PlayStation 2 Original Vs. Slim: A GameStop Girl's Analysis

GameStop used to own me. Professionally speaking, anyway. As an employee of this computer and video gaming retailer, I was underpaid, uninsured, and unappreciated at the corporate level. I am not sorry to have since left my cash register-wielding and game-alphabetizing days behind, working at GameStop afforded me the opportunity to stay on top of the latest and greatest in the gaming industry.

When the Sony PlayStation 2 Slim console hit the market, I already owned an original version of the system. I definitely did not need a second, albeit updated, version of the same console, but that did not stop me from lusting after the Slim. Why? Because it was pretty.

I began to wonder what Sony's goal was in releasing the PlayStation 2 Slim. The PlayStation 3's release loomed closer and closer at the time of the Slim's debut. Why bother updating an non-next-gen console? It seemed to me that most people who already owned an original PlayStation 2 at the time would not exactly be flocking to stores to purchase a slimmed-down, oh-so-silver version of something they already had. Yet the Slims that we had stocked in my GameStop store never stuck around long and found homes with new and veteran gamers alike.

The PlayStation 2 Slim boasts some obvious upgrades. Plus the Slim comes in a sweet and sexy silver version. But do these improvements warrant shelling out another $99.95 for those who already own the original PlayStation 2?

Features Side-by-Side: Original vs. Slim

Is the Slim worth it?

The PlayStation 2 Slim boasts some obvious improvements on its ancestor.  The Slim is much smaller and lighter -- one-quarter of the size of its predecessor, in fact.  It also has greatly enhanced online gaming capabilities due to the presence of a new Ethernet port, network connection, and phone line.  The original PlayStation 2 relied on a clunky online adapter add-on that was available for separate purchase.  Plus -- silver. 

However, the Slim's upgrades came bundled with a few less desirable changes.  The multi-tap add-on item that expanded the original console's controller to support 4 players does not fit the Slim.  Sony eventually released an updated model of the multi-tap, but not before fans got a bit testy about it. The choice to make the Slim's discs load through a pop-up try at the top of the machine is questionable, as is the removal of the original console's internal hard-drive, which completely changed how data storage and game saves work in the Slim. 

Overall, however, the changes between the original PlayStation 2 and the svelte Slim do seem to be actual improvements.  But is the Slim worth the money for those who already own a PlayStation 2?  That's a question I cannot answer.  I will admit, though, that I never upgraded to a Slim and eventually hopped on the PlayStation 3 train without feeling that I had missed out on a thing. 

What Do You Think?

Slim Down

Comments

Gamer Girl on December 31, 2010:

Awful article--copy/paste and vapid commentary. Stop riding on your gender.

Dobson from Virginia on June 11, 2010:

My son got a refurbed PS2 original version for his birthday three years ago and there is no problem to it to this day. I think the game manufacturers constantly look for ways to pry more money from our wallets. There is some portion of the buying public that will do that, but I am happy to report I am not in the number!

Thanks for covering this!

erick on May 29, 2010:

ps2 slim