Sad as it may be, some of us only own one console. The cost of gaming this generation is at an all time high and, for a lot of us, there’s simply no way we could afford to buy all the consoles and feed them with games. Whether it be a single, incredibly simple DS or PSP game that you just wish you could get your hands on or a huge AAA title for the home console you don’t own, everyone has something they wish they didn’t have to miss out on.
The clearest memory I have of console envy is of the original Xbox. Sure I had a PS2 and a GameCube, and maybe the Xbox did look sort of like a breeze-block someone had tried to stylize, but it had the Halo series and WWE Raw, two titles that I desperately wanted. Halo didn’t really seem to have any equivalent title on the Sony or Nintendo sides. Everyone tried to tout the first Killzone as Sony’s version, but they’re really very different games, and very different styles of games. Also, in all honesty, Killzone wasn’t really that good. It felt clunky, slow and wasn’t all that fun. Plus I can’t remember the story at all. By contrast what I played of Halo on friends’ Xboxes seemed a much slicker experience. The controls felt tighter and more responsive, the array of weapons was just cooler, and I can recall the story from the sections I played.
The Halo/Killzone thing seems obvious, but why WWE Raw? Surely there was the SmackDown! series on the PS2. Whilst true, WWE Raw just seemed better. For a start, because of the Xbox’s hard-disk drive you could build custom entrances for your wrestlers using your own music! That seemed pretty awesome to me at the time. I also heard reports that the physics weren’t nearly as broken as they were in SmackDown! at the time (something the series struggled with for a long time), and the game was supposed to just play a lot better according to my brother. The jealousy was rampant with this game, I considered saving up my meagre earnings to get an Xbox and only this title – I actually wanted it far more than Halo. Even now it pulls at me if I see it in a pre-owned section.
As for this generation? Well there’s a few things that make me want a PS3, but nothing is nearly as tempting as when I had a PS2 and was missing the Xbox. However the Wii has a lot of titles that call out to me. Super Mario Galaxy is brilliant, I really want to try Zelda with motion controls, Mario Party is always great fun and I really, really want to try MadWorld.
Maybe one day I’ll own all three consoles, but that probably won’t be until the Next Generation is fast approaching. For now I’ll continue to feel my envy towards the Wii and sort of want a PS3 with no concrete reason why. What about you? Have you got one of the two big boys and desperately want the other? If so, what games are pulling you towards it? Or if you’ve got both do you want the Wii for some motion controlled goodness? Maybe you’re lucky and own all three, so just want to be a bit smug. Anyway lets have those opinions! Oh and if you must make them, I will probably read lists of reasons I “need a PS3″.
Pre-Emptive Silly Comment: <insert obvious joke about penis envy>
Today’s idea for a topic comes from billsmugs over in our lovely forum thread for suggesting discussions. Why not suggest your own?
MUKARKAR | 08/02/2010 12:06
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1225 TSA Points | Member since: Nov 2009
:O
U DONT HAVE A PS3 YET.
Nauraph | 08/02/2010 12:07
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103 TSA Points | Member since: Jan 2010
One game that ever made me think about buying a 360. Gears of War that is.
Mickey2010 | 08/02/2010 12:18
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325 TSA Points | Member since: Jan 2010
I Believe PS3 Is Far Better Then 360 But Im Jealous 360 Has 3 Games I Want On PS3 Left For Dead 2,Splintercell Conviction And Alan Wake.But Hey I Still Have Heavy Rain,God Of War 3,GT5, To Look Forward Too
shields_t | 08/02/2010 12:49
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1649 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
Having taken the plunge, I must admit to being a little disappointed with Gears.
Maybe it has to do it now being a few years old and my lack of interest in online multiplayer. But some of the dialogue is dreadful and the colour pallette really doesn’t apear to be too imaginative.
That said, I have found enjoyment in the on screen coop, a feature I feel should be integrated into far more games than it is.
kevatron400 | 08/02/2010 13:40
Don't call him Kevatron400.
1763 TSA Points | Member since: Dec 2008
Wouldn’t It Be Easier Not To Have To Press Shift At The Beginning Of Each Word? Surely Using Regular Punctuation Would Be More Beneficial To Everyone?
Mickey2010 | 08/02/2010 13:52
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325 TSA Points | Member since: Jan 2010
@kevatron400 Its A Habit Lol My Bad i will try do it like this from today lol
bunimomike | 08/02/2010 14:09
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4812 TSA Points | Member since: Jul 2009
Hazel could do with some capital letters if you have a few spare. No doubt I’ve secured a slap across the kisser for that little gem.
BrendanCalls | 08/02/2010 12:12
Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc - YOHIMBÉ!!!
1427 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
I don’t think i have ever suffered from game or console envy. Im not a fanboy by any stretch but I still do believe PS3 is the better machine and has the better games overall
cc_star | 08/02/2010 12:15
Team TSA: Writer
7891 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
In the earlier days of the PS3 I was jealous of the 360, but as more and more games have come out on the PS3 I don’t care anymore. I am jealous of anyone who has the ability to play PS2 games though, because since my 60gig YLoDd I can’t.
The Wii has some gaming experiences I really want, and the virtual console with some great vintage games on
Gastos84 | 08/02/2010 12:15
Team TSA: Writer
3908 TSA Points | Member since: Apr 2009
I’ve gone from just a Xbox 360, 360 & PS3, just PS3, PS3 & 360 and now back to just PS3. I always find myself looking for cheap 360 deals and this year in particular makes me want one more than ever. Crackdown 2, Alan Wake and Mass Effect 2 are really appealing. Can I justify the cost for just a handful of games, though?
DJ Judas | 08/02/2010 12:17
Epic
515 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008
I’m lucky enough to own all 3 current consoles from launch and have a high-end gaming PC, but I’m afflicted with only using my PS3. If I didn’t own all 3 I’m sure I’d get that totally not infectious itching sensation to buy the ones I didn’t have, the problem is that I’ll always end up only using one.
I’ve got a lot of playtime from my 360 and Wii, but they’re just a waste now, being unused. Hell I think my 360 might be the only core console that still works! I’m stuck though, if I didn’t own them all then I’d itch to get them.
There are so many quality games coming out that it’s hard to get all the playtime I can out of them on one system, let alone 4!
shields_t | 08/02/2010 12:24
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1649 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
Well, I am one of the lucky ones, having a ps3, a 360 and a wii beside my telly.
My love of the nibtendo games of old spurred on the investment in a wii rather than the motion control and I picked up the 360 just prior to Christmas because I wanted to see what all the fuss was with gears of war 1 & 2. Since i’ve got the other two, the ps3 has remained the console of choice in my household.
Radboud | 08/02/2010 12:27
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974 TSA Points | Member since: Nov 2008
I have a PS3 (still my 60GB launch-day model) and am thinking to get another PS3 just to put my 60Gigger back in the box
There are not many games I look forward to on the 360 and for sure don’t have the time to put into gaming on two consoles.
My gf has a Wii and sure there are fun (party)games on it, but it will not sway me to buy one for myself.
Blayney | 08/02/2010 12:30
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200 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2009
I wanted a megadrive for ecco the dolphin and micromachines. I wanted an N64 for Perfect Dark and F-Zero X. I wanted a Dreamcast for Coasterworks.
I didn’t want anything other than a PS2 and a PS3 though.
simplebob | 08/02/2010 12:31
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255 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
Have an old 60gb PS3, Wii, PC and PSP, so PS2, PS3, Wii, Gamecube games all covered. Nothing really tempts me on the 360. Episodes from Liberty City was the only exclusive that really made me green and now even that isnt a problem, so no more envy here.
bunimomike | 08/02/2010 12:32
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4812 TSA Points | Member since: Jul 2009
“Sad as it may be”
Nothing sad about it at all. Some of us have lives to get on with. Don’t get me wrong, I love my gaming but I’m not going sit here pining over Nintendo this or Microsoft that. If anyone really wants another console they usually find a way. If you need to get a taste of the competition then pop over a friend’s place.
Sad?
One of my best friends has had every console ever. The current batch only has one that’s not collecting dust. His PS3. MS and Ninty not floating his boat with titles as of recent.
A lot of this envy/jealousy might have something to do with our upbringing. Same mate is minted (multi-millionaire minted) but it never phases or bothers me. Life is too short to waste time hankering after things I don’t have. If you’re busting a gut to get something, make it happen!
Christ, I sound like a self-help seminar at the end of that. Ha!
Doddsy | 08/02/2010 12:38
Totally Oscar Mike
731 TSA Points | Member since: Jul 2009
I don’t suffer from Console Envy. My PS3 has all I could ever really want. Sure, I bitch and moan about the PSN grinding to a halt whenever a highly anticipated game or PSN title is realeased but there is nothing I could really need an Xbox for.
Forza is nice, Halo has never appealed and Gears of War doesn’t look like my sort of thing. That means there is nothing I really desperately want a 360 for. Except L4D but I played that on PC enough
jimmy-google | 08/02/2010 12:55
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Gears of War on the 360
Oddworld games on the original xbox
Professor Layton on the DS
Madworld on the wii
Thats it really – I get by with my ps3 and psp and don’t really notice too much of what I’m missing as I have more than enough games. If there was a game drought I’d notice it more.
teflon | 08/02/2010 12:59
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2000 TSA Points | Member since: May 2009
Theres only a small handful of the exclusives on the 360 Im even vaguely interested in.
The Halo series is, of course, a big one, but I basically just want to play through the SP once briefly, then put it away. Same for Gears. Splinter Cell, though, is the biggest release they’ve got this year that I want.
After that, I can either take it or leave it/play it on a PC… But none of this is enough for me to get a 360 till the generation is practically over.
Lorcan | 08/02/2010 13:20
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I want Mass Effect!!
And Gears of War a little bit too..
And Alan Wake!
But that’s it.
As much as I want them all, it’s just not enough to make me actually pay out for the console. Especially seeing as ME is probably coming to the PS3..
tgjones | 08/02/2010 13:33
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I own a PS3 and a Wii, but I want an Xbox 360 cause its got Left 4 Dead, Gears and ME2 dammit! Can’t justify the clunky, noisy block of a console and the stupid controller for three games tho
tgjones | 08/02/2010 13:34
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whoops didnt mean to reply there! should’ve been a standalone comment!