which second hand games console should i buy?

Anything but an Xbox 360 - if you buy one of these make sure it's got a good warranty on it.

I'd recommend the Playstation 2 - You can still buy the slim versions new for about £80, but if you want to get 2nd hand then see if you can get the slim version as that means it'll be a newer unit (they released the slim & discontinued the original big'n) - It has the biggest & best games catalogue for any console (I think it's around 1,900 different titles) & because Sony still support it some new games are still coming out for it.

This means that you'll be able to find the basic games that you want for him now & get more complicated games as he grows.

While you could get a Sega Megadrive or Dreamcast or a Nintendo SNES or Gamecube you would probably have more difficulty getting hold of the games due to the age or popularity of the console. You'd be able to find the games but you might have to search around independent little shops rather than just being able to walk into your local big franchise like Game or Gamestop (depending where you are).

I'm in the UK & I know that if I walked into Game I'm 99% sure that I couldn't find anything for the Megadrive, SNES or Dreamcast & 75% sure I couldn't find anything for the Gamecube, but they still sell loads of PS2 games (piles upon piles of preowned games).

As far as reliability is concerned the main reason that PS2's fail is because people chip them to play pirated games & this has a negative effect on wear on the laser. I have had the same PS2 for years & years & it was still working when I donated it to the relatives a month or so back.

I hope this helps

A PS2. It has Sonic games and a whole range of other games for all ages. It is cheap, great hardware and lots of software, also at a cheap price.

Either that or a gamecube (consoles are quite cheap now), but the PS2 has more games and they tend to be cheaper and easier to find. Plus PS2 accessories (controllers, memory cards and anything else) are easier to find.

Edit:

"I don't know how far back you are wanting to go but if you can find someone who still has a working Atari "

The older systems are great, but they are more gaming computers if you go back to the originals. May be hard to find them, especially in good and working condition. But Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum and all of them are great for games - not all of them are as easy as they look though, but great fun all the same.

I still have a working Amstrad CPC 464 in good condition so it is possible to get something like that. You get games like Donkey Kong, Dizzy, Gauntlet, Pacman, Space Invaders, Paperboy - I remember spendng hours when I was younger on some of them games. Only downside is the time they take to load

I don't know how far back you are wanting to go but if you can find someone who still has a working Atari (I still have mine and I think it still works) the games like Pac Man, Donkey Kong, Yars Revenge, Pole Position, Space Invaders etc. are fun to play and the joystick is simple with just one fire button.

There are some places at some of the malls that sell vintage games and systems but you can try Ebay or google it. Good luck! I think it's cool you want to do that for your son.

get a dreamcast, they run about $40-60 and if you got a computer and a cd burner you don't have to buy any games. dreamcast can play burt games with out the system being modified.

i think there is a snes emulator pack for it and a nes one as well.

these packs contain all the games for each of thows systems.

Get him a sega mega drive. Its a good console and fairly cheap. lots of good sonic games on it.

Sega megadrive! All the classic sonic games on there!

a gamecube sounds best for him and they only cost £10-£20(2ND HAND)

XBOX 360 will be to complicated

PS2's brake after a few years

Dreamcast are rubbish

WORKING Nintendo 64 are hard to find

gamecube will be good for him :)

not very expensive either