Its christmas and you're itching to buy a new gaming system!

[Pu-239]

Gamecube. I think most PS2 games have a PC version anyways, don't they?

[Cal Wright]

Must...resist...urge...to...hijack...thread...ah, fuck it!

Bring it, Bill Gate's Bitch.

Pfff, that backwards compatability you mention has only recently been implemented,

That's not the point. The point IS that the PS2 has backwards capability enabling this fucktard to play his PS1 games, which he may or may not have an over abundance of. He's looking for a console, this seems to be the best choice with the given information. Not only that, but hardware that he has will still work on the PS2 when he plays a PS1 game on it. THe controllers are exactly alike. (With the exception the the PS2 controller is actually optimized with analog buttons. Nitpick however in the overall post.)

and its still pretty limited.

Depends on what you consider limited. Then again, how much shit do you need?

With the PC I'm using right now, I can play something as primitive as the original C&C

*yawn*

(or even Dune 2, if I had it),

That's just wrong.

and as advanced as Earth & Beyond.

What about solitaire?

Can you play Mario Bros. on a Gamecube?

Technically, Yes. Mario Sunshine and Mario Party 4.

I know full well were your coming from. However, unless he's a better PC user than I am (which isn't that hard, but granted...) then he is definitely better off with the console war. I upgraded my computer to a fuck you over the internet status, and it still has shit fits. I thought I had the problem fixed when I took it to a comp shop in town, and the biggest failure was Mechwarrior 4. I wanted to throw my Wingman through the screen. That's another thing, my USBs seem to be fucked so now my Wingman rumble pad doesn't work. Oh, how fucking great. A $40 dollar controller that doesn't fucking WORK. Strange, all of my controllers, even the NES controllers that took years of abusive impacts on chairs, stands, and walls work perfectly to this DAY. This DAY I tell you. You pop a game in, you turn the power on, and it fucking works.

Save yourself the headache, get a PS2. I reiterate. Console all the way.

[Sea Skimmer]

I went after the PS2 for its DVD player functions, backwards compatibility, and because Nintendo really disappointed me with the N64. My situation is probabaly a little different from others' because I use consoles primarily for sports sims (which I feel port very poorly onto PCs). So I really could have gone for any of the three console systems (actually X-Box has a slight edge because Microsoft's in-house sports publisher seems to be pretty good), but Gamecube has limited functionality and X-Box is a general protection fault waiting to happen and is too big to fit in my entertainment system besides.

I think you'll find the optimum performance from sports games comes from a process, which involves gathering friends and going outside to a nearby field...

[Brother-Captain Gaius]

Strange, all of my controllers, even the NES controllers that took years of abusive impacts on chairs, stands, and walls work perfectly to this DAY. This DAY I tell you. You pop a game in, you turn the power on, and it fucking works.

While that last sentence about durability is debateable, I will concede that consoles are without doubt much hardier, resistant to the elements, and even easier to transport.

And I profess no love for Gates, but nor do I despise him.

[Darth Yoshi]

Consoles are quite durable. My Super NES, which I bought in around 1993, I think, and stopped using regularly in '97, still worked when I played Super Mario World six months ago.