As you are no doubt already aware, a price war between the three main platform giants is underway. No matter who you are, you cant escape the hype. Almost every form of media is busy promoting either console price slashes or system bundles. Its no wonder people are suffering from a bout of information overload. With Christmas fast approaching the decision on whether to invest in import or to spend out on local hardware is a tricky one. There are many aspects to consider, all of which unique to you. The first basic factors you will need to consider are cost of purchase ("will I save money buying transnationally?") and basic software compatibility ("will I be able to play pal games on an import system?").  Even this isnt without its drawbacks, because the games come from Canada you get a very big booklet - very big because half of its in French!  | | The Clarkestar |
So first thing first - is there a bargain to be had from importing from afar? Well yes, there is. Consoles from either America or Japan generally retail at a lower price to those in Europe, but with ubiquitous Christmas deals already appearing on UK high streets, the benefits from importing an American or Japanese system are becoming less and less apparent. For example, below is a list of the current UK console prices taken from Amazon.co.uk in relation to the cost of their import counterpart.
| Console package | UK | Import | | PS2 Silver with two games and two controllers | £134.99 | £109.99 | | PS2 Standard with four games and one controller | £124.99 | £100.99 | | X BOX with two games (inc Halo) one controller and a free two month ‘LIVE’ trial | £139.99 | £109.99 | | GameCube 1 controller | £74.99 | £60.50 |
Note: prices on the high street will probably differ from £5 to £25, this is not including the additional cost of post and packaging. On paper it seems clear there is a substantial saving to be made on buying import machines. But this is not always the case, especially when one takes into account the hidden costs i.e. the price of shipping and the cost of a step-down power-supply transformer - a device vital to the running of your new machine. Once weve added these additional costs to our shopping basket then this once obvious distinction in price begins to waver. Nevertheless, these are all very competitive prices, and are unlikely to break anyones bank balance. Having said this, making the decision to import isnt just about economics, for many its about lifestyle having access to the latest games months before your European mates but even this can have its drawbacks. Remember that all consoles are subjective to regional lockouts. A pal console is not going to run a Japanese or American import, and vice a versa. And this factor may restrict your game playing liberties.
Not all European games are released in America, and importing the newer releases from America can be expensive, not to mention time consuming. Of course, if you are loaded and are planning to buy lots of import games then this is not going to be a problem. Unsurprisingly, the birth of the Internet has made life much simpler and cheaper for anyone wishing to smuggle contraband from abroad. Shop around and youll be surprised what you might find.
| Nintendo were so concerned about importers cutting into their profits - in the same way a paranoid schizophrenic may be concerned someones looking at them | | The Clarkestar |
dvdboxoffice.com will sell you most new Stateside releases for between around $56.95 - $70.95 and while that top price may sound astronomical, bare in mind it's Canadian Dollars so youre looking at between about £25 - £32. Even this isnt without its drawbacks, because the games come from Canada you get a very big booklet - very big because half of its in French! For once, Nintendos fanatically litigious approach to importing has done any Gamecube owners planning to import one huge favour. Nintendo were so concerned about importers cutting into their profits - in the same way a paranoid schizophrenic may be concerned someones looking at them - they made the Cube almost impossible to chip so someone found another way round it. Datel's Freeloader allows you to play Cube games from any region, run 60htz NTSC games on a Pal 50hzt TV (although I wouldnt recommend it) and will even make you a cup of tea and all without having to fiddle with your machines hardware (the bit about the tea is not strictly true). While this all sounds great the 20-30 seconds you have to wait each time you want to load an import game may not sound much but by the 30th time youve done it you may just wish you could have had the thing chipped in the first place. Anyway - any PS2 or X-Box owners hoping to play imports will need to either solder the purchased mod-chip to the motherboard, making the necessary connections, or contact one of the many companies that will do it for you, for instance NCS will provide the chip and the installation service for a fee. But even this option has its drawbacks. Modifying your system will render the factory warranty void, and a mod-chip is not guaranteed to accommodate all territories, plus there are quality control issues to consider.
So there you have it, the pros and cons of import buying. Importing may save you a few quid but is it worth all the hassle, especially when you can pick up a console from your high street for as little as £79.99? Whatever option you decide to take this Christmas, at least youLL be guaranteed a fun-packed winter. Feel free to forward any further questions concerning the madcap world of import buying to the Clarkestar at [email protected] expect a prompt reply.
The Clarkestar | 
