Ask Slashdot: Best Console For the Kids This Holiday? 267
First time accepted submitter undulato writes "I've got an aging, fat PS3 with only a couple of games that I still play on it but three kids under 9 who love Skylanders, iPet, Lego whatever etc. We all watch movies on it and it has been pretty much the centre of our entertainment world for a few years now. I've already got a spare HDMI monitor we could use for a screen so my question is — should we go for a new console this Christmas? Just buy another controller or two and a new game or two for PS3 and be done? Or get the still pretty viable Xbox 360, or even plump for a cheap Wii or even a Wii U if we're feeling flush. What do you think?"
Just get some PS3 games imo (Score:3, Insightful)
Just get some PS3 games imo
Comment removed (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Just get some PS3 games imo (Score:5, Informative)
It sounds like they are into the whole casual thing, which if he doesn't wanna get more PS3 games I'd say put together one of those E350 AMD DVD player sized PCs together, slap on Steam, and let the kids go to town.
The AMD APUs use the system memory for video, so if you go that way, get the fastest memory the motherboard can handle (and make sure it's properly recognized in the BIOS). This really does make a difference in maximum frame rates, and the extra cost is peanuts.
Comment removed (Score:4, Informative)
Which games? (Score:2)
Let me tell ya with two teen boys Steam is like manna from heaven
What Steam games can these two teen boys (or the OP's single-digit-year-old children) play together on one machine with two Xbox 360 gamepads?
"three kids under 9" = Wii / Wii U (Score:5, Informative)
Easiest "Ask Slashdot" ever. More child friendly games are available for Nintendo's platforms than for the PS3 or Xbox 360.
Re:"three kids under 9" = Wii / Wii U (Score:5, Insightful)
No. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:No. (Score:5, Funny)
Sure, but you must be in the minority, my xbox 360 not only plays the greatest games but will connect to Office 365 so you can enjoy the latest in productivity applications when the kids aren't using it with their Kinect, and you can also get a great Windows Phone 8 and connect to it using Microsoft Smartglass for the latest in fully immersive entertainment control.
Why not Bing these to find out more?
(think I got the full set in there, where's my bonus?)
Comment removed (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Buy them a soccer ball (Score:4, Informative)
yea cause skateboards are great when there's 2 foot of snow and its -8 outside
Re:Buy them a soccer ball (Score:5, Insightful)
If someone would only somehow adapt a skateboard for such a situation. Maybe lose the wheels and strap yourself to it?
This year I am thankful for Tom Sims. Props bro.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Snowboards, sleds, skis, snowdiscs, even a cafeteria tray can provide plenty fun.
I wouldn't spend any money on a console right now. Certainly not on an over-the-hill Xbox 360 if you already own a PS3.
But I agree with hairyfeet up above, who says, "make a gaming PC and give 'em Steam. There is tons o' fun on Steam for any kind of gaming tastes, and the gaming PC makes for an excellent media center for the house with the addition
skis, sled, snowracer, toboggan, krazy karpet (Score:2)
snowball fights, snow forts, quinzhee
Kids get enough screen time. Get them outside.
Re: (Score:2)
Having a game console (or two) isn't necessarily bad and this is a perfectly good place to ask about them.
Re:Buy them a soccer ball (Score:5, Funny)
Buy them baseball bats - if you live in a safe area they can play ball - if you don't they can join a gang! Win-Win!
Re:Buy them a soccer ball (Score:5, Funny)
And get raped and killed, great idea.
They live near a church?
Re: (Score:2)
PC? (Score:5, Interesting)
Just get a semi decent PC and a few game controllers. PC vs Console aside, since Nintendo just released a new system and the other gaming consoles are starting to show their age, investing in one now seems counter intuitive. If you have enough money that it doesn't matter, I'm not sure why you don't just have one of each already. If money is tight enough that that isn't an option, then you really don't have a leg to stand on pushing to get a new system in the first place.
This feels more like fishing for a current idea of how consumers feel about the consoles than a legitimate question. Unless your kids (or yourself) are dying to play games that aren't on the PS3 that you already have, or are having issues with Sony, there's no reason to move to a new system at all.
PC for Flash games (Score:3)
Just get a semi decent PC
Seconded. One advantage of a PC is that it's really easy to run the multitude of free-to-play Flash games on relatively kid-safe sites such as Nick, PBS, and the BBC.
Two meanings of indie (Score:3)
Also, the whole indie gaming scene is on the PC, and only the PC
World of Goo got ported to Wii. But 2D Boy cheated by using a restaurant as an "office", and Nintendo has since amended its qualifications [warioworld.com] to require that "The office space is not shared with any other company".
and it's the indie games that are most fun these days not the big budget games.
Some people use the word "indie" in a confusing manner. It can refer to one of two things [slashdot.org]: people who have never worked for the establishment, or industry veterans who started their own company that happens not to have a long-term contract with a major publisher. A company with several industry vete
Re: (Score:2)
Just get a semi decent PC and a few game controllers.
And what exactly would you play on it? There's tons of great games for the PC but they're 99% one player/machine with mouse and keyboard. At best you'll get a few console ports who kept the console controller scheme as an option, in which case you might as well get a console. Personally I'd not want to buy a 2005-2006 generation console today which leaves the Wii U, but I guess that's also a budget issue. Indications are that the Xbox720/PS4 won't come until around 2015 so there's little point in holding ou
Microsoft on multiple controllers in XInput (Score:4, Informative)
There's tons of great games for the PC but they're 99% one player/machine with mouse and keyboard.
I've been collecting a list of multiplayer-capable games [pineight.com], along with links to other people's lists.
At best you'll get a few console ports who kept the console controller scheme as an option
That or indie games whose developers heed Microsoft's advice that "Applications should support multiple controllers" [microsoft.com] better than the majors do. So does the whole one-machine-per-player mentality on the PC come from a belief that not enough potential customers own multiple USB game controllers and a 20" or bigger monitor? Or is it more a matter of publisher greed [cracked.com]?
Re: (Score:2)
A second semi decent PC (Score:2)
Think about this for a minute - you're assuming a guy - who posted this question on Slashdot, mind you - doesn't already have a "semi decent PC"?
Two objections: First, a Slashdot user's "semi decent PC" might run GNU/Linux or something else that's not Windows, and far more native PC games are made for Windows than for any other PC operating system. Second, unless you plan on carrying the "semi decent PC" back and forth between the computer desk and the room with a TV, you'll need a second "semi decent PC" to put next to the TV.
Just got an xbox 360 (Score:2)
After many years of begging I finally broke down and got a xbox 360 to replace the aging Wii. I got the Halo 4 version since my son loves the Halo games. The game is rated teen but him and his friends have been playing it for a couple of years now. BTW he's also 9 (turning ten early next year). Now he just has to wait until Christmas and no he doesn't know he's getting it.
Depends... (Score:2)
Multiple kids in one household (Score:2)
360 is cheap but if you're playing multiplayer you have to factor in the subscription too.
Only if you plan on playing online multiplayer. Some adults prefer playing online with strangers because adults are less likely to have time to arrange their schedules to visit friends in person. But this household has three single-digit-year-old children, and I don't see how it'll be hard for them to arrange their schedules to play with one another using multiple gamepads connected to one machine.
Re: (Score:2)
The Wii has a big library of cheap games, many of which are perfect for children and have local multi-player. The fact that there's barely anything new coming out doesn't change that.
No, but the fact you can get all that with a WiiU plus more does. That's the point, at this point in time the Wii is not worth the price when you can get a WiiU. As to PS2, I wouldn't make the same argument as PS3 can't play PS2 games (at least the current ones can't). However, I still wouldn't recommend PS2 to someone. It is simply too old at this point and kids would likely view it as insulting to get such unless they specifically requested it.
Why ? (Score:3)
I had the xbox 360 and the PS3 for example and to be honest the difference was so neglible that I ended up selling one. The wii I also had but I had more use of it as a paper weight then a gaming machine. Great first party titles but that was also all and I don't have the feeling that with the WiiU it will be a different case.
I would go for some games or even saving for when the nextgen machines arrive. For me that makes economical more sense.
Re: (Score:2)
Don't teach to keep "upgrading" (Score:2, Insightful)
Just buy another controller or two and a new game or two for PS3 and be done?
I'm seeing more and more kids who are taught this "need" to have the latest a greatest gadget. Teach to use their things until they're beyond repair or so archaic that the sytem can't be used anymore.
Also, try promoting a healthy lifestyle. If they want entertainment, encourage them to go out a play - get some physcial exercise. Teach them to go and play a team sport (or try to get on a swim team or soccer/football) and make friends that way. Because I have a sneaky suspicion that your kids are already show
If surveys are anything to go by... (Score:3)
Your kids probably want an iPad, a WII-U or an iPod Touch if surveys are anything to go by:
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/u-s-kids-continue-to-look-forward-to-iholiday/ [nielsen.com]
Re: (Score:2)
Your kids probably want an iPad, a WII-U or an iPod Touch if surveys are anything to go by
Only because of advertising. Engage your kids, get them finding out more details rather than just the rosy picture in the latest expensive ads, and they may reach a different conclusion that they will be happier with (Or not.... The Wii-U and iPad 4th gen are pretty highly compelling game platforms; I don't believe the same could be said about the iPod Touch).
Use Steam (Score:4, Funny)
Use Steam and a Linux Box, later, your sons will play less and learn more, because they will have all the free tools to learn.
Re: (Score:2)
Kind of what I was thinking, but the things they learn may prove rather practical since they will have to learn how to make stuff work in Linux.
I highly doubt I would have found interest in working with zeroes and ones as a career had I not been given a crappy Sperry IBM clone and some games that never ran unless you figured out what TSRs and extended memory were and how to manipulate them.
Kids will learn how to learn better if they are given things that only 'sort of' work' (some assembly required).
Re:Use Steam (Score:5, Funny)
LOAD "crappygame.bas"
Loaded
RUN
Error on line 25
25
RUN
Error on line 430
430
RUN
Somehow, this never really worked
Get an iPad 2 (Score:2)
Much more versatile than an TV console (drawing, reading, map, educational games, movies) and you could get tons of simple games/apps for only a few bucks each.
And you can use it in the car for long travels.
And it does not "compete" with the PS3 for which you could still get games.
Re: (Score:2)
I'd actually recommend an ipad mini. My kids have had an ipad 1 for years and absolutely love it, but I got them a mini and its much more suited to them. The littlest (2) looks hilarious carting the big ipad with protective case around... It's like half his size lol. Plus it's cheaper than a 2nd gen! Plus, the iPads can use the TV, kinda like a WiiU, so you don't lose too much from a console, and you gain a ton (like CHEAP apps and great educational software - my 4 year old learned how to spell almost entir
Re: (Score:3)
The games on the ipad are shit, kids get bored with them after a few minutes
Absolutely not true of all the games, and is true of many games on consoles too. Only you spend $2-$5 to figure that out on an iPad, and $40-$60 to figure that out on an console.
I have a PS3 and an iPad, hands down the iPad is better for kids at this point and is getting close to the graphics power of the (now ancient) 360/PS3!
It speaks volumes you post your suggestion anon...
etch-a-sketch (Score:2, Insightful)
Really going to start up this troll war? (Score:5, Funny)
Why don't you ask your children what console they want? Chances are they will be very disappointed by whatever group consensus you will get from Slashdot, which will probably be some Linux based 10 year old shoebox computer running Steam beta...
Yep, 5 comments up "Use Steam and a Linux Box"...sigh.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
My kids that are under 9 actually love using Linux and Steam.
My kids love watching movies in French. :)
Re: (Score:2)
Chances are they will be very disappointed by whatever group consensus you will get from Slashdot, which will probably be some Linux based 10 year old shoebox computer running Steam beta...
Yep, 5 comments up "Use Steam and a Linux Box"...sigh.
I dissent. The best console for kids is no doubt LCARS
Re: (Score:3)
Last time I tried that, the antimatter injectors got stuck and polarity of the positron flow was reversed! We never did get it to work right...
Atari 2600 (Score:3, Funny)
It was good enough for granddad; it's good enough for anyone.
Re: (Score:2)
Sigh, it's sad when people are referring to Atari owners as grandfathers.
Re: (Score:3)
Sigh, it's sad when people are referring to Atari owners as grandfathers.
Why, you don't have grandkids yet?
(wink) Well... I told yea... you should have exit that basement of yours more often.
Re: (Score:2)
Given my age I am on the border of that possibility but I didn't come out of my basement quite early enough for that so I won't have grandkids (hopefully) for another 20 years or so.
multiplayer - Wii (Score:3)
very broad generalization follows
Playstation and Xbox have mostly single player games.
Wii has more multiplayer games.
Re: (Score:2)
Clarinet (Score:3)
Some studies have shown if you "get" music you do better with math and that today is needed almost no matter what occupation you have.
No batteries, no internet connection, small, portable, not too loud, pleasant once they learn a bit, nothing be reeds as accessories to buy. What could go wrong?
Re:Clarinet (Score:4, Funny)
What could go wrong?
This one time, at band camp...
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
What are you, Woody Allen?
Seriously, I think music would be a great way to get kids working out more than their thumbs this holiday season.
I myself would go for a Yamaha or Casio electronic keyboard. Why? Because a clarinet, trumpet, saxophone or other band or symphonic instrument tend to be noisy. Unless your kid's a born Mozart, you and your neighbors are not likely to get a moment's peace when the kids first starts to practice. Electronic pianos have head phones or line out connectors so your kid can pra
Make it a family project (Score:5, Insightful)
Use it as an opportunity to teach valuable shopping, reasoning, and persusasion skills.
Research each console, titles for each console, and options; find pluses and minuses.
Ask the 3 kids to make "Features/Advantages" and "Disadvantages" lists for each console, each one to pick the console they find most compelling, and tell the story.
If there's a disagreement have a discussion, and requirement for the kids to persuade each other/ come to unanimous agreement on which console they want.
Then take your kids' opinions under advisement, in making your final decision....
Re: (Score:2)
If there's a disagreement have a discussion, and requirement for the kids to persuade each other/
come to unanimous agreement on which console they want.
IOW, one vote for boxing gloves instead of a console.
Fitch just cut Sony to BB- with neg outlook (Score:2)
so it looks like the financial market says don't count on a screaming boatload of new games in a couple years. Panasonic is a hurting critter, too.
Not now! Wa (Score:3)
New consoles are going to release in a year!. Buying a console now (except the Wii-U) is the worst thing a gamer can do!.
Kids already know what they want... (Score:2, Redundant)
... why don't you ask them? I'm dumbfounded how this got to front page of slashdot, seems like a "no duh" kind of question.
Re: (Score:2)
Personally, I talk to mine throughout the year, interact with them daily, and through that learn their interests and wants....
Re: (Score:2)
Some kids like surprises - though admittedly I don't like them ether, and didn't as a kid. Whenever anyone further away than immediate family asks for gift suggestions for kids, I recommend a gift card. An aunt, I would recommend just get a gift card. But most parents -
Get what their friends have... (Score:3)
If their friends have a PS3, then get a PS3. If their friends have an XBox, get an XBox. Why? Because they can then share games...
Wait or buy a Wii. (Score:3)
Apart from the Wii U, which is more a half generation on from the PS3 rather than the next generation, essentially you'll be replacing like for like. Another PS3 or 360 will seem like a bad choice a year down the line when the PS4 is coming up for release.
That said, if you want games for your kids, why not think about the original Wii? They'll be dirt cheap now the U is out, and there's plenty of games available.
Also wow, there's a fair amount of moralising here tonight.
NES 8 bit obviously (Score:2)
Tell the kids NOT to give up until they've beaten SMB1, SMB3, and LifeForce. At least.
It's like spelling, and math - everyone should do it.
Then we're on to PC: Doom2, and then Quake1. It's ok to use OpenGL.
Then:
StarCraft1
Diablo2
Half-Life1 (BlackMesa is ok)
UnrealTournament1 with Hi Res Pack
etc.
First Person Shooters are important for learning that no matter how good you are,
you will always die by some lucky headshot from across half the map. And
from this they *know* that the actual Military is just a shortcu
Re: (Score:2)
Get them some thing non of their friends will have (Score:3)
NES
SNES
Genesis
N64
Saturn
Dreamcasr
Jaguar
NeoGeo
You'd be surprised how many kids prefer old skool games.
Re: (Score:2)
Ask them, not us (Score:2)
Ask your kids. They may well already know of games they want to play / are playing with their friends.
I don't see the point of just buying another console unless you know of games you want to play on it. There's no point buying solely in anticipation of good games in the future because you may as well just save the cash and buy when those games do come out.
Difficult to comment on the option of buying more games and controllers as you don't say whether there's any games you wish to buy nor if you need any mo
More ps3. (Score:3, Insightful)
Why bother debating on it? Just get more ps3 games, you already have the system.
I see a lot of comments saying nintendo is better for kids games and thats not true, nintendo is better for shovelware games. Sure nintendo has some good kids games but no more than anyone else since the vast majority of games on nintendos systems are complete garbage where some developer craps out a family friendly game that is a complete waste of time.
Ps3 has a lot of great games for kids and adults. Ratchet and clank hd collection, sly cooper collection, rayman origins, little big planet, little big planet 2, all of the "lego" theme games on it, skylanders, skylanders giants, ratchet and clank a crack in time, modnation racers, sonic generations, playstation move heroes, epic mickey 2, disney universe, wonderbook, and dozens more. Plus the dozens and dozens of smaller games you can buy cheap on the playstation store.
And if you mean aging as in your ps3 is aged since you bought it yes, but its hardly aging in techology sense. Last of us and beyond two souls are coming out and still advancing what can be done on it.
If the ps3 is such a big part of your family and you already have a library of games for it then why change it out while its still in its prime?
nintendo for kids (Score:2)
time to cheap out (Score:2)
Keep at PS3, get Move and Wonderbook. (Score:2)
We use it mostly for watching Blu-Rays in a home theater system. We have not gotten many games for our daughter and have tried to steer her to the more puzzle solving or physically active ones. She has not been much of a gamer, but the Playstation Move works good enough (though expect to do a lot of fiddling every time to get the camera and wands working just right) and they do tend to her favorite games.
I
Why even bother with a console? (Score:2)
Costs US$199, most games are under $5. Goes with the kids in the car, in the bedroom, but still easy to confiscate and lock away.
Far better selection of educational games, not just twitch reflex shooters.
Serves double duty as a media player. Movies, music, Youtube.
Serves triple duty as an internet research / learning tool. How do volcanoes work? Look it up.
With Android 4.2 you can set up individual user accounts for each child & parent, so the whole family can use it. But
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
you can buy a cheap dell pc put mythbuntu on it and zsnes emulator for your nes/snes games, dolphine emulator for you gamecube and wii games, any terminal emulator you want for nethack, pick up a couple wii controllers on amazon or you local pawnshop. if you want more emulators just go look through the repository. through a couple 2 terabyte drives in it for storing movies and music you now have a awesome media center/game console.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
but you cant put a bluray drive in your wii latter.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
you say get them a dreamcast and then have a link about child abuse in your sig
classy
Re: (Score:2)
Teach your kids that old games are often better than modern ones: get a Sega Dreamcast and pirate to your heart's content,
But get a Wii, and you can have the best of both worlds.... thanks to the ability to buy digital downloads of "old games" through Nintendo's online store, and play them on the platform through the Virtual console; NES / SNES / N64 / Gamecube emulation.
Without giving up the ability to also experience some more recent titles.
The experience can be as entertaining as the PS3; f
Re: (Score:2)
Teach your kids that old games are often better than modern ones: get a Sega Dreamcast and pirate to your heart's content.
Your kids will want to play the games that other kids their age are playing.
The retro gaming experience can be fun.
But don't expect your kids to share your enthusiasm for the genre.
The oldest of all Birthday/Anniversary/Christmas gift gags is built around the man who gives his wife and kids the things he wants for himself. The more thoughtless and inappropriate the gift, the louder the laughter.
Re: (Score:2)
An old console would be a VT100 hooked up to the VAX 11 in the basement . . . playing "Rogue".
"a cloak of darkness falls around you"
Re: (Score:2)
Re:teach them the calue of generosity (Score:5, Insightful)
My kid already donates from her allowance weekly and volunteers her time. Kindly keep your moralizing out of the discussion. It wasn't asked for, I doubt it will be appreciated, and it's completely off topic.
Re:teach them the calue of generosity (Score:5, Funny)
This is a forum dedicated to uncontrolled mass consumption. We don't want your charitable kind around here. Don't you have a dank alley to patrol for losers?
Re: (Score:2)
This *is* a dank alley, silly.
Re: (Score:2)
The author didn't post requesting opinions on parenting; and whether getting a console was a good idea or not, he already determined that's what he wants to do. He just asked what the best choice of console was.
Re: (Score:2)
How is it any more generous to gift money to random strangers instead of your children? And how is this supposed to teach said children anything except that generosity means they don't get anything?
Re:teach them the calue of generosity (Score:5, Insightful)
Really? Has it come down to tihs where people really don't give a hoot about the less fortunate?
Cut the crap. Buying a Christmas present for your kids does not mean you don't care about less fortunate. Nothing is going to do more to sour kids on charitable giving than telling them they are getting nothing for Christmas because of the "needy". Most people have enough income to give something to the needy while still providing for their own families.
Re: (Score:2)
Re:No question (Score:4, Interesting)
As someone who owns all of the consoles in question, I have to agree. I would recommend the Wii U over the plain Wii, because it just came out and the Wii won't be supported for much longer. Plus, the Wii U can play the old Wii games just fine, and will actually make use of that spare HDMI monitor.
With that said, the Wii U doesn't have a ton of great games right now. For kids, there's Mario, Epic Mickey 2 (available on other platforms as well), Scribblenauts Unlimited (actually supposed to be good this time, though I'd hesitate at $60), and a couple others that may or may not be good (I know a lot of kids like the Just Dance games). All things said, it's a pretty good launch selection, but the other systems will obviously have a lot more to offer for now.
NSMBU is great, though. It's very much a mix of SMB3 and Super Mario World.
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, that will go over well. Hand your kids some printed coupons in an empty box for Christmas. Might as well get them a pet rock to go along with that. How can you make any comments about playability on vaporware.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
The Wii U will, however, have a different play experience than the other consoles, simply because of its input method (and the fact that it is standard across all Wii Us). Also, Nintendo seems to be more invested in local multiplayer than the other two.
Re: (Score:3)
As for the Raspberry Pi, as a computer, it was outdated before it was even at the design stage. I have two of them. The interesting things about them are that they are cheap enough that you can throw an entire system at a single problem, and that they are ultra low power. Those are very compelling to me as a hacking geek, but for a kid, it would be in the same category as buying them
Re: (Score:2)