Console for Kids [Archive] - Icrontic Forums

Raven

4 Dec 2003, 3:16pm

Pretty simple really.

I am looking for a console for my kids for Christmas, ages 4 and 6, I rarely touch consoles so would be interested in your suggestions and the reasons behind them (this is for them not me).

ATM X-Box is looking favorite but this is just based on personal perception, no real hard facts (also in running are Gamecube and PS2).

Interested in stuff like;

Ease of use for kids, chipping/price/availability of games, number of child orientated games etc.

McBain

4 Dec 2003, 3:20pm

Well...gamecube has the most kiddie type games....but I have a chipped xbox.....its a blast too....cause of all the emulators and stuff.

Gamecube is also the cheapest....but not if you chip an xbox.....total cost if you chip one is alot more....but long run......its worth it.

Armo

4 Dec 2003, 3:58pm

game cube. mario series for them and soul calibur for j00, also super monkey ball is fun no matter your age, zelda, simpsions racing mario cart

T-BirD

4 Dec 2003, 4:11pm

Yeah, I'd definately say the Gamecube is the most family friendly of the bunch (and best overall imho ;)

shwaip

4 Dec 2003, 4:21pm

I'd say gamecube too.

drasnor

4 Dec 2003, 4:27pm

PlayStation 2 has the best RPG's (role-playing games, like books except you take on the role of the main character) and supports all the Playstation 1 games, many of which are "family-friendly". Spyro is always a classic, though i think 6 might be a little too young for Kingdom Hearts (the Disney RPG). You can get board games for the Playstation too, something I've yet to see on Gamecube. PS2 can play DVD's, and it has parental content control features for R-rated DVD's and the like.

My only complaint is that the multiplayer support is limited to 2-player except on a few games, and those require extra hardware most people don't have and/or another PS2.

SNES and NES will always have the most family-friendly games because Nintendo censored content for both of those systems (ever wonder why the language is so foul in Final Fantasy 7 compared to Final Fantasy 6?).

-drasnor :fold:

GnomeWizardd

4 Dec 2003, 5:39pm

I had a gamecube and i have an xbox. Game cube for kids Xbox for adults ps2 for the trash

Cyclonite

4 Dec 2003, 5:52pm

I own all three consoles and would suggest either the Gamecube or the PS2 for the younger crowd. Moreso, the Gamecube. As said before, the Mario series, Super Monkey Ball, and quite a few others are great for your kids and yourself! Soul Calibur r0x0rs for you as well. :)

Xenogeared

4 Dec 2003, 6:30pm

yeah man, buy a gamecube. you can get all the kiddie games: any mario game, zelda, etc for them and get games like Eternal Darkness, Resident Evil, and Soul Calibur 2 for you! Aw man just thinking about this reminds me Resident Evil 4 is being coded as we speak.

Cyclonite

4 Dec 2003, 6:32pm

Oh, man. Resident Evil looks amazing on the Gamecube. Reminds me, I need to beat that. It'll have to wait till finals are over. *Sigh*

Xenogeared

4 Dec 2003, 8:03pm

Oh man, you haven't beaten that yet? omg the game is so incredibly hard near the end. Especially with those psycho zombies. Since when can they get up and run at you? i mean a zombie that can punch you is not fair. I haven't gotten RE Zero yet so I dont know how good that one is.

Cyclonite

4 Dec 2003, 8:14pm

The zombies that are fast hell and scare the bajeezus outta ya?! I hate those things! Playing at 2am with my surround sound. Yikes! Haha...

drasnor

4 Dec 2003, 8:18pm

You'll give the kids nightmares!

-drasnor :fold:

Xenogeared

4 Dec 2003, 8:41pm

Nah, when i was younger my father played Doom. I'd walk in and see the monster, and then have nightmares for weeks. LOL being 6 years old and seeing demons in a game was hard. but yeah we are reccommending Resident Evil for him, not the kids.

Cyclonite

4 Dec 2003, 8:57pm

But if your kids aren't being very good, instead of taking the console away, you can force them to watch you play Resident Evil. Mwahahaaa!

/me thinks he should never have kids of his own...

Xenogeared

4 Dec 2003, 9:00pm

/me thinks trekky shouldn't have kids either

drasnor

4 Dec 2003, 9:16pm

My kids' first console is going to be my old SNES. Warm up on Super Mario World, followed by Super Mario RPG. FF4 and FF6 later. Playstation with FF7-FF9 at around 12-14, maybe Xenogears or Xenosaga(all episodes) at 14 depending on how mature they are, plus whatever else looks good at the time.

-drasnor :fold:

GnomeWizardd

4 Dec 2003, 9:45pm

Get and xbox for yourself and buy Ninja gaiden when it comes out

TheBaron

4 Dec 2003, 9:48pm

assuming they're both boys, i'd definitely have to recommend the game cube. having said that, there is, as drasnor suggested, some very good ps1 games that can be run on the ps2. i know theres some barbie crap, and other junk like that... you'd probably just have to go somewhere like gamefellas and ask

GHoosdum

4 Dec 2003, 9:55pm

Gamecube! Gamecube! Especially with the Zelda games it comes with now... best price, best system for kids hands down.

4 Dec 2003, 9:58pm

Children shouldn't play video games.

Cyclonite

4 Dec 2003, 9:58pm

And Wind Waker was another good game that both adults and the childrens may enjoy. Of course, they are a bit young to figure things out, but they might like just playing around.

GHoosdum

4 Dec 2003, 10:02pm

CBDroege had this to say
Children shouldn't play video games.

;D - Because then they grow up to become us! :wave:

Thrax

4 Dec 2003, 10:02pm

Or you can let your kids play Doom at 7 like my father did!

I turned out alright. (Shut up; all of you ;D )

GnomeWizardd

4 Dec 2003, 10:10pm

heck i was playing doom at 7 or 8 and i am fine besides the fetishes for killing all who opose me in UT

Cyclonite

4 Dec 2003, 10:33pm

Yeah, I was playing Doom young as well. And I turned out alright, didn't I? ;)

/me hopes no one looks at post on previous page...

JLunar

4 Dec 2003, 10:34pm

it somehow frightens me that people can say, "My dad let me play doom when I was 7!"

I played doom... and man, I can't imagine being 7 and playing it.

Not to mention Alone in the Dark. I couldn't even play that thing after a while. O_O all those creepy noises.

Now. back on topic.

Game cube! If you're not a huge gamer, this console's your best bet for you and the kiddies. Not to mention, Mario Kart!

If your kid's hands are small you may want to get them a Microcon controller from Madcatz. easier for them to use.

Thrax

4 Dec 2003, 10:58pm

Scary games were never, er, scary for me. Nor were scary movies.

GnomeWizardd

4 Dec 2003, 11:04pm

JLunar had this to say
it somehow frightens me that people can say, "My dad let me play doom when I was 7!"

I played doom... and man, I can't imagine being 7 and playing it.

Not to mention Alone in the Dark. I couldn't even play that thing after a while. O_O all those creepy noises.

Now. back on topic.

Game cube! If you're not a huge gamer, this console's your best bet for you and the kiddies. Not to mention, Mario Kart!

If your kid's hands are small you may want to get them a Microcon controller from Madcatz. easier for them to use.

I am 6ft 5 and i ended up with the smaller madcat version of the xbox controller. Its justthe fact taht the gc and xbox contollers are big even for people with Big hands

GHoosdum

4 Dec 2003, 11:16pm

I think it's just what the user gets used to - I can't stand the smaller controllers, but I love the full size XBox and GC controllers. I absolutely HATE the PS controllers! I never played the PS1, so I never got used to a smaller controller. I did play N64 and Dreamcast, so I got used to that size/shape, and GC and XBox are closer to that I guess...

I think you just wanted to call the lady's attention to your "big hands" :crazy:

primesuspect

4 Dec 2003, 11:50pm

Raven:

I have a 4 year old and a 6 year old, and they play the gamecube constantly. They love it, as the controller fits nicely, and there are plenty of bright, colorful and easier games for kids. Although the 5 year old can tear it up in Mario Sunshine and Super Monkey Ball ....... ;)

Gamecube definitely.....

GnomeWizardd

4 Dec 2003, 11:57pm

well i got you all beat! i just bought myself a NES off of ebay so ican play the best games of all time! plus i wanna play ninja gaiden I have sitting here next to me

5 Dec 2003, 12:16am

GHoosdum had this to say
CBDroege had this to say
Children shouldn't play video games.

;D - Because then they grow up to become us! :wave:

Bah!

Thrax

5 Dec 2003, 12:18am

GnomeWizardd had this to say
well i got you all beat! i just bought myself a NES off of ebay so ican play the best games of all time! plus i wanna play ninja gaiden I have sitting here next to me

I've had a working NES since 1990... I still play it.

GnomeWizardd

5 Dec 2003, 12:46am

i did until i moved and it broke I just got the urge to play it! so i bought one

Preacher

5 Dec 2003, 1:16am

primesuspect had this to say
Raven:

I have a 4 year old and a 6 year old, and they play the gamecube constantly. They love it, as the controller fits nicely, and there are plenty of bright, colorful and easier games for kids. Although the 5 year old can tear it up in Mario Sunshine and Super Monkey Ball ....... ;)

Gamecube definitely.....

Although my kids are a little older at 7 and 9, I have to second what prime says. The Gamecube is a great "starter console" that can easily grow with the kids.

drasnor

5 Dec 2003, 1:37am

Thrax had this to say
GnomeWizardd had this to say
well i got you all beat! i just bought myself a NES off of ebay so ican play the best games of all time! plus i wanna play ninja gaiden I have sitting here next to me

I've had a working NES since 1990... I still play it.

I got mine right about when they came out. It had to go in for repair recently (cartridge connector replacement), but it's still going strong.

Beat my Duck Hunt high scores:
Single Duck:
Round 18: 464,300

Double Duck:
Round 15: 228,500

Clays:
Round 15: 307,500

All taken with blaster at full extension from 23" television.

-drasnor :fold:

pseudonym

5 Dec 2003, 2:26am

Gamecube, hands down.

MoTHA_NaTuRE

5 Dec 2003, 2:32am

i own 2 of each system including the dreamcast, heheh
my personal favorite is the xbox handsdown, but for your kids, definitely the cube.

at 99.99 with free zelda windwaker, it's practically $50. get the cube, and make shure it's the platinum color, the other colors are bleh.

oh yes, let me remind you, mario kart double dash is out, that is fun for the entire family, you and your kids will love it. i run that game over lan on 2 gamecubes with 8 players, talk about hectic

GnomeWizardd

5 Dec 2003, 2:40am

thats the down fall to trading in my gc for my xbox is i lose mario cart double dash

I had to decide Mario cart or Ninja Gaiden Mario or Gaide Ninja Gaiden won the battle hands down

MoTHA_NaTuRE

5 Dec 2003, 2:46am

very hard decision indeed, to think, still have to pay for the game. i need to get out of college asap and start making money

Xenogeared

5 Dec 2003, 3:21am

drasnor had this to say

Beat my Duck Hunt high scores:
Single Duck:
Round 18: 464,300

Double Duck:
Round 15: 228,500

Clays:
Round 15: 307,500

All taken with blaster at full extension from 23" television.

-drasnor :fold: [/B]

i got level 25 last time i played, about the same distance too. all perfect right up to the end. lets just say i played that game way to much when i was young

primesuspect

5 Dec 2003, 3:42am

Dreamcast - i love my dreamcast. Is there a funner game than Toy Commander? nope.

I also made an NES emulator CD with 160 NES games on it. Pure pwnage.