keep this infernal machine!

Giantrobo

good move.

But beware of the hardcore gamers who will flame you for your choice. I remember another member did this with another system and people were saying how stupid he was and how the old games he traded were still fun Well obviously those old games and the old system didn't fit his needs!

I also traded a bunch of stuff that was collecting dust to get Playstation 2.


If it weren't for the Resident Evil series on GameCube I wouldn't even think of buying it.


If you're happy that's all that matters.

jeffdsmith

Hope you enjoy your new console.

I enjoyed my GC way more then my xbox, so I ditched it. I understand where you are coming from.

darkside

As long as you are happy with the game selection on the Xbox you made a good decision. My Game Cube was collecting a lot of dust before Resident Evil, but now that the big titles are starting to roll out I'm sure I will find plenty to play on it.

ScandalUMD

I personally think Nintendo has done a lot of things right with Gamecube, and Microsoft has done a lot of things wrong with XBox. I bought Gamecube after the price drops, and have no plans ever to own an XBox.

XBox does HDTV better than anyone else, and it may offer the best platform for online gaming. Nintendo has no online plan worth mentioning.

However, I feel like, this year, Nintendo will have the best games on any platform.

Metroid and Zelda had me worried for a while, but both seem to be turning into awesome games. I was skeptical of whether Metroid would still be Metroid after the jump to first person, but Miyamoto has been personally overseeing the game, and it won all sorts of E3 awards. A lot of care and love has gone into that game, and I'm convinced it will be top tier.

I still haven't fallen in love with the new cel shaded Zelda, but I don't plan to miss out on the game.

WhattheFFF

you can't tell me there is a better looking upcoming game than Metroid

Kellehair

Why are you no longer interested in Mario and Zelda? After E3 everyone, and I do mean everyone, is more interested in both if anything.

dgc

That is the most important reason for choosing a console.

Taking a look at all the anti xbox posts you've made in the past, this doesn't surprise me. Not that there is anything wrong with that. After all, it is only your opinion and you are entitled to it.

Kellehair

Like it or not, there might be a lot of truth to Scandal's statement. I believe Nintendo has surpassed their sales expectations while Microsoft has not met theirs. I'm not trying to start a system war here but I think it's obvious that M$ has made a lot of mistakes.

ScandalUMD

I examined the options available and decided that XBox is the weakest competitor in the market. My assessment is pretty simple; Sony will have quality exclusives because their enormous userbase gives them tremendous leverage. Nintendo will have quality exclusives because they are the best developer in the world. Microsoft, meanwhile is left in the dust.

Halo is an excellent game, and Panzer Dragoon and Toejam and Earl will probably be quality titles as well, but the XBox lineup is really the weakest of the three.

Nintendo is firing all the guns to push itself over the XBox this holiday season, and Microsoft's counterattack is XBox Live, which only appeals to a niche audience. I honestly do not understand how Microsoft expects to ever make money on the XBox.

In some ways, yes, but you are still seeing Microsoft as Goliath and Nintendo as David. In many ways, this is inaccurate. It's true that Microsoft as a whole is much bigger than Nintendo, but Nintendo is much bigger than the XBox division at Microsoft. The real question is whether Microsoft will tolerate the XBox, if it can't pull its own weight. Even if Microsoft still reports profits in spite of losses in the XBox division, I don't believe they'll maintain the XBox if they don't see profitability in its future.

They already showed their impatience by firing Seamus Blackley. XBox proponents will of course say his departure was amicable, but, they're only deceiving themselves.

The fact is, Nintendo is a strong and able competitor in the video game industry. They have $5 billion backing up the Gamecube and the GBA, and that reserve is growing, not shrinking, because they continue to pull in profits every year.

Nintendo's profits are probably similar to those seen by Sony's games divisions. After, all, Playstation lost money at the beginning and the end of its cycle, while Nintendo made money every year.

Not even the strongest XBox proponents will try to argue that XBox has not been a money-losing venture so far; they'll merely argue that losing money at this point was always part of the plan. Meanwhile, Nintendo launched new hardware that is competitive, and still made record profits.

Trigger

Welcome to the Dark Side.


And Blah Blah Blah... more console bickering. Sheesh. You like what you like. Microsoft did well for a newcomer and I think it has the most capable hardware. Software is another story. Personally, I like what Xbox has lined up. I personally don't like Nintendo's games - never have and never will. Some feel the exact opposite. Most everyone can find something to like in Sony's software catalog - they've had a whole extra year to build it up. Exclusives tend to go to whoever has the deepest pockets or else to whoever has the largest user base. Xbox is getting a few sweet exclusives and most of the really cool games are coming for PS2 and Xbox and some for GCN. Gamecube did well considering the flop that was N64 and Sony had a year on the competition plus it had a huge back library of PS1 games to sweeten the pot. Sony's hardware is the weakest of the bunch, but it's a year older so of course. I don't know why this has to be an argument all the time. The guy just wanted to say he switched to Xbox and that he's happy and it turns into the same recycled argument. All three companies are huge empires that make lots of money. All three companies have designed good consoles and release games that are fun to at least some people. All three companies are trying to entertain you. It's not the sort of thing that should spark a debate. I mean if you hate Xbox or Microsoft, then stay out of Xbox threads... same goes for the Nintendo haters... why even go in a Nintendo thread if it doesn't interest you? We're all guilty of it - myself included, it's just getting really old now. Anyway - I know you guys just like talking about it, so don't stop on my account and don't feel the need to defend yourselves... I'm just bitching cuz every thread I open in this forum is the same conversation. Carry On.

darkside

Trigger, the N64 was anything but a flop. I think you have to lose money on a console for it to flop. Nintendo made plenty of money on N64 games.

As far as the other statements, I kind of agree. This console thing is very opinion based and we are all going to prefer different things.

For a three way console war, all competitors are very strong and I see no reason not to buy any of the three. All of them will be around until 2005 so your money is well spent. Pick the ones with the most games you like and don't worry about a console that doesn't interest you. Fact is all three have games I want coming out this year so I own them all. Your mileage may vary.

YujiNaka

I think all 3 will serve certain "constituents" well, but Xbox was the way to go for me because of the games and the upcoming games. To say Xbox Live will be a "niche", is kind of off-base. I think it wont be everyone, but a significant amount of people playing online with how simple and easy Xbox LIve will be to use. I don't play online games on my PC, but will definately do it on the Xbox.

As for Gamecube, it is N64Two, it will only have Nintendo games basically. Which is great for some people and bad for others. I like some Nintendo games, but I really prefer a Halo or SEGA game to a Nintendo game. Plus, if Nintendo does this system like they did N64, the games we are waiting for now (Metroid Prime, Zelda, Mario's, Wario's, etc) will be stretched out for like 2-3 years. Can almost guarantee Zelda wont hit Feb release.

-Jim

YujiNaka

And sorry, but I did not think Metroid Prime was the "best looking" game of the show.

If I had to pick one game for "Best looking", it would have been Panzer Dragoon Orta or Doom 3.

But I am an Xbox lackey and a Sega fanboy so take it for what its worth.

Josh H

When you don't know what you are talking about, it's best not to say anything.

The GCN is getting tons more third party support than the N64, and at least as much as the X-box.

joltaddict

Trade in my Cube!?!? Youll have to pry that spice controller from my cold dead hands.
I dont think MS will ever abandon the XBox. They see it as their way into the living room. Thats a priority and I doubt they would care if it became a complete money pit. Theyre trying like hell to kill any rumors of it being a trojan horse to a settop box/ total entertainment center but its pretty obvious thats their intention.

Tamrok

Perhaps you should take your own advice. GCN may be getting more support than N64 but it hasn't gotten as much support as the Xbox to date (which I'm well aware of since I've had a hard time finding games to play on my Gamecube). As of today, Xbox has 70 games available while Gamecube has 50. That's 29% fewer games. Definitely not "at least as much as the Xbox."

Trigger

I remember when the original Nintendo console was supposed to be a trojan type of device that was supposed to eventually be able to do all these things like allow you to shop from home and order pizza and whatever else.

Darkside - I didn't know if N64 was popular or what... I just remember it being the lonely console at the video store I worked at. I also heard from alot of people that it was more useful as a doorstop than a console. Based on that type of chatter, I assumed it was a failure. I've never really followed Nintendo too closely because they always seemed like the big corporation trying to crush the little guys... time change.

YujiNaka - I was at E3 and I spent the least amount of time in the Nintendo booth which was packed. The people at E3 were the gassiest people I've ever been around. Everyone was farting like crazy... "Oh wow look! Metroid! pthhhhh" or "Hey check it out! Lord of the Rings! rrrrrrriiiiiip" It really stunk there. The worst was the Nintendo booth though - and I don't know if it was the concentration of people or if it was the type of people who were there, but it was really stinky. Anyway - on topic - I saw Metroid and was prepared to be impressed with all the screenshots I've seen, but when I played it I was kinda disappointed. I play alot of first person shooters - in fact, I play pretty much all of them - and this one seemed pretty mediocre. It just seemed like a first person version of Gunvalkyre or something. Maybe I didn't give it enough of a chance, but it just failed to impress me.

IIG

Why do people think that N64 was a flop? I never could understand that. It sold quite well, and had a number of games that broke sales records. Flops don't break records (unless we're talking about the worst selling games and systems of all time). I especially take offense to that, since the N64 is probably my favorite system of all time. The only flop that Nintendo has ever been involved in was the Virtual Boy.

Trigger

I just said why... I didn't know it wasn't a flop. I worked at a video store and it collected more dust than late fees. That and hearing from other video and game store owners that the thing was used as a doorstop instead of a console are what gave me that impression. I've never followed the sales figures of it. For all I know it could be the most successful console in history.

Tamrok

I think the perception that N64 was a flop comes from the fact that it wasn't as successful as previous Nintendo systems and was outsold by the Playstation in it's generation of consoles. As for setting sales records, I think some of that can be attributed to the general lack of games available for the N64. Thus, when a decent game did finally come out, nearly every N64 owner felt the need to buy it which helped to set sales records. Having extremely recognizable brands like Mario and Zelda didn't hurt either.

YujiNaka

Its not hard to choose a game for N64 when you can buy "Great First Party Game with Recognizable Characters" or "One of the 3 Acclaim releases this month"... Hence alot of great games on PSX didnt set sales records.

As for not knowing what I am talking about, I think thats funny, and was told the same thing back in the "Ultra 64" days. 3rd Party support will be very weak for Gamecube, especially as time goes on. Xbox has more 3rd party support now, more announced 3rd party support and will have more 3rd party games as time goes on.

All in all, I usually prefer 1st party games though.

ScandalUMD

Nintendo never sold 35 million SNES systems. As for the PS1, when it was all wrapped up, it probably had a bigger range of B list titles, and it certainly had better sports, but the N64 A list was probably comparable in size and quality to the PSX.