Gaming is growing in India, and more and more people are getting into it now. So one question that I get asked a lot is, “Should I buy an Xbox 360 or PS3?”. Strangely, the Wii never makes that shortlist, but what’s really surprising is that these people, most of who have never been into serious gaming, completely overlook the PS2. Why would you want a PS2 when there’s the PS3, right? Well, it’s not quite that simple. If you’ve never gamed before, then you don’t quite know whether it’s something that’s going to hold your interest for too long. Do you then want to sink over Rs 20,000 into something that you might not use? How about a console that instead shows you what video games are all about at only the fraction of the price of a PS3? If that sounds good to you, you need to get yourself a PS2, and I’m about to tell you why.
Firstly, video games are an art form, so while today’s games look better and employ cutting-edge tech, the classic games, many of which are on the PS2, are just as much fun to play today as the day they released simply because of the ideas that went into making them. The PS2 has arguably the best games library of any home console. Ever. So if you’re a new PS2 owner, you’re never going to run out of good games. The second point in favor of the PS2 is reliability. I’m still using the PS2 that I bought in 2001, while I’ve had my Xbox 360 (purchased in 2006) replaced four times, and I’m on my second PS3 in three years. I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve neglected my PS2 since moving to the newer consoles, but even after gathering dust for months on end, the old timer fires right up when I’m in the mood for some giant slaying in Shadow of the Colossus. It’s the kind of hardware reliability that current generation consoles can only dream of.
Another important factor is compatibility. HDTV penetration is still quite low in India, and owning an HDTV is an important prerequisite before buying an Xbox 360 or PS3. For those who don’t own an HDTV, these consoles are an absolute no-no, because the games that are available for them are designed for high definition displays. So if you’re still on a standard definition CRT TV, a PS2 is a much better proposition. Last, but certainly not the least, is the price factor. The PS2 console will set you back Rs 5,990. Add Rs 2,000 more to get yourself four great games, and you’re good to go. By contrast, the PS3 console is priced at Rs 19,990, with games starting at Rs 999 (although the good ones cost a lot more). So you can get gaming on the PS2 at almost one-fourth the cost. Of course, once you do get hooked, you’re going to want to move up to the newer consoles and the high definition goodness they bring.
If you’re willing to pay the price of admission, I certainly wouldn’t discourage you from opting for the Xbox 360 or PS3 instead, because they too offer great gaming experiences. I, for one, find it hard to go back to many older games after being spoiled by the HD eye candy that the newer consoles offer. But I also know that with these consoles, your expenses don’t stop at just the hardware. Games are expensive, and so are the accessories that you will inevitably buy. So if you’re just looking for a taste of what video games have to offer, the PS2 will give you that in abundance. It’s the perfect entry-level console and home to some of the best games ever made. You just can’t go wrong with it.
