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Original poster

I am CLUELESS about games consoles PLEASE help!

13 replies

RoBollox · 05/08/2020 11:15

My children are desperate for a games console but every time they talk about it I am completely baffled. Ive researched websites and am still not much much clearer. Do they plug into the television?
Are some better than others? I am worried about the addictive nature of computer games but they tell me they can playbwith friends over them. How?!
Please can someone just tell me which one to get!

OP posts:

InOtterNews · 05/08/2020 11:38

How old are they?

All consoles have parental settings these days so you can limit screen time and access to in-game purchases (so they can't rack up the bills)

Yes, they plug into TV - though Nintendo Switch doesn't need to (but then you are limited to one person at a time playing)

I have xbox one and a Nintendo Switch (the latter I bought as I"m spending a lot of time in hospital). The Switch I would say is probably more family-friendly in terms of games.

Also which console their friends have is a factor in choice - there's no point buying something different if they want to play with friends. All consoles will require an annual fee to access online. Though with Switch you can play locally over wifi (so they need to be in the vicinity)

heartsonacake · 05/08/2020 12:11

What console do they want? That should be your first question. There’s no point getting them an Xbox if all their friends have PlayStation.

crazycrofter · 05/08/2020 12:38

The Nintendo Switch is considered more 'family friendly' and easier for non-gamers (like you!) to get the hang of. Nintendo do a lot of fun, cartoony type games like Mario Kart, which are exclusive to their consoles. However you can also play most of the teen favourites like Minecraft, Fortnite etc I believe.

Most secondary school kids who are into gaming have either a PS4 or an X Box. One or two games are cross-platform I believe - including Fortnite - which means even if you had a Switch or an Xbox you could play this with friends who have a different console. However, on the whole most games aren't at the moment, so it's best to have the same console as your friends.

To play online you need to buy a subscription - for Xbox it's called Xbox Live and I think it's a few pounds a month, but I'm not sure. They'd need a headset.

My ds loves playing with friends online. He also uses Xbox Live as a social function even when they're not playing together. They'll all be doing different things - maybe playing different games, or even not playing at all - but chatting over Xbox Live on the headset. For ds this is good as he can't be bothered with texting - too much effort - but he has a good social network this way.

We also have the Nintendo Switch as it's good for family bonding.

VimFuego101 · 05/08/2020 14:18

Depending on age I'd say the switch is the way to go - lots of kid friendly games, and can convert to a handheld console for use in the car etc.

heartsonacake · 05/08/2020 14:20

The Switch is more family friendly yes, but OP says her kids want to play with their friends. If their friends don’t have Switches, getting a Switch would be pointless.

RhubarbTea · 05/08/2020 14:27

My 12 year old says xbox is the best of you're not looking to do online multiplayer. If you are, you really need to get a playstation.

I personally would buy an Xbox as they have lots of games, aren't too pricey and are nice to use.

grissomsbugs · 05/08/2020 14:32

Bought my boys switches last year (7&9) soon got bored of them. So my eldest is back on the PlayStation, most of his friends have PS4's too but a new PlayStation is out in November. Tbh Xbox and PlayStation most or less do the same thing. The kids play online these days.

netflixismysidehustle · 05/08/2020 14:35

You need to find out what console their friends have. Generally PlayStation can't play against Xbox etc

The console plugs into the tv and connects to the Internet in order to play with friends

BunnyBerries · 05/08/2020 14:36

Microsoft Xbox is doing away with Xbox Live (you won't be able to buy it) and moving towards Game Pass. In a way it may be better value for money as it is not just an online subscription to play with others - it comes with hundreds of games you can download including the new ones as they are released. You can buy cheaper "download only" Xbox consoles which don't come with a disc drive which is fine for this, but you may need to buy a hard drive later on to connect for more storage.

TinyMetalBirds · 05/08/2020 14:41

I also don't know much about consoles although I had a PlayStation when I was in my early 20s - it's a whole new world now though, with subscriptions, playing with friends online and so on.
My DC are 10 and 12, and we bought them a console for Christmas last year. They didn't know they were getting one but I had to ask pointed questions about what their friends had, which ones they preferred etc. The older wanted an Xbox as more of his friends have that than Nintendo, so we got that, but I have to say in terms of games I think a Switch would have been better for the younger one. I now have to shell out however much a month for the Xbox subscription as this allows them to play with their friends. You will probably also need headphones so they can speak to them, and a neverending supply of batteries for the handsets. It is not a one-off cost!
Before this they had handheld DS consoles but either couldn't use them to play with friends or I hadn't enabled that function for them, Kindle Fires and we also had an ancient second hand Wii which has now been relegated to the attic.

BluebellsGreenbells · 05/08/2020 14:45

DS has an Xbox
He pays annually to be online with friends, they all have user names bit can speak over headsets.
They get annoyed when they blow each other up.
You can only play Bob if Bob has the same game loaded as you do.
So the costs add up with subscriptions, games and console.

I think the PlayStation is the same, and works similar.

ilovespinach · 05/08/2020 14:50

14, 12 and 8 year old very happy with an Xbox here. We got the game pass during lockdown and they really enjoy the online games. I really recommend getting a docking station for the controllers. I bought the official Xbox one from Amazon - you switch the batteries for the rechargeable ones and it saves running out of batteries.

My 8 year old enjoys the Lego games, Minecraft and Roblox. I'm not a big fan of Roblox some of the games are too violent.

safariboot · 05/08/2020 14:55

How old are they? Have they said which one they want? And what's your budget?

Most consoles connect to a TV by HDMI. Any TV sold in the last decade should be fine but if you have a really old TV you'll need to check.

The PS4 and XBox One are pretty similar really, though each has a few games the other doesn't.

The PS4 Pro and XBox One X play the same games but in 4K / UltraHD. Only relevant if you have a 4K TV and maybe not worth the money anyway.

These are the outgoing console generation so look for bargains. The PS5 and XBox Series X will come out later this year.

The Switch is more distinct because it has lots of Nintendo-only games. The regular Switch can be used as a handheld, or like a tablet with a separate controller, or connected to the TV. The Switch Lite is handheld only.

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