is it worth it to buy a console for just one game? (please no console bashing)
 

i went to the mall today and was about to pick up a gamecube for animal crossing.

$150 for gamcube
$15 for memory card
$50 for animal crossing
total: $215

this is if i skimp 25 bux on another controller.

i would've done it - but i'm not sure if there's a game out there for gamecube or on the horizon that i would want. i have no interest in super mario, the new zelda or metroid. all the games i would buy are on the ps2 already.

same goes for xbox. i've wanted to get it for halo - but that's about it. again, all the games i would want are already on ps2.

what to do?

would you buy a console for one game, perhaps knowing that you may not buy another game for it for awhile?

any all advice would be good - thanks in advance :)

No.

Animal Crossing already comes with a memory card so you don't need to buy one. If you really like the game, and have the money to buy it, sure why not? And if you go to CostCo you can get animal crossing for $43.99

I would go with a yes. While many people will not give the game as much credit today, Mario 64 was worth purchising the N64 for. Thankfully I enjoyed many titles after that as well, but Mario 64 was that revolutionary.

I have yet to play AC, so I can't comment on it's merits directly.

Nope. At least not a new one. I'd pick up a used GC or PS2 ( I already have an Xbox and DC) if there was a game I just HAD to have, although I almost got a GC at launch for SW Rogue Leader. But I saw nothing of interest (for me) on the horizon for the GC.

I bought my Xbox for Halo and the future Sega releases. My DC I bought because of my love for all things Sega! Even though Sega is putting out quality titles for the X, GC and PS2, Panzer, Shenmue and Toe Jam are all Xbox exclusives.

Anyway, $200+ is quite a chunk of change for just 1 game, at least for me it is..

No. Do you have a PS2?

Not until it gets cheap, like say Dreamcast is now.

Also like evanmd said, AC comes with a memory card, so you can save a little if you do decide to do it.

Animal Crossing uses up the entire memory card, so I don't think that's really a valid point.

Well if he's only getting one game he only needs one memory card :)

But.. if AC was the only game I wanted to play on the GC.. no.. I don't think I'd have bought it. I don't have all that much disposable income, so there'd have to be at least 4 or 5 games that interest me greatly on a console before I consider it. I guess it depends on how much money you've got to throw around :p

But he's buying the GC for just that game... I think they have mentioned it because he may not have known it came with one.

Oh yeah, it's in his original total. Dip. I think I need to stop working now.

I'm wrestling with this one for when GTA:Vice City comes out. Granted, there's more than one PS2 game I'd like to play, but most of them come out for other systems. I keep talking myself out of it when I phrase it this way:

"Do I really want to spend over $200 for a game?" I do, but I can't

Not unless the game had a few thousand hours worth of play, or if you can resell the package to basically recoup most of the money excluding the cost of the game... then it might be worth it.

Well, I'm sitting here thinking...

I could pick up Animal Crossings for my girlfriend's son's GC, and I'm sure all three of us will enjoy it... or just use that $50 as 1/5 what I need to finally play GTA3.

hmm...I was sort of in this prediciment a few months ago...
I saw all the commericals for GTAIII, so I went over to my best friend's house and borrowed his PS2, rented the game and knew it was the greatest thing since...hell, I dunno, but I hadn't owned a new video game system since a NES--when the thing came out! Did I buy much after that? Not really. Not being much of a video gamer player, but I picked up Madden 2003, EA Sports Rugby and Metal Gear along the way. The last two I bought used very cheap so I haven't invest much money...Of course Vice City is my next purchase....Again, depends how badly you think you will need it...

I usually purchase system based on a particular game. It's usually for a baseball or wrestling game though.

I did the exact same thing for HALO... got it used.

Don't kid yourself though... once you have the unit, you'll probably end up buying some more games to try out on it.

If you do get a cube... Resident Evil is a really good game.

-k
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Well not only can you get Vice city but also GTA3 and The Getaway for other great mob related titles.

thanks for all the awesome replies -

the used option was something i never really thought of. as for the memory card - another thing i missed :p

i tried to go rent it today, only to find that blockbuster doesn't rent out the gamecube anymore. makes it kinda tough to try out esp. since none of my friends have the gc as well.

i have the ps2 now. i know there are good games i play in addition to those which i am looking fwd to getting. i guess i just don't see that right now for gc. keys - you're right i gues once i have it i'll look fwd to more games. i'm just worried that say they're only three games or so.

if it is worth it to you, then it is worth it. Case closed. :)

The way I justify the purchase of a console for one game is to think if I was going to buy an actual arcade machine, how much would I have to spend for that. In other words one game may be worth over a thousand dollars to you if you had to buy the actual arcade machine instead. Chances are, there will be another game you will want someday for the console too. If they can make one that'll interest you, there will be more.

It depends on the game. The way I see it...compare it to other forms of entertainment. For example, a 2 hour movie at a local theater is about $8 (not including concessions). That works out to about $4 per hour of entertainment. So, take the $200 for the system and the game, input that into our formula and what do you get? You have to play the game for 50 hours to equal the entertainment value of a 2 hour movie at a local theater.

I like to rationalize my habits this way. For me, my Xbox was worth it just for Morrowind. I've played Morrowind so much that my entertainment value has dropped to below $0.25 per hour. Every time I buy a new game for $50 I just have to play it for 12.5 hours to equal the entertainment value of a 2 hour movie at a local theater.

Other factors to keep in mind is the quality of the game. There are some games that are worth buying a system for, and there are many games that are not. After you get the hang of comparing your purchases to movies you can try comparing them to DVDs or CDs or Concerts or any other type of entertainment you choose.

Just remember that in the end it all depends on the game.

i did when GTA3 came out. $300 for ps2, $50 for game, $40 for memory card. granted its the only reason youre buying it at the time but once you have the system it opens up your chances to rent/buy other games you never really would have if you didnt have the system. i have no regrets of my original purchase :D

Well I just bought a XBOX just for HALO! But I also bought it for XBOX LIVE! Nintendo just isn't putting any effort in pushing online gaming.

I think it's worth it. I've bought two consoles for just one game in the last couple months and don't regret my purchases. I got an Xbox for Buffy and got a GameCube for Animal Crossing. There are already more games coming that I want for each and I'm about to buy a GBA for Animal Crossing, Metroid, and Castlevania. It was all worth it to me, and now I don't have to whine about games I can't get, I can get em all :)

And if I didn't already have a PS2, I woulda bought it for Kingdom Hearts.

BTW, on the extra controller issue... you can buy the GameCube at KB Toys and you get a free 3rd party controller, though it feels rather cheap. Comes with a carrying case and RF switch too in case you need that, but doubt ya do :) I think Animal Crossing is defenitely worth my GameCube purchase alone... Godzilla is another good game to look forward to.

~Scheherazade