console recommendations

[Cantrellio]

I use to own a NES many years back, so I will likely not make that my first choice. I'm leaning towards a PS, but that's up in the air. Here's my interests...

-puzzle and sports games especially
-classic games ('80s, Ms. Pac Man, Mario, etc.)
-low cost system with little if any add-ons

I recommend the Gamecube with GBA player (it's an add-on but a great one for about $20). The GC has quite a few arcade compilations (Namco collection has all the Pac-Man's) and you can get your puzzle fix from both the GC and GB/GBA library (which is huge by the way). It has some great sports games like the great 2005 Madden, Sega Soccer Slam, and all the other sports franchises that get updated every year but are basically the same game. Also, you can play all 2D Mario's (and Zelda's) through the GBA player.

Cheap? Yep, you can go out today and pick one up at Gamestop for $30. Just make sure that you get them to open up the box and examine it for yourself. Look for a clean one (I like the black one but color's up to you) and make sure it has a Nintendo brand controller included with it. You'll also probably be able to find several cheap titles there.

I would also recommend the Wii but their download policy sucks. Buy carts and discs and you won't regret it.

[Breetai]

In all honestly, if you just want one single console, get a modded X-Box, homebrewed Wii or PC and use emulators on it. If you want just one single console and you want to go legit, a PS2 compatible PS3 will hit pretty much everything not made by Nintendo. The PS1, PS2 and PSN libraries cover most of what you want. On the PSN are also PC Engine/TG-16 games and Neo Geo games. No need to limit yourself to local versions, are the Japanese PSN stuff is absolutely region free.

For just classic games with some sports stuff, I was really not kidding about the PC Engine. It has one of the best selections of classic games of any console, save for maybe the NES (which, as far as classic 80s games go is KING). The Japanese Saturn, PS1 and PS2 also have very good classic 80s games collections. Of all of these, the NES is the cheapest. The Japanese Saturn is probably the next cheapest (I am NOT joking, the classic games on it are not expensive). For classic games, like the ones I mentioned, even the PC Engine is not as expensive as people here seem to think. The PS2 would probably be next, although you'll have to import most of the classic collections from Japan (and then you need an imported PS2). The PS1 is much the same as the PS1 in this regard.

Again, if you are really into 80s classic arcade-style games... I really was not joking about the PC Engine. After the NES, it probably has the best selection of 80s-style arcade games.

[o.pwuaioc]

If you do get a PS2, you'll also have a wide selection of compilations for it, like SNK compilations, Capcom, in addition to the golden age arcade hits like Namco, Atari, Taito...

[mas]

Here is my take on this subject;
I would stay away from "nintendo" products. Don't get me wrong I have a nes with 50 or so great games and a snes with 19 games I picked up for 80.00. The nes and especially snes games are really expesive as of late. Now I love nintendo but for collecting It's going to cost you money. After a while you might want to play a current game and you can't do that with a nes or snes.
Get a Ps2. They only cost 30.00 or so and there is alot of bundled up retro classic arcade stuff on there. Namco museum, snk collection, capcom collection, sega genesis collection, plus you can play last gen games and they don't look bad at all. There is so many cheap games for that system now and you have every genre possible. Plus you get to play ps1 games and there is an option to smooth the frame rate out.
Just think of have only 100.00 to spend on a system and games. The ps2 will get you more games and memory cards and controller's than a nes or a snes.

[Breetai]

Here is my take on this subject;
I would stay away from "nintendo" products. Don't get me wrong I have a nes with 50 or so great games and a snes with 19 games I picked up for 80.00. The nes and especially snes games are really expesive as of late. Now I love nintendo but for collecting It's going to cost you money. After a while you might want to play a current game and you can't do that with a nes or snes.
Get a Ps2. They only cost 30.00 or so and there is alot of bundled up retro classic arcade stuff on there. Namco museum, snk collection, capcom collection, sega genesis collection, plus you can play last gen games and they don't look bad at all. There is so many cheap games for that system now and you have every genre possible. Plus you get to play ps1 games and there is an option to smooth the frame rate out.
Just think of have only 100.00 to spend on a system and games. The ps2 will get you more games and memory cards and controller's than a nes or a snes.

This is true.

[ninjainspandex]

imo get a ps2 its not that much more expensive then a ps1 these days and you can play ps1 and ps2 games and there are TONS if compilations and anthology games for it like megaman anniversary and metal slug anthology AND they are still making madden games for the ps2 to this day i swear i saw a ps2 madden 2011 the other day in walmart i couldnt believe it. the ps2 just cant be beat with its backwards compatibility.

[o.pwuaioc]

imo get a ps2 its not that much more expensive then a ps1 these days and you can play ps1 and ps2 games and there are TONS if compilations and anthology games for it like megaman anniversary and metal slug anthology AND they are still making madden games for the ps2 to this day i swear i saw a ps2 madden 2011 the other day in walmart i couldnt believe it. the ps2 just cant be beat with its backwards compatibility.

I believe that was the last game they'll ever make for it.

[Dude]

Maybe I can expand on the thought by separating the questions. Which system do you think is best for sports games (racing included)? Which for puzzles? Which for classic/old school?

Thanks again. I appreciate the responses!

[Breetai]

Maybe I can expand on the thought by separating the questions. Which system do you think is best for sports games (racing included)? Which for puzzles? Which for classic/old school?

Thanks again. I appreciate the responses!

Sports games? If you don't want modern stuff... then maybe NES, Genesis, SNES or Saturn (because of Daytoooooooooonaaaaaa). NES had Blades of Steel. Genesis had the best NHL Hockey games and Mutant League games. Also Road Rash and Skitchin'! SNES has... nevermind. Saturn has the best racing games ever with Daytoooonaaaa, Sega Rally, arcade perfect+ version of Outrun and even some cool arcade style sports games (including the best version of NBA Jam).

Puzzles. PS1 and Saturn both have a lot of Puyo Puyo and Tetris. Tetris Plus is an AWESOME version of Tetris. Saturn Bomberman is arguably the best Bomberman ever. There are also a lot of other great puzzle games on the Saturn and PS1. So, Saturn wins because of the best Bomberman. PC Engine has a lot, too, with some Puyo Puyo, Bomberman '93 and '94 (the 2nd and 3rd best in the series), Panic Bomber, Crater Maze/Doraemon, etc. SNES also is well represented here with too many to list.

Old school arcade type games. NES is very good. PS2/PS1/Saturn (JP) are all great here. PC Engine is also great here.

[o.pwuaioc]

Sports Games: Depends. Old school sports? NES. Modern-esque sports? PS2.

Puzzle Games: Saturn for reasons Breetai mentioned. But puzzle games are abundant on many consoles, and any you pick, especially 32-bit and prior, you can find a good amount of them on that system.

Golden Age Arcade: NES for ports, PS2 or XBOX for originals (all of mine are XBOX, but PS2 has some exclusive stuff)