Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Xbox/playstation/Nintendo switch - help!!

35 replies

ChrisjenAvasarala · 31/01/2019 09:47

I don't know a thing about gaming. Never cared about it as a child and still have no idea.

My kids are 5 and 7, and are asking for a gaming thing. I don't know the best one to buy.

Can anyone tell me what console is best? Or does it not matter. I think they will need a Nintendo of some sort to play Pokemon as well as a console like PlayStation or X box for all the other games.

OP posts:

Spiderpants · 31/01/2019 09:50

My 5, 7 and 9 year old have a switch which they love, if you have enough controllers they can all play together

TwoleftUggs · 31/01/2019 09:54

We have an Xbox and a switch. Personally I think for children of that age, the switch has many more appropriate games. All the Mario branded ones for a start. Mario Karts and Mario party are both great family games.

IceRebel · 31/01/2019 09:55

For a 5 and 7 year old as a first foray into gaming I would buy each of them a Nintendo DS / 2DS. They will be able to play different games, get used to time limits and will be able to take them with them if they go on long car trips. Also they are much cheaper than other games consoles, games can be bought very cheaply from CEX / Game stores, and the DS's themselves are very durable for young children.

TwoleftUggs · 31/01/2019 09:56

Plus although your dc are too young right now, you can also play fortnite on switch and it’s cross platform so doesn’t matter too much what console their friends have.

Mummyjsa · 31/01/2019 09:57

My 7&5yo had a switch from Christmas which they love! The Xbox and PlayStation seemed a bit too old for them. We all really enjoy playing mario together.

TwoleftUggs · 31/01/2019 09:58

Oh and thirdly, the pp has just reminded me that the switch is portable and can be taken on car journeys etc quite easily.

gamerchick · 31/01/2019 10:02

The switch is also much more expensive than any other option. It's fragile and would be hard to make them share.

Personally I would go with a PP suggestion of a Nintendo DS each and see how they do. The 3ds has other things on it that kids like to play with and you can turn the 3d bit off.

DoneLikeAKipper · 31/01/2019 10:06

I’d definitely get the Switch for that age. Most games mean that they can use a controller each, and there are plenty of age-appropriate games. It’s super portable, but also connects to TVs if you want to keep an eye on what they’re doing (or have a go on Mario Kart, which is quite addictive whatever your age).

Suziepoozie · 31/01/2019 10:10

Another vote for the switch. You can get a lot of games on switch and it has a wider range of more age appropriate games. I think a lot of Xbox games are way too old for them.

HannaSong · 31/01/2019 10:10

For younger kids definitely the Switch. Much better selection of games for that age. It is expensive though - not just the console but the games as well. It's fairly robust but if you do get one grab a screen protector as they scratch very easily (the screen is actually plastic - which is great from a durability point of view as it is unlikely to smash)

I'm a big gamer and very impressed by the switch - lovely bit of tech :)

IceRebel · 31/01/2019 10:10

The switch is also much more expensive than any other option.

Agreed, and I say that as a switch owner. Approximately £250 for the switch and easily £30 plus per game. It's insanely expensive for what it is and although I love mine, I do wince when I think of how much i've spent on it.

EspressoButler · 31/01/2019 10:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Dakiara · 31/01/2019 10:15

I agree that a Switch is probably your best bet. The games on the XBox tend to be for older ages, same for the ones for the PlayStation.

Original poster

ChrisjenAvasarala · 31/01/2019 10:21

Ok! Thank you all. Will go for the switch then!

OP posts:

sleepyheadgettobed · 31/01/2019 10:26

Of your options the Switch is best, the games are more appropriate for their ages, a new pokemon game came out in November and another one will come out this year most likely in November. I would recommed a 2ds each, they are around €80 and play all 2ds and 3ds games in 2d they are in one piece and very sturdy there is also a very large selection of games including pokemon and Mario.

You would be limited in appropriate games if you got an Xbox or PlayStation, they are also known more for single player games and many of them do not have multiplayer.

Meangirls36 · 31/01/2019 10:30

Switch would be good and you don't have to pay for fortnite ! People have been buying the skin packs thinking its the game.

Original poster

ChrisjenAvasarala · 31/01/2019 10:58

sleepyheadgettobed, my sister had a DS so I was thinking of those, but I think the boys want something they can play up on the TV when they have friends over so the switch is better in that sense (because it looks like it can be linked to the TV, unless I'm wrong).

OP posts:

ncncc · 31/01/2019 11:02

It can. Definitely the switch

JacquettaW · 31/01/2019 11:08

I would like to throw the WII U in there as an option. It's more durable and cheaper than the switch. There are many games you can play multiplayer and it also supports WII games.

Bear in mind that the xbox is more suited to adults than children, I find it difficult to get suitable games even for my 10 year old.

Also, the games for the switch are ridiculously expensive. Wish I'd never bought the bloody thing

sewinginmyfreetime · 31/01/2019 11:08

Do 5 and 7 year olds really have game consoles as a norm? I feel massively out of the loop (my little is only 20 months, and my brothers are now in their 20s, but when they were young they didn't have consoles until they were teens), but that seems insanely young to be just parking them in front of a screen instead of them playing outside or just imaginative play. I'm not trying to be goady, genuinely curious if this is what kids of that age do now?!

LongWalkShortPlank · 31/01/2019 11:15

I'm going to go against the grain here and say the xbox. It can be bought much more cheaply, there is a monthly subscription to a huge library of games, many of which are appropriate for their age and split screen. You can put parental controls on etc too.
I have a 5 year old, we have a switch, an xhox one and a ds and the only one she ever asks to sometimes use is the xbox for games like roblox, paw patrol etc. The games are much cheaper and there is a huge library of games compared to the switch.

Original poster

ChrisjenAvasarala · 31/01/2019 11:16

@sewinginmyfreetime
It's like you're inside my head!

This is how I feel. But they go to their friends houses for play dates end every single time they come home talking about the games consoles. Everyone has one. My 2 have sports clubs 4 nights a week after school, on 2 of those nights they have a music tutor come over after dinner, and on the 5th after school night they have a Spanish tutor come over after dinner. One day of the weekend is now spent with their dad, so they will have very little time to actually play on it. I'm not worried about screen time, but if they want to spend an hour or so a week playing then I think that's ok.

OP posts:

LongWalkShortPlank · 31/01/2019 11:16

But with that said, I would think a tablet is more suited to their ages. You can put many educational games on there compared to consoles. Teach your monster to read is a good one.

DoneLikeAKipper · 31/01/2019 11:17

@sewinginmyfreetime

I'm not trying to be goady, genuinely curious if this is what kids of that age do now?!

It sounds pretty goady. You’re wrong by the way, I had my first console around 7/8, and my best Christmas around that age was getting my very first Gameboy. This was well over 20 years ago, and most of my friends had similar (or even better, a home computer) to play games on. Just because it’s not something you or your brothers had, doesn’t mean it’s suddenly a ‘thing’.

but that seems insanely young to be just parking them in front of a screen instead of them playing outside or just imaginative play.

It’s not a case of ‘either/or’. You can play video games and have fresh air/imaginative play. Actually one of the most creative people I know is an avid gamer, it has been shown to improve cognitive abilities and even keep conditions like dementia at bay. I doubt you feel your time in front of a screen/on MN is diminishing your abilities?

JacquettaW · 31/01/2019 11:19

@sewinginmyfreetime my son has had consoles since he was about four. He's autistic and nothing else held his attention. I've tried so many different toys and games over the years but it's his console games that make him happy. He's really got a flair with computers and completes really tough games in a matter of days.

As he's got older, he's got into more things, he particularly loves reading and shares my love of history too.

I don't necessarily think consoles are a bad idea unless you're using them in replacement of actual parenting

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread