Whether you like it or not, all the turbulence this credit crunch is causing is going to take a while to go away. Thankfully, we gamers are in a great position to weather the worst of the storm. Staying in behind closed doors for nights on end is what we’re good at. Regardless, everyone has been affected in one way or another, and nobody should turn down the opportunity to save a bit of cash. So to make the most of tight times, here’s five sure-fire ways to get the most from your gaming without attacking the piggy bank.1. Trade-ins
When was the last time you had a right good clear out? Trading games in can be the best way of avoiding paying full price for a game. Who knows, you might even get more than you had bargained for meaning that new release doesn’t have to be put off until next month. Most places offer you anything between 40-60% of their sale price for games and trade prices are significantly higher than cash, so trading in a couple of duff games could net you a classic you hadn’t got round to buying yet.
2. Buy Online
While there’s none of the satisfaction of swapping cash in hand for a game over the counter, it does tend to be an expensive affair every time. High street prices are raised to take that very convenience into account, so take your console or your laptop online and shop around.
www.ebay.co.uk is the obvious choice with plenty new and used copies of every game under the sun. Great deals on games start at 99p and console bundles could save you more than £50. You pay a small fee for shipping but taking advantage of the strength of the pound means buying import games from a US seller means you can save even more.
3. Virtual Console/PSN/Xbox Live
If you have your console hooked up to the internet then you’ll be somewhat aware of the immense collection of retro games available for download. For example, £15 will get you 2000 Wii points which lets you choose from hundreds of games from Nintendo’s back catalogue, Sega systems and other platforms. Games cost between 400 and 1000 points and provide great value as well as warming the heart as you immerse yourself in the cream of the crop from yesteryear. All systems get constant updates to their online game stores so you’ll never run out of ideas. Mmmm, fuzzy, pixillated retro goodness…
4. Get a Life
All systems have stellar examples of the sandbox genre. A sandbox game is an endless paradise void of time limits, damage from enemies and endings in general. The key is to create your play area just as you like it with in-depth customization options and maintain it to the standard that you have set yourself. It’s not for everyone, but if you fancy yourself as a bit of a demi-god in a digital world, they provide infinite gameplay and a few are so beautifully crafted you won’t be able to put them down. Animal Crossing: City Folk is due out soon on Wii and 360 owners should consider Viva Piñata, while pocket sized versions are available of both games on the Nintendo DS. If you own a PS3 and can wait a few months then LittleBigPlanet is going to be well worth the wait- the game even lets you create your own platformer and share them online!
5. Take it Online
All systems support WiFi play so if you have the internet, get connected! Challenging worldwide opponents for medals and trophies brings a whole new dimension to a game and it’s free!! So don’t just play through the story mode: scan the leader boards and have a pop at the top. Multiplayer sessions of MarioKart Wii and Smash Bros. Brawl are always ongoing. Forum tournaments are organized all the time so get yourself on a message board and join the action. Playing against opponents is far more entertaining and spontaneous than against AI. You’re safe doing your victory dance, and somewhere far, far away you’ve made a little girl cry distraught tears into her pillow.
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