Your setup -- which consoles do you own?

[JT]

I'm curious about QT3's demographics with regard to the "current" consoles.

[mtkafka]

I own neither of those three... but I do own a DC and PSX. So I still am down with the consoles!

etc

[JT]

I own neither of those three... but I do own a DC and PSX. So I still am down with the consoles!

etc

No current consoles!?!?!?! You, who seem to buy every game on the market for the PC? Wow. Truly a surprising thing!

Treat yourself to a console ... to go along with your enormous....

[Derek Smart [3000AD]]

I own all of them, including N64, Dreamcast, Genesis, PS One, Jaguar etc. Not to mention the handhelds.

Yes, I run a museum :D

[DennyA]

Where's the Gameboy Advance on the poll? That's the only video game machine I use with any regularlity...

I do have a PS2, but it's used almost exclusively for multiplayer stuff. (Much easier to entice non-gamers to sit in front of the TV with a game controller than to join a networked PC game.)

[Mike Cathcart]

Right now I have (and use on a regular basis) a GC, DC, PS2, and N64 connected to my TV. I really don't like like Microsoft so I've been avoiding the XBox, which is pretty easy because there are so many great games to play on the other consoles and my PC.

[Lee Johnson]

I have a DC, PS2, and a GBA. I wouldn't mind a 'Cube, but since I don't play the consoles all that frequently, compared with PC games, my wife would probably choke me. :?

[Doug Erickson]

I've got all three plus a GBA. Haven't really touched the Cube much since Mario Sunshine (or before it). Actually, the PSOne gets more lovin' than any of the newer consoles, although the forthcoming RPG deluge on the PS2 in September should change that.

[Supertanker]

I have a friend that has all three, and I have yet to find a game that compels me to buy my own. Spending a half-hour will most console games satisfies my desire to play them any more. Maybe when the kids are older, but my DC is holding me for now.

[Anonymous]

I own a Gamecube for super melee brothers smash or whatever it's called, And eagerly waiting for mario and link Havn't the slightest idea what else to play on it. Oh and of course a psx2. I"m holding out on getting an Xbox Though I"m considering buying a saturn.

[Wholly Schmidt]

I've got an Xbox and PS2 out of that lineup, but since early in the summer when I picked up Baldurs Gate: Dark Alliance for PS2 and briefly again when I bought (and just before I sold back) Hunter: The Reckoning on the Xbox, I reallly haven't played anything but my N64 and Dreamcast. My roommate for the summer had the Gamecube to complete the lineup and outside of a half hour or so of Smash Bros each week, it didn't see much play time either.

Has this summer been particularly slow for games or is it always this way and I've just forgotten?

[DennyA]

Yow. After going to the media page associated with this preview:

http://cube.ign.com/articles/366/366990p1.html

...I want a GameCube.

The building destruction video brings tears of joy to my eyes.

[Brian Rucker]

Looks like including the Dreamcast in that poll could have brought us some unexpected responses. For a 'dead' console it sure seems to crop up in messages here alot.

[Dave Long]

Sega always had the hardcore in the bag. They know that Sega's consoles always get a lot of great games. With the price drop so low toward the end of the system's life, anyone who's even slightly more than a casual gamer worth a damn probably bought one. There are just too many great titles on the DC for it to go away quietly. Why just this week I've been obsessing over Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and Street Fighter Alpha 3 again. My boys are always wanting to play Hydro Thunder and Rush 2049. We also have Sonic Adventure (1 or 2) out regularly. It's a superb system.

Only a few more weeks 'til Ikaruga arrives via import too. If you're still into the DC and you enjoy shooters, this one's a must.

--Dave

[Gordon Cameron]

All I own is a Dreamcast, though it's not plugged in at the moment. Come to think of it, that's the only console I have ever bought with my own money, and the only one I've had in my home apart from the Atari 2600 some 20 years ago.

[Dave Long]

If you only have to own one console...the DC is an excellent choice. :-)

--Dave

[Mike Cathcart]

If you only have to own one console...the DC is an excellent choice. :-)

--Dave

I've got two (DCs, that is) :) Also have a pair of twin sticks (http://www.segalife.com/reviews/voot/voot.shtml) (bottom of page) and the official maracas controller (http://gear.ign.com/articles/59160p1.html) that Sega made. Picked up both "used" for sixty bucks, the maracas were in excellent condition in the box, the sticks were like new but out of box. Samba de Amigo is a great party game, and if I get another pair of the sticks I'll be able to hook up VOOT to two TVs and play it the right way.

And yes, I have the fishing controller. Love my DC, can't wait for Ikaruga.

[wumpus]

My PS2 was such a waste of money.

I know some people liked playing GTA3 on it (I didn't-- bought a copy and sold it on eBay), but it's so much better graphically and control-wise on the PC. Then again it was a 6 month wait, so YMMV.

I really wish Crimson Skies was coming out this Xmas; I'd definitely buy an Xbox for that. As it is, I'll have to wait and see what appears.

[Gibreal]

I currently own: XBox, GameCube, PS2, GBA
Have sold to upgrade: PSX, Dreamcast, Gameboy

[Kalle]

I have a friend with a PS2 that satisfies all my console needs. Thanks to him I get to play Tekken, Metal Gear Solid, and Final Fantasy whenever I desire. No other console games really capture my interest today. Since he's a die-hard Resident Evil fan he'll be sure to pick up a Gamecube when the game is released in Europe, and then I can probably convince him to buy Metroid Prime when that comes around.

So who needs a console when you have friends?

[Anonymous]

I have a Dreamcast,which I bought used(I really bought it to play 'Jet Grind Radio'),and a GBA.Thoe are the only console items I've bought since I bought an Atari 2600 used back in the early '80s.

[Murph]

I'm eyeing a Dreamcast, mostly for Virtua Tennis. My wife and I played it at an arcade recently, and she was quite smitten with the game. We're looking for a cheap system, and the game cheap. (I'm watching several on e-bay. I'd like to get one cheaper than $50, cause...Well, we have an N64, and just don't play it often. If I'm gonna discover that I wasted money on a Dreamcast, I don't want it to be too much.)

[Brad Grenz]

You'll probably be able to find a copy of Virtua Tennis for like $2.00. The real trick is finding a cheap copy of Soul Calibur.

[Jason Becker]

I put down no consoles Dammit, but I own a DC too. Picked up a $50 used one end of last summer. It gives me my football fix. NFL2K2 is outdated rosterwise now but it plays great and thats enough. I do some fighitng once in awhile with DOA2 and Soul Caliber. Tried RE: Code Veronica but just could'nt get into it. Thinking about trying to find Granadia II or that Arcadia game. Never been a big console RPG fan but have herd good stuff about those games.

"The real trick is finding a cheap copy of Soul Calibur."

I actually got it free. The guy that traded in the DC I bought left it in the tray and the Gamestop guys never looked inside. Not a bad deal. :)

[Dave Long]

I should've clarified that I own two Dreamcast's as well. One is permanently placed by the TV, the other is permanently connected to my monitor at the PC. Last night I played Mark of the Wolves in VGA instead of on the TV. It's like a whole different experience when you play DC games on the PC monitor. If you have a DC and any interest in seeing the games at 640x480, get a VGA box and hook it up. I bought a Sony monitor with two VGA inputs just for this reason...now I flick a switch and I've got instant console gaming on the monitor.

The single biggest technical failing of the Xbox is its missing VGA-out support. Sony and Nintendo can shoulder my ire for that too.

--Dave

[Chris]

I have a Dreamcast as well, been playing a lot of NHL2k2 when I can. I may break down and get an Xbox though I'll probably wait to see what my nephew gets and use his. :D

[Bub, Andrew]

Murph, you can import a PC port of Virtua Tennis. It's only available in Europe though. Just FYI.

[Mike Cathcart]

The single biggest technical failing of the Xbox is its missing VGA-out support. Sony and Nintendo can shoulder my ire for that too.

--Dave

Well, you might know this already, but it looks to me like you have two options. The first is a fancy upscan converter, which will work for all of your consoles. This one (http://www.ncsx.net/www/2002/ncs020402/ncs0204.htm) (I think) lets you switch between multiple inputs. The second option is cheaper but Gamecube only (although it would probably work for the others, just haven't seen an example of that). You can actually mod the GC component cable (http://www.geocities.co.jp/Technopolis-Mars/9984/ngcrgb_e.htm) so that it plugs into your VGA monitor. This is thirty bucks (for the official Nintendo cable) plus parts, but if you don't want to get into all that you can buy one premade (http://www.goldenshop.com.hk/AI-trad/gc/vgacable.htm). I'm told that this looks phenomenal and on a good monitor is better than the picture you get on an HDTV. Unfortunately, none of the big gaming sites will discuss these things, which is kind of annoying, especially because they know we have monitors and because that thing is so much cheaper than an HDTV.

As soon as I recover from the new apartment two-and-a-half-month payment/checking-account-raping I'm buying a new monitor and one of those cables. Rogue Leader looks great in progressive scan mode.

Of course, Microsoft was smart enough to force all of their developers to make their games progressive scan compatible, but since Nintendo didn't the modded GC cable won't work for all games (although it does work for all of the games that matter...) I suppose the upscan converter works for everything, but since it costs three times as much I'll probably pass.

[Dave Long]

I know about it, but that's a good post for those that don't. My problem with the whole thing is it should have been included as an option right out of the box. Buy a VGA device or cable and blammo, VGA support. Instead you have to deal with Hong Kong retailers and grey market devices to get the output you should have been able to get by walking into the local EB.

Bah...it's just one more thing the Dreamcast did better than any of the current consoles. I won't be surprised if the DC still ends up the best online gaming option for everyone, not just those with broadband, after all these new services launch. I get pretty tired of uninformed articles touting Sony and Microsoft's online entries as the "first" of their kind on consoles. Dreamcast had the capability in '99 and delivered on the promise in 2000. I wish I coulda hit the powerball numbers so I could've sunk money into Sega to keep them in hardware. I miss their innovation already.

--Dave

[Xaroc]

I have a PS2 I play quite a bit. I went back to GT3 and it is still engaging and just amazing looking. I was on an SSX Tricky binge before that, I must have 7 riders at master level now. I also finished Devil May Cry a couple of weekends ago (very nice looking, good control and moves). The rental thing is also turning out to be pretty cool, 6 bucks for a week of a game to try out has been nice. Overall I have been happy with the PS2. I still have a DC but it is sitting around collecting dust althought I should probably get one of those switches and reconnect it. I haven't played VT in quite a while.

I just got Toshiba to RMA my laptop and should have some cash in the near future. My plan is a computer upgrade and probably an Xbox with Halo and Rallisport Challenge. I played a few games on the Cube and it was ok but I played Halo and it was great.

-- Xaroc

[Tyjenks]

PS2 only. I made my choice between a PSOne and N64 a while back and had to stick with Sony in this next round. Do not have the cash or time to support more than one console and a PC habit.

I actually did a paper in one of my final classes in business school on the console wars back when it was Sega, Nintendo, and Sony before Sega was in it's death throes. It is amazing how many things I predicted correctly.

Now it seems much more foggy as to what will happen. Wouldn't it have been nice if Microsoft could have swooped in and bailed out the Sega hardware branch and the Saturn and Dreamcast could have done oh so much better with all that money behind them? The behemoth that is the X-Box would not be here. Dreamcast games would still be produced and played online today and we would all be holding hands and singing Kum Ba Ya. I bet in heaven everyone has a DC, imports are in English, and you do not have to pay all that extra cash to pick up rare DC games on EBay.

All that being said, with the dearth of good Strat/RPG titles I stick with PC games. Although, I have gotten back into NBA Street as of late.

[bgumm]

I have my Xbox (Halo, Halo) and Genesis (NHL 94 freak) hooked up to my HDTV upstairs. Downstairs, I have my DC (Soul Calibur) and PSX (Crash Team Racing). I'm currently in the market for a SNES. My wife and I love Mario. I also have a GB Color, but wouldn't mind picking up a GBA with the Afterburner kit pre-installed...

I've considered picking up a Saturn so I can play "Steep Slope Sliders" again. Best snowboarding game ever. great soundtrack to...

[Jason Becker]

"The single biggest technical failing of the Xbox is its missing VGA-out support."

I assume that goes along with their no mouse/keyboard support so devs and publishers don't get the suspicion they are really making a sealed MS branded PC. I remember reading were the Xbox was more along those lines initally and they got a cold reception when they showed the design around. Hence they went with a more strict "just for games" design.

[Mark Bussman]

None of the above? We've got an N64, SNES and a GBA... I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one that isn't really that interested in this generation of consoles. Mostly it's probably because I can't afford one, but even if someone walked up to me and said, "Here's $500 that you can only use to buy a new next generation console and some games." I would be hard pressed to make an enthusiastic decision. I fiddle with them in the stores, but nothing really makes me want to buy it, though I admit if pressed, I'd probably lean towards a Gamecube.

[Edit] - I've also owned a NES and an Atari 2600, and find I really miss the 2600 sometimes. I miss River Raid.