ps2 recommendations for couple and/or girlfriend

[scott21]

My girlfriend and I are looking at getting an apartment soon and I need some advice. Last time she came down to visit, she really enjoyed playing banjoe kazooie on pj64 and beat the game 100% in a week. I really didn't know she was much of a gamer up until this point apart from being a game-show-junkie, but I figured a ps2 was a great and cheap solution to entertain her (and be my dvd player :P)

I was thinking maybe the following platformer might suite her taste:

Jax & Daxter series
Ratchet & Clank series
Crash Bandicoot series (from the PS1 - Sadly theres no compliation for the ps2)

Also, what do you guys think of the following Mario Kart clones? Any good?

Crash Nitro Racing
Crash Team Racing
Jak X: Combat Racing

Lastly, what are some other fun games for the two of us to play? She isn't much for fps/fighting/sports games so that takes out a big chunk of the library. Do you think she'd go for something like NFS Carbon?

Also, maybe i'm overthinking a little, but do i spoil her with a library of games or buy her 2-3 and let her find which series she likes and then grab the rest of them as she completes them?

*shrugs* the things we do to please women :P (and keep them occupied and out of the way when they bother us :D)

[weirdguy]

What about The Adventures of Cookie & Cream ? It's a good coop game. My girlfriend loved it.

I'd say go rent some games with her. If she likes it, then buy it.

[norkusa]

DDR and a couple of soft pads. Chicks dig it.

[Hwj_Chim]

Super Bust-A-Move Is a very good game to pick up. Crash team racing is also a very good pick up. She might also enjoy Mister Mosquito.

[RadiantSvgun]

You will probably want to beat me with a lead pipe if this one works, but....
RPGs. The simple easy to pick up ones. FFX is one that got one of my girlfriends hooked. To her it was like reading and playing through a novel.

Bombastic is a good puzzle game, really gets the thinking cap on.

Guitar Hero II, not I, but II is the big thing for chicks. Many don't like I due to the difficulty.

Klonoa 2 or however you spell it, great platformer, a bit harder to find, but worth it.

Don't forget about those collections on ps2, the midways, the sonics, the namcos, the segas. They are cheap, and many have pick up and play styles that everyone enjoys.

My ex was huge into light gun shooters. She loved Vampire night, Time Crisis II, and Ninja Assault. You might want to take your girl/spouse/ect to an arcade and let her try it first. My ex said she liked the adreniline rush of the light gun games.

On the flipside, when I used to come home from work, she would be hogging the tv and the ps2. So be warned...

[scott21]

Great suggestions, i'll have to look into them. I love the bust-a-move games - they're simple but so addictive. That reminds me.. the one game she used to utterly kick my ass at was Dr. Mario. Jeez I hate that game. I have no coordination for it at all. Thank god its a nintendo exclusive :D

[tonyvortex]

all you need is PaRappa the Rapper!

[robotriot]

I'd suggest Katamari Damacy of course and ICO.

[Trebuken]

Kingdom Hearts 1 + 2...

Use the Jak, Sly Cooper, and Ratchet series to get her hooked, with Busat-a-move as filler. You can then add the others. Also consider the Tak series, The Legend of Kay, Brave, Malice, Ruff Trigger.

Katamari could work as well.

[Chadt74]

2nd The Adventures of Cookie & Cream my GF and I enjoyed that game. The co-op Katamari is kinda hard to get down and can be a little frustrating at times, solo it is fun. My GF and I did not play much Katamari co-op.

[p_b]

Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance I & II, as well as Champions of Norrath were appreciated over here. Good coop fun!

[slip81]

Guitar Hero II is all you need

[RadiantSvgun]

Amplitude on easy difficulty. Good fun, good songs. Not so much Frequency, as that is kinda fustrating. Intelligent Qube on ps1 is great if you can find it. Don't forget, you aren't solely limited to ps2 stuff. There is a lot of fun ps1 stuff for dirt cheap. If she liked Dr. Mario, she might like Super Puzzle Fighter II turbo on ps1.

[Nature Boy]

The PS2 games my wife has played the most are Ico, Baldur's Gate, and Champions of Norrath (we've beaten all 3, the last two were co-op of course - she beat Ico on her own).

I find that the thing to avoid is swimming. Any game that requires swimming is a bust. She loved Conquer's Bad Fur Day until she got to the swimming part - then she either gives up or asks me to beat that part for her.

Racing games are hit and miss. I'd recommend Crazy Taxi (it's hard not finding people who like that one). She used to love San Francisco Rush on my N64, but I don't think she's ever gotten into a racing game on the PS2.

I'd avoid RPGs like the plague unless she's into that stuff already. RPGs are terribly slow for gamers who aren't fans of the genre.