play stations v gameboy advance

[happycat]

With Christmas comming up i was thinking of getting my sons aged 5 and 7 either a gameboy each or a play station 2 between them.any advice or tips please just don't know which way to go

With a Gameboy they can take them anywhere and everywhere, which can be a good or bad thing depending on whether you like to actually have a converstion with them occasionally.
Also they can get a link cable to play together.
I suppose in the end it comes down to what games they like and what format they are on.

happycat, unless your boys are a nightmare in the car I would advise against Gameboys - for the antisocial reasons mentioned by Bossanova. I have seen too many kids reduced to grunting automotons (sp???) by them.
Playstations are v useful, esp in bad weather (saved my sanity at the start of the summer holidays when it was wet) plus it's easy to do 2-player games on them, and you can play DVDs on them too!

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if you go for gameboy get the gameboy advanceSP. it is far superior to the gameboy advance. the screen is much better lit & it is more compact.

we have both GBAsp & PS2 & there are pros & cons to both.

I must admit I to have seen kids in social situations that won't talk to anyone because the are on their game boy ( even one boy at his grandads wake )that is what worries me but then I wouldn't of allowed that anyway.so i think i will go for the play station and still limit the use.Thank you for all your posts

With a PS2 they can play together and won't be arguing about who gets to play the game, like they could on the gameboy unless they both had their own copy of the game (waste of money?)

They won't be able to play all games together on the PS2. Then you have the problem of working out a timetable for whose turn it is. Agree with Bogwoppit GBA sp would be better, the screen has a backlight, less strain on their eyes.
It's not an easy choice! We find it useful to limit their time, and as an incentive to do things. Also useful as a sanction!

Playstation 2 is currently reduced as guess what it? They have a new one coming out, I think it's called PSX.

My girls love both their playstation 2 and Gameboy SP's. I think that probably the SP's are better although you have to be careful to limit how much they go on there as it can be very addictive. They can also buy the extra equipment so that they can link up and play games together on there as well. x

Playstation as you can get it chipped and play copied games that are very cheap and copied dvds that are also very cheap.

This thread tempted me to have a look at these as a possibility. I've never been keen on such things, and would want to restrict use of them anyway. (Dss are currently only 4 and 6). BUT I was really shocked and horrified how expensive they are. I simply would not consider spending so much on something I don't wholeheartedly approve of!

I'd say you're got a while to wait anyway kmg. Your 4 year old is probably a little too young to get the hang of a PS or GB. If the cost shocks you, try looking for secondhand stuff. You can pick up a used gameboy colour for about £30.00.

I don't think I've yet met a parent who wholeheartedly approves of gameboys and playstations. Never known one who urges their child to give them a go at any rate

My son got an X-box because his friends did, and he got used to playing with them on playdates. At age 9, if he didn't have a playstation or X-box, he'd be the only 9 year old boy I know of around here without access to one. I think that would get to him and I don't disapprove of them enough to say no - you will be different from all your friends. I have to admit it is fun, it holds his interest and it's great for rainy afternoons.

Happycat, I'd vote for gameboys. I think they are a bit easier to get the hang of and it's a real blessing that they don't need setting up. Your sons can use them on journeys whe they wouldn't be doing anything else with their time anyway. With a Playstation, any time they spend on it is time they won't spend playing or going out. However, unless your sons are really nagging for gameboys/plystations you could wait a while longer or just buy one for your 7 year old and see how it goes.

My son had a gameboy when he was just over 5 years old. He really didn't start geting into it till he was nearly 6. Also, there are onscreen instructions to follow - and they make the games more interesting - so it depends on reading ability as well.

I just refused to buy Gameboys. Kids thought I was Really Mean and they would swoop on anybody else's.

DS2 did get left out in the playground when he was in Y4 - a whole group of boys would bring their Gameboys to school and play alongside each other all break - how antisocial! It was this that finally drove him to play football instead...now he isn't interested in anything else though so maybe not such a good thing!

Hee hee - thanks Tigermoth. He's never actually asked about them, so I'll wait until he does ... then say "No"

Janh, I don't see how your son could accuse you of being really mean since he had a playstation Saying 'no' to both and keeping on saying 'no' up to Year 4, now that would be singleminded.

Kmg, I think it's a very good idea to wait till your children start asking for this sort of stuff. Do you think you'll say 'No' to playstations as well?

Tigermoth I beg to differ - my 4 yr old has a PS2 and a gameboy advance sp and can manipulate them fluently. He can play adult games such as Formula 1, Colin Mcrae Rally and Toca race driver. Children are very intuitive and even though he can't read he works his way through the options and has sussed them all out. Even his 2 yr old brother is willing to have a go on them, although he definitely doesn't have the requisite skills!

Gameboy was very useful on holiday e.g at the airport, on the plane and in restaurants.

He sounds a bit of a whiz, iota My 4 year old likes to play Rally games on his older brother's Xbox and Gameboy, but not fluently and not for more than 15 minutes at a time. I think he realises just what he can't do, compared to his older brother, and that can make him cross as well.

Tigermoth - thanks for the compliment, I think, on reflection, that ds1's skill is probably the result of intensive coaching from the biggest kid in our house (dh).