V-Smile Pocket

[Jordans_Mommie]

I already purchased a V-Smile TV for DS3 for Christmas, and I am torn between getting the V-Smile pocket or the L-Max. I have read that the V-Smile pocket doesn't work very well. Has anyone had experience with the V-Smile pocket.

The V-smile pocket would save me money as cartridges would work on both games, but I don't want to spend $75.00 on a crappy game either.

 

[Piglet'sPal]

I am having the same dilemma! I really like the look and size of the pocket better, but it seems like all I have read are bad reveiws of the Vsmile pocket. My son also has the Vsmile game system, and we do have alot of trouble with getting it to turn on. I am with you....I don't want to pay a lot of money for a crappy game system. I think that I am leaning towards the Leapfrog Leapster....

 

[vegasnative]

We have the v-smile main game thing that plugs into the TV and we have 2 vsmile pockets and we are down to 1 pocket....the others no longer work. The main one turns on and then shuts off on its own, we use an adapter so it is not battery related. The pocket doens't turn on at all, we have changed batteries and nothing.

I too thought that I would save money and get the pockets because we had so many games already...but I am so dissappointed that I did chose them over even the leap frog ones.

I got the 1-800 number to v-tech, I'm going to call them and see if I can mail the 2 systems back to them.

 

[Dina]

We have the V-Smile game system for the TV, and the Leapster (My oldest son got the L-max a few years ago--- but we never used it on the TV, and we just got my youngest the regular leapster-- which has been great, he doesn't even realize there's an L-Max, and there's only a few games that need the LMax). I like having the two different systems, because there's a bigger variety of games, if you have one of each. We've had the v-smile for years (we got it for my oldest son 3 or 4 years ago), and by now there's only a few games we don't have--- so it's nice having a larger variety. We did the same thing with my oldest's game systems. We have Playstation for the TV, and Nintendo ds lite for his pocket games--- that way he also has nintendo games (mario brothers) that he can choose, as well as Playstation.

Also--- I wouldn't invest too much into V-tech. Vsmile is great, and I recommend it, but when I had a problem, V-Tech wasn't very helpful-- I ended up buying another system since we had the games. We've had problems with both Leapster and our Leap Pad, and Leap Pad fixed everything for both of them free of charge, no questions asked-- they didn't even ask for a receipt.

 

[sbpuckett]

My DS5 received the pocket last year for C'mas, we already had the TV console so it worked out already having the games. We would have been better off buying something completely different and calling it a day. The darn thing really never worked right, but the main problem was the battery charger. We ended up replacing the charger five or more times b/c this was the only way to get the rechargeable battery pack. I'd say go for anything else - it will save you the headache and more than likely, whining, in the future

 

[Jordans_Mommie]

Thanks everyone! L-Max it is!

 

[vegasnative]

Thanks everyone! L-Max it is!

Probably a good move.
I did call V-Tech after I read this thread and they are sending me paperwork so I can send back in the console and pocket to have them fixed. We'll see though.

 

[rainy~daze]

it is weird I found this thread. My kids had the tv console one and it died after less than a year. lat christmas I bought them both v smile pockets and we had no problem till today. my ds' will not stay on. changed out the batteries, nothing. then all of a sudden came on, but if he moves at all, it goes off. they haven't dropped it, stomped it, banged it, kicked it or otherwise harmed it that it should be doing this.
it was the same thing the console did, just stopped turning on one day. 2 days after the warranty expired and they would do nothing for me.
i am really ticked I spent all this money on them, the kids love them, and we just bought new games today as kmart had them BOGO, so I am extra ticked, now he is gonna want a new one...hey what another 75 waste of money? GRRRRRRRHHHHHHHH!!!! (anger flares!!!) I wonder if I call they can do something about his and fix it for less than a new one?

 

[BayouMouseketeer]

We are obviously in the minority here. My kids got the console for Christmas 3 years ago and the pocket about 6 months later. They play both of them still and we take the pocket with us to the many many doctor's appointments my son has- some across country- and it keeps him entertained the entire time. It definitely sounds like our experience is not typical, though. I got the pocket for the same reason many of you mentioned- same cartidges means less money! We have gotten our money's worth! Everyone I know with the L-Max is very happy though so I am sure you will be, too.

 

[stm61]

we have both the tv console and the pocket systems. The tv one lasted over a year and quit. I had no idea where the receipt was so I called v-tech and said it was a gift (which it was). They sent me a return label, free postage. I got deployed and misplaced the label, it turned up a few months later. Called back and explained, they said the label was only good for about a month and sent me a new one. They sent me a new system free of charge. The following Christmas we got the pocket and it didn't work. Exchanged it at Toys R Us for a new one, once again it lasted just over a year. Called again, said it had been a gift and I didn't have a receipt. They once again replaced the game. Haven't had a problem since. That being said, I'm getting dd4 the L-Max for Christmas. I'm not avoiding another pocket, I'm going for variety of games and trying to avoid the "she's got my games" melt downs.