DD wants a DSi. I know fuck all about gaming. Please help me.

[notnowbernard]

She'll be 8 at Christmas

Never had any games console things before. Wants a 'DSi' apparently and has been consistent about this for over a year. Am giving in because she's not been nagging and never expects, IYGWIM

BUT

We're back with the Ark when it comes to gaming

The DSi looks a bit full-on... cameras, internet etc etc. She's not going to need all that shit... can the internet bit be disabled?

And (thicko question coming up) does it need games bought for it? I had a look and all I could see were games for a 'DS' - are they compatible with a DSi?

Plus the cheapest I've found is £115 (!) Does this sound about right?!

Thanks if you got through that without being moved to tears of boredom (have bored myself all night with it tbh)

My 2 have the DS Lite, which is the one 'down' from the DSi. I think the only difference is the camera aspect, with which you can take pictures and change them, and use certain features on the console to make funny pictures etc...

You DO NOT have to use the internet facility if you don't want to. I think you have to start it to begin with, it's not just available, someone with a DSi will know more !

Yes it does need games bought for it....best places are ebay, cex, and Game for second hand games. Good prices, and as long as they have the instructions, really don't need to be new. And YES ! the DS games are compatible with all DS consoles !

Don't know how you feel about second hand, I just bought my son a DS Lite (no camera or internet) off ebay for £50, with a case.

I would imagine with a DSi you could expect to get a good second hand one for about £70+.

Maybe pop into your local Game/Gamestation if you don't fancy ebay and have a look at their second hand ones...will obviously come with a guarantee etc if you have any problems, and they can let you have a look at the various ones available.

Game are also quite amenable to some 'bartering' too...eg, if you want a particular console in a particular colour, with a case and a couple of games you can usually do a deal !

HTH

Yes, you can disable the internet. The camera isn't brilliant but OK for effects which stretch your face etc.
DS games will work on a DSi, but don't buy 3DS games as you need a 3DS console.
£115 is OK, you can get cheaper deals - £89 is the best I've found.
I have a DSi myself, as does DD. We both love it.
Feel free to pm me if you want to ask more x

Thankyou both, that is so, SO helpful!!

No, not fussed about 2nd hand so will explore that avenue definitely

Gay40 - where did you find the £89 deal?!

Argos do a pre=owned DSi for £84.99

I would imagine go in store and ask ?

If you google DSi and click on shopping it comes up !

I would recommend going into Game though, as you can specify colour of console and case, and a couple of games....just go in there and say "I want... der der der" and I have £100, can we do a deal ?

If you don't ask, you don't get !

Also, bear in mind that there is a DSi XL too, all it means is it has bigger screens than the DSi.

If you try ebay, you can also usually get the console and case with a few games thrown in.....

One day soon I am going to have to explain to DS that his Nintendo DS has not picked up his friends not because we live in an area with poor signal but because I stuck the parental internet lock on

If your DD likes dogs then Nintendo Dogs is the game to get.

No advice but just wanted to say I'm so glad I'm not the only one who doesn't have a clue about stuff like this. My non technophobe brother is buying ds oneso I am staying well out of it.

I think it was Amazon, I got my white one for loads less than the shop.
Preowned games are also good, I've got loads from ebay and Game.
If you like I will as DD (9) what's good and what's not worth bothering with.

We ordered ds (7) a package from http://www.cheapndsgame.com/. It arrived last week and have tried most of the games and all looks good. Used paypal to pay for. Appears to have chinese origins as there is a bit of chinese writing on front title screen, but rest is in english.

They load all the games onto one cartridge. You can get 35-200 games from a selection of > 1000 games for only £30-£83. Which is great as some of the games we bought when he first got his ds were barely played with/waste of money.

(not at all entirely legal so always a risk)

link that hopefully works

A word of warning...sometimes the games on that cartridge are not all suitable for children. The R4/R4i cartridges have been found with some very unsavoury things on. If you can afford to go legit with games, then do.

Thanks again all

Gay40 - games recommendations would be great, thanks

Plan is to go to Game next week and give them a budget and see what I can haggle they can do for me

If you ever want advice about Internet/online safety, can I recommend this site www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/. It hopefully will give you the confidence to discuss issues with your DD as she gets older and will help you feel confident in any choices you make for her. Hope it helps.

I will ask DD for her advice on the matter.

DD is almost 10. Here are her recommendations for "good":
Farmlife
Build a bear Workshop
Cats 2
Nintendogs
Jill's Next Adventure
Zoo Hospital
Bratz 2
Theme Park
Carnival Games
Littlest Pet Shop (LPS) 3 - Purple Team
Cooking Mama 2
Cake Mama 2
Madagascar Escape 2 Africa
Wall-E ( she said she liked when she was 7/8 but doesn't play it now, depends if you are into Pixar). Apparently the Toy Story game is "just OK".

Also, we are both into Super Mario Brothers so a little biased !!!!! - but Mario Kart, Mario Party and the Super Mario Brothers new version are great. In particular, SMB is good value as you get so much game play from it.

Neither of us have any experience of playing the Lego franchise games - Pirates of the Caribbean etc.

If she (or you !!!!!!!) likes simple strategy games, I played Rabbids until my fingers bled.

Forgot to add, if she has a friend that has a Nintendo DSi, they can link them together wirelessly and play against each other on some games. You do NOT need a cartridge each for this: one player has the cartridge and the other gets a temporary download so they can race each other etc.

And get a car charger for it.

Gay40 - you're a star, thankyou