Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Super cute, and more expandable... but is it worth ...?
This is a great system. It has hundreds and hundreds of titles. It's supported by all the leading 3rd party manufacturers. It's adorable...... but ... It's .... This isn't too bad of a price tag when you think about it, but when you realize it's a.) old technology and b.) the same price as the dreamcast, it's a tough purchase to make. A year ago, this would have been 5 stars, easy. But since it's being phased out, I have to only give it 3. In addition, the PS2 is backwards compatible, meaning it actually has the ability to play games that were made for the PSOne. But on the plus side, this thing is incredibly cute. The picture that's shown with the controller... that's not depth perception trick, the thing is really only a little longer than the standard dualshock controller. How practical the expandability of it will be is another question... in Japan, the screen attachment will be coming out this spring, and there are already numerous wireless cell phone add-ons planned. But will any of these cool accessories come to the states? Probably not. The market for people buying a 4 inch lcd screen attachment is so small (given the price is likely to be through the roof), that SCEA will probably hold off it's American release.
Rating:  - Best Value Gaming System
Yes, it's true that the N64, Dreamcast and now the PS2 have all made huge improvements over the PS1 in the total gaming experience...But... I have owned a PS1 for over 3 years and it has been and continues to generate the highest entertaimment value in my house (make that neighborhood). More than any other toy, vacation, whatever. Me, my wife, and 2 of our 3 children (who are old enough to play, and all of their friends can honestly say that it gets used regularly by someone in our family. Playstation still has the best variety of high quality games-new and used. Let's face it, playing the latest and greatest is always preferred when money is no object. However, for nearly 1/2 the price of the newer systems, you can own a great system and twice as many games if you buy smart and keep your eye out for good deals on new games and in the used market. You couldn't possibly play all the great games available for the PS1 in the next year or two. So my advice is to save your money this year, buy the PS1 now, which is very reliable and high quality system and use it this year until the PS2's become available and come down in price. My kids and I still ask for at least 2-3 new PS games each and every b-day or holiday and have over 35 games that still get played often. .... You'll get more than your money's worth this winter alone. Just try getting through all the levels of all the Tomb Raider games and you'll understand what I mean. If my PS1 died tomorrow, I would buy this unit to get us through the next 6-12 months because it's simply worth every penny. Too bad Sony ruined the introduction of the PS2 for this holiday season. I'll buy it next year just to spite Sony for letting my kids down this Christmas. PS1 is still good enough for me and there are plenty of them.
Rating:  - Playstation gets a makeover.
The PS One is the micro-version of the full system, with the same power, functions, and vast library of games. To give you an idea of how small it is, it is about 1/3 of the size of the older system, I was quite suprised at how small it was. It is almost as small as a portable CD player. The big advantage with the PS One as opposed to the older model is the fact that it can be easily transported, so if you are off to a friend's house, on a trip, or need something to keep the kids occupied during the long road trip, this is essential. All the old Playstation games work with this console, and it also plays any audio CD. The Dual Shock analog controller makes controlling the games (those that support the analog controls) easy and stress-free. The memory cards go into the usual slots. The only thing that the PS One system lacks is a reset button, so you have to turn the power on and off to restart a game. If you are lucky enough the have the LCD screen, you have a portable system. You can take it anywhere, and enjoy all your favorite games while on the road, or at least enjoy the quiet while the kids are busy with it. Like older systems, the PS One is carrying on the tradition of being re-designed with space saving in mind. Remeber the old NES and SNES? Just before they were discontinued, they would re-designed in sleeker, smaller systems. The PS One is now very inexpensive, so there is almost no excuse for not having one. With a vast, solid library of games, the PS One is a sound investment. Believe it or not, it wasn't until September 2001 that I ditched my old SNES (under duress, I might add) and bought a Playstation. A lot of the games are classic, and can suit amost any taste. Well worth buying.
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