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[ILikePie]

Hey folks, I'm thinking of spending some cash, but I don't really know what spend it on. I'm thinking of purchasing a console, something I haven't done before (Except for last year when I bought a DS, and seven years ago, when a friend gave me his PS2). What I'm looking for is a console that's got fun, casual party games, the ones you play with a ton of friends, and not crazy AAABABLRLRLLLLABOHSHITGAMEOVER! hardcore button mashers. From what I understand so far, the Wii has just that.

I'm no expert though, so I ask you fellow Bay12ers and console owners, which console would suit my needs better, the PS3/Xbox (Sticking these together because they're more or less the same game variety wise) or the Wii? And which is a better console in general?

Finally, I got my PS2 in America, and it only supports games purchased from the US (Or that area, or something. I'm not really good with this stuff, I think it has to do with ntsc and pal or something). Does the same thing happen with the newer consoles?

[userpay]

For one thing don't get the wii, theres very few good games for it. Thats coming from me who got it as a christmas present last year and regretting putting it on my list ever since. Sure its got a few good titles but what console doesn't? Best best is to go with PS3 or 360. I can't speak for PS3 really, I've barely played it, but the blueray player alone balances out the cost quite a bit. 360 has a better game base and I suppose is over all cheaper though you'd have to pay to play online where the PS3 online play is free.

[Uber dwarf2.0]

Don't go with the Wii, it really doesn't get much. Unless you really like minigame collections.

[Soadreqm]

I have a Wii and I like it. I might be something of a Zelda fanboy, though, and I don't have any of the other consoles so I can't speak for them. For casual party games, you'd have the usual Nintendo lineup of Mario Party, Mario Kart and Smash Bros. And Game Cube games. And the online marketplace. Nothing like Bubble Bobble. For some reason, there aren't many good first-person shooters for the Wii. Metroid Prime 2 has a crude multiplayer, but I think that's pretty much it, so if you want to shoot your friends, you might be better off with the other consoles.

[userpay]

I have a Wii and I like it. I might be something of a Zelda fanboy, though, and I don't have any of the other consoles so I can't speak for them. For casual party games, you'd have the usual Nintendo lineup of Mario Party, Mario Kart and Smash Bros. And Game Cube games. And the online marketplace. Nothing like Bubble Bobble. For some reason, there aren't many good first-person shooters for the Wii. Metroid Prime 2 has a crude multiplayer, but I think that's pretty much it, so if you want to shoot your friends, you might be better off with the other consoles.

I would think the 360 would have more selection in the downloadable games department, not to mention the other things ye could buy with those points. Other than zelda and only a few other games theres basiclly no games for dedicated gamers on the wii, the party games are just that party games.

[Zai]

I have a Wii and I like it. I might be something of a Zelda fanboy, though, and I don't have any of the other consoles so I can't speak for them. For casual party games, you'd have the usual Nintendo lineup of Mario Party, Mario Kart and Smash Bros. And Game Cube games. And the online marketplace. Nothing like Bubble Bobble. For some reason, there aren't many good first-person shooters for the Wii. Metroid Prime 2 has a crude multiplayer, but I think that's pretty much it, so if you want to shoot your friends, you might be better off with the other consoles.

I would think the 360 would have more selection in the downloadable games department, not to mention the other things ye could buy with those points. Other than zelda and only a few other games theres basiclly no games for dedicated gamers on the wii, the party games are just that party games.

And the OP is looking for party games. So...

[userpay]

I have a Wii and I like it. I might be something of a Zelda fanboy, though, and I don't have any of the other consoles so I can't speak for them. For casual party games, you'd have the usual Nintendo lineup of Mario Party, Mario Kart and Smash Bros. And Game Cube games. And the online marketplace. Nothing like Bubble Bobble. For some reason, there aren't many good first-person shooters for the Wii. Metroid Prime 2 has a crude multiplayer, but I think that's pretty much it, so if you want to shoot your friends, you might be better off with the other consoles.

I would think the 360 would have more selection in the downloadable games department, not to mention the other things ye could buy with those points. Other than zelda and only a few other games theres basiclly no games for dedicated gamers on the wii, the party games are just that party games.

And the OP is looking for party games. So...

But the fact that alot of wii games are shit kinda decreases the value of the wii anyway. If I recall hearing corrently somewhere around 3/4ths of wii games scored less than a 70% rating. Plus alot, and I mean alot, of the games are focused at little kids for that matter.

[Tilla]

Most of the region-specific games are a thing of the past, luckily - you can order a game in from overseas and play it just fine, at least on  the ones I own.

It's mostly a matter of taste in games  - all systems of course have the ultimate in casual party games, the Guitar Hero and Rock Band franchises. What exactly are you looking for?

[Cthulhu]

Also, the Wii either doesn't support HD, or doesn't support the higher resolutions of HD.  I realize this is Dwarf Fortress, and you guys don't care about graphics, but it seems a little douchebaggy to just ignore technology like that.

[Zai]

But the fact that alot of wii games are shit kinda decreases the value of the wii anyway. If I recall hearing corrently somewhere around 3/4ths of wii games scored less than a 70% rating. Plus alot, and I mean alot, of the games are focused at little kids for that matter.

That's because Nintendo no longer enforces quality standards. There's more shovelware on the Wii (and DS, but there's a ton of good games for that to balance it out) than on any console in the past. But there's also a ton of party games for it (of varying quality, of course), and that appears to be the main reason the OP wants a console.

But to answer the OP, Wii is great for party games. But 360 has a more established (much more) collection of good "hardcore" games than either of the opposition. PS3 has been catching up a good bit recently, though. And as userpay said, online play with the PS3 is free, whereas for the 360 you have to pay for it. And online play for the Wii is for a large part impeded by Nintendo's "Friend Code" crap. But it's free.

[olemars]

On the Wii you get to play revolutionary, genre-defining games like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8BcndMxu44 (beware, cannot be unwatched).

[Asehujiko]

If you like minigames sold at full price, a monopoly on SDK's by Nintendo and an abysmal online function, get a Wii.
If you like playing exactly the same games as a PC with worse controls, less customization, monthly fees and a community exclusively populated by 10 year olds, get an X360.
If you like a marginally better hardware specs with marginally worse optimized games then the x360 and a community of stuck up elitists who believe that anybody who even thinks of criticizing their platform or any game on it is part of the Hitler Youth*, get a PS3.

*personal experience, among with other acquisitions both ideologically incompatible as well as chronologically impossible.

Otherwise, donate money to DF or upgrade to windows 7. It's a tiny downgrade from XP performance wise, an upgrade compared to vista and ripped several useful features from os x.

[KaelGotDwarves]

My recommendation is if you have a decent gaming PC already, get a wii.

A lot of overlap between pc, xbox360, and ps3. I have my pc, a wii, a ds and psp.

Wii is totally different gaming experience from pc. (wagglan remotes) and it's fun with friends.

[userpay]

Hmm I suppose I must conced that if one has a good gaming computer that a wii would be a god idea, the only reason to get the others would be to get the exclusives. Would you guys say sony typically puts out the most/best exclusives? Thats also besides the blueray player and other goodies on the PS3 which alone are worth the price.

[ILikePie]

Thanks for the responses guys.
The fact that you need to pay for online stuff on the 360 pretty much crosses it off my list, I have no source of extra cash and will probably find myself bankrupt pretty quickly. I've been looking at some games for the PS3 and they all look pretty darn good, even if they do require tons of button mashing. I don't think they sell blu-ray here in Israel yet, so I won't be using the blu-ray player for quite a while. The Wii does seem to have less games, but as far I remember (I'm 14, so I don't remember too far) most of Nintendo's newer consoles didn't have many games either. The N64 had something like 100 memorable ones. The Wii is cheaper, but I think I'll go with the PS3.