Console Guilt

Phetishboy

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I realized that I refuse to play console games now that I have an arcade. I feel like I am cheating on my arcade machines if I fire up any post 1989 console game. I still play my ColecoVision, 2600 and Vectrex, but I guess I feel if I have time to actually sit down and play Playstation 2 or someone's X-box, I should have time to play the games that are in my arcade. It has gotten to the point that I look down on console gamers who don't know about/ have or appreciate arcade machines. I think of them as lazy, throw-away Gen-Y losers. Weird. When I was a kid in '83, I embraced the console revolution and thought it was the coolest thing ever to have arcade games playing on my TV. Funny how age and time change one's perspective.
 
I've never stopped rolling with the industry, and appreciate games both old and new. If I had missed a generation, I'd likely feel the same way as you, but so far, I haven't quite been able to kick the habit and just "drop out".

As much as I tend to think that the PS3-Wii-360 generation will be my last go-round, I'm sure it won't.
 
Current title just require too much of a time investment per sitting for a full time working family man. I have never finished Kingdom Hearts II, but I just don't have time to play it. A session requires at least 2 hours to really accomplish anything. I don't have that kind of block.

I can turn on my arcade games, make the rounds, participate with the family, and be done in less than an hour.

Nintendo is still cool.
 
ehh Depends on the size of your gameroom really, I picked up a super nintendo recently and been playing more than anything. still find time for my arcades though lol. And my xbox gets played every once in a while for short periods of time.
 
In or around 2004 it suddenly dawned on me how much time I was wasting on consoles. I gave my Playstation 2 and 20 or so games to a friend and have never looked back. I don't miss them at all...
 
It all comes down to free time for me.

I don't have a PS3 simply because I know it would not get played. I never have the time to devote an hour plus on new games. I do have a DS that I use very often - but only because it lends itself to a quick pick up/stop playing. (and games on the DS are the only true modern day video games ala the '80s)

Siting down to a modern game is nothing like popping in a quarter into a game. I usually only have 20 minutes or so to play - and that usually happens as I walk past my pinballs.

Fixing/ restoring these things is a another story though. Thats important work that you have to carve out time for :)
 
I love video games, period. Always have, always will. Both arcade games and consoles were a huge part of my childhood. Now they're a huge part of my adulthood. I get every new console that comes out, buy a ton of games, and spend hours and hours almost every day playing. That will never change.
 
Games are games... :)

I like yet don't own any arcade games, but enjoy playing them when I have the chance. I own quite a few console games, but the titles I play are an extremely different style of game from the arcade games I would play.

I can play an arcade game for 5-10 minutes (because I suck) and it is quick and done. The console games I can play for hours and hours at a time...

Either way, as long as the person playing the game is having fun... what's to gripe about?
 
I spread the love. I play some PS3 SF4 online against my brother one day then head out to the EdGarcade for some gaming/project wrenching the next day. I have enjoyed God of War on PSP and Professor Layton or Zelda on DS. I can only manage to finish medium level on Guitar Hero, but it's fun trying. I WILL figure out Kid Quick eventually (along with why the hell I can barely hear the voice sounds, but the music is fine). I'm seriously thinking about getting a Wii mainly for Punch-Out!!, and an XBOX 360 mainly for Halo.

The way I see it - they're all video games, man.

You might be missing out....
 
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For me it's more the time required to play a newer console game. A Wii, Xbox or PS3 cant even start displaying video on the TV in the time a 2600 can have a cart popped in, power up, select your variation (optional), hit reset and start playing.

It's too much hassle for quick gaming sessions. If I have 10-15 minutes, I don't want 1/2 of that eaten up in character selection screens, options, intro videos, boot time, etc.
 
I play some console games, but not nearly as much as I used too. I think a lot of times for me it's just life in general and I don't have the time. I also have been getting all the games I played as a kid like SF2, MK, etc. in the real deal format so I wouldn't waste my time playing old ports of those games onto old consoles. But in all reality there are a lot of good console games that just don't exist in the arcades and if they did wouldn't be affordable to a home collector for years. I do play SFIV on the PS3 when I can, don't think I will be buy one of those cabs for awhile as they are extremely expensive. I actually think I might in the future just buy a cab and wire up my PS3 to play fighters and the other arcade ports in a real cab with a real setup.
 
The only console I've ever owned was the 2600. I'm sure I would love new consoles, but I only have so much bandwidth for "fun stuff" and I'd rather it go to arcade games, so by matter of priority, I don't bother with consoles.

When we buy our next house with dedicated game room, I am seriously considering buying a 2600 to set up a 2600 station (and another with my apple 2e), but beyond that, the only console playing I intend to do is when I'm at someone else's house.
 
I'm seriously thinking about getting a Wii mainly for Punch-Out

I was going to say the same thing. I own an SPO machine, a PO boardset that can be swapped into it, MTPO for NES, and SPO for SNES, so I ought to have the new PO too. The only thing holding me back is that the Wii is still at its launch price, some 3 years after the fact. I'd never pay more than $100 for a new console; especially when there is only one game that interests me.

Nintendo to slash price on the Wii. Good, but not good enough.
 
I just love video games period. Arcade, console and computer games were a huge part of my childhood, and just like Nick said, now they're still all part of my adulthood. As a kid, they were all just game machines to me.

FWIW, I also collect consoles (both modern and classic), classic handheld electronic games, and classic computers. All that stuff is in a separate room in my basement, along with a modern-era gaming PC.

I must have 1000 games for my Atari computers, Apple ][e & TI-99/4a, and now I can afford all the stuff I couldn't that pertains to the classic computers of that era. And just like this forum, there must be a dozen forums for each classic computer and console out there. People still develop software AND hardware for them all which I think is pretty cool.

I like each form of gaming for their own separate reasons. But collecting arcades is definitely my favorite!

I run all my machines on quarters because the act of dropping a coin in is part of what takes me back to that time. But sitting down and playing Asteroids on my Atari 2600 with my dad now, is also equally cool.

And to make it all extra cool, my 3 year old daughter loves my arcade games. Of course she's too young to know any different, and of course one day she'll be too cool for school. But for now, it's fun to sit down and play Pac-man on my cocktail table with her.

It's all good as far as I'm concerned! :D
 
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I'm seriously thinking about getting a Wii mainly for Punch-Out!!, and an XBOX 360 mainly for Halo.

The way I see it - they're all video games, man.

You might be missing out....

Halo is just like any other generic shooter. I honestly have no idea why everyone loves it like they do. Other than the fact it was the first xbox game that stood out and the fanboys grabbed on to it and spread the doom and gloom of xbox crushing sony.

I really don't use my 360 much because I get sick and tired of the high pitched kids screaming how they just "owned" you. Live is so filled with e-thugs, racists, and crying kids it has pushed me completely off the system.

Now the PS3 has a fun TPS called warhawk. Everyone is equal there is nothing gained from ranking up. The only thing you get from ranking up is new uniforms and paint schemes. I'm hoping the price drop doesn't bring all the live e thug to the PS3.
 
I could do without the e-thugs as well.

Never got into the earlier Halos, never had an Xbox, just figured I'd find out what all the hype is about. Used to play a lot of Quake III and one of those Jedi Knight games online, so figured I might like it (everyone seemed totally cool on those games, BTW). Still considering it for that, AND the more contemporary shmup ports.

Yeah, could be a deeper cut on the Wii, but that might do it for me as my kids might like some of the games on there as well.
 
I sometimes have a hard time playing Defender and Asteroids on my 2600 because they suck compared to the real arcades. I'm not one to play x-box or playstation probably because I would rather spend the money on another arcade game, not because they aren't cool. About 10 years ago I had an original playstation and had a lot of fun playing Twisted Metal II and Duke Nukem. I guess I just always go back to the arcades in the end.
 
I never really played consoles. I mean i had a 2600 and 90+ games for it and then I got a 5200 when that came out,... but then at that time my interest shifted to chicks and stuff rather than video games. :)

I did buy an xbox 360 last summer to play Guitar Hero, but prior to that, the 5200 was my last console.
 
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