Which Game System

[MarkBarbieri]

For those families with kids that play video games, what do your kids want the most? A Sony PS3, a Sony PSP, a Nintendo Wii, a Nintendo DS, an XBox 360, or a PC?

 

[HopperFan]

PS3 - would like but willing to wait until later
PSP - think they are cool, but since they have ipods and port dvd players, see not reason to get it for games
Wii - no interest at all
DS - younger wants bad and saving, older has no interest
xbox360 - oldest wants and has gotten temp job to buy it
PC - if you mean computer, they both have one

 

[marcyinPA]

my boys have a PS2, and they each have a Gameboy. My oldest has the Gameboy Advance, the youngest has the Gameboy SP.

The PS2 is more than suitable for them. They won't be getting another system until this one becomes obsolete...which I hope it won't for a LONG time.

 

[The Sweetness]

If your question was whether to get the kids a PC or a video game, go for the PC, if you dont already have. Other than that. We have a PS2, and it works just fine. Cool games or DVDs

 

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

I'm a gamer. The PS3 is RIDICULOUSLY priced!!! No way Im spending THAT much on ANY system! PS2 is great. Games are CHEAP and everywhere. Even cheaper at yardsales where we often find lots of 20-30 games for less than one new game!

The son uses a Nintendo Game Boy SP(?) I never use it. I can wait till I get home to the 60" TV. A 4" screen dont cut it for me. (but im not a kid either)

We have:
3 computers:
Atari 5200
Nintendo SNES
Nintendo 64
Sega Game Gear (under-rated)
Gameboy
Gameboy SP
PS2

Thats enough.
My son is autistic. Games are his world. He likes the older system games better. Hed rather play Mickey's and Minnies funhouse on SNES than 95% of the newer PS2 games. Never understood why.
I buy LOTS of games CHEAP rather than just one game when it first comes out. My son would rather have 3 old used games than one new one. My nephews and niece said this too, so I got them all used PS2 games last year and they loved them. They couldnt stop thanking me. Most of the kids dont care about new vs used, they just want QUANTITY! Its the parents that think your a cheapscate. The kids dont care usually.

I want a Gamecube. Old, yes. Fun, YES. Games cheap YES!
PS3... take out a loan to buy the darn thing, then pay 60 bucks for EACH game... I just cant see it. Im sure many of you will disagree. No sweat if you do.
You show me your fancy new system and your 3 games. I'll show you my old systems and my lineup of about 600 games!
My SNES, N64, and PS2 are all wired into the 22 speaker surround sound system. mario never sounded so good!

 

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

We have a PS2, and it works just fine. Cool games or DVDs

You should never play DVDs on your PS2. It was an advertising trick, but Sony will quickly discourage it if you email them. The laser is too weak. They burn up prematurely if you watch lots of movies on your PS2. The gamers at Hollywood Video all told us this. I checked online and confirmed it. Its not a good idea. Its like driving on bald tires. It might get ya there, but they wont last forever.

 

[MAH4546]

You should never play DVDs on your PS2. It was an advertising trick, but Sony will quickly discourage it if you email them. The laser is too weak. They burn up prematurely if you watch lots of movies on your PS2. The gamers at Hollywood Video all told us this. I checked online and confirmed it. Its not a good idea. Its like driving on bald tires. It might get ya there, but they wont last forever.

Huh? I own a PS2 and 99% of it's use is playing DVDs because I am not an avid gamer. I've had for over three years, watch at least 2-3 dvds a week, and it works perfectly, both with DVDs and games.

 

[starbox]

DS10 has a PS2, Gamecube and Nintendo DS. Background on our family is that I am VERY picky about the level of violence I allow.

We did not get an XBox because the XBox traveling tour came to town and I got into a conversation with the workers & found out that the target market for XBox is males age 18-32 - the games tend to be much more mature/violent. My feeling is that if DS wants to purchase an Xbox when he is an adult - that's his choice, but I don't want to introduce a system targeted to more mature play.

When DS was younger, we purchased a Gamecube because it had more Nintendo-owned character games that were appropriate for a young boy.

Last year, (at age 9), DS graduated to a PS2. He prefers this system now.

Honestly, the PS2 and Gamecube meet his gaming needs. He is not interested in upgrading right now and having to switch platforms. Perhaps if he were a teenager, he'd have more sophisticated playing style and the newer systems would appeal.

The Nintendo DS is a great handheld system. DS and DD have one. It's wonderful for the car.

 

[TheGoofster]

The Wii all the way. It is the way all systems will be made in the future (PS3 tried to jump on ship by adding a motion sensor type of option for some of their games but it's at best a cheap imitation.) The Wii is the first system that is targeting the entire family, and not just the video game generation. True the graphics aren't quite as good as the XBox 360 or PS3, but if I want good graphics I'll stick to my PC which is better than anything else. What the Wii offers is fun for the entire family. Anyone can pick up the remote and start enjoying themselves right away (even non-games), without having to worry about mastering the many different button combos on too many of the different games.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

It is the way all systems will be made in the future

I'm a big fan of the Wii, but I'm still not sold on the future of motion controllers as the primary control method. I'm betting that they take their place along side traditional game controllers as an option. Only time will tell.

I posted the question because I'm curious as to what people are thinking. I'm really curious as to how strong the demand for the PS3 really is. The PS2 was the unquestioned sales king of its generation, so the PS3 has the inside track based on upgrades alone. However, the cost is quite high. I also don't see much advantage to it for people without HD TVs. Most of the families that I know have their PS2s attached to the TV in the game/play room, which often isn't HD.

We did not get an XBox because the XBox traveling tour came to town and I got into a conversation with the workers & found out that the target market for XBox is males age 18-32 - the games tend to be much more mature/violent. My feeling is that if DS wants to purchase an Xbox when he is an adult - that's his choice, but I don't want to introduce a system targeted to more mature play. When DS was younger, we purchased a Gamecube because it had more Nintendo-owned character games that were appropriate for a young boy.

I very much agree with this. My boys are 4 and 7. The 4 year old rarely plays games, except on his DS (which I hadn't expected). The 7 year old loves his Nintendo games. When I looked at game systems, it appeared to me that the PC had the best preschool kids games, the GC had the best young kids games, the PS2 had the best older kids games, and the XBox had the best grownup games. It looks like the Wii is trying to stake out the family/party game territory, which is where I want us to be.

We got a Wii last week along with a set of 4 controllers. We set it up in the theater room upstairs (large front projection screen) and took out the front row of seats. We had about 25 guests over that day to try it out. They ranged from hard-core gamers to people that had essentially never played any video games at all. We played bowling, tennis, baseball, golf, and soccer. EVERYONE loved it. It was incredibly fun. Of course, that just establishes as a party game system and not really as a great hardcore gamer system.

I've still got worries about it for the long term. How well will it do when I bring it downstairs to a room without so much space? How well will it do on long trips in the van? I think it'll be hard to bowl in a car seat.

If your question was whether to get the kids a PC or a video game, go for the PC, if you dont already have.

The boys share a PC. They really like Starfall (website), ReVolt, and MAME. At the moment, they don't seem to need separate computers. They prefer playing together.

 

[starbox]

When I looked at game systems, it appeared to me that the PC had the best preschool kids games, the GC had the best young kids games, the PS2 had the best older kids games, and the XBox had the best grownup games. It looks like the Wii is trying to stake out the family/party game territory, which is where I want us to be.

I agree 100%.

 

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

Huh? I own a PS2 and 99% of it's use is playing DVDs because I am not an avid gamer. I've had for over three years, watch at least 2-3 dvds a week, and it works perfectly, both with DVDs and games.

I never said it wouldnt play them, only that it shortens its life. Call Sony. I did. At the time (LONG AGO) I had a PS2 and no DVD player. I didnt want to buy a DVD player. I called them hoping it wasnt true. They told me they recommend I buy a cheap DVD player for DVDs. They said as the laser got weak, it would first stop playing blue back games, then later regular games. The lady at Sony said it was a marketing gimmick. I heard it straight from the horses mouth. I had a first generation Ps2. Im told there were several changes as time goes by. Maybe a better laser was one of them? I have a digital upconversion DVD player. It does a superb job on the HDTV. I just wish it had TV guardian.

 

[bgirl29]

My son wants the WII. Probably because I still let him get very few T rated games. He is 15 but his youngest sister is only 6 and I just don't want to hassle with trying to keep her occupied elsewhere whenever he wants to play a video game. Have you tried playing any of the gamecube games in your WII yet? If so do they seem to work well? That is deffinately appealing to me that we will not have to run out and buy all brand new games. Of course we will buy some, but it is nice to know that old ones will work too.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I have not tried the Gamecube games in the Wii yet.

 

[michboro]

My son wants the WII. Probably because I still let him get very few T rated games. He is 15 but his youngest sister is only 6 and I just don't want to hassle with trying to keep her occupied elsewhere whenever he wants to play a video game. Have you tried playing any of the gamecube games in your WII yet? If so do they seem to work well? That is deffinately appealing to me that we will not have to run out and buy all brand new games. Of course we will buy some, but it is nice to know that old ones will work too.

We played gamecube games in the Wii using gamecube cotrollers and they worked fine.

 

[RobInBigKC]

DS13 and DS11 want the PS3.

DS8 wants the Wii.

DS5 doesn't care as long as he gets to play.

-- Rob

 

[IDoBelieveinFairies!]

we have PS2 and we barely use it, I have two girls. We bought it when they were 3 & 10. That was over 5 years ago.THe games seemed to be more geared towards teens, and men. My husband loves it....girls hate it. They play very little on it,if at all.

I bought them DDR and they love it,,, gets them off their butts and moving. THeir friends love to come over and play it too.

 

[Sandy22]

DS wants a Wii but they're surprisingly hard to find (I thought only the PS3 would be in short supply).

 

[LuvOrlando]

we have PS2 and we barely use it, I have two girls. We bought it when they were 3 & 10. That was over 5 years ago.THe games seemed to be more geared towards teens, and men. My husband loves it....girls hate it. They play very little on it,if at all.

I bought them DDR and they love it,,, gets them off their butts and moving. THeir friends love to come over and play it too.

hi there,


I don't know if you know this but PS2 can play PS1 games and there are way more PS1 girl friendly games out there than PS2.

 

[raterfly]

I have a PSP, PS2 and PC. My son has a Gameboy colour, Gamboy advance and a PC. However, my son's birthday is on 16th December and he is getting a PSP and a DS. PSP's are great for their versatility and portability!