$199 Wii vs $249 PS3 - Which to get?

[Jess Ragan]

Surely you know I'm not the kind of guy who complains about too many Mario games. Super Mario Galaxy is one of the reasons I'm GLAD I have a Wii. Still, many of the games for the Wii have a cheap, dimestore feel to them. VDub listed a bunch of video games rated over fifty percent for all three of the current generation consoles, but what about games ranked under thirty percent? I'm sure the Wii would beat the PS3 hands down in that department. It's all in how you look at the figures.

[vdub_bobby]

Surely you know I'm not the kind of guy who complains about too many Mario games. Super Mario Galaxy is one of the reasons I'm GLAD I have a Wii. Still, many of the games for the Wii have a cheap, dimestore feel to them. VDub listed a bunch of video games rated over fifty percent for all three of the current generation consoles, but what about games ranked under thirty percent? I'm sure the Wii would beat the PS3 hands down in that department. It's all in how you look at the figures.

Fair point:

360:

5 with a score <= 30

 

PS3:

2 with a score <= 30

 

Wii:

14 with a score <= 30

 

But still, 14 games just doesn't seem like a big deal. I'm with StanJr on this one, you just don't buy the crap. I can see you complaining if you are a 35-yr-old mother of 3 trying to buy games for your 7-yr-old son and you don't have time to do research or just don't know about metacritic.

 

But c'mon, why does it matter how many games have a metascore under 30%? How many of these games were you duped into buying:

Game Party 2

Jumper: Griffin's Story

Chicken Shoot

Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal

Incredible Maze, The

Calvin Tucker's Redneck Jamboree

Jenga: World Tour

Game Party

Cruis'n

Ninjabread Man

Anubis II

Balls of Fury

Pong Toss: Frat Party Games

SPOGS Racing

 

Actually, if you were duped into buying one of those games, I gotta admit, I'd just laugh. You've got 7000 posts on a video game website and you didn't know that Calvin Tucker's Redneck Jamboree was going to be a POS?

 

Edited November 20, 2009 by vdub_bobby

[Atariboy]

Most PS3 and Xbox 360 releases see many reviews since they're usually titles aimed at traditional gamers that most of these media outlets cater towards, or higher profile casual releases such as titles that tie in with a major movie.

 

But many budget Wii titles that are filling the bargain bins at every retailer that sells videogames aren't recieving much media coverage. Metacritic requires a minimum number of reviews before calculating an average metascore. So I suspect there are far more than just 14 Wii titles deserving of being in that category, they just didn't garner enough reviews to recieve an average score to be included on that list.

 

But I agree, I don't see why it matters anymore than the fact that the majority of the 2600 library similarly sucks. It's the gems that matter, and with a few minutes research it's not difficult to detirmine if a title sucks or has some redeeming qualities that make it worthwhile considering to purchase it.

[Jess Ragan]

Hey, I didn't say I bought them! I just don't like them being on the system. It hurts the machine's reputation and makes it look like a dumping ground for shovelware. It's not just the number of crappy games that are being released for the system either, but the number of first-rate games by third parties that skip right past the Wii. Want Street Fighter IV? Want Borderlands? Want Resident Evil 5? Want Bayonetta? Better buy a PS3 or Xbox 360, because you ain't getting 'em on the Wii. Some of these games might be tight fits on the system due to its limited hardware, but Street Fighter IV is largely dependent on gameplay, not graphics, and would have been fine on the system with some visual downscaling. Even the developers seemed to acknowledge this, but in the end, they never followed through with a finished product.

 

The laziness from third parties is what really gets under my skin. They phone in a lackluster, heavily compromised, barely GameCube-quality port of a popular game for another system, then wonder why they're not drowning in cash. Don't put forth a minimum of effort and expect your games to sell just because they're on the Wii! Don't you people have any common sense? It's like the E.T. fiasco all over again.

[roland p]

I have both an xbox 360 (which I consider to be in the same league as the PS3) and a Wii. Bought the wii for my girlfriend because she likes the baseball games, and I like the Zelda games and some gamecube classics (metroid, starwars, sonic, f-zero). I bought the xbox because I wanted high-def graphics too.

[godslabrat]

The laziness from third parties is what really gets under my skin. They phone in a lackluster, heavily compromised, barely GameCube-quality port of a popular game for another system, then wonder why they're not drowning in cash. Don't put forth a minimum of effort and expect your games to sell just because they're on the Wii! Don't you people have any common sense? It's like the E.T. fiasco all over again.

 

Now see, THIS I can completely agree with! The fault lies with these 3rd party companies trying to cash in on the most popular system, not with Nintendo failing to be some kind of marketplace nanny. This is the reason I'll usually opt to buy one $50 game from Nintendo or Capom, rather than two sub-$30 games from companies I've never heard of. I KNOW I'll be getting a solid game if I buy from the big names. I find their lack of effort insulting-- like these budget lines assume I can't tell the difference between Metroid Prime 3 and M&Ms Go To the Fair.

 

Then again, this has happened to every leading console since the industry started, going back through the PS2, PS1, NES, and 2600. The only generation that kinda-sorta escaped it was the SNES/Gen era, since that generation didn't have a clear market "winner" for the bottom feeders to assault.

[Lord Helmet]

I'd like to play the Wii more...but I'm so backlogged with GREAT Xbox 360 games that I hardly ever turn the thing on.

[ericwierson]

Since tremoloman has not responded to my question, does anyone know where you can get a new PS3 for $249? I would like to get one for my stepdad and at that price I am in.

[moycon]

Since tremoloman has not responded to my question, does anyone know where you can get a new PS3 for $249? I would like to get one for my stepdad and at that price I am in.

 

Weren't some places selling off the remaining fat old school stock (Non-slims) for $249? I'm almost, kinda positive someone posted that they were.

[xg4bx]

this is a tough one.

 

i seem to be going through a phase and my tastes are changing. a month ago id have said buy a ps3, buying a wii is foolish. however not too long ago i found myself looking at my collection and counting how many games i truly enjoyed and had fun with. to my surprise it actually wasn't very many. stuff like batman and uncharted, yea theyre awesome. but call of duty, brutal legend? no, i got bored very quick. once the hype wore off i was left with a dust collector.

 

i forced a change on myself and went back to pick up some wii games i had missed, stuff like dead space extraction, muramasa, cursed mountain, etc. as i was playing them i realized i was having fun. as a bonus alot of the games were cheaper than ps3 titles. i realized that i honestly don't give a shit about graphics, i just want to have fun. i don't need the biggest, "best" and most expensive to do so. i don't care if people look at me oddly because i don't think modern warfare is better than getting a bj from megan fox. im a 32 year old man sitting and playing rabbids go home and new super mario and im loving it. its also nice having some games my gf can and will enjoy without having to learn 50 different buttons.

 

either one you choose youre guaranteed to have a good time. all i know is where my own heart lies right this second.

 

sorry to turn this into a blog but its 2am and im lonely.

[Mendon]

$249 PS3? Hmmm... the only place I know of that has had them around that price was Sony Style.

 

They had a deal going on where if you bought & financed a PS3 thru Sony Style, they knocked $100 off the price. They then ended that deal and started a new one that knocked $50 off the price and gave you a free extra Dual Shock.

 

Not sure if Sony Style is running any kind of deal right now.

 

 

Mendon

[AdeptRapier]

Hi!

 

As far as the Wii is concerned, I really have a lot of fun with mine. I guess I'm kind of weird but I really enjoy the niche games that are available for that system. Between "Mushroom Men", "Dangerous Creatures", and "House of the Dead, Overkill" I have a blast. My wife loves "Wi-Fit" and "Wi-Sports". And there are a number of new games that have just comes out in the last month or so that I am looking forward to.

 

In regards to the PS3, if I end up buying a Blueray player, I'm sure this is the way I will go, but in all honestly all the games that I want to play for that system I can just buy for my computer so I figure, why bother? I mean, it's not like I can't play Fallout 3, Bioshock, Halflife 2, or Call of Duty (whichever) on my PC without buying another system.

 

Anyways, just my two cents.

 

AdeptRapier

 

[DaytonaUSA]

I mean, it's not like I can't play Fallout 3, Bioshock, Halflife 2, or Call of Duty (whichever) on my PC without buying another system.

 

Because...it only plays multiplatform games?

[Mockduck]

Hi!

 

As far as the Wii is concerned, I really have a lot of fun with mine. I guess I'm kind of weird but I really enjoy the niche games that are available for that system. Between "Mushroom Men", "Dangerous Creatures", and "House of the Dead, Overkill" I have a blast. My wife loves "Wi-Fit" and "Wi-Sports". And there are a number of new games that have just comes out in the last month or so that I am looking forward to.

 

In regards to the PS3, if I end up buying a Blueray player, I'm sure this is the way I will go, but in all honestly all the games that I want to play for that system I can just buy for my computer so I figure, why bother? I mean, it's not like I can't play Fallout 3, Bioshock, Halflife 2, or Call of Duty (whichever) on my PC without buying another system.

 

Anyways, just my two cents.

 

AdeptRapier

 

 

Deadly Creatures is one of the best games for the system, IMO. Also don't forget the Wii has a fantastic version of Williams Pinball Hall of Fame. House of Dead/Overkill, Muramasa, New Super Mario Wii and more. That said, I think you would get more tech for your buck if you could find a PS3 for $50 more than the Wii. But both are great, depends on what kind of gamer you are, whether you are looking for a family system, etc. Wii wins the classic/retro game battle, fer sure.

[Video]

I'mactually considdering a Wii now, because i'm starting to see a LOT of light gun games. Yeah, it's the same game with a graphic overlay probably, but that's one thing that appears to be dead on all other systems now, and I loved that shit in the 80's

[Jess Ragan]

People bitch about those games, but they really are well suited to the Nintendo Wii. I rather enjoyed the shooting segments in Rayman: Raving Rabbids- probably more than anything else in the game- and I was always curious about the survival horror shooters that came out soon after. You know, the Umbrella Chronicles, House of the Dead, Dead Space, and the like. If I were to get back into Wii gaming, it would be to play those games (and, uh, possibly New Super Mario Bros.).

[RevEng]

I love light gun games.

 

If you played it on other platforms, House of the Dead 2&3 were pretty much the same experience. (which may be good or bad, depending on your perspective) House of the Dead Overkill was quite good. RE:UC was just alright for me, with some solid 2 player co-op action.

 

Its a simple title, but everyone in the family really enjoyed Link's Crossbow Training. There's a bit of everything in it - rails shooting, 3D walkthru shooting, rotate around shooting, and boss battles. Lots of hidden strategy too. The leader-board shows the Mii with the highscore for each stage, and everybody in the family would gun to replace each Mii with their own. Highly recommended, and quite affordable.

[Hornpipe2]

Just to throw in my thoughts: when my friends get together, they always ask "Anyone want to turn on the Wii?" not "Anyone want to play PS3?".

 

Since I rarely play video games by myself, the Wii is the clear winner. It's got mass appeal and approachability that the PS3 can't touch.

[StanJr]

Yeah, definitely light gun games are a big draw for the Wii. Pretty much any game that wants me to point something at the screen and shoot is a winner. Heck, even the snowball fight game in Wii Fit Plus is super great for this reason!