3times

Advice needed here.

My son wants a game console for his b/day. I talked him out of the gameboy sp, feeling that I would rather him have a bigger screen. What would be best playstation (1 or 2), x-box, gamecube.

He will be 6.

I'm not really into games so do not know which is best. (no doubt I will soon get hooked when I buy him one though).

jase555

xbox for him of course !!!!!

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

I'd recommend the PS2 first, then the GameCube. The standard UK X-Box controllers weren't really designed for 6 year old hands

rogp

PS2 arguably has the best selection of games due to its age.

Depending on your sons age, the X-Box is open to all sorts of tech dabbling which might keep him content with it for longer than 5 minutes.

edited to say - Just re-read and I think 6 years old may be too young to get out a soldering iron and import chips!



[Edited by rogp - 10/17/2003 11:50:39 AM]

Hobo_Jojo

the xbox is the best of those consoles but i think it is more of an adults console, and yeah the standard pads would be a nightmare for a 6 yr old!

the gamecubes just dropped in price and seems to have more kid style games a la mario so maybe that or the ps2 as the ps2 can play dvd's aswell and the gamecube cant

messiah

PS2. The XBox is more graphically advanced but you have to think of quality and availability of the games.

I wouldn't mind an XBox, but fiancee has put her foot down and said I can only have one if I flog the PS2, but I'm not doing that unless Gran Turismo comes to the XBox, and there's fat chance of that.

Jak & Daxter & GT3 are available as budget games now for PS2, other essentials include Ratchet & Clank, Metal Gear Solid 2 & TimeSplitters2.

XBox is supposed to be dropping to £99.99 for Christsmas - and it's hoped GT4 will be out for then too.

Whichever you buy - get the best quality cable you can to connect it to the TV, my advice for the PS2 is the S-Video leads.

[Edited by messiah - 10/17/2003 12:13:28 PM]

TurboKitty

Eh?! Nightmare! Tell her she can't have a new lipstick until she's used up all of the ones she's got and she can't have new shoes until all the ones she has are worn out and no new dresses until...

bsteel

no comparison really
id chip the sucker anyway as its always better to have backups of your games in case the originals get scratched!! (kind of a legal disclaimer)
the mini controllers are ace and its possible to buy an adaptor which enables you to use the ps2 joypad on the mighty xbox

simply put buy an xbox its way way better than all the rest
I should know i have all consoles and all games

Mogsi

For a 6year old - PS2 deffo....

The choice of games is endless because bare in mind you can play PS1 games aswell.....

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

I have a heavily modified X-Box and swear by them as being the most flexible console out there, but for a 6 year old . . . has to be the PS2 IMO.

Newbie123

I've got a PS2 & a gamecube, and I have to say when my neice and nephew visit (aged 4 & 8) the gamecube takes an absolute hammering and they pretty much ignore the PS2.

The majority of the games for the cube seem to be aimed at the younger market. They are currently hooked on super monkey ball. My brother tells me it's got so bad that they perform their own super monkey ball course while running into school

I would say though that the PS2 has the best mix of games for young and old, plus you can play DVD's and that would be my choice if I could only have one and I had young kids. I think the Xbox is aimed more at the teenage/adult market. Might just have to treat myself to one this christmas




[Edited by Newbie123 - 10/17/2003 3:17:43 PM]

Kevin Mc

XBox.

My 5 and 7 year old boys don't have any problem with the big XBox controllers (which are being phased out anyway for smaller controllers).

I personally get RSI on a PS2 controller after about 5 minutes - nothing on the XBox after several hours

NeilT

Got both Cube and Xbox here and to be honest the Cube gets more use, games like Zelda and Monkey ball are superb.

I'd say the Cube would be the best bet

Neil

3times

thanks for all the replies.

I am probably edging towards PS2. I will have to check the games that are available for each first. He wants Pokemon games but is into Star Wars quite a bit. Not so sure that he will get into the mario type stuff.

As for dad, what has the best driving games? (only interested,don't think I will ever play it!)

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

My six year old grabs my pc mag before I read it, installs all the semos and then shows me what to do, the seven year old seems to get further in games than I do, it is scary how much they know, where there is a will there is a way, the four year old still p1sses his pants on a regular basis.

They are learning a lot from the pc, planning on age of empires, hand to eye coordination from the shooters and some choice language. They have a Nintendo 64, a Ps1, a PS2 and gameboy Advances but only the pc seems to hit the spot for them.

Do not underestimate six year olds !

Toonman1

Got to agree. The kid next door's a whizz on my X Box and the PC. I'd go X Box to give the child something to grow into. Whilst ther's a bigger current choice of games for the PS2, all the good stuff that's due, is X Box. The S type contoller seems fine for big and small hands.

Cheers

messiah

lol - my fiancees young brother probably says to his mates "do not estimate 31 year olds" after the severe humiltion I dished out on GT3 and TimeSplitters 2.

I don't care what age they are - I ain't taking no prisoners... although I expect to royally thrashed by a japanese toddler as soon as I get a broadband connection...

Hobo_Jojo

na man the jap kids aint as good as u think at games! most jap versions of games are easier than the pal equivalant!

i need broadband cant afford it tho *sniff* im fantastic at gaes n keep kickin all my mates asses n need a challenge of some kind!

3times

Thanks for all the replies.

After much thought decided for the cheap option of a 2nd hand PS1. Didn't want to spend too much to find it dosen't get used. If he gets into it I will upgrade next year.

Got PS1, 20 games, 2 controllers, steering wheel plus other bits for just over £50. I don't think he will be too bothered, he will be happier with a bigger box of goodies to open (hopefully).