Nintendo DS

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It's our combo birthday/ Christmas season again. (All three of us have birthdays within a month of Christmas.) The kid is complaining about how she's the ONLY one of her friends that doesn't have a Wii. Yeah, yeah. She really really wants a Wii but failing that, would like a Nintendo DS. (We don't have any kind of a video game system at all, just have a computer. She plays free games on it via Webkinz and Nick Jr. and such.)

I'm somewhat willing to get her a DS. (I'm digging in my heels re: a Wii, feel free to try to convince me otherwise.) Amazon has one for $129. Seem reasonable?

I'm completely new to these things... is it like getting a CD player or something and then having to figure in the cost of all the CD's you'd buy to really use it? How many games are reasonable? (As in, number of games and cost per game.)

Thanks!

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@sozobe,

The great thing about Nintendo is that most of their games are geared towards kids so you don't have to worry much about language/violence/inappropriate content.

We had a Game Cube before we got the Wii and Mo adored a game called "Animal Crossing". I think they make a version for DS. It's a great game.

Mo bought his own DS with his Christmas cash last year but I think he's only played with it a few times. I play with it more than he does.

Our Wii gets used more than anything else. It's a blast. Everyone loves it.

Mo likes his Play Station 2 best because the games are more story type games; they have a plot and objectives.

We buy mostly used games. We're behind the technology curve and Mo is still young so there are lots of good games out there that he hasn't played yet.

I LOVE video games. They're way better than TV on a rainy day.

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@sozobe,

Soz, the price is about what you would expect to pay. The games run around an average of $29 - $39 dollars although you can get them for a bit less if you go to a store that handles used games/tradeins. The few games I have purchased for myself since my wife got me a DS a couple years ago for Christmas I've paid only around $19 for buying them used. I'm not a huge game player, but I enjoy playing things like backgammon and card games on my DS. It may well keep the kid happy this year.

Of course, I surprisingly do enjoy playing the Wii that I bought for my kids a couple years ago. I didn't think it would be much fun, but I broke down and got them one. Tennis on the Wii is a load of fun. I also like this game called Marble Madness. It is exactly that, madness. Anyway, the Wii can be fun to sit down as a family for a few hours together to play. The adults in my extended family like it nearly as much as the kids.

Hope this helps.

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@CoastalRat,

See, both of you are getting at something I worry about. I just really balk at the idea of spending $250 and up on a Wii, and then the money for the games themselves and the endless accessories... but if the Wii is so eminently cool, should we just go for that (maybe as a single ginormous combo bday/ Christmas present) rather than spending the additional money on the DS first?

We're pretty well covered with book-reading on rainy days -- I don't necessarily want to upend that, either.

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@sozobe,

Quote:

if the Wii is so eminently cool, should we just go for that (maybe as a single ginormous combo bday/ Christmas present) rather than spending the additional money on the DS first?

If you're choosing between the two, I would definitely prioritize the Wii over the DS. The Wii at least allows more than one person to participate at the same time, for one thing, and (depending on the child, of course) a DS is just aching to get lost, misplaced, or even stolen. If you want to keep general track of how much time the kids are spending on video games, it'll also be easier to monitor on a Wii rather than DS.

P.S. "Guitar Hero" alone is enough reason to get a Wii. Very Happy

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@Shapeless,

I would even chose a Play Station 2 or a Game Cube over a DS.

Wii can get really expensive when you start adding additional remotes and stuff. We have Rock Band for Wii and it is pretty hard for Mo -- even after having a couple of years of private music lessons under his belt. I wish they'd come out with a more kid friendly version of it.

A lot of it will depend on what kind of games you think sozlet will like.

A lot of the older games actually require quite a bit of reading. Mo is a reluctant reader and he learned quite a bit from games.

The kind of games Mo likes are the ones that make you think around a problem and try different approaches until you find the one that will succeed. I think playing this kind of game has made him a more patient person.

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@sozobe,

It can get expensive. But I would go that route even if you had to make it a combo birthday/Christmas gift. Plus, you can download some older Nintendo games to the Wii that don't cost but around $10 usin Wii bucks or whatever they are called. I forget, but I know those games are not overly expensive.

Trust me, you'll enjoy the Wii. My wife and I are looking at getting the Wii fitness thing, which I think still costs about $100. But it looks like a fun way to get some exercise rather than having to walk around the neighborhood in the dark now that the days are shorter.

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@boomerang,

Quote:

I would even chose a Play Station 2 or a Game Cube over a DS.

I wouldn't. Kids always want the newest and best stuff (I know I did). When I was a kid I wouldn't have wanted to play with an eight year old gaming system. It just wouldn't be 'cool'.

The DS really depends on how many friends have it, from what I gather. They create a mesh network between nearby devices, and allow you to play against each other.

The wii requires a TV, and also space to move around and play it in. A kids bedroom may be too small to adequately play, so the living room may be the only choice. Just something to keep in mind, if you don't want your living room TV taken over Smile

However, wii's thus far have held their value exceptionally. Not sure how long this will last, but I have had one for over a year, and it wouldn't surprise me if I could sell it for a profit this christmas season.

For both the console and games, I would recommend keeping an eye on craigslist. You might find a used system for cheap from someone that needs money to buy gifts. Also, ebay/craigslist is great for games. People often want to get rid of games they have beaten, but gamestop usually will only give you a few bucks to trade it in. Its not uncommon to find games for $15 bucks in perfect condition that are $40 new.

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@Nick Ashley,

Quote:

For both the console and games, I would recommend keeping an eye on craigslist. You might find a used system for cheap from someone that needs money to buy gifts. Also, ebay/craigslist is great for games. People often want to get rid of games they have beaten, but gamestop usually will only give you a few bucks to trade it in. Its not uncommon to find games for $15 bucks in perfect condition that are $40 new.

Many video game stores also have a "used" rack. The deals might not always be as good as what you'd find on eBay or Craigslist, but it's something.

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@sozobe,

Don't forget - many libraries and even Blockbuster carry games. It can save a lot of money.

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@sozobe,

We have a Wii and two Ds's. The best deal on a DS is at Costco, if you have one. They will usually have a bundle -- DS, game, extra stylus, and a game case for around $130. One thing that is cool about a DS is that they can connect to each other through wireless and some of the games can be shared, meaning that if one kid has a game their friend can play with them even if they don't have the game. My kids "connect" with Mario Cart and can race each other.

Between the two, I'd say that I like the Wii better. Duckie has a habit of wanting to take the DS with him whenever we go to any adult type function even if there will be other kids there. The result is that he goes off in a corner and plays his games while ignoring everyone else. Sometimes it's nice to be ignored but it would be better if he interacted with other people instead. I doubt this will be a problem for sozlet, though. She seems less introverted than Duckie.

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@FreeDuck,

Just read the other responses. Ditto to Nick's point about craigslist -- sometimes somebody will be selling their whole collection -- console plus games -- for a good price. Again I'll plug Costco. I picked up a Wii bundle there for my brother. It had the console (which, btw, comes with the Wii Sports game that will probably get you through a month or so by itself) two controllers and two nunchuks and another game called Wii play. It was a little more than $300, I think. And the thing about the Wii is that it really is a whole family thing. We still have bowling tournaments in our living room.

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@sozobe,

sozobe wrote:

I just really balk at the idea of spending $250 and up on a Wii, and then the money for the games themselves and the endless accessories...

That applies to all gaming platforms. Almost invariably, the console is sold at a loss and they make their money from the game royalties. No matter what system it is, it's a money sink.

That being said, I vote for Wii. I think it's the most healthy video gaming system I've seen and is genuinely fun for non-gamers (hardcore gamers are better off with one of the other consoles). Playing tennis and the other games that use the accelerometer is actually a pretty good work out. With the right games it's not a couch potato's friend at all.

As an added benefit, if you get Mario Kart and play against me it is a great lesson in humility, just ask Nick! ;-)

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@Robert Gentel,

I'm sure that's true for ANY game I'd play against you... (I played Tetris for a while in the late 80's and that's about the sum of my gaming experience.)

Thanks for the further feedback everyone, useful and appreciated.

All of sozlet's friends seem to have DS's, so there's the connectivity thing. That's cool. Sozlet loves adult functions but there are situations like waiting rooms (dentist et al) and plane/ car trips that I bet a DS would be really useful for.

I'm feeling pinched financially and $129 + some for games vs. $250 + some for games is just sounding better to me... I shudder at the thought of shelling out $300. But since $129 is also not nothing, I don't want to "waste" that money, if that makes any sense.

Question... how current does the TV have to be to work with a Wii? Ours is a Sony Trinitron circa 1997 or so. (And is the only one we have, so yeah I'd expect the living room to be taken over... that part would be OK with me.)

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@sozobe,

sozobe wrote:

I'm sure that's true for ANY game I'd play against you... (I played Tetris for a while in the late 80's and that's about the sum of my gaming experience.)

I'm not much of a gamer, that's really the only game I play right now.

Quote:

I'm feeling pinched financially and $129 + some for games vs. $250 + some for games is just sounding better to me... I shudder at the thought of shelling out $300. But since $129 is also not nothing, I don't want to "waste" that money, if that makes any sense.

If there are enough games on DS that she's interested in, then it's not a waste. Same for Wii. It all comes down to playability and you may want to research the games and even try them out in a store before committing to a platform.

Wii turned out to be a waste for me, there aren't enough games I am interested in to justify the price (over 2x what you can get it for in the US). Hell I'd give you mine if I could send it to you for less than what a new DS would cost (but it'd probably cost as much to send it to you as to buy a new one).

What the friends have is also a big factor, for example I'd like my Wii more if my brother had one and would play Mario Kart against me, we used to battle it out as kids and the competition and camaraderie would make it worth it for me. There are plenty of strangers to play with online but that's not as fun.

So if all the friends have X, that's a really big factor. Games are most fun when you play against other people (as opposed to AI) and there's a network effect to these platforms to consider.

Quote:

Question... how current does the TV have to be to work with a Wii? Ours is a Sony Trinitron circa 1997 or so.

Should be fine, if you can connect it to a VCR it can connect to a Wii.

1 Reply

@Robert Gentel,

OK, interesting.

I'm trying to figure out how to define "waste"... I think she'd love the DS no matter what. I'm basically looking down the line... are we going to wind up with a Wii anyway? If so, then it doesn't make as much sense to get the DS now -- it doesn't end up being cheaper overall because we spend the ~$150 (on a DS) now but then still spend the ~$300 (on a Wii) later. Might make more sense to just go for the Wii and save the cost of a DS.

But that depends on whether I think the Wii is an inevitable purchase... I can't tell yet. And still shuddering at the thought of shelling out $300 +, really seems like a lot right now.

Tons of helpful info here for me to ponder though, thanks everyone! (And keep it coming if you have more thoughts as I ponder...)

1 Reply

@sozobe,

sozobe wrote:

And keep it coming if you have more thoughts as I ponder...)

Have you pondered PC gaming? Both of you would probably like The Sims and you may be able to get into this without any significant cost.

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@Robert Gentel,

Webkinz is basically Sims for kids I think -- it's fun for her but this is also where "all my friends..." come in. ("All her friends" were on Webkinz for the past couple of years, now "all her friends" are playing with DS/ Wii instead. Does seem to be both -- that the kids who have one have the other one too.)

I usually have a kneejerk reaction against "all my friends" (I've even been known to say something about jumping off of bridges) but I get how the connectivity/ interaction part is cool.

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@sozobe,

No Wii at our house, and I am not willing to pay for one either. I am not a fan
of these video games and luckily my daughter is not pushing it either. She does have a Nintendo DS though, which comes in handy on longer travel routes.
The games for the DS are anywhere between $20 and $40 and grandparents
are happy to oblige and buy whatever game is hip around birthdays/christmas.

Then again, we don't live in a typical winter climate where you can't do outdoor
activities for a long time.

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@sozobe,

sozobe wrote:

Sozlet loves adult functions but there are situations like waiting rooms (dentist et al) and plane/ car trips that I bet a DS would be really useful for.

Definitely.

Quote:

I'm feeling pinched financially and $129 + some for games vs. $250 + some for games is just sounding better to me... I shudder at the thought of shelling out $300. But since $129 is also not nothing, I don't want to "waste" that money, if that makes any sense.

Not trying to talk you into it, but the Wii comes with the Sports game. That was all we needed for a very long time and still the one that we play the most. It has the tennis, bowling, baseball, etc... But you'd probably want to buy another controller, and that's easily another 40 or 50 bucks. Go with the DS. She'll love it. Get the Wii as a family gift another time. We bought ours by pooling the money that my dad sends each of us for Christmas.

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