Mr. SunburnMan

One of the newest thing this generation across all consoles are downloadable games.

Xbox Live Arcade was first to hit a couple of years ago, and on the 360 it was completely redone. Lately, it started to get some steam, with a game out or two. Demos are required for every game, so you can try them before you buy. The PSN seems to be poised towards larger new games, as well as smaller ones, and they seem to attach high-profile names to some of the games, like Calling All Cars. The VC is a collection of oldies, so YMMV. Still, there is potential to release oldies that were never localized (*earthbound* *cough*), and playing the classics is always entertaining for a while.

Have you been downloading games at all? What about the prices? I know that they tend to be game-relative, but are they too high, or just ok? Do you think that the games provide enough value for their price, or are they too short-lived, too much of an impulse purchase?

PS:
And please, don't turn this into what store is your favourite or not. I don't care. I'm talking about the concept in general, and how it applies to you.

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Mr. SunburnMan

I have to admit that I quite like it. The price point is low, they're great pick-up and play games, and most important of all, some of them are really good. I've certainly warmed up to the idea (provided that there's a cross-console solution for whenever next-new-gen arrives) since I got my xbox 360.

In terms of pricing, I think that most of the purchases are semi-impulsive. But, for example, Geometry Wars, and Doom, the two XBLA games that I've purchased, I find myself going back to them regularly. Geo Wars has this whole addictive side too it, and Doom has online coop (which owns). So they have proven to be of good value to me.
I have to say that I'm not as enthusiastic about my virtual console purchases. $8 for Genesis games is expensive, and the only one that I find myself playing worth the money is Mario 64 (given that I haven't played it before the Wii). The impulse purchases based on nostalgia were dissapointing to say the least. I think I must have gotten an hour out of each.

In any case, I think that downloadable games are great. It feels good to get new games on your couch. I'm definitely looking forward to more of that when the next-new-gen hits.

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Arnold K. (Admin)

Honestly? I'll be damned if I pay for old games ever again. Emulators and ROMs cut it for me. And hell, I don't even care to download an emu and ROMs for it. The classics I continue to play I own the actual carts for.

Ryan H.

Yes, this.

I'm down for checking out new, original games on the cheap, but if I wanted to play Castlevania..... oh wait already played it.

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Gabriel013

I've only ever downloaded free demos, mostly because I'm tight and partly because I don't want to pay £5-£10 for games I'll only play intermittently. If there are one or two games I missed the first time round that take my fancy then maybe but they'll have to be dirt cheap. If there's a chance I can get the original game for the same price (assuming I have something to play it on) then I'll do that. I don't think I could ever be pursuaded to dl anything like the original Mario or Sonic etc..

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Mr. SunburnMan

You're lucky that you own the originals. I don't...

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cAtDaFeLiX

With my 360 purchase, I download any new demo that sparks my interest. Midway was a sweet game but hard to find a bud to play against. Crackdown was a no brainer when the demo came out and I played it for about 56 hours with the 1hr restart lol.

As for the PS3 side of things, I got no clue. I used to buy the OPM for the demos and I'm only buying the OXM now, but the demos are already on Live except for 2 or 3 like Call of Duty 3.

I really want to get a Wii soon cause of all the old school games that have come out. But what's holding me back is the no rumble feature for most of them and no KI Gold lol.

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Arnold K. (Admin)

I found all of my favorites back when I was 17 and working at EB. It was a great way to stock up on cheeeeaaap SNES games. When the company recalled a lot of them, they brought them down to .01 cent. When I found out, I bought like 8 games.

Zelda, Metroid, SFII, SFII Turbo, MK3, Mario RPG and a few others. I still have them all.

Mr. SunburnMan

It's hard to be against demos. They can sell you a game, or prevent you from buying a game. They're awesome.

Also, I'm now ignoring Arnold K's posts out of spite.

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Arnold K. (Admin)

Hahahaha. What I did I could've been fired for if anybody found out. They were supposed to be sent out that same day, but I bought them instead. =D

I should post pics and taunt you or something.