My GameCube and XBox impressions

I\'ll start with what I thought of the XBox.

First, I went to Target and all they had was a PS2 display and an XBox display. Both weren\'t working, but I got the oppurtunity to hold the XBox controller. IMHO, all of those that complain about it being too big are either:

A) Incredibly small
or
Full of crap

It felt great to me. I liked that "fullness" feeling that it had. The only possible problem that I saw is the close button placement. I can see how someone could accidentally press the wrong button, but that should be cured through extensive use with the controller. I rank it above the Dual Shock 2.

Note: I doubt it will be any good for kids. My 7 year old brother couldn\'t wrap his hands around it at all, while I was able to wrap my hands around the controller with ease. (I\'m 15 years old and 5\'9")

After I went to Target, I went to Toys R\' Us. They had a PS2 display, GameCube display, and XBox display. The PS2 display wasn\'t running at the time, but the XBox and GameCube displays were working.

I went to the XBox display first and saw 4X4 Evolution 2 and played it for a while. It was okay, but I really didn\'t go there to see it. I was looking for Halo or DOA3. I asked the workers if they could switch the games, but it was to no avail . I really wanted to try those games out too. I\'ll have to go to Software Etc. or Electronics Boutique to play those games.

Now onto the GameCube. Let me begin with the controller. IMO, it\'s the best controller that I\'ve ever touched. I was actually able to get into the games that I played and I didn\'t have to look down one time. I know it\'s cliche, but it honestly felt like it melted into my hands. The only possible problem is the Z button, but since I never had to use it, it wasn\'t a problem for me.

Now onto the games I played. I played Luigi\'s Mansion, Wave Race: Blue Storm, and Rogue Squadron: Rogue Leader 2. The control for Luigi\'s Mansion took a little time to get used to, but it wasn\'t a problem for me once I got used to it. I didn\'t play it that long, but I enjoyed what I played. The graphics were more than good enough (As are the graphics for all PS2, GC, and XBox games). I could see myself getting this game.

Wave Race: Blue Storm was a great experience. I haven\'t played the original, so this was a new experience to me. I couldn\'t figure out how to do tricks, so I just flat out raced. I played some dude that was a little... dorky, and he beat me by about 1 and a half seconds. It was pretty competitive and I had a lot of fun. Like I said before for LM, the graphics were more than good enough, and those claims that it looks like a "High-Res N64 game" (or whatever they say) are completely false. I also see myself getting this game.

Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron 2 was incredible. I immediately was able to get into the game and figure out the controls. The first part wasn\'t really that hard (shooting down the towers), but I died about 3 times when I went through the trench run, and I was unable to get past that part. I fooled around with controlling the other ships for a little while, and it was okay. I didn\'t really see them do much, but I didn\'t need their help anyway at that point in the game. I will definately pick this game up when I get a GC.

My overall GC experience was fantastic. It\'s definately worth purchasing IMO.


Please feel free to ask me any questions.

BTW, I\'ll add more XBox impressions once I\'m able to play some of the heavy hitters (DOA3, Halo, Project Gotham, etc.).

So you say GameCube over Xbox?..... If so.... I\'m really close to confirming my thought.....

I just might get GC... Not at launch... But soon afterwards..

I am glad we have more sensible people around here The XBox controller is great IMO, although with the closeness of the buttons could be a good factor in fighting games like SF3:3rd strike when you need to hit two buttons at once, but don\'t wanna change hand positions, I kind of imagined Iwas playing SF3 at work and tried it, it works nice

The Z button i out of place like the black and white buttons are on the XBox controller, you have to move your hand positions to get to it. I really, really hatye how small the d-pad is, since I am a d-pad user whenever possible, I want to be able to know where I am going, if my thumb almost covers the whole thing,t hat may be hard. I did have to look at what I was pressing from time to time, but I can see me getting used to that, too.


you gotta play halo though man, it is the RSII of the X-Box without a doubt, very tight gameplay, very fun.


Eric Jacob

My honest opinion of the XBox controller was that it is terrible. My hands really didn\'t get a real feel for the controller. The button layout was terrible, and it just didn\'t fit (I\'m 14 and 15\'10, on a keyboard I can reach an Octave plus 3 notes). After you hold the gamecube\'s for me the Xbox just seemed terrible, Every controller before has felt better to me. NES, SNES, PSX, N64.........

I couldb\'t have possibly guessed you would say that, JediMaster


Eric Jacobv=

Originally posted by ajoh432
So you say GameCube over Xbox?..... If so.... I\'m really close to confirming my thought.....

I just might get GC... Not at launch... But soon afterwards..

I do like the GC very much, but by no means am I saying to get it over XBox at this point.  I have yet to play any decent games for the XBox, so it would be unfair for me to choose GC over it at this point.  I can tell you now that you wouldn\'t go wrong with a GC though.  

My favorite thing about this generation is that you could like XBox and PS2 more than GC (or any combination of consoles), and you could still enjoy the console that you ranked as being third.  It\'s a really good time to be a gamer.

I only held it for a short while, its just my opinion. I didn\'t play with it either, just held it. So far I have heard from 5 people out of 6 that the XBox kiosk has been frozen up. And the one at target was also frozen up that I went to. I\'m not trying to bash it. I don\'t think its really huge but it isn\'t really comfortable.

Originally posted by AlteredBeast
I am glad we have more sensible people around here The XBox controller is great IMO, although with the closeness of the buttons could be a good factor in fighting games like SF3:3rd strike when you need to hit two buttons at once, but don\'t wanna change hand positions, I kind of imagined Iwas playing SF3 at work and tried it, it works nice

The Z button i out of place like the black and white buttons are on the XBox controller, you have to move your hand positions to get to it. I really, really hatye how small the d-pad is, since I am a d-pad user whenever possible, I want to be able to know where I am going, if my thumb almost covers the whole thing,t hat may be hard. I did have to look at what I was pressing from time to time, but I can see me getting used to that, too.


you gotta play halo though man, it is the RSII of the X-Box without a doubt, very tight gameplay, very fun.


Eric Jacob

Yeah, I think the XBox controller would be good for fighters because of the button arrangement.

Also, I forgot to mention that pressing B and X, and B and Y are hard to do on the GC.  Again, it wasn\'t a problem because that wasn\'t necessary for the games I played.


The D-Pad isn\'t hard for me to reach at all.  I just move my thumb down and I\'m there.  It\'s leagues above reaching the D-Pad from the Joystick on the N64 controller.  I\'m able to feel the D-Pad and know exactly where I\'m at on it since it\'s so small.  I can feel the edges, so I know which direction I\'m at.

I\'m very hyped for Halo, but I only know of one place that has it (I called around 6 or 7 stores).  It\'s an EB in Little Rock, but I live in North Little Rock (which is across the river).  I\'ll have to convince my dad to take me to the mall so I can play Halo when I visit my grandmother in Little Rock.  

Oh, and if I confused you with the Little Rock and North Little Rock thing, I\'m sorry.

Well I played the XBox, DOA3 and Munch Oddessy. The controller still has huge sides, which could be cut down a bit. Also going to the D Pad and the 2nd Analog stick was hard. You had to take your hand off the bottom of the controller and move the whole thing down to get your thumb to hit the pad, same with the 2nd analog stick. The button sizes were a little bit ackward but I got used to them. Shoulder was jus like the DC.
My thoughts:

The D Pad and Analog stick should be moved up, the L & R should be remade, the buttons should be reshaped (although the buttons looked cool), and the size should be cut down a bit. Other than that...........

Well, I got GC today and I bought the 3 games you talked about. Star Wars: Rouge Leader had  AWSOME graphics. The controls were easy, and I couldnt stop playing until I beat the first mission.

 Wave race was a little challenging at first but then it got good.  Elasesino, to do tricks you can be pressing down the gas button and just move the gray analog rapidly and youll do a trick. Im sure there are other ways to do tricks as well but I havent figured them out yet.

  Luigi\'s Mansion also had awsome graphics. The controls accually were simple from the start for me. I wish there was a way to run. The puzzles to scare some ghosts are challenging.

 (possible spoiler not big though)

 


The hardest boss for me so far was the baby. Although I never died yet.

[Living-In-Clip]

As much as I am dissapointed with the Xbox launch, I have to say, if you are complaining about the XBox controller you must have super-tiny hands...The controller, for the most part, is awesome.

I guess i should go to a store and play x-box also
but i got gamecube today and boy does it kick ass... the controller is awsome , the games are fun ( that i got ) and it fits into tiny spaces! but i hope i dont mistake those games for potato chips and eat 1... therey so damn tiny!

List of systems to get:
Dreamcast: Check
PS2: Check
Gamecube: Check
X-Box: Awaiting Money

I have big hands and I still think the X-box controllers are too big.The biggest problems are the buttons being so close.I also hate in Halo,having to let go of the right stick to hit the jump button.On the dual-shock the extra shoulder buttons make gaming better.The dual shock is king,but the Gamecube controller is very good.

I personally dislike the gamecube... Rogue is the only fun game... Xbox took it single handedly with HALO

*gr0an* at nigs