Gaming systems

Ok, so, the Christmas wishing has already begun in this house...it is driving me nuts!
Since you are the only adults that I ever talk to, I am going to ask you.
Which game system (PS3/Xbox,etc) would be suitable for a 7yr with a 4yo brother? DW has been talking about trying to locate a Wii...
I know nothing about any of them- so I am completely using anyone that has one and would like what/how you feel about it, please
Pros/Cons
game selection
durability
anything else that might be relevant.

Thanks for the help...some little boys will thank you for it!

[Vanquisher]

Wii, wii, wii, wii, wii. Don't even think about anything else. This comes from a household with an obscene (seriously) amount of gaming systems.


Pros:

Fun! This is the funnest gaming system out there.
Cost. It costs less than the other platforms.
Age. It works best for all ages, young to old. This is the only video game system I have ever seen that had the grandparents playing and having fun.

Cons:

Some games might not be available.
Hard to get ahold of.

There is a reason the Wii is selling out all over, outselling both other platforms. It is THAT much better.

[poky]

Wii is good. we just got ourselves one (they had them in stock Toys R Us here last weekend and we happened to walk by).

It'll play any gamecube games, and even use gamecube controllers (which means you can get Donkey Konga and its sequel, which are awesome games), and the sports games actually get you up and moving (boxing is the best one for this), and they're coming out with a step-like controller for it soon, too, which looks *really* cool:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifgYGGb--vM

Whatever system you get, I highly recommend the Lego Star Wars II: the original series game (it's available for most systems). Very cute and kid-friendly and fun....

...and you're not going to believe this, but DH *just* IMd me this little tidbit: http://www.lucasarts.com/games/legostar ... mmary.html

Apparently this fall they're coming out with a Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga game, and you'll be able to get it for the Wii (the original series game would be a gamecube version). Sweet!

of course, that game will also be available for the PS3 and 360, too.

We don't have any of the other current systems (PS2 is the other one we have), so I can't compare pros and cons between the three. Wii was the only real choice for us, just based on the fitness aspect.

[reciprocity]

yeah, the only "con" about the wii is that it's a little underpowered compared to its contemporaries, but I'm not sure that a 7-year-old and a 4-year-old are going to be complaining about the framerate

So, as someone who has both x-boxes, PS2, gamecube, and the wii, let me recommend the wii.

After the wii, I'd suggest the x-box 360, but only as a "default" because I don't really see the PS3 being worth the money any time soon (which is why I haven't bought one yet)

[DCJenn]

Matt-

If you go off the cliff, I think we will be the only family left in America without a gaming system.

Jenn

PS- We had atari when I was a kid- what's wrong with PONG?

[PrincessFiona]

Matt....can I be the voice of dissent and say "help him find something else he wants?"

I wish we never brought the gaming stuff into this house!!!

But if you do go for it...I vote for the wii too.

kris

[Laker]

Played the Wii at a friends house, it was fun, but too underpowered for my taste. I will wait for their next generation when they toss in some horsepower.

I have a 360 and I really like it. If we had kids, I would get the Wii.

[mommax3]

I agree with the Wii. We will be getting one this year, and have had N64 and Gamecube. The Nintendo games are MUCH more child-friendly than those for other platforms. Just start with time limits or whatever from the beginning so that your kids never get used to unlimited playing time.

Sally

[reciprocity]

what's wrong with PONG?

Nothing is wrong with pong! In fact, they still have it, only it's called wii sports tennis!

[planet]

Matt-

If you go off the cliff, I think we will be the only family left in America without a gaming system.

Jenn

PS- We had atari when I was a kid- what's wrong with PONG?

Us too. The kids have a Leapster they got as a gift about 1.5 yrs ago, but I suspect we wouldn't be able to afford a gaming system until they reach 10ish...which is fine by me.

My bro has something like 10 WoW characters and I just don't get the appeal. I'd rather not go there yet. So, No, Jenn, we'll join you as the last gaming free household.

[Momo]

Matt-

If you go off the cliff, I think we will be the only family left in America without a gaming system.

Jenn

PS- We had atari when I was a kid- what's wrong with PONG?

ahh we mirror each other yet again!...and yes the last system I played on was an atari hell the last arcade game I recall being any good @ was called dig dug!

Now I have been known to master snake on an old cell phone & i used to play tetris on the computer & here until it went away!

[DCJenn]

OH I loved Tetris.

OK- for those in the know- are those of us without somehow depriving our children of some needed skills? I mean the thought has never entered into my mind! (It has entered into my husband's mind, but he has our friend Mike who has every toy known to adult men, including the battleship grey Audi TT)

It's kind of like the dvds on trips thing- I figure I never had one and my brother and I turned out relatively normal...

Maybe it all stems from the fact that my parents didn't have a TV until I was almost 6. It just doesn't interest me all that much. I mean are computer games all that important? I got Nikolai the Dr. Suess one and that one has made me nuts. I can't imagine it getting any worse!

I don't want to open a debate but REALLY- as long as they can type and USE the computer, do they (and by they I mean the Hussey males except Petey) need a game system?

Jenn

[Vanquisher]

OH I loved Tetris.

OK- for those in the know- are those of us without somehow depriving our children of some needed skills? I mean the thought has never entered into my mind! (It has entered into my husband's mind, but he has our friend Mike who has every toy known to adult men, including the battleship grey Audi TT)

It's kind of like the dvds on trips thing- I figure I never had one and my brother and I turned out relatively normal...

Maybe it all stems from the fact that my parents didn't have a TV until I was almost 6. It just doesn't interest me all that much. I mean are computer games all that important? I got Nikolai the Dr. Suess one and that one has made me nuts. I can't imagine it getting any worse!

I don't want to open a debate but REALLY- as long as they can type and USE the computer, do they (and by they I mean the Hussey males except Petey) need a game system?

Jenn

It might be an unpopular motherly opinion, but I believe that they do "need" them. Socially, your kids will be considered weird (and not in a good way) if they don't fit in in this way.

Video games can help tremendously with hand-eye coordination!

I would post more about it, but I will save that until after I get slammed by everyone saying that I am rotting out my kids' brains.

[poky]

OH I loved Tetris.

OK- for those in the know- are those of us without somehow depriving our children of some needed skills? I mean the thought has never entered into my mind! (It has entered into my husband's mind, but he has our friend Mike who has every toy known to adult men, including the battleship grey Audi TT)

It's kind of like the dvds on trips thing- I figure I never had one and my brother and I turned out relatively normal...

It might be an unpopular motherly opinion, but I believe that they do "need" them. Socially, your kids will be considered weird (and not in a good way) if they don't fit in in this way.

Video games can help tremendously with hand-eye coordination!

DVDs in the car is a totally different thing. That is *purely* to keep the kids quiet and happy on a long boring car trip. If you do get one, make sure they realize it's a special treat for long trips, though - my BIL's stepdaughter threw a fit when her mom wouldn't let her turn hers on for the 10-minute ride to the restaurant. I'm sure that would get old fast.

I agree that video games can actually be good for kids, as was pointed out, socially, as well as physically (hand/eye coordination)...as long as it's not allowed to be a complete substitute for other activities. If you're in control and their time with it is limited, it can be good fun (especially a wii!)

On the other hand...I was one of the "weird (and not in a good way)" kids, because my parents were a lot less lenient than most parents, and we didn't have cable TV, etc., etc.... and, you know, it's really not the end of the world. *shrug*

[SuzySunshine]

No kids yet but research has shown that kids that play video games (I don't know at what age) have better hand eye coordination and if you really want them in the medical field - make better surgeons.