Why You Can Trust CNET Get an Ouya game console and $5 game credit for $59.99 shipped
If you've been wanting to try this "disruptive" game system, it's never been cheaper.
The Ouya was supposed to turn the gaming world upside-down. It did not. More on that in a bit.
The little box normally sells for $99.99 plus shipping, but right now you can get an Ouya console for $59.99 shipped when you apply coupon code CALAMITY at checkout. That price also includes a $5 game credit.
Update: Giant sigh. It's always something. Although it worked when I tried it this morning, apparently this code had a fixed number of uses and has been effectively "used up." I'll contact Ouya and see if they're willing to extend it.
Update No. 2: I spoke to an Ouya rep who confirmed that the promo for Tripwire Interactive's new Ouya game Killing Floor: Calamity (aha!) had indeed "sold out," but that buyers can still get $10 off the regular $99.99 price by applying coupon code KillingFloor at checkout. Still a good deal? Let's hear from you in the comments.
"Calamity," eh? Either there's a hidden meaning there I'm not seeing or the company has a wicked sense of humor. Because after a dazzling Kickstarter debut that raised a whopping $8.5 million, the Ouya launched earlier this year to extremely lukewarm reviews. By most accounts, the console was a flop. Calamity, indeed.
And yet. Indie-game developers continue to support the Ouya -- it hit the 500-games mark in November and now touts 574 of them -- and the company has rolled out a steady stream of OS updates aimed at improving and expanding the experience. (For example, the Ouya now supports external storage.)
The question now is whether you're curious enough to drop $60 on a gizmo that has nearly as many fans as it does detractors. Those fans would likely point out how incredibly affordable the Ouya is compared with, say, a PlayStation or Xbox, and how the games themselves typically range from free to $5. Plus, you can try any game before buying it.
Let's not forget the specs: the Ouya features a Tegra3 quad-core processor, 8GB of storage, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, USB and HDMI, a wireless remote, Ethernet, and a modified Android 4.0 OS. There's some solid horsepower under this tiny cube-shaped hood.
If you want the real skinny, I recommend perusing the nearly 500 user reviews on Amazon, which average out to 3.6 stars out of 5. Ultimately, I'd say this device is all about your expectations. If you like indie games and want to play them on a big screen, this is a cool way to do it. If you're looking for Call of Duty: Ghosts, well, this isn't the console for you.
At this price, though, you can impulse-indulge your curiosity. And, hey, if the deal helps the company move a lot more consoles, it should encourage even more developers to bring their games. Your thoughts?
Bonus deal: Is your music library fully stocked for Christmas? It will be after you grab this: Amazon is offering 280 Christmas songs for 99 cents. The Big Christmas Box includes just about every classical and choral piece you can imagine, from "Ave Maria" to "Silent Night." As usual, these are DRM-free MP3s you can play on your PC or nearly any mobile device.
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