My fiance, Terry, he is "SONY addicted". He had PS1, he was on the prepayment only waiting list for PS2 and has most of the latest games & accessories. He even subscribes to a gaming magazine. So, I consider him a pro and myself inevitably knowledgeable by association. My opinion of PS2 boils down to this: it is more advanced than PS1 but it may or may not be worth the price - to you. For Terry (my fiance), it was well worth it. He would not be able to stand being restricted from the new games that are only compatible with the newer version. He also loves the fact that his $300 bought a CD player & a DVD player that he wouldn't normally have budgeted in. So, it's like getting a bonus if you do not already own both of these items for the room you're buying the Sony for. Graphically, he and I are both impressed with the further improvement of clarity. The system is just as simple to use as the previous version and has all the same bells and whistles (memory cards, 4-way play, dual shock controllers, etc). The unfortunate part of all these "bells & whistles" is that the some of the old equipment is not compatible with the PS2 version. SO, you have to buy each piece again - and that can add up quickly. The 4-way play was an additional $40-ish alone. The dual shock controllers and the memory cards are compatible with both systems, which saved us from respending about $100 more. I am very thankful that the all the Sony PS2 games will play on both systems. That could have killed my retirement fund if we had to recreate his game library.
If you do not have a system yet and are looking to purchase one from the start, PS2, in my "educated" opinion, is the way to go. You get bang for the buck with an extra DVD & CD along with an impressive collection of game selection. The new, sleek design is more "decorator friendly" in that you now have a choice to sit the system vertically or horizontally. The verticle stand, of course, costs extra. Plan on spending about $200 extra if you want the "bells & whistles" and a good $40 for each popular game. If you have a system, or are looking to save money, you may not see the need to spend so much just to upgrade. The PS1 game selection is very broad itself with game prices (especially used) a bit more reasonable. But avoid looking at the new games - the tease may be too tempting if you find one you like. Happy playing to you...

Recommended: Yes