GameCube vs. PlayStation 2 vs. Xbox: video games.(Buyers Guide)

If you have video-game buffs at home, you'll face the questions sooner or later: Should you replace your video-game console with one of the newer enhanced systems? Which is best: GameCube, PlayStation 2, or Xbox?

The following shopping tips are based on the evaluations of our experts and of 19 testers ages 9 to 15:

--Each system has spectacular graphics and special effects, and loaded our games in less than a minute. Those aren't determining factors.

--Make sure the system you're considering offers the games you like. For example, the Mario family of games is available only for Nintendo systems such as the GameCube, $200, not for Microsoft's Xbox, $300, or Sony's PlayStation 2,$300. But PlayStation 2 currently has the most games.

--PlayStation 2 will play the games you bought for your PlayStation One. The GameCube is not compatible with Nintendo 64 games.

--Assess the features you want. When you're not playing video games, PlayStation 2 and Xbox allow you to use the console to listen to your music CDs or to play a DVD movie. With the Xbox, you can also record songs from CDs onto its built-in hard drive. (We did not test those features.) The GameCube doesn't have audio CD or DVD capabilities.

--Be prepared for add-on costs. Each console comes with connecting cables and one controller. For all systems, games cost $50 each, and an extra controller is $35. A memory card, used to save game settings, is $15 for the GameCube, $35 for the other systems. (The Xbox requires a memory card only if you ...