Which gaming system...

[RareBreed]

should Santa bring my family this Christmas? My oldest son has wanted a video game system for years and this year is the year we're seriously considering getting one for our "whole" family. However, with so many systems out on the market, I have no clue which one to get.

I would like one that will grow with my kids (won't be completely out of date in 1-2 yrs), is worth the money spent on it, and is entertaining for the entire family.

Please let me know your thoughts and why you choose the one you did. Wait for the poll!!

 

[smdavis65]

should Santa bring my family this Christmas? My oldest son has wanted a video game system for years and this year is the year we're seriously considering getting one for our "whole" family. However, with so many systems out on the market, I have no clue which one to get.

I would like one that will grow with my kids (won't be completely out of date in 1-2 yrs), is worth the money spent on it, and is entertaining for the entire family.

Please let me know your thoughts and why you choose the one you did. Wait for the poll!!

My kids and I love playing the Wii!

 

[glhs837]

I'm a bit biased for the PS3, I'll admit. But heres why. It plays almost every disc based media there is including Blu-Ray, so you can toss your DVD player to another room and its ready for hi-def movies when you get an HDTV if you dont have one already. It's games library has gotten large enough to be respectable, and theres tons of downloadable small and large games from the Playstation Network. I know I never lack for good stuff to play, and neither do the kids. My daughter wasnt to into ti, preferring the Wii, but with the release of Little Big Planet, shes loves it.

Controllers come with built in rechargeable batteries and use a standard usb plug to charge from. I charge mine from the PS3 itself, but you could easily plug then into andy four port USB hub. Its also a media hub, uses DLN fro Windows, so any computer in the house can feed it media to play back.

It comes with a big hard drive (80 gig is the norm now, I think), and if more space is needed, a much larger unit can easily be swapped in, up to 250 gig, and it uses any 2.5 inch SATA hard drive, nothing proprietary needed.

Lastly, when its not busy doing something else, it can help find cures for serious illnesses, through the Folding @ Home program. ITs one of the worlds largest distributed computing projects in the world, and runs simulations of protiens folding, or developing. Since proteins are natures building blocks, knowing how they fold can be crucial to understanding how natures building can go wrong, and make it right. And the PS3 is like an idiot savant for these types of calculations.

 

[Mousebaby]

My son has a collection of systems, Playstation 2, Gamecube, Nintendo 64 (I shiat you not!), and the Wii. So Santa is bringing him the Xbox 360 this year. I only hope he doesn't ask for the Playstation 3 next year!

 

[RareBreed]

I'm a bit biased for the PS3, I'll admit. But heres why. It plays almost every disc based media there is including Blu-Ray, so you can toss your DVD player to another room and its ready for hi-def movies when you get an HDTV if you dont have one already. It's games library has gotten large enough to be respectable, and theres tons of downloadable small and large games from the Playstation Network. I know I never lack for good stuff to play, and neither do the kids. My daughter wasnt to into ti, preferring the Wii, but with the release of Little Big Planet, shes loves it.

Controllers come with built in rechargeable batteries and use a standard usb plug to charge from. I charge mine from the PS3 itself, but you could easily plug then into andy four port USB hub. Its also a media hub, uses DLN fro Windows, so any computer in the house can feed it media to play back.

It comes with a big hard drive (80 gig is the norm now, I think), and if more space is needed, a much larger unit can easily be swapped in, up to 250 gig, and it uses any 2.5 inch SATA hard drive, nothing proprietary needed.

Lastly, when its not busy doing something else, it can help find cures for serious illnesses, through the Folding @ Home program. ITs one of the worlds largest distributed computing projects in the world, and runs simulations of protiens folding, or developing. Since proteins are natures building blocks, knowing how they fold can be crucial to understanding how natures building can go wrong, and make it right. And the PS3 is like an idiot savant for these types of calculations.

Wow! Thanks for the info. I will definately keep this in mind when deciding. The last game system I played was Atari so I am really behind in the times as far as video games.

 

[WidowLady06]

should Santa bring my family this Christmas? My oldest son has wanted a video game system for years and this year is the year we're seriously considering getting one for our "whole" family. However, with so many systems out on the market, I have no clue which one to get.

I would like one that will grow with my kids (won't be completely out of date in 1-2 yrs), is worth the money spent on it, and is entertaining for the entire family.

Please let me know your thoughts and why you choose the one you did. Wait for the poll!!

I was wondering the same thing, but I had a loooooong talk with cgwife about it last night. They have every single system, but the only one that isn't collecting dust is the Wii. Bonus for the Wii - on rainy/snowy days, when the trolls play they're still working up a sweat and staying active as opposed to being couch potatoes. More younger kid friendly games on the Wii, too. She convinced me....ask her if you have any more questions, I'm sure she'd love to tell you about it.

 

[RareBreed]

I was wondering the same thing, but I had a loooooong talk with cgwife about it last night. They have every single system, but the only one that isn't collecting dust is the Wii. Bonus for the Wii - on rainy/snowy days, when the trolls play they're still working up a sweat and staying active as opposed to being couch potatoes. More younger kid friendly games on the Wii, too. She convinced me....ask her if you have any more questions, I'm sure she'd love to tell you about it.

Yes, the fact that they have to actively participate for the Wii games is one of the reasons I added it to the list of possible ones. I will PM her if I have any questions. Thanks.

 

[RareBreed]

My son has a collection of systems, Playstation 2, Gamecube, Nintendo 64 (I shiat you not!), and the Wii. So Santa is bringing him the Xbox 360 this year. I only hope he doesn't ask for the Playstation 3 next year!

There's no WAY!! my kids would ever rake up a collection like that. This is way I am trying to get the best system for the money. They probably won't ever get another one or not for another 10yrs when they can buy it themselves!!

 

[Mousebaby]

Yes, the fact that they have to actively participate for the Wii games is one of the reasons I added it to the list of possible ones. I will PM her if I have any questions. Thanks.

I thought that too when I bought it, a lot of my son's games he is just sitting there moving the controller. Kinda pissed me off, cause that was the main reason I bought it! Some of the games they have are active one's but they don't play those as much.

 

[aps45819]

I'm a bit biased for the PS3, I'll admit. But heres why. It plays almost every disc based media there is including Blu-Ray, so you can toss your DVD player to another room and its ready for hi-def movies when you get an HDTV if you dont have one already..

That's the BIG one.
Blue Ray has become the standard for HiDef DVDs.

For about $100 more than a Blue Ray player, you get a game system and a DVD player that will work for years to come.

 

[Mousebaby]

There's no WAY!! my kids would ever rake up a collection like that. This is way I am trying to get the best system for the money. They probably won't ever get another one or not for another 10yrs when they can buy it themselves!!

My son is 16 he has collected these through the years. If they didn't get used I would be pissed, but they do, my youngest one plays the gamecube and the Nintendo 64 the most.

 

[RareBreed]

I thought that too when I bought it, a lot of my son's games he is just sitting there moving the controller. Kinda pissed me off, cause that was the main reason I bought it! Some of the games they have are active one's but they don't play those as much.

I'm not so worried about them becoming couch potatoes. They have strict time limits with the one computer game they share. They don't like being inside anyways. They've been outside in an ice storm before riding their bikes or playing in the woods.

 

[Mousebaby]

I'm not so worried about them becoming couch potatoes. They have strict time limits with the one computer game they share. They don't like being inside anyways. They've been outside in an ice storm before riding their bikes or playing in the woods.

My kids play outstide all the time. They were all playing football in the rain yesterday. Of course I was oblivious to it because I was at the Doctor's office. Got home to 3 soaked kids.

 

[lbreder]

I got my kids the wii this year for Christmas. I think the family can more involved with it. But, shouldnt you decide on something quickly??? They are going to become REALLY hard to find soon. Good luck and hope the family has fun playing together and not just the kids!

 

[glhs837]

Yeah, part of the choice is going to be driven by what kinds of games your kids want to play, and their ages. The Wii does have some great games, I love Mario Kart, and Super Smash Bros.

One thing I'm glad of, even with all the entertainment we do have available, the kids read like theres no tommorow, will even spend allowance on books, and do get out and play.

 

[RareBreed]

I got my kids the wii this year for Christmas. I think the family can more involved with it. But, shouldnt you decide on something quickly??? They are going to become REALLY hard to find soon. Good luck and hope the family has fun playing together and not just the kids!

I know. I know.

 

[lbreder]

I know. I know.

Just keep your eyes open! Im excited about playing the wii with the kids and hubby. I have to work Christmas but when I get home they will open and we will play til all hours of the night

 

[RareBreed]

My kids play outstide all the time. They were all playing football in the rain yesterday. Of course I was oblivious to it because I was at the Doctor's office. Got home to 3 soaked kids.

When my oldest got home from school, he grabbed his little brother and said, "lets work on our fort". Atleast when they are in the woods, I don't have to be outside watching them, getting wet myself.

 

[warneckutz]

I have a 360 and a Wii. I'm in the market for a PS3 eventually (especially if there's a price break soon).

*I* would go with a 360 since they seem to put out better games.

Everyone rants and raves about the power of a PS3 but when a game comes out on both the 360 and PS3 - the PS3 seems to have a few shortcomings (especially in graphics for some reason).

With how fragile these systems are (I'm on my 3rd 360 since they had their chip issue), I'm not too fond of using it as a movie machine especially since Blu-Ray players have come down in price.

Some people push the fact that games load faster on the PS3 because it stores more data to the hard drive but the 360 will begin doing the same thing when they update the systems (on-line) around mid-November.


My $.02 ;-)

 

[RareBreed]

Yeah, part of the choice is going to be driven by what kinds of games your kids want to play, and their ages. The Wii does have some great games, I love Mario Kart, and Super Smash Bros.

One thing I'm glad of, even with all the entertainment we do have available, the kids read like theres no tommorow, will even spend allowance on books, and do get out and play.

Oldest will be 8 in January and youngest is 4 (5 in April). Right now they like anything with car racing or in their cases, crashing. I got them GTR for the computer and they love it. Youngest saw a video game with monster trucks and said he had to have it. The sitter's son has a XBOX 360 that has a game with cars, motorcyles and monster trucks that they will play if my older son has to be there during the day because school is out.