Forget the current consoles for a moment. They’re great, I’m not knocking them. But, I want you to forget them for just a bit.
Despite what everyone else is doing, hold on to your PlayStation 3s and Xbox 360s. If you have a Wii U, you’re set, it plays Wii games. If not, hold on to your Wii (lol).
It’s occurred to me that some young gamers may not remember what it’s like to jump from console generation to console generation. It’s not pretty, and is somewhat like post-war reconstruction. GameStop hoists banners declaring extra credit for you PlayStation 4 if you trade in your PlayStation 3 or other aging goodies.
Don’t do it, friends. Don’t. Do. It.
Now’s the time to play the hidden gems of last generation.
Nearly a decade of games to pour over.
Look, there’s simply no way you found time to play each and every fantastic title from the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii era. Otherwise known as the seventh generation of home console gaming, the titles that have released since 2005 and 2006 have been nothing short of magical.
My friends, you haven’t played them all. Go, seek out the likes of Katamari Forever, Okami on the Wii, Vanquish on the PlayStation 3 or 360, Binary Domain, Deadly Premonition, Mini Ninjas and more. These aren’t even the obscure of the obscure, these are common games that should be relatively easy to track down.
There’s no denying that generation seven enjoyed some of the best gaming moments this medium has ever seen. I know that I personally played some of the strangest and most beautiful games ever over the last decade. I play games for a living, and there are a ton of games I missed out on.
They’re gonna be cheap.
Thank the wheel of capitalism, folks. The Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii games that might have eluded you over the last few years are about to take a nosedive in price. Unless you’re hunting for rare collectible titles, the upgrade to new consoles has just made your gaming habit a lot less expensive.
While everyone else is getting jammed up about trying to find a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One in stock, I suggest you direct your attention to the likes of eBay and Amazon as you hunt for, say, Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom. It’s only a few bucks used, and it probably rivals all of the eighth generation’s launch efforts.
There’s nothing wrong with the consoles of tomorrow, save, perhaps, the entry prices. I own them and love them already. However, if I was purely a consumer and looking for the most bang for buck, I’d hold off on this new generation of thrills and start exploring the nether of last generation’s less recognized titles.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I never did play Tales of Vesperia, and I’m staring at a copy for $14.
