During this years rush of holiday shopping, the XBOX 360 was quickly snapped up in stores, during the first week it was selling for over $1000 on ebay. Well, I decided that I did not want to pay that much or wait for a possibility to get one. So I settled for a playstation 2 slimline version. I have been a Nintendo fan since my childhood, so I wanted to try something new.

I enjoy using the system and will continue to buy new games.

Size & Design

The PlayStation 2 is extremely small and thin, 1.1 inches in height and less than 2 pounds in weight. The design is similar to what already exist, yet the slimline has sacrificed durability for size. The flip open flap that enables users to place CDs, DVDs, or games in the system is extremely flimsy and feels that one day it will snap off. The buttons are a bit hard to press because of the size of the system, you need to hold the entire unit and then push the button. I would be better if the buttons were all centrally located and easy to see.

Games

There are hundreds of games to choose from. This was a deciding factor of whether to choose the XBOX or PS2, playstation has many more games and they are cheaper. I found at least 30 or 40 games in the store that were $19.99 while most of the XBOX games were between $29.99-$59.99.

The one thing that differs between Nintendo and PS2 (in games), is that PS2 does not have as many child compatible games: such as Zelda, Mario, and games which are simple and suitable for young children. From my perspectives, the audience of PS2 is primarily for teenagers and adults. There are games for a younger audience such as Sponge Bob Square Pants and Incredibles.

Some Examples of Available Games:

X-Men II

BattleFront II

Incredibles

Narnia

James Bond 007

Dragon Ballz

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

etc...

Loading Time

I have used almost every gaming console once in my life and it seems for some reason that PS2 has a longer loading period than most. Now, I know that GameCube and others also have loading times. Nonetheless, it seems that the loading time is a bit longer and causes one to get annoyed while playing certain games.

DVD & CD Features:

I like the Playstation console for one reason that the others don't yet have, the capabilities of playing CD's and DVD's. It works just fine and even has options that are great for families such as child sensors, you can set the level of ratings that you wont your kids to watch and the PS2 will not play anything higher. For example, if you do not want your kids to watch rated-R movies, simply select that level and the PS2 will automatically not play those videos without the password.

Now the only con I had was the un-user friendly interface for accessing the features. I had to read the manual to figure out how to play DVD's and set the codes. I would recommend reading the manual while trying to use this section for the first time, because there are so many options it can get confusing and almost overwhelming.

Additional Features:

Progressive Scan DVD Playback

MPEG 2 Support

Infrared

Fast Ethernet

FireWire x2

USB Port x2

Optical Digital Out for Audio

Online Gaming Feature:

Now one of the first consoles to have online gaming features was the playstation, you are able to connect the playstation to the Internet or alike and play versus friends, connect to servers and play versus others all over the world. This feature is highly desirable, especially for single kids who need someone else to play with.

Eye Toy:

This is an additional accessory that is compatible with certain games such as Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. This accessory is used with interactive games, kind of like the Nintendo gun that you would use to point at the screen and shoot the ducks in Duck Hunt. Except this features does much more, you use your hands to hit items and do different things. This feature is extremely fun and I would recommend purchasing this item with your system.

Controllers:

I recommend buying cordless, such as the logitech PS2 controllers with rumble feature. I detest cord controllers, they limit your distance and sometimes interfere, I have had brothers run through a room and rip the controller out and causing the system to sometimes come loose form the power cord and thereby turning off the system. You can get wireless controllers for about $24.99 - $49.99 depending on model. Just remember to purchase batteries if this if for a gift.

Do not forget to purchase memory cards, these are necessary to save information and play certain games.

Overall: A great system for a very affordable price of only $149.99. If you need a last minute gift, this might very well be it. Bring your gaming experience to the next level with the playstation 2.

Regards,

Jared

Recommended:
Yes