Stronger library: PS2 Vs Dreamcast + Xbox + Gamecube combined!

[Chakoo]

Ps2 by a long shot IMO. It's not just the big name AAA games but the depth of the ps2 library is just insane.

With that said, I still own all 4 systems in my collection and enjoy what each brought to the table.

 

[Alligatorjandro]

Absolutely it is by far.

 

[PianoBlack]

Why are some of you (Anth0ny; PianoBlack ) trying to reduce the PS2 library down to MGS and GTA like it didn't have one of the most varied in the history of gaming?

Click to shrink...

Lol. Feel free to read either of my follow up posts.

 

[Velikost]

And people will argue this forum doesn't have a Sony bias lmao

 

[Dr. Feel Good]

Let me just remind everyone of GameCube. Not only are most of these games exclusive for the generation, many have still never been ported again!

1. 1080 Avalanche
2. Animal Crossing
3. Baten Kaitos
4. Baten Kaitos Origins
5. Beach Spikers
6. Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg
7. Bomberman Generation
8. Cubivore
9. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
10. Donkey Konga
11. Donkey Konga 2
12. Donkey Konga 3
13. F-Zero GX
14. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
15. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
16. Go! Go! Hypergrind
17. Gotcha Force
18. Ikrauga
19. Kirby Air Ride
20. Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
21. Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition
22. Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
23. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
24. Lost Kingdoms
25. Lost Kingdoms II
26. Luigi's Mansion
27. Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
28. Mario Kart Double Dash!!
29. Mario Party 4
30. Mario Party 5
31. Mario Party 6
32. Mario Party 7
33. Mario Power Tennis
34. Mario Superstar Baseball
35. Mega Man Network Transmission
36. Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes
37. Metroid Prime
38. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
39. Nintendo Puzzle Collection
40. P.N.03
41. Pac-Man Vs.
42. Paper Mario Thousand Year Door
43. Phantasy Star Online I & II Plus
44. Phantasy Star Online III
45. Pikmin
46. Pikmin 2
47. Pokemon Colosseum
48. Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness
49. Resident Evil
50. Resident Evil Zero
51. Skies of Arcadia Legends
52. Sonic Adventure DX
53. Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
54. Star Fox Adventures
55. Super Mario Strikers
56. Super Mario Sunshine
57. Super Monkey Ball
58. Super Monkey Ball 2
59. The Tower of Druaga
60. Wario World
61. Wario Ware Inc: Mega Microgames
62. Wave Race: Blue Storm

 

[turbobrick]

I counted up my must have PS2 games vs Gamecube + Xbox, and it came to an equal amount. So I voted yes.

 

[RowdyReverb]

Love this thread idea and the 50/50 split, kudos OP.
I only owned Dreamcast and Xbox out of those options, so I'm way too biased, but I dearly loved those systems

 

[RedOnePunch]

Yeah a lot of the games from the other platforms also ended up on the ps2. Maybe not the best versions of those games, but they were still available on the platform.

 

[E.T.]

And people will argue this forum doesn't have a Sony bias lmao

Click to shrink...

If anything, it proves the opposite but I do not put weight to the polls anyway.

 

[Strike]

Yeah.

 

[Chakoo]

For anyone who list donkey konga, you do know it's just taiko drum master reskinned with DK. There are a bunch of them on ps2 as well (ignoring that shit US release yuck).

Donkey Konga - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[turbobrick]

Love this thread idea and the 50/50 split, kudos OP.
I only owned Dreamcast and Xbox out of those options, so I'm way too biased, but I dearly loved those systems

Click to shrink...

Yeah, I think this is going to be a preference poll, as well as what you grew up playing. PS2 was my first system that gen, and had a lot of games made for it. Because it was my primary system that gen, I have more PS2 games than DC + Xbox + Gamecube.

Dreamcast was the only one I skipped until about 7 years ago when I bought a used one. Despite my friends and relatives having one, I have no nostalgia for it, and I could probably count the DC games I care about on one hand.

 

[tiza blanca]

I would have said PS2 like 10 years ago but now since my taste in games has diversified I'm not so sure.

 

[KalBalboa]

And people will argue this forum doesn't have a Sony bias lmao

Click to shrink...

There's persecution complexes everywhere you look on any video game message board, but I think there's clearly enough of a genuine argument re: the OP's poll here in favor of the most popular video game console of all time vs. 3 semi-duds.

Not throwing shade, it's just sort of a numbers game at the end of the day.

 

[Deleted member 5491]

PS2 has many mid-tier games, many very ambitious games that have flaws and that is where I would still go and say the other threes best exclusives beat the sheer mass of PS2 games. Even now going back and buying older games I want to maybe play today... the PS2 doesn't offer me that much that still stands out to me. I couldn't care less about the FPS on consoles back then, not about some weird ass and flawed JRPGs and Party- as well as Sports games can eat my dick til this day. But if that's your cup of tea, I guess PS2 is your choice.

But when I have the 1st Party Powerhouse Nintendo, with Arcade-Style classics from SEGA and Microsofts best stuff, I would gladly choose them

 

[Deleted member 68874]

Xbox alone had a better library than the PS2.

GameCube had a much better library than the Dreamcast.

 

[KalBalboa]

PS2 has many mid-tier games, many very ambitious games that have flaws and that is where I would still go and say the other threes best exclusives beat the sheer mass of PS2 games. Even now going back and buying older games I want to maybe play today... the PS2 doesn't offer me that much that still stands out to me. I couldn't care less about the FPS on consoles back then, not about some weird ass and flawed JRPGs and Party- as well as Sports games can eat my dick til this day. But if that's your cup of tea, I guess PS2 is your choice.

But when I have the 1st Party Powerhouse Nintendo, with Arcade-Style classics from SEGA and Microsofts best stuff, I would gladly choose them

Click to shrink...

What about platformers, fighting games, survival horror? Can you really hand-wave away the PS2's library in those respects?

I also think it's worth noting a lot of those Sega Arcade-Style classics ended up on PS2, too.

 

[Chakoo]

#buildingthelist
Where is the damn chulip love? -.-

 

[ninnanuam]

Its sort of odd. Its been a while and I am having trouble remembering any diamonds in the rough on PS2, or fun throwaway games on PS2 right now.
While it wasn't my favorite console of the generation PS2 was actually my most played, but the only exclusives that come straight to mind is FFX, Soul Calibur 3, and Yakuza.

I really only played Fighters, Shooters, RPGs and Open World games in that gen (pretty much the same now actually) and as the Dreamcast had essentially arcade perfect ports they had less impact on PS2. In addition my favorite games in that gen are either not exclusive to PS2 and play better elsewhere (GTA) or are not on the system (Morrowind, PSO)

I eventually came down on the side of DC, GC, and X-Box.

 

[Discontent]

PS2 has many mid-tier games, many very ambitious games that have flaws and that is where I would still go and say the other threes best exclusives beat the sheer mass of PS2 games. Even now going back and buying older games I want to maybe play today... the PS2 doesn't offer me that much that still stands out to me. I couldn't care less about the FPS on consoles back then, not about some weird ass and flawed JRPGs and Party- as well as Sports games can eat my dick til this day. But if that's your cup of tea, I guess PS2 is your choice.

But when I have the 1st Party Powerhouse Nintendo, with Arcade-Style classics from SEGA and Microsofts best stuff, I would gladly choose them

Click to shrink...

Top tier Sega arcade games.

 

[Deleted member 5491]

What about platformers, fighting games, survival horror? Can you really hand-wave away the PS2's library in those respects?

I also think it's worth noting a lot of those Sega Arcade-Style classics ended up on PS2, too.

Click to shrink...

I truly think moster horror games aren't really good. But that's just me.
Fighting games are nothing for me, so I won't judge them (although if, then a 2D fighting game) and platformers... that gen overall was bad for platformers.
I like what we got in the 2D era, the 3D stuff by Nintendo and Rare on the N64 and what we have today on all kinds of platforms. But back then? Jak, Sly and Ratchet felt more than Adventures/Shooters than Platformers to me. So for me, they wouldn't help the PS2 one bit. I understand that people like them, but they fell short for me

 

[Diogo Arez]

Hmm tough one since while the PS2 is GOAT the smaller catalogue of the DC and GC has so many gems it might actually be better due to less clutter of Shovelware and such

 

[andymcc]

The GameCube is the worst console Nintendo's ever put out, the Xbox had all of like 20 games I'd actually want to play and the Dreamcast is amazing but it just can't make up for the incredible vastness of the PS2. I don't even understand anyone saying the PS2 had a more "narrow" focus. It covered every single genre in greater amounts than any console in history.

Click to shrink...

This is probably the truth. Though I'd argue the N64 is worse than the Gamecube.

 

[ThisThingIsUseful]

Since when was GTA 3 and Silent Hill 2 exclusives?

Click to shrink...

They were at first

Click to shrink...

I don't think two months constitutes much in terms of exclusivity, and it still means nothing. Yakuza 0 isn't a PS4 exclusive; it doesn't matter that it used to be only on PS4.

It's why I don't like that picture; it's grossly misleading. MGS2: Substance came out on Xbox. Baldur's Gate was not an exclusive. Silent Hill 2 and GTA3 came out on Xbox. And Gran Turismo 3 was not a fall game.

I love PS2 but if it wins out, it's really because the libraries of those consoles were small in comparison. That are 3100+ games on PS4, for example, and no one has time to play 3800 or 3100 games, so the differences in numbers at that point aren't that meaningful to me. They're both robust libraries, and at that time, there was more incentive to just release something on the PS2 and nowhere else. I think that point alone is good enough without having to use that inaccurate pic, you know?

 

[Kapryov]

It all comes down to personal taste, so I'll say No.

No doubt the PS2 had the greatest variety, but my favourites were on the Xbox and Gamecube. I ended up trading my PS2 in for an Xbox... I really really miss my Xbox.

 

[strife85]

No. Dreamcast beat ps2 in sports(except soccer). Xbox won in fps and western rpgs. Nintendo in the nintendo and party games. Overall they win since a lot of those ps2 games eventually came to xbox and stuff as well.

 

[Discontent]

Another couple genres where the PS2 excels are Light Gun Games and shmups.

There's a lot more than these shmups but the four most notable, GOAT-tier ones that are also exclusives on that generation: Dodonpachi Dai ou jou, Mushihemesama, Gradius V and Espgaluda. Then it had some serious heavy hitters that were exclusive in the light gun genre: Time Crisis 2/3/Crisis Zone, Vampire Night and Endgame.

 

[nanskee]

People really exaggerating the PS2. Phenomenal console arguably the best of all time, but to say it's better than Xbox, GameCube and Dreamcast together is an exaggeration. Thing is, those consoles weren't that bad either, during that time. It's don't even think any of them were as bad as Xbox one, hell they might even be better than the PS3.

For me though, I do think PS2 might be better than PS4 and Xbox one, perhaps even Wii u combined.

 

[BriGuy]

I already said my piece, but since this thread is still going, I'll go ahead and say that you can throw the PS3 into the mix as well and the PS2 might still come out on top in my eyes.

 

[KDash]

As someone who owned all of the consoles back then (and still does) along with tons of games on each...nah. I'd take the rest over PlayStation 2 every time.

 

[m0therzer0]

It all comes down to personal taste, so I'll say No.

No doubt the PS2 had the greatest variety, but my favourites were on the Xbox and Gamecube. I ended up trading my PS2 in for an Xbox... I really really miss my Xbox.

Click to shrink...

They all had their strengths. Personally, as a JRPG fan at the time, I'm in the PS2 camp for console exclusives + combined games of the generation (i.e. GTA III was on PS2 and Xbox, but Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts and Dragon Quest were only on PS2).

 

[Tangled Up in Blue]

Nostalgia really is a weapon. People are falling over themselves to praise the PS2's library in 2021, but turn back the clock to 2004 and the message boards are crammed with people complaining endlessly about the vast sea of mediocre bloatware.

 

[Nessus]

For me personally I'd give the slight edge to the other 3 combined, at least for the specific types of games I enjoy. I certainly put more hours into GameCube and Xbox than I did PS2.

 

[Manmademan]

People really exaggerating the PS2. Phenomenal console arguably the best of all time, but to say it's better than Xbox, GameCube and Dreamcast together is an exaggeration.

Click to shrink...

It really isn't. The DC only has about 600 games total, since it died pretty quickly. Many of its exclusive titles ended up ported elsewhere including the PS2. Even the ones that didn't like Jet Set Radio or Soul Calibur had superior sequels like Jet Set Radio Future or Soul Calibur III that appeared elsewhere as exclusives.

As libraries go its barely in the discussion. This is basically a "is the PS2 better than the GC and Xbox" question, and when you put it that way the answer isn't that controversial.

The GC had a longer lifespan but third parties avoided it like the plague. It had extremely weak third party output compared to the Xbox and PS2, and Nintendo's first party titles weren't particularly strong that Gen. Mario Sunshine is by no means on the same level as Mario 64 or SMB3.

The Xbox was the most technically capable by a mile, had stronger third party support than the GC, managed not to die an ignoble death in a year like the DC... But sold virtually nothing outside of North America and many JP titles simply skipped it. There was even one strange case where the sequel to a JP Xbox game ended up as a PS2 exclusive.

Bottom line, 95% of everything worth playing either ended up on the PS2 or there was an experience that was pretty close. The reverse isn't true at all. Xbox only, GC only, and DC only gamers (lol) ended up missing a tremendous amount of absolutely essential games. Even if you combine their libraries (and there will be a lot of overlap of third party games if you do) the PS2 still has more good games worth playing.

The only argument against it is if one considers singular exclusives like Halo or Metroid Prime to be equivalent to literally hundreds of other ps2 games, and that's honestly a very silly argument.

 

[Griffith]

If you are judging purely by quantity the PS2 has the greatest number of well-regarded games, undoubtedly.

I judged by personal taste and for me, there are more games from the Gamecube, Dreamcast (and even some from the original Xbox) that I'd rather replay or hold fondly than there are PS2 exclusives I feel the same about.

There are simply some titles with no PS2 version that don't have something close to, or equivalent, in the other platforms and most of those games that come mind have aged better than most PS2 exclusives.

 

[Homekoro]

I own roughly three times as many PS2 titles than Xbox or GC. While I love playing many of the Xbox/GC titles mentioned in this thread, but in terms of sheer numbers I voted PS2 after reviewing my collection.

 

[KalBalboa]

No. Dreamcast beat ps2 in sports(except soccer).

Click to shrink...

What? How?

Virtua Tennis and the 2K sports games all ended up on PS2. If you liked sports, pretty much every sports franchise ended up on PS2.

Games like NHL Hitz never saw the light of day on the Dreamcast.

Nintendo in the nintendo and party games.

Click to shrink...

What does this even mean? Nintendo wins because it is Nintendo...?

I think it's fair to say the Mario Party games are divisive, and that DK bongo title was a reskin of a series regularly available on the PS2.

The Ps2 had oodles of party titles. Singstar, Buzz. Guitar Hero was a PS2 mainstay, and was this zeitgeist game like six years into the console's lifecycle.

 

[hydro94530]

Gamecube alone has a better lineup than PS2 in my opinion. So many amazing exclusives.

 

[EggmaniMN]

Nostalgia really is a weapon. People are falling over themselves to praise the PS2's library in 2021, but turn back the clock to 2004 and the message boards are crammed with people complaining endlessly about the vast sea of mediocre bloatware.

Click to shrink...

These would be the equivalent now of people complaining about how all indie sucks. It was foolish of them then to discount hundreds upon hundreds of titles and it's foolish now of people to dismiss non AAA titles.

The only nostalgia here is people rewriting history to favor the GameCube.

 

[nanskee]

It really isn't. The DC only has about 600 games total, since it died pretty quickly. Many of its exclusive titles ended up ported elsewhere including the PS2. Even the ones that didn't like Jet Set Radio or Soul Calibur had superior sequels like Jet Set Radio Future or Soul Calibur III that appeared elsewhere as exclusives.

As libraries go its barely in the discussion. This is basically a "is the PS2 better than the GC and Xbox" question, and when you put it that way the answer isn't that controversial.

The GC had a longer lifespan but third parties avoided it like the plague. It had extremely weak third party output compared to the Xbox and PS2, and Nintendo's first party titles weren't particularly strong that Gen. Mario Sunshine is by no means on the same level as Mario 64 or SMB3.

The Xbox was the most technically capable by a mile, had stronger third party support than the GC, managed not to die an ignoble death in a year like the DC... But sold virtually nothing outside of North America and many JP titles simply skipped it. There was even one strange case where the sequel to a JP Xbox game ended up as a PS2 exclusive.

Bottom line, 95% of everything worth playing either ended up on the PS2 or there was an experience that was pretty close. The reverse isn't true at all. Xbox only, GC only, and DC only gamers (lol) ended up missing a tremendous amount of absolutely essential games. Even if you combine their libraries (and there will be a lot of overlap of third party games if you do) the PS2 still has more good games worth playing.

The only argument against it is if one considers singular exclusives like Halo or Metroid Prime to be equivalent to literally hundreds of other ps2 games, and that's honestly a very silly argument.

Click to shrink...

If a good number of third party games didn't also appear on the Xbox I'd probably agree, but since that's not entirely the case I gotta disagree my guy. PS2 is still legendary though, i just think the other consoles were pretty damn solid. And a combination of all three put them over PS2 imo. If we were talking about the gens afterwards, I'd probably agree, not sure though.

 

[Flon]

The sheer number of games I have on the PS2 means I just have to pick it. There's a lot of games I like on the other systems too, and I grew up playing all of them... but the PS2 just has too many favourites of mine that it's a case of "I can't not choose the system that has X game".

 

[jacket]

this is one of the most interesting threads that i've seen on the gaming side in awhile

i'm very close to considering changing my vote to ps2 after reading

 

[Velikost]

There's persecution complexes everywhere you look on any video game message board, but I think there's clearly enough of a genuine argument re: the OP's poll here in favor of the most popular video game console of all time vs. 3 semi-duds.

Not throwing shade, it's just sort of a numbers game at the end of the day.

Click to shrink...

lmao

 

[Jencks]

Changed my vote to PS2. There's too much weird, interesting Japanese shit in its library. Also horror and JRPGs that are top notch.

 

[KalBalboa]

Edit: not worth it, heh.

At any rate, I think this has been a good discussion and a fun way to double check some rose-tinted glasses.

 

[CaptainBojangles]

I mean, for me, looking at games that I consider all-time favorites, it would be:

Kingdom Hearts I and II, Persona 3 and 4, Devil May Cry 3, Okami. Final Fantasy X and XII, Dragon Quest VIII, and Katamari Damacy (That doesn't even include games I will almost certainly love like MGS 2,3, and Shadow of the Colossus)

vs.

Animal Crossing, Halo and Halo 2, Mario Kart: Double Dash, Resident Evil Remake, and Super Smash Bros. Melee (Have not played Twilight Princess, Wind Waker, Ninja Gaiden Black, Fire Emblem, or Skies of Arcadia)

I love that bottom crop of game, but come on now. The PS2 wrecks that line-up

 

[T0kenAussie]

Xbox>Dreamcast>GCN>PS2

I'd take any console's standalone library over the PS2's, let alone them combined.

Click to shrink...

You have my axe 🪓

 

[MADSUPERVILLAIN]

Xbox, Gamecube and Dreamcast do a pretty good.job at covering each others weaknesses genre-wise, but PS2 just has such insane range of games that it manages to offer more genre variety.

The PS2 import library is also insane, even for someone who can't appreciate most of it due to the language barrier.

The only big downsides are worse performing multiplat games and a the lack of the Xbox's PC conversions (not that I'd play the Xbox version of those games given the choice).

 

[Rhaknar]

The Dreamcast alone has a better library in my opinion, let alone combined /shrug

 

[The Unsent]

And people will argue this forum doesn't have a Sony bias lmao

Click to shrink...

The PS2 was considered the cool console growing up as a kid, I don't see why it would be different for people here. Course there's bias.