ipod touch instead of DS - am I on the right track?

[Chooster]

Ds1 is 7, nearly 8 and has yet to have a DS or any handheld gaming device. We have a family Wii and DH's old xbox that DS enjoys. Am thinking of getting him a DS for xmas but have recently started to swing towards the ipod touch for the following reasons...

1. DS1 LOVES my smartphone and is always wanting to play the games on there.
2. He doesnt tend to get too hooked into a game but likes to try lots of games so perhaps the cheaper aspect to the ipod games would be better for him?
3. Its more than a gaming device so could be used in place of a portable DVD player (although I guess the screen is small?) and he could access the free internet gaming sites like FRIV which he enjoys.

But am I mad???? Obviously its a bigger outlay and not as robust as a DS. Anyone got any useful comments - am i missing something obvious?

"he could access the free internet gaming sites like FRIV which he enjoys."

Many, but not all, internet games work on Flash, and Flash doesn't run on iOS, so the FRIV site is not going to be an option.

Apart from the lack of Flash on iOS (which is a consideration - he'd really only be able to download free game apps), personally I just wouldn't buy something that expensive and easily breakable for an 8 year old. But you know your DS, would he look after it, not leave it on floor to get trodden on etc? DSLites are a lot cheaper and have a large range of games for different ages, they can be bought for about £50 now, unless he had his heart set on DSi/3DS.

We got DD1 (9 last year) a DSiXL last year, 12 months later we are getting her i-pod touch for her December birthday. Think it will see her through a few years. DSiXL was great, but DD not really a games person anyway so is much more keen on being able to access her music and communicate with her friends through i-pod touch. Fortunately DD2 is desperate for a DS (6 & much more games orientated) so have suggested to DD1 that she gives her sis her DS as a christmas gift). Mind you, I think I will feel a little miffed if it gets used as little as her DS has been over the last 12 months

My son has both [aged 10].

Uses the ipod touch much more.

As badgers says, flash sites like Friv & Miniclip won't work.

But from experience, the ipod touch is the way to go.

Yes ok, the DS is a dedicated games machine, blah blah. Technically it's way better. Apart from one thing. The cost of games.

Thanks to Apple I no longer have to pay £27 for each game which only lasts them a couple of weeks. The games on the Ipod generally are either free, 69p or for top titles a few quid. In fact my kids seem perfectly happy with the free games and only occasionally ask for a paid one.

Once you get used to paying 69p a game, it's really hard to justify £20-£30. Esp for children.

Thats the thing thats swaying me niceguy - the cost fo the games! I reckon he can do some swaps with friends who have DS's but I'll see probably end up buying over £100 of games within a few months - after all he'd need some to swap .

Am still unsure as I know some of his friends are getting the 3DS so if I get a DS I'd probably get one of those so directly comparable with the touch on cost...

Thanks also for the info on FRIV - I hadn't considered that but hopefully there are enough free games to keep his interest.

Thanks all

We have made exactly the same decision recently and opted for the ipod touch for Ds who is 8. He would play on my iphone all day which is where we got the idea from.

I'm not condoning or recommending them as they are illegal, but I know people who have avoided the high cost of buying DS games by getting an R4 card. Personally I've always bought used games from eBay/Amazon to keep the cost down. The availability of free games on the iPod touch is a big plus I suppose.