With the announcement of the 2DS, Nintendo has put themselves squarely in the running for the top of kids’ wishlists this holiday season. Many parents may be considering a next gen console for their family, but younger children often struggle to grasp the controllers and the concepts behind the more advanced consoles.
LeapFrog has long had the most market in portable gaming for very young kids, but as more and more parents have tablets and smartphones with games, children are learning the ropes with those devices.
Now that 2DS has entered the running for the seven and under gaming market – which handheld entertainment option is right for your family?
Nintendo 2DS
Announced today, Nintendo’s 2DS is not only friendly for children, but it’s also friendly on parents’ wallets. With an entry price of $129.99, it competes wholeheartedly with gaming devices such as tablets (anywhere from $400 and up), LeapFrog ($69.99 and up), and even the Vita ($199 and up). Sure, the price is in the higher range, but with good reason.
The Nintendo 2DS has a surplus of games (over 2,000) available to play on release. All DS and 3DS games are playable on the 2DS, which means that you won’t have to buy any duplicates.
This system will release October 12, 2013 in the USA.
Tablets
Most of these tablets you’ve seen before–Samsung, Apple, Acer, Kindle, Nook–and you know how expensive they are. iPads can range from $500-$1000 and up very easily. These devices are great for not only gaming, but for apps that are more educationally focused as well; and as we all know, the App Store is nearly endless.
However, there are some serious downfalls to giving tablets to kids, much less buying them their own. Tablets are extremely breakable, and it’s not like replacing them is cheap. Also, many parents may be all too aware of the dangers of letting a child roam free around the App Store.
We definitely recommend purchasing one of the gaming systems geared towards younger kids, but if your heart is set on a tablet, we recommend a cheaper, refurbished tablet.
LeapFrog LeapsterGS Explorer
The LeapsterGS is an excellent option for younger kids, but there’s a big catch: the number of games is insanely limited, and none of them are the big titles that most of their friends are going to be playing.
However, this console is by far the most affordable at $59.99, and the games come in at ridiculously low prices, starting at $5 and going from there. These games must be downloaded on your PC after registering your product, and then transferred over to the Explorer using the provided USB cable. By using your PC, you can keep track of what your kid is doing on the Explorer and gives you insight in to their learning progress.
This system runs on external batteries, which means unlike its counterparts, there’s no internal battery that can be charged by plugging it in to the wall. So get ready to spend a lot of money on triple A’s.
Playstation Vita
Last, but definitely not least, the PS Vita. This handheld system from Sony competes directly with Nintendo, and thus will feature some of the titles seen on 2DS will also be featured on the Vita. For $199, you’ll get many of the same features of the 2DS including multiplayer, WiFi, etc–but what’s the real difference?
Some consider the Vita to be a true portable console, where the 2DS is more casual and easier to pick up/put down. The Vita’s analog sticks can limit movement and is located pretty closely to the other buttons–which may not be a huge deal to small children with small fingers, but as they grow it can become a pain.
Both consoles, the Vita and the 2DS, have promising libraries on the horizon.
So… which do we choose?
Your choice should come from the need you’re trying to fulfill.
For younger kids who may not need the extra distraction of a wider variety of games or need a boost in school, I’d go for the LeapFrog. The educational value behind the Explorer cannot be overstated. The price point is great, and it’s an excellent choice for younger kids.
For kids who may have a lot of free time, but get decent grades or aren’t having trouble in any educational sense, it may be a good idea to grab the 2DS or the Vita–both are hardy and can be lugged around in a backpack, and it also allows kids to play with their friends, with very little parental supervision.
If you’re feeling particularly extravagant, a tablet is a choice that has one unique feature–your kids can grow into it and all the apps it has to offer while still surfing the web or doing homework. The price is… well, very high, but refurbished tablets can be a great investment that your kid, if they’re careful, can enjoy for years.
Which ever you choose, holidays this year will be an interesting gift-giving season. All of these items make for perfect stocking stuffers, as do all of the items you can purchase for them make it easy to coordinate family members around one big gift!
