I mean, "treat yourself," right?
Gaming is such a rewarding pastime. However, it's also hella expensive. In the past few years, I've easily spent several K's on consoles, games, controllers, and more. And now I can justify these exorbitant purchases because, "Hey, it's my job," which makes the dangers of raking in credit card debt more pervasive.
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Considering my situation, I should practice more restraint. Instead, I'm Googling "Hatsune Miku Project Diva controllers," which cost hundreds of dollars. There are plenty more gaming purchases that I'm seriously considering. Some of them make logical sense - others are downright ridiculous.
If there's one presence I sincerely miss in console gaming, it's Dance Dance Revolution. DDR is a classic rhythm game, providing excellent cardio exercise. I used to play DDR all the time in my teens, there was even a time when I owned a metal dance pad. Unfortunately, those days have faded. I've tried playing Stepmania on PC with a plastic 360 mat, but I could not reach the stride required for those extra-difficult charts.
So, color me surprised when I learned there are companies still making DDR pads with new features, like wireless gameplay and enhanced sensitivity! L-TEK's pads, adorned with a sleek black finish and stylish UV-printed arrows, look gorgeous! Am I at a level where I need to pay an extra couple hundred bucks for a handlebar? Not really. But it looks so high-end! After that, all I need is a black carpet with neon squiggles to fully recreate the arcade experience!
These days, when I want to combine fitness and gaming, VR is my go-to. I love games like Beat Saber, which offers amazing licensed music with immersive and engaging gameplay. So, two years ago, I bought myself a PSVR set to finally get in on the action. I was so impressed! That is, of course, until my brother and I bought our Mom an Oculus Quest console for Christmas a year later.
After playing on both PSVR and the Quest, I can say that the Quest experience is much better. The difference comes down to wires. PSVR runs well but relies on a wired connection to the PS4 and movement picked up on the Playstation camera. Therefore, you need a lot of space for it to work well. Meanwhile, the Quest offers a wireless venture that accommodates standing and stationary play areas. The result is a more seamless gameplay session.
Do I have the money to put down for a new VR console when I already own one? Unfortunately, no. But can I feng shui my bedroom to make enough room for PSVR? Also no. Looks like I got myself stuck between a digital rock and a digital hard place.
Oh, the Playstation 5. I want one so badly. But, of course, so does everyone else. Do I think it's an investment that pays back in quality? Sure. Unfortunately, you have to plan early to buy one. And when I say "plan early," I mean budget a couple of months beforehand to anticipate another release of stock from Sony so you can participate in the limited access PS Store sale that runs a couple of hours PST.
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Granted, I did buy a high-end gaming PC last year. Okay, it's not Alienware, but it's pretty darn neat! And at that point, do I need a next-gen console when my laptop plays at a similar level? As long as whatever I play on runs Street Fighter 6 nicely, I'm good.
I never understood how excellent handheld gaming could be until I was gifted a Nintendo Switch for Christmas last year. Okay, so it doesn't have the power of its Xbox and Playstation peers. So what? If I can play Smash Bros on the go, I'm happy!
On the other hand, as cool as it is to own a gaming laptop, I find myself using it sparingly. Unless I want to connect my laptop to my TV via a long HDMI cable and break out the wireless keyboard and mouse, I can't relax on a comfy couch and play games on a whim. There's some setup involved.
However, the idea of a portable gaming PC, like the Steam Deck,is incredibly intriguing. Sure, the battery life is mid, and the list of compatible games is still in development. Still, considering I work in gaming journalism, I could easily see myself getting tons of usage out of a Steam Deck. Therefore, it's probably the most reasonable purchase on this list.
Would I pay the price of a next-gen console for an arcade machine that plays eight 90s/early 2000s fighting games and makes a niche conversation piece? I would seriously consider it.
The #FreeMvC2 movement built plenty of momentum since Maximilian Dood popularized the hashtag in August 2021. A year later, at EVO 2022, Arcade1UP revealed their new Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 cabinet. This blast from the past includes the historic fighting game title and every Marvel Versus game from X-Men: Children of the ATOM onwards. Plus, it has online functionality!
You could download emulators and make these games work on a PC if you wanted to, but this cabinet is something special. This signature piece says, "Yes, I am indeed a fan. Thanks for noticing." I waited almost three years for MvC2's Playstation 2 port back in the day. So the idea that I could own an arcade-perfect port on a replicated arcade cabinet in my home for a reasonable price (compared to an authentic arcade cabinet, anyway) blows my mind!
Do I know where I would place an arcade machine? No. Would I play it much after a couple of months? Not sure. Are there any friends or family members that would play with me? Not likely. Would I feel like a total boss? Hell, yeah!
Haha! Just kidding! Pre-orders for this cabinet have already sold out. Guess I'll have to buy a pre-ordered cabinet for double the price on eBay. 🙃
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Chris Sanfilippo (He/Him) is an actor, singer, writer, and gaming fanatic based in New York. Career highlights include work at The Gateway Playhouse, Fireside Dinner Theatre, and 54 Below. Chris's favorite game genres to play are fighting games, visual novels, puzzle games, and music/rhythm games. He is still waiting for a proper sequel to Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo.