DescentBB

My dad wants to set up a mini gaming center in the living room for 5 people and wants to spend as little cash as possible. We've already ruled out computers as that would be close to $10,000 in equipment. He wants to know what game system has the best games and netplay, while not costing a fortune to hook up. Any ideas on game systems and games would be great. Thanks in advance.

Well? X-Box, Game Cube, or PS2?
That's all I need to know

i'm a PS2 nerd so i love it to death, but the brutal truth is that the Xbox is the strongest system, so if you can get that up and running, It will be your best choice.

The only thing the xbox has thats really mulitplayer friendly is Halo.

I can't think of any other game that would warrent buying an xbox for this situation.

Gamecube, you gots Mario Cart, Smash Brothers, Mario Party....

I posted a reply on the PD version of this thread.

Xbox or PS2. And Xbox has FAR more than just Halo, FYI.

I think the Xbox has stronger network titles, frequently with the ability to have multiple persons on each console. Like I said on PD, it might come down to going to EB and looking at the available games.

And yes, while the GC has some great 4 person titles, they aren't networkable (except Kart and I think Timesplitters). If you want 4 people on the same system, games like smash brothers, mario kart and the new Final Fantasy game are fantasic as multi.

Crimson Skies, Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, Halo, some excellent racing games (sadly nothign from EA) have both great LAN play as well as Xbox Live play (in some instances, Halo being the exception) where you can take multiple people on the esame concole online, expanding your competition even further (though there is a ~60 dollar yearly fee for Live, but that doesn't hurt the LAN at all, that's just plug and play).

You can get either system for aqbout the same amount of money (you have to purchase the ps2 net adapter sepeeratly in many cases, so that raises the price to about what the Xbox is).

Go to EB, look at the games. If I were you, I'd probably choose Xbox for it though. I own all 3, and if I had to pick one for the task you are describing, I'd pick the Xbox.

2-3 xboxs at 150 each, would get you the ability to play 4-12 players on a number of good games.

Thanks all, I'll tell my dad about all this info and do some research on what games are avaliable. I think he'll go for the PS2 because we like Tribes: Aerial Assault and that's for the PS2, and he may spring for Final Fantasy 11 I'll let you guys know what he descides to get.

If you go multiple PS2's, get some of the following:

Midnight Club II and/or Need for Speed Underground
SOCOM I or II
SSX3
Timesplitters 2
Rainbow Six 3 (I am pretty sure this has network coop and dm play)

If you can find a copy of Twisted Metal Black- Network version, that totally rocks.

Tribes is ok, but certainly not what I thought it would be, the controls needed work.

That's all I can think of, network wise, that are any good. I'd be all ears if anyone else has netowrk suggestions.

That being said, if you go the PS2 route, you can alwasy get Descent II for the PS1, it's playable on the PS2