In these trying economic times, electronic entertainment certainly takes a backseat to more pressing requisites of life such as gas in the car or even food on the table. And while the price of entry into this generation of console gaming is steadily dropping, it's certainly not cheap by any means. With the cheapest model of any console putting a $200 dent in your wallet, you may think that an enjoyable gaming experience is too far out of your financial reach. Or, perhaps you have retained your employment and are simply looking to save a few bucks while still satiating the gamer within. Whatever the case may be, you needn't break the bank on your way to gaming bliss as there are plenty of fantastic (not to mention cheaper) experiences still waiting for your attention from the video game days of yore.

Sega Genesis

 

 

Pledging to do what "Ninten-don't", Sega's Genesis had a number of outstanding titles on its roster. Specializing mostly in side-scrolling action titles, Sonic's box had muscles to flex and did so in fine style. Complete systems can typically be found for under $50 with games usually costing no more than $10.

• Vectorman - A super-smooth platforming action title, Vectorman is still visually appealing today. You'll play as the title character as he attempts to clean up a messy planet earth in the year 2049. As if that weren't enough responsibility, all the previously like-minded bots have been taken over and re-programmed for evil. You have your work cut out for you.
• Mortal Kombat - Sega's version of Mortal Kombat was the closest to an arcade-perfect version of the game at the time and remains an extremely satisfying title today. Including all the violence (via a special code) of the original fighter, you'll be able to sink some serious time into multiple play-throughs of this gem.
• Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition - Even with Street Fighter 4 lighting up best-selling lists of current generation consoles, older Street Fighter titles may provide even more bang for your buck. With Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition, Capcom created an epic combination of the standard Champion Edition and Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting. There's so much game crammed into that tiny cartridge, it's amazing they didn't all explode.

Sony PlayStation

 

 

The first disc-based console to make it "big", the PlayStation was the platform of choice for some of the most influential titles in gaming history. This not only means that the console sold a ridiculous number of games, but also that those titles are still rather abundant in used game circles and come with tiny pricetags. Systems can be found for $40 or less with most games hanging around the $10-$15 mark.

•  Resident Evil 2 - You'd rather not spend the full $60 on Resident Evil 5? How about checking out one of the finest survival horror experiences ever created for a fraction of the cost? Resident Evil 2 tagline was "if the suspense doesn't kill you... something else will" and it lived up to that line in a big way. New zombies, mutant walking plants, and giant alligators -- who could ask for more?
• Final Fantasy VII - Why wait who-knows-how-long for Final Fantasy XIII? Widely hailed as one of the greatest role playing games of all time, FFVII is a title that needs to be experienced. Even if you took it for a spin in its glory days, a game like FFVII is sometimes a nice palette-cleanser to remind you how good games can really be. 

Nintendo 64

 

 

Going up against Sony's PlayStation, Nintendo made a number of confusing choices during the N64's lifetime. From requiring a RAM cartridge to play certain titles to releasing the console in a transparent hue of purple, Nintendo's sometimes perplexing decisions couldn't hold back the 64 from playing host to some of the best titles of our time. N64 consoles will normally set you back about $30-$40, and you can expect to pay around $15 for the higher-quality games.

• Mario Kart 64 - There just has to be a reason that every Nintendo console since the SNES has had a Mario Kart title, right? The reason is that they are largely excellent racing titles that have a timeless quality about them and Mario Kart 64 is considered by many to be the best of them all. Play it casually or play it intensely -- it goes both ways.
• Perfect Dark - Rivaling any multiplayer experience on current consoles (as long as you're sitting in the same room as three of your friends) Perfect Dark provides a super-customizable set of split-screen modes that even allow you to integrate lifelike bots for players who couldn't make it to the party. Just make sure you have your RAM cartridge handy.
• 1080 Snowboarding - It seems like only yesterday that snowboarding games were all the rage. While that fiery passion for the snow sport seems to have fizzled out a bit, the quality of 1080 Snowboarding remains timeless. Don't have enough cash for a modern snowboarding title like Shaun White's Road Trip? Pick up 1080 and still have enough left for lunch.

With our recommendations, these games and systems should hopefully get you through the economic crisis while preventing a serious gaming withdrawl, but we've just scratched the surface. What other gaming deals have saved you some coin recently? We'd love to hear all about them in the comments section!

[Image credit: Header image from Flickr user Joe Shlabotnik. Used via Creative Commons.]