as a electronically inclined college student who do review for store that sell this console , own one , and can actually afford to keep it interesting , I can tell you this much . the ps2 be a very advanced -lrb- consumer wise -rrb- gaming system that can keep the right person amuse for several hour . it do a little more than the other gaming system -lrb- for instance , it be dvd ready , play the game of it be predecessor , have both exensive brand name and not so expensive generic addition , and have a bigger and possibly better reputation -rrb- .  it also tend to get costly , as do the other system . my point here be that while you can certainly just buy one of these system -lrb- ps2 , gamecube , xbox ... or even the new gameboy -rrb- you should make note of the other option . for example : most of these system will run for about the same amount . however , there be downside .  the ps2 be dvd ready and the game ... well , there be more than you can shake a stick at . and if you buy they at the right time the price do not allow for buyer 's remorse . in this particular case I would have to say that if you have play with the original playstation and still have the game then the system be worth the cost .  however Nintendo fan should know that the Gamecube have the right competative edge to go up against the ps2 . it be light , the game be on minidisc , the graphic be plenty better than the n64 , and the controller be pretty much a game player dream come true . yet the game be slightly limited and still a bit expensive .  as for the xbox , I do not know all that much . I think I get too tired of microsoft computer game to bother purchase a separate console to play with . it be dvd ready like the ps2 . it have internal memory and networking capability and like I say I be a electronics kinda person . I just find it strange that I can buy a computer game for say $ 40 or I can purchase a gaome console for the same price that I pay for the ps2 and then go buy the game for that instead .  as a odd little end note : I think that the Xbox 's controller be a tad awkward . it be rather like a morph version of a ps2 and Gamecube controller . after say 25 minute of play a game on it you hand might start to feel quite exhaust . the reason may have something to do with the overall shape . like I say ... morph version .