Hey, stupid! Want to be a gamer?
Well, this new sugar-free feature can help! Just follow this simple step-by-step course, and you too will know your “Dynamite Headdy”s from your “Yoshi’s Story”s.
Never played a game before? You need to know where to start. That’s where this handy guide will come in. So sit back, adjust your monitor, and get ready for…
PART ONE: IN THE BEGINNING…
I can see it now. There you are in the store, looking at the different consoles. “Which one do I buy?”, you cry. “WHICH ONE DO I BUY!?!?”
Now, there have been many debates about which of the current consoles is the best. The Xbox has the raw power, the GameCube has the originality, and the PlayStation 2 has the variety.
Go for the PS2.
Now, don’t get me wrong, the GameCube is host to many fantastic games (Viewtiful Joe, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Metroid Prime), but the PS2 has the back catalogue. It’s also gonna be around a good few years more. It has DVD support out of the box, and will even play your old PSX games (remember those?).
Try and get a decent package, too. PS2s now come with Eyetoy: Play (a breakthrough motion-sensitive collection of games and toys) as a standard, which is a lovely bonus. Over here in the UK, most stores give away one or more games with a new console, and will negotiate deals if you ask them nicely. For example, when I bought my PS2 I managed to bag a free vertical stand (useless) and three PSX games. Nice.
“But”, you whine, “which games should I buy?”. Calm down. I’ll help you.
It’s all down to personal preference. Find a game that takes your fancy, and ask to try it out. If there is no such service, go to a different store. Failing that, ask other customers what they think of a game (do NOT ask the clerks. They will steer you towards the expensive games). Good starting PS2 games are Ratchet and Clank, Metal Gear Solid 2, Final Fantasy X, and Devil May Cry (all of which are now available in the “Greatest Hits” series). These games are all shining examples of their genre and are extremely user-friendly.
One final tip: Buy the magazines with demo discs. They are well worth the cash if they save you spending a wad on a crappy game.
To be continued…?
