San Francisco Chronicle writer Peter Hautlaub makes an excellent suggestion for those too poor or too unlucky to acquire a shiny new next-gen system for the gamer in your life. Go retro. The article lists several financial situations, and the perfect classic gaming system to satisfy both wallets and game cravings.

Scenario 1: I'm poorer than Joey on the first season of "Friends" but not quite as poor as Gary Coleman when he got that job as a security guard:

The Nintendo 64 and Super NES are both great systems from the 1990s, when video game development was arguably at an artistic peak. You can buy either system with extra controllers and a shoe box full of games on eBay for about $60.

Yeah, I don't know what the television character financial comparisons are all about, but there are some really great gift ideas here for poor gamers as well as those who tend to buy everything new that comes out, causing friends and family to rely on the old gift card crutch. Michael Fahey

PS3 too pricey? For video game gifts, go retro. Sega Dreamcast, underrated and underpriced — and under your tree [SFGate.com]

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