I have a 4-year-old son

[aemonkristen]

I'm definitely going to get him a console in the next couple of months, but I'm having a hard time deciding which would be best for him. He loves playing fallout 3 and diablo on my pc whcih makes me lean toward the x box 360 elite, but he's 4 which makes me think of the wii just because it's designed for kids. I should mention that he loves to play raw vs. smackdown on a friends ps3. Which console would you recommend I buy for him?

[Krakalakachkn]

whichever you like the most  ;D

[aemonkristen]

Let me rephrase that.  ;D  I want an x box but I'm not sure if that would be best for my son. I really have no idea if x box makes a good amount of kids games or if they're mostly oriented toward the violent, limb exploding, bloody warmonger type of gamer such as myself.

[Krakalakachkn]

There's some for each, but Wii is definitely the most kid friendly.

 

There are plenty of fun games for Wii that grown-ups can enjoy: Super Smash Brawl, Mario Kart, Mario Strikers, Madhouse, Zelda: Twilight Princess, the new Super Mario Brothers, the Conduit, Resident Evil, Wii Sports, etc.  Check the Wii gamers thread to see more awesome games.

[aemonkristen]

Thanks. I'll check that out when I get a chance.

[Emperor]

This is a tough decision.

 

Xbox will have a better online experience.  Is this important to your son and you?  Also the Xbox WILL brick at some point.  I personally like my xbox more.... I am on my 4th one btw... because I like xbox live.

 

I also have a PS3.  Now if I were playing solo, this is the one I would prefer.  It has a blu ray... which is why I use it these days... and almost the same games the Xbox does.  

 

The Wii is not for hardcore gamers.  If you are having a party, then I would suggest it.  Krak is right... this is the one that will have games that kids should be playing.  The other two systems will have more adult games.  If I had kid this is the one i would allow him to play without me around.

[SinisterDeath]

Ps3 has more than just shooter games.

It DOES have kid-friendly games unlike the 360. :P

[aemonkristen]

Thanks for all the advice, guys. I appreciate the input. I'm now leaning more toward the wii (even though I want an xbox myself).  ;D

[Emperor]

Err.. Sinister... the xbox also has kid friendly games.  I have yet to see proof that the PS3 has more than the 360.  But both do not brand themselves as family friendly as the Wii does. 

 

 

[Verbal32]

He loves playing fallout 3

 

And you're worried about which system to buy that has kiddie games?  When he plays Fallout?!  :-\

 

But really, get the Wii if you really want it for kids - it has the most kid-friendly games of any console.

[Krakalakachkn]

He loves playing fallout 3

 

And you're worried about which system to buy that has kiddie games?  When he plays Fallout?!  :-\

 

But really, get the Wii if you really want it for kids - it has the most kid-friendly games of any console.

 

Yeah, now that I think about it, if your son is playing games like Fallout 3, RAW, and Diablo, there aren't much worse games he could play.  Sure, some like God of War have a little nudity, but great games like Halo 3, Modern Warfare, Dragon Age, Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect, etc. aren't any more graphic or violent than the games your son is already playing.

 

I enjoy my xbox 360 a whole lot more than my wii.  If your son enjoys the games you've said, I would suggest the xbox, there are lot more games like the ones he already plays (and more fun games) on the xbox

[Naeann]

Aren't fallout and diablo shoot em games too?

[SinisterDeath]

I also have a PS3.  Now if I were playing solo, this is the one I would prefer.  It has a blu ray... which is why I use it these days... and almost the same games the Xbox does.  

you haven't turned yours on in over 4 months... at least online.

every game thats multi-plat, they obviously share.

 

heres the difference.

360's 'exclusives' you can also buy on the PC. so if you got one of those, thats one way to get the same 'games', but seperate the more 'violent ones' to a medium the kid can't use.

 

but, can almost gaurntee you, that all the 360 exclusives are violent shooters.

PS3 exclusives actually have more RPG's and other type games in the mix.

seriously, PC+Ps3 = more total games than PC+360. :P

 

The Wii is not for hardcore gamers.  If you are having a party, then I would suggest it.  Krak is right... this is the one that will have games that kids should be playing.  The other two systems will have more adult games.  If I had kid this is the one i would allow him to play without me around.

 

no doubt, I didn't even know a 4 year old could even PLAY fallout 3.

wii is definately more party based, so if you ever have your 'kids' friends come over, its perfect. But your not likely to see very may 'hit' tittles on the Wii. This year, ps3/360 had the most 'hit' titles, and the wii was voted as the console with the most vaporware. And even there 'best' games is kid friendly... you know unless they added exploding heads and sex to mario...

 

oh, and before I forget.

Ps3 has Little Big Planet.

what can 360 or wii beat that on for kid games? :P

 

As well as ratchet and clank, which you might actually play and not groan while you play the other 'children games' with your kids. ;)

[SinisterDeath]

Aren't fallout and diablo shoot em games too?

 

fallout 3 = semi-fps/tps shooter, and it has extreme gore, in the aspect that peoples heads explode, and eyeballs fly at you. not as extreme as deadspace though.

 

diablo was 'gorey' back in the day but really its just blood splatter, and its point and click sword & sorcery.

 

unless he's got diablo 3.

then i need to go to his house, and steal his copy of D3, and crash his car into a tree, and smash the windshield with a golf club to distract the police.

[aemonkristen]

They certainly are. The point is that I was thinking of weening off the violent games that daddy play and get him into the less complicated games of kids. He does play fallout 3 but generaly just shoots the rocks, the sky, the sun. Stuff like that. I keep telling him not to waste the ammo, but...What can you do? Now that I think of it, he really only plays those games because I play them. Hmmmm. Must deliberate on the proper course to follow here. Do I give up my games to play an infinity of Mario games or do I teach my son the fine art of sniping people in the head? Decisions, decisions!

[SinisterDeath]

They certainly are. The point is that I was thinking of weening off the violent games that daddy play and get him into the less complicated games of kids. He does play fallout 3 but generaly just shoots the rocks, the sky, the sun. Stuff like that. I keep telling him not to waste the ammo, but...What can you do? Now that I think of it, he really only plays those games because I play them. Hmmmm. Must deliberate on the proper course to follow here. Do I give up my games to play an infinity of Mario games or do I teach my son the fine art of sniping people in the head? Decisions, decisions!

 

You could get him, Mario Warfare: Marauding Mushrooms :P

[aemonkristen]

Does it have the appropriate level of violence to keep me entertained while not corrupting (too badly) the child's sense of right and wrong?