What should I buy my kids? X-Box, Play Station or Wii?

Drphods on 19/09/2016 - 16:10

Hi Guys,

I have two daughters, aged 9 and 10. We want to get a gaming console, but I have no idea which one to buy. Some of their friends have a Wii, so I guess if they get one, they can swap games, which seems like a bonus.

I don't know much about X-Box, but I believe they can play Bluray discs and also you can run Kodi on them (to stream online movies etc.) which is a definite benefit.

Play Station I know nothing about.

I guess my features of importance are:

  1. Cost, not just for the console, but also for the games. I would like to buy a 'deal' via Ozbargain. I guess the budget is sub-$500 all up, for console, controllers, some games etc (Is that realistic?).

  2. Wireless, i'd prefer wireless hand-held controllers.

  3. Ability to play games together (I think they all do this, but not really sure). We currently have a cheapo retro SEGA console, which they love (Plays old games like Sonic and Pacman) but they argue over who's turn it is.

That's about it, any input/thoughts/preferences would be appreciated,
thanks in advance.

Gaming

Comments

  • CyberMurning on 19/09/2016 - 16:20

    X-Box or Play Station

    oh that is just like apple or android… be careful of starting new war

  • supnigs super skids on 19/09/2016 - 16:26
    +4

    buy a used wii. they are under $50 easy.

    if new, i would get teh xbox 360 then playstation 3 then wii u. i wouldnt buy into teh newer systems yet due to high cost of games.

  • [Deactivated] on 19/09/2016 - 16:26

    PS4's and Xbox One's are already coming down in price, and will perhaps hit the ~$300 mark during Christmas. The Wii was great when it first got released and imo it is great for the family, however you may be restricted to just gaming and not be able to play Blu-ray discs as you mentioned. Unless it is urgent, I'd suggest to wait until the Christmas sales as there will definitely be bargains around that time, and you may save an extra $45-50 as compared to buying it now. Good Luck :)

  • lupiter on 19/09/2016 - 16:27
    +2

    Do their friends have Wiis or Wii Us? Wii games can be played on a Wii U, but not the other way around. You can still get quite a few Wii games (although no new ones are being made) around the place, it would probably be the cheapest option. If you go for the Wii U, look for the bundle with Mario Kart and Nintendo Land. Some other good multiplayer Nintendo series are Smash Bros (fighting) and Super Mario (platformer). The Wii U is about to be replaced (well, next year…) and it doesn't have a huge library of games. But Nintendo generally takes the more "family friendly" approach, with more G and PG games, more local multiplayer.

    Whichever console you pick, you'll satisfy (2), all modern consoles (Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4) have wireless controllers. Oh, and if you're looking for some bargain games for kids, the Lego [Insert Movie Name][1] games are on every platform, are pretty good, and reasonably priced.

    [1] Lego StarWars, Lego Batman, Lego Lord of the Rings, Lego the Lego Movie, Lego Avengers, Lego Indiana Jones etc etc.

    • Kangal on 19/09/2016 - 17:52
      +20

      +1
      Whenever you're considering getting a console, there is a method to follow to choose what to get.

      1) The most important thing are the games.

      Do they have to have Uncharted, or Halo, or Mario…?
      Here's the best current and upcoming titles from each platform.
      Wii U:
      (Mario Kart 8, Zelda Wind Waker HD, Splatoon, Star Fox, Super Mario U,)
      (Super Mario Maker, Pokken, Monster Hunter, Zelda Twilight, Super Smash Bro,)
      (Wonderful 101, Bayonetta, Xenoblade, Tokyo Mirage, Zombi, Yoshi's Wooly, Pikmin)

      Xbox One:
      (Rise of Tomb Raider, Quantum Break, Forza, Sunset Overdrive)
      (Cuphead, ReCore, Crackdown 3, Dead Rising 3, Killer Instinct, We Happy Few)
      (Sea of Thieves, Titanfall, Halo, Gears of War, Ashen, Below, Inside, Gigantic)

      PS4:
      (Uncharted, TLOU, Infamous, Until Dawn, Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War,)
      (Day's Gone, Death Stranding, Detroit become Human, Spiderman,)
      (Tearaway, Crash Bandicoot, Hawken, Order 1886, Last Guardian, Injustice,)
      (Bloodborne, Hellblade, No Man's Sky, Wild)

      If they don't know/care about a SPECIFIC game, then you move on to the next point.

      2) Ecosystem of their friends/multiplayer.

      If they have friends that have PS4's… then get a PS4.
      It will make multiplayer possible, and it will mean they can lend games to each other.
      Or even outright trade games among themselves.

      If they don't have any current friends, then the finer details emerge.

      3) What is the future of the console?

      Wii U is practically dead. There is little to no 3rd party support, and that's bad for you the consumer.
      Nintendo will reveal their next console very soon, and the Wii U will be dropped very quickly.
      This means cheap accessories and games, but it means you miss out on all the great games that will be getting released in the future and I think that con is too big to outweigh the pro in this instance.

      The XB1 is doing great. The new XB1S (Slim) is much much more refined, however note that XBLive Gold membership is expensive and the Xbox ecosystem is in a "plateau phase" (due to Windows 10/UWP, less game development, Project Scorpio focus). The best feature about the Xbox One which was sorely understated by Microsoft, and neglected too long is BACKWARDS compatibility. The Xbox 360 has plenty of great games, and the XB1 can play them, but not all of them, and not all functions of a game (eg/ Kinect not supported for 360 games, multiplayer also not supported for some titles).

      The PS4 is the gorilla in the room.
      It not only possesses better hardware than the XB1 (sans Kinect), they also have their own game studios churning out some great titles. And they also have the pick of the bunch from 3rd-party devs. And also a thriving indie ecosystem. The worst part about the PS4 is that it is not Steam, and so you have to pay for PS+ subscription for online multiplayer and it lacks backwards compatibility (PS Now/cloud gaming is not so good). There is the PSVR, but this is more of a gimmick than a system seller…at least for now.

      The last unexpected choice is actually the PS3.
      It is quite a bit faster and more powerful than the Xbox 360, which devs have only begun utilising said power late into its lifecycle.
      However, it boasts a formidable amount of 3rd-party titles in its catalogue also has some great first-party titles. The best thing is that they're cheap. And online multiplayer is free. And it can double as a BluRay player too. The PS3 has been almost dropped, but it still picks up some new games here and there… unlike the 360 which is more often skipped over. So the PS3 could be up for consideration as a super cheap system.

      4) So if you've come this far, and haven't been able to choose a platform…. well you can always roll a dice!

      (and let us know what you decide on :D )

      • tebbybabes on 19/09/2016 - 18:57
        +1

        I was going to write something like this, only far far less well written.

        Excellent advice and points [@Kangal]

      • bargdebarg on 21/09/2016 - 17:01
        +1

        /endthread

  • imtahir7 on 19/09/2016 - 16:32

    id go for the ps3. can be had new for $100 and has amazing games on the cheap at around 5-10 dollars each on ebay and at eb games and because theyve never played before there is heaps and heaps to catch up and wont hurt your wallet too much

  • geek001 on 19/09/2016 - 16:34

    Currently have a Wii and Xbox360. Games are pretty limited nowadays as they are both discontinued. If you want to start collecting games now, I would probably say to go for Xbox One at least. Although, sometimes I can use the excuse, oh, they don't have that game on Wii/Xbox360 to not buy the game. Lol.

    The only game my kids still play on the Wii is Mario Kart. On the Xbox360, they still play Minecraft, Lego Marvel and Disney Infinity. I have gotten some free Xbox360 games(downloads) from OzB, although I don't play games and the free games were more for older kids, so my kids can't play them because of parental lock. Oops.

    I guess in your case, my advice would be to see which games they are into, that would help decide which platform for you.

  • silverrat23 on 19/09/2016 - 16:36
    +2

    Buy a Nintendo Wii.

    The console sells for $50 max from Cash Converters or Gumtree (if you're up for private selling). Games are pletiful and cheap and best of all, it has no mandatory online components! (Unlike the Xbox One or PS4, which both of them will nag you to update things once in a while).

    The games are fairly cheap these days as most are selling theirs' for newer stuff, but for kids the Wii's library have more kid-friendly games in my opinion. And the games range from $5 to $30 for the more enjoyable games - a lot of also support 2 or more players.

    Second-hand wii remote (official) only go for $22, and they're also wireless! I suggest to avoid third-party controllers as quality is few and far between.

    And best of all, you'll never hit the $500 budget - as all the games, controllers and console are dirt-cheap these days.

  • Tejas57 on 19/09/2016 - 16:58

    i have both. one big advantage of the ps4 us that the controllers have an inbuilt battery charged via USB whereas the xbox uses AA. this could be mitigated by using rechargeable batteries however.

    the PS4 also has blue ray and a user replaceable hard drive (the HDD on the xbox can not be replaced by the user without voiding the warranty and some pretty serious work)

    • SirFlibbled on 22/09/2016 - 12:05

      You can get a play and charge kit of the Xbox One controllers too. Xbox one is also a blu ray player.

      As a user of both consoles as well, I find the Xbox the better media machine over the PS4 mostly because the Xbox plays MKV and I love yelling a the Xbox to bring up an app or change the channel rather than using the remote. The PS4 has a better media player over Xbox though (which insists on autoplaying the next file).

  • chumlee on 19/09/2016 - 17:13
    +1

    I still remember when all I wanted my parents to buy me was a new and sparkling bmx with tuff. Wasn't interested in staying indoors.

    • supnigs super skids on 19/09/2016 - 17:26

      Growing up in the 80's with et and bmx bandits

      • altomic on 19/09/2016 - 18:41

        umm Atari 2600, homeboy

        • chumlee on 19/09/2016 - 20:10
          +1

          My parents wouldn't buy me an Atari unfortunately. Did get a PC though and played SimCity and leisure suit larry

        • Adz81 on 19/09/2016 - 20:29

          @chumlee: HA! LSL in the Land of the Lounge Lizards was a cracking game, 222 points of learning how to type :D

    • rockyroad on 04/12/2016 - 09:11

      I had a BMX and and Commodore 64 :-)

      Best of both worlds. Got plenty of exercise during the 20 minutes it took to load each fame off the tape cassette drive!

  • RandomNinja on 19/09/2016 - 17:45

    Choosing which console is essentially choosing what content you want to access. Do you know what games you and/or your daughters want to play? If you can share some info around that, it will let us give you better answers.

    If you're not married to the idea of a console, PC Gaming has all the benefits of a console - streams movies, reads Blu-Rays, wireless controller support, plenty of multiplayer games. Downside is a higher upfront cost for hardware, but usually cheaper games.

  • garffi on 19/09/2016 - 17:47
    +1

    For girls at that age, I reckon a wii is more suitable. It's family friendly and most games can have up to 4 people playing at the same time. Which is good because kids don't like waiting for their turns.
    I feel like xbox and playstation is more for the serious gamers.
    I got a wii when I was a kid and often played with my sister. Now I've moved on to ps4.

  • altomic on 19/09/2016 - 18:42
    +6

    I bought my girls a Wii. they only have one game - Mario Cart. don't want them playing games on the TV all day.

    the console + 4 controller was $45 from ebay . the game came from cash converters for ~$5.

    some aldi AA LSD rechargables. - all good

  • PinzVidz on 19/09/2016 - 19:04
    +1

    Wait until the NX gets released, oh wait… when will that be?!?

    Thanks OP, looked up details about the NX on Wiki, and spotted this instead! I was unaware, yipeee!

  • cmdwedge on 19/09/2016 - 19:20
    +4

    Wii U for kids that age. I own all 3 current gen consoles and the Wii U has the best games for kids.

  • AssamLaksa on 19/09/2016 - 19:44
    +4

    Definitely Wii for many reasons
    1) Price - Super cheap at this stage
    2) Types of Games - Nintendo games are generally very kid friendly
    3) Co-Op - Heaps of multiplayer games as well

    I also think that PS/XBox are for more mature/hardcore gamers, and for their age I reckon you should wait a couple more years before thinking about getting them PS/Xbox. Don't worry about future proofing it and things, the Wii has heaps of good games (even though they're old), and for about $50 bucks for the entire console, you're not really losing much

  • nicholasfrawley on 19/09/2016 - 21:11
    +3

    Definitely a Wii

  • CrazyMexican on 19/09/2016 - 21:46
    +2

    wii u

  • Limitless on 19/09/2016 - 22:25
    +3

    Should add in a poll!

  • RaiZdbyDINGOES on 20/09/2016 - 07:32

    If you are talking about PS3? Go for that it has free online play so it will be one extra cost you won't have. Go for a Wii if you want a cheap fun kids console. 360 has its benefits but not really a 9-10 year old girls console. In the end I can only provide my opinion. With the newer Xbox One or PS4 it's a matter of opinion. Both consoles you have to pay for online play and they are pretty much very similiar besides exclusives for both consoles

  • [Deactivated] on 20/09/2016 - 10:09
    +1

    N64 with 4 controllers and mario kart is all you need.

    Seriously for young girls unless they themselves are serious in gaming i would go for a wii.
    Games are for the age group, games are attractive or cartoonish you could say, easily play multiplayer ok n same console, games are cheap on ebay.

    If there friends have another console maybe getting the same so they can share games and or go over to play or they can come over as well.

  • Showmethebargains on 20/09/2016 - 10:37
    +1

    Wii
    We find wii much more family friendly. Our 3 daughters can play together and if they have friends over, they can play too. Our Xbox mainly gathers dust….

  • [Deactivated] on 20/09/2016 - 11:44

    Ps4 500gb $320 at target this week + another controller $65 on special + charging station $15-30,
    some of the older games go cheap if you sign up for the games section of ozbargain

    But kids want what they want
    You only make the money
    I think you would have to demo one with them to get the ok first

  • HeWhoKnows on 20/09/2016 - 11:46

    Worst mistake to make is NOT to ask your kids. Rule of thumb: Whatever their friends have is what they will want. Nothing else matters. They can then also swap and sell games with each other.

  • Drphods on 20/09/2016 - 13:24

    Hey guys, you are all awesome, thanks so much for taking the time to add your comments, it's been very, very helpful. Many have asked what my girls like to play (games that is). The truth is they haven't had any games to play, other than the crappy SEGA machine I got them last Xmas (which they actually love) or the games, like Mario Cart they've played at their friend's houses. Looks like Wii is the winner, in terms of being cost effective and allowing multiple players and being able to 'swap' games with their friends. Thanks again.

    @Kangal - Thanks for your very detailed response, it was awesome.

  • ramshead on 20/09/2016 - 14:00
    +1

    I had an interview this morning with a parent who is distraught because she can't get her primary aged child to go to school. Big argument every morning.
    The nitty gritty is that the child is always tired due to playing PS4 till late each night.
    To most people there is a simple solution to the mother's problem, but due to several other factors, for this family, the solution is not going to be easy.

    I suppose I'm just sharing this so that you don't lose sight of the fact that whilst these forms of entertainment are very enjoyable, parental supervision that ensures a balance in the child's life is of paramount importance.

    • Yola on 20/09/2016 - 15:36
      +1

      Totally agree. Once you give your kids something it is very hard to take it away. Trying to control usage is very difficult especially when the technology is wireless. I may be old fashioned but I believe that reading is so important to academic and life success. But if they have an alternative that is full of exciting moving images and colour they prefer it. My children are now young adults and I refused to have any gaming consoles in my home. Eventually they learned to love reading.

      • [Deactivated] on 20/09/2016 - 17:27
        +1

        +1
        Reading is Knowledge
        and
        Knowledge is Power

  • FrankMcFuzz on 21/09/2016 - 10:30
    +1

    In terms of PS4 and Xbox One; they're functionally identical. The Xbox is bringing out a new model this year, and a new model again next year.

    Honestly, though, there are so few games on these consoles targeted at girls that age that you're practically throwing your money away no matter which one you get, unless your girls enjoy sandbox games and playing games online in which many allegations of their mother will be made. Every parent I ask always tell me that their young children rarely play the console at all.

    I would've suggested Wii-U, as well, but considering that development for the console has all but stopped entirely, it's a bad idea for the future. The Nintendo NX comes out next… like… March, but even still we haven't heard much in the way of videogames.

    Get them a Gamecube and a PS2, and tell them you will buy them a new console when they learn to appreciate games that have actual depth and quality. I saw a guy higher up than me tossing "No Man's Sky" into "games you would buy a console for", and no level of meditation will repair my broken soul.

  • syousef on 21/09/2016 - 16:54
    +3

    My daugther is 6. The Wii (not Wii U) has a ton of games that interest my daughter. I bought her an Xbox 360 for her room and she barely touches it. Whereas my son plays it like it's going out of fashion. Daughter is not a capable reader yet so that's part of the issue but the truth is there aren't very many games that interest girls unless they're into boy's stuff on any of the systems. Find out what games they are interested in play and what games their friends are playing and only then consider buying. The other option is an android tablet. Heaps of games that cater to girls on that.

    • FrankMcFuzz on 22/09/2016 - 08:31
      +2

      A 3DS is always a safe choice with girls. You've got Animal Crossing, Pokemon, Bravely Default, Mario stuff, Zelda, tons of games that are good for girls. Animal Crossing is a really popular franchise with girls, but unfortunately it requires a pretty capable reader (At least 2nd or 3rd grade) to understand some of the words they use. I hope you are ready for questions like "Daddy, what is a 'home loan'?"

      There's an Animal Crossing application coming to phones and tablets next year, too… Though we've yet to see if it's a core Animal Crossing game or a terrible iteration like 'Happy Home Designer'… More like… Crappy Home Designer :O

  • daveyyy on 22/09/2016 - 08:57
    +3

    I have four children aged 9, 11, 13, 14. I also have all current gen consoles at home (ps4, Xbox one and Wii u). When my kids play single player games, they prefer the Xbox and ps4 due to the single player games available on those consoles, however, when my kids play together or have friends over, the Wii u is definitely the favorite.
    Even with the Wiiu's extremely disappointing number of games, the games it does have (for example: Mario kart, smash bros, Mario u and Luigi u) provide an amazing amount of fun to children. My children have also collected amiibo's, mainly for smash bros, which make the game even more fun. Even though I'd prefer my kids to be outside playing on the trampoline etc, at least with the wiiu they are playing together and the laughter / excitement can usually be heard throughout the house lol :)

    • Drphods on 28/09/2016 - 14:26

      Thanks @daveyyy - a friend told me you can play all the old Wii games on a WiiU, is that your understanding?

      • daveyyy on 29/09/2016 - 10:29

        Yes, you can play Wii games on a wiiu.
        It's a shame that other consoles aren't fully backwards compatible.

        • [Deactivated] on 29/11/2016 - 18:23

          And it's a shame that WiiU is officially dead so early in its life.

  • Landera on 29/11/2016 - 17:42

    If you are thinking Wii, Id say spend a bit extra and get the Wii U. Its just like a Wii but…. better.
    Mainly I was going to point out that it has HD resolution, the Wii games do look quite fuzzy and washed out at their much lower resolution. All the new Mario games on Wii U look a lot better in the higher res the Wii U is capable of. Plus you can still buy the cheap Wii games and controllers if you wanted to. A Wii U can be had on Ebay with a few games etc for under $400 no problem.

    You will want to buy an extra controller or 2 as well, its not easy to get an extra controller with a screen on it, and you dont need one, but all the more recent Wii controllers work with the Wii U or theres one called the Wii U pro controller, all are wireless.

    My kids love the Mario stuff, remember that its more family oriented than Xbox or Ps4 :)

    • Drphods on 30/11/2016 - 11:42

      Thanks @Landera.

  • tonyjzx on 29/11/2016 - 18:28

    My kid is about that age and its all about Xbox 360.

    Doesnt seem to like my One or Ps3 although she likes the ps4.

  • Aurorus on 30/11/2016 - 19:21

    I think a Wii is a better choice for family gaming. Xbox and PS are for game aficionados, not quite suitable for girls, at least in my opinion. So, wii it is.

  • rockyroad on 04/12/2016 - 09:24

    I got a second hand Wii cheap on eBay about two years ago when my kids were 10 and 13. I didn't care that it was replaced by the Wii U as that didn't magically stop it working or anything (except some online multiplayer I guess). Earlier this year I picked up a second-hand Wii U even though I knew it was also EOL, because once again it still works into the foreseeable future and the kids love the games and games will still be on available eBay for a long time.

    Have focused on family, interaction, fun and local multiplayer games – anything harder core I can just get on Steam for the PC/Mac. Picked up plenty of Wii/Wii U games cheap on eBay and got some still current games for good prices on ozgameshop.com sales and other places like EBGames bargain bins (the "Just Dance" range is always going cheap).

    My son's best friend has a PS4 and XBox but he still rocks up here many Saturdays to play some Splatoon, Smash Bros, Nintendo Land, Wii Sports Club, Mario Kart et al. Daughter loves the Just Dance series (son joins in too) and also likes playing coop with me on Super Mario Galaxy, New Super Mario Bros (and U) and Rayman Legends. We all love the Zelda games also and most things Mario or Donkey Kong.

    Wii U consoles can still be a bit pricey even on eBay so maybe look at a "cheap as chips" Wii console and get some games for it. Otherwise the Wii U plays all the Wii games and uses the same Wii Remotes and nunchucks. Try to get a console with at least two Wii remotes/nunchuks thrown in (four remotes even better) as they can add up in price if you have to buy them separately.

    Here are some game ideas with the focus on family/all-ages and local multiplayer or cooperative modes. The Wii (not U) ones can be gotten quite cheaply ($5-20). Some Wii U games still more expensive (over $50) but bargains can be found and the "Select" series are about $30 each at ozgameshop.com. I've bolded my kid's top picks (was hard not to bold them all!):

    Wii

    • Donkey Kong Country Returns
    • Just Dance 1, 2, 3 & 4, 2014, 2015, 2016
    • Kororinpa (Ball Rolling Maze Game)
    • Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
    • Mario Kart Wii
    • New Super Mario Bros Wii
    • Pikmin 1&2
    • Rayman Origins
    • Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2
    • Super Paper Mario
    • Super Smash Bros
    • Wii Sports and Sports Resort

    Wii U

    • Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
    • Legend of Zelda - The Wind Waker HD
    • Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD
    • Mario Kart 8
    • Pikmin 3 (Dad loves this one)
    • Rayman Legends
    • Just Dance (Wii U versions)
    • New Super Mario Bros. U (and Luigi U)
    • Splatoon
    • Super Mario 3D World
    • Super Mario Maker
    • Yoshi's Woolly World
    • Nintendo Land
    • Wii Sports Club

    Hope that helps.

  • superseijin on 08/12/2016 - 07:33

    Some kids like swapping games. I would talk other parents that your kids play with and maybe get the same.

    If your kids like retro games, buy a retro-pi. There are so many kid-friendly games that will keep them entertained.

    Instead of thinking what console you should buy, think about what games you want to buy for your kids or what games your kids want to play. Which ever console supports the majority of the games that's the one you buy. I honestly believe the games make the console great not the other way around.

    Sincerely, a Sega Dreamcast fan boy.

  • punkindrublic on 08/12/2016 - 12:56

    Definitely get the Wii so your daughters can play with their friends. I became a loyal Nintendo fan after growing up with Sega (and hating Mario, DK and Samus Aran reflexively) because a group of friends all bought themselves N64s. I've moved on from Nintendo now but picked up a PS4 for the same reason I did as a teenager.

    It's also cheaper and with more family-friendly games (e.g. Wii Tennis, Mario Party) so you can't go wrong!

  • HeWhoKnows on 09/12/2016 - 20:42

    I think you answered your question already. No need to get confused by asking others. Everyone has their own reasons. Yours are quite valid!

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