The most current Video Game console I have is a Wii bought as a present to myself for graduating from college in 2007. Over the years, the back of my mind has flip-flopped between upgrading from my PS2 to a PS3 or X-Box 360. I have looked at the tantalizingly shiny games and awesome gameplay, but never found anything worthy of expending several hundred dollars on.
And as I have tentatively saved up, other technology and needs have blocked my way. These include, but are not limited to:
- Buying a smartphone
- Upgrading to a better smartphone
- Losing 2nd smartphone 4 months later and having to spend $250 replacing everything
- Buying a Zune MP3 player
- Having Zune harddrive break, and buying a new one for $250
- Buying a Samsung tablet
- Selling back Samsung tablet to help fund buying Nexus 7 tablet
- Breaking Nexus 7 tablet screen last Saturday after a year of use, and so, after doing research that showed that buying a lightly used tablet would be roughly the same cost as buying and attempting to replace the screen, spent $150 on new tablet and accessories
- Buying a laptop when previous laptop fried
- Spilling milk on said laptop a year later, and having to spend about $500 replacing said laptop
- Buying a car (no, I haven’t broken it or spilled milk on it)
- Paying higher car insurance because of buying a newer car
- Buying new tires to replace lame factory tires after only 30,000 miles
- Holding onto my money while I bounce between education jobs for 2 years
- Being uneemployed for 6 weeks while living on my own
(Really, my life is a lot better than this list would make it look, and my luck with electronics really isn’t that bad.)
And now, nearly seven years after its release, I am still a generation behind.
And soon, I will be two generations behind.
And I was at peace with that.
Until today.
Today, when I discovered this:
Exactly what the PS3/X-box 360 generation has been missing: A good Star Wars game.
First, lets consider my favorite games from previous generations of systems:
PS2:
- Star Wars: Battlefront II
- Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter
- Star Wars: Lego
Gamecube:
- Star Wars: Rogue Leader
N64
- Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
- Star Wars: Podracer
- Dr. Mario – not Star Wars, but a lot of fun
Any game where I can sit in the cockpit of a spaceship, especially in the Star Wars universe, is awesome.
Besides the space battles (which, actually, aren’t my favorite part of the game), Star Wars: Battelfront 1 & 2 key into the giddy joy of running around with a blaster and blowing things up. It is really that simple.
Many, many hours and nights, my brother and I have run across the world of Hoth, my brother usually stealing an AT-AT, and fought for or against the fate of the Rebellion. When I have a rough day, I like to get some chocolate milk and play Star Wars: Battlefront. I have memorized each map just from the sheer number of times playing, and sometimes, on purpose, I like to run around and shoot down my allies.
There is no plot. There is only strategy, dodging, shooting, and, most importantly, fun.
This single game by itself, if worthy of its predecessors, may be the linchpin to my saving up enough money to buy a PS4.
What game has or would persuade you to buy a system? What has been your favorite system and/or game? Do you have hope in Electronic Arts handling of the Star Wars franchise? Isn’t convenient how the release of this game is currently tied to the release of Episode VII?
The L. Palmer Chronicles 
I’m a little dubious about EA right now because I don’t think they’ve handled TOR as well as they could have. If it were just Bioware, I would be more confident!
I was very attached to my N64 for a long time; recently I’ve been playing mostly Xbox 360 because I think they have the widest selection of games. I may get a PS4 because of FF15, but I’d sure play Battlefront also!
I would trust Bioware or Ubisoft before EA, but EA is what we have to work with. A good selection of games is always an important factor. It’s something I’m not a fan of with the Wii, and something I don’t see improving with the Wii-U. That being said, I have enjoyed the Nintendo first party games – Zelda Skyward Sword, Donkey Kong, Kirby’s Return to Dreamland.
Whoo! N64’s Star Wars Podracer game is definitely one of my top 5 fav racing games!
As a young teen I saved up for our N64 all by myself so it has the most sentimental memories of playing Mario Kart with the family and/or winning Paper Mario! (The only game to date that I didn’t get bored of or give up on. XD) Fun times!
Good luck with your decision making. 😉
My siblings and I saved up half and our parents paid the other half for both a SNES and N64. We played a lot of Mario Party games on the N64, in addition to my hours memorizing podracer and Rogue Leader.
I bought a Nexus 7 for Christmas for myself. I love the thing. I’m with it all the time and have this cool book reader called, well, CoolReader that allows me to make notes of my favorite books as I read them. Also, the 7″ display on the Nexus is perfect for walking around the house and whipping it out whenever I need some interesting info about something.
As for the consoles? I’ve played N64’s Super Mario 64 and Donkey Kong 64, my two favorite games on the console. But really, the LEGO games are my absolute favorites to play. I’ve played them on my laptop, which gives me way more options than any console can give. The LEGO Star Wars is my absolute favorite. I completed that one multiple times having found all the studs, powerups and secret levels. My favorite secret level in the game is LEGO city, which is a complete neighborhood with houses, trees, parks and all, complete and ready for destruction.
Oh, I nearly forgot, love Battlefront. I’m saying this with a smile on my face. I’ve played I & II so many times, I think I can play them in my sleep. Great, great games! But you know which game I completely love? Star Wars Republic Commando. I don’t know if you’ve ever played it for the PC but it’s ah-maaazing. Seriously. It’s a 1st person shooter and you’re in charge of a team of three other Commandos, giving them orders, attacking enemies. It really is an exciting game. I love it because of the team aspect and the graphics is more along the line of being let cartoonie than some of the other Star Wars games.
Anyway, I should have made this comment into a post and send you the link instead! Oh, well…haha 🙂
First, I think I’ve written a few comments this long. A few I have pulled and just transferred into a post.
Second, I am grateful a new version of Nexus 7 is being released this year, because it dramatically dropped the price of used ones so I could replace the one I broke. It is now sitting in an Otter Box case, and I hope that will solve future problems. I agree it is a great size – big enough to do more functional things on the screen, small enough to slide into a purse and just carry around.
Third, I have never been into PC games because 1. My computer was rarely up to snuff, and 2. Due to upgrades and failing laptops, the few games I have bought, I have started several times over, lost the save data again, and so never finished.
My brother’s favorite part of Battlefront is when you are playing as the Imperial side and the snooty British commentator says, “Another victory for the Empire.” Also, if you play as the Imperials, you get a Dark Trooper and a short range jet pack vs. being a clone trooper with a long-range jet pack. The downside of playing as a clone trooper is you have to fight the Droid army.
I’m all about the fantasy RPG’s — Skyrim and such (though I thought Oblivion was better in terms of story). Also enjoy puzzle games — Bejeweled, Plants vs. Zombies. My husband and I share a 360. If only there was an Animal Crossing for Xbox!
But, like you, I have other obligations. My kids are approaching college age. We usually wait til games get old enough to show up in Xbox Arcade. (Plus, by that time, all the hints and codes are on line, so if we get stuck, we can look for information.)
Someday, though, I imagine we’ll move up to another gen of Xbox.
Having a Wii, I’ve missed out on awesome fantasy RPG’s. I have gotten sucked into various ridiculous puzzle games and their overly-addicting game play. Many hours of writing-time has been lost to such silly pursuits.
I agree that this short snippet of AT-AT paws certainly piqued my interest in the upcoming system releases. If only I could find time in my schedule to play everything cool that’s probably on the way!
I’m still working on a magical device to extend my time.
I still have a dinosaur Nintendo DS (and not even the 3DS). I’ll probably get a 3DS. I love the Wii though. I don’t own one, but everyone I know does. I can play games when I visit.
The Wii doesn’t have a large catalog of awesome and shiny games, but it does have a good, core set of games that are fun to play with other people.
I hear ya on the upgrade reluctance. It’s tough. I didn’t want to let go of my Lego Star Wars or Star Wars Battlefront games either. But then I discovered the Mass Effect trilogy. At that point, I HAD to upgrade to PS3, and I’ve never regretted it. I even bought a new television so I could play the new games! I still have my PS2 and games locked away just in case of a gaming emergency. Of course, I don’t think I can hook those up to the new tv now because everything is hdmi…but whatever. I feel your pain. It’ll all work out. Good luck!
I think it just takes that one more awesome game to make the difference between upgrading or not.
As a side note, I thought most TV’s still had at least one A/V input for DVD players, and/or DVR and cable boxes. If you have a cable antenna line, you can get a converter box to create an input line to the TV (I did this with a TV I bought for $20 at a thrift store).
Having destroyed three cell phones (all stupid phones, one due to snow, two due to laundry), I sympathize with your destruction of high tech gear.
Oh, life and the many dangers to electronics.