Advice needed on what console to buy

[Sherbang]

So I know very little about gaming and gaming consoles - total newbie (and not that interested for myself, tbh).
However, I would like to buy a console for my SO and her daughter who is now 18 months, and her various cousins ranging in age to around 8 or 9 years old. So I guess I'm looking for a family friendly console that can be used by both kids and adults, but especially kids and that will be in use for at least the next 2 years!

I narrowed it down to the Wii or Xbox with Kinect.
As far as I can tell:
Wii has been a kids console for a long time and so has a lot of kid friendly games, including games for very young kids, while the xbox is still catching up in this regard? Also the Wii is a lot cheaper, though I see you have to buy extra things, so maybe it's not that much cheaper in the end?
Don't know much about the xbox - we were pretty much set on getting a Wii when someone told us we were crazy and should be getting an xbox with Kinect instead, so now we're just confused!

Factors are kid friendly, cost effective, easy to use and easy to get games.

Any opinions/advice?

TIA!

 

[Randux]

Xbox for obvious reasons, it caters for kids, preteens, teens and adults. Remember the 8, 9 year olds are growing. Xbox is a better investment

 

[RiaX]

I was going to say ps3 as it is a more rounded device but since you ruled it out I would recommend a xbox.

The Wii is too old and its successor is going to launch soon

 

[Chevron]

I'd also say PS3. Has all those Lego games and PS Move and will grow with them.

Never mind the fact you get a bluray player too.

 

[DominionZA]

XBox + Kinect cannot be beaten. Unlike the other consoles, nothing to throw at the TV.

 

[lexor]

I have a Wii , Xbox & PS3 (mostly for my son (8y) and his friends).

Wii : Has the largest range of games for children aged 2-5. Very interactive - the kids love it.They are anyway to small to give a darn about graphics .

PS3 : Just gathering dust since I got the Xbox360.

Xbox360 : The best console for the older kids.Great graphics.Not that many games for small kids compared to the Wii.

I'll go for the Xbox .

 

[bokka1]

My daughter of 7 has her own Xbox (Nobody is touching mine) and she loves it.

Rayman Origins have 4 player couch co-op and we have hours of fun.

 

[wishblade]

Fact is, for kids of that age, the games you get on either the XBox or PS3 are going to be roughly the same.And as mentioned, kids aren't concerned about the differences in the graphics, etc. For the next 2 years, well te same factors will roughly still apply, given the kids age.

@OP, I take it your SO is not hectic into gaming? If she is, then I guess its up to her which console to get

But really, the difference in XBox and PS3 at that level are insignificant. I'd stay away from the Wii, for reasons already mentioned. If you are dead sure on ruling out the PS3, then go for the XBox with Kinect, otherwise look at the PS3 with PSMove. The XBox will cost less initially than the PS3, which is why I presume you are looking at it rather than the PS3. On the other hand: if you don't already have a blue ray player, you would get that with the PS3, which I think easily justifies the slightly higher price tag.

But in terms of your factors:
your kids will be bored of the Wii in a few weeks. XBox/PS3 scales nicely as they grow, and has a large collection of kid based games.
Aside from the initial cost, I think all the games roughly retail for the same price, with the exception of the Wii in which games are slightly lower in cost than those of the XBox/PS3. Although keep in mind that buying games online through the XBox/PS3 store is different, and have their own advantages and disadvantages. There's plenty of games that you can purchase online for the little ones that you won't find on the shelf of a brick and mortar store.
And all consoles are relatively easy to use, once you've spent some time with them. Once you buy it and have it going, there will be a couple of learning steps, but everyone gets the hang of things pretty quickly, regardless of what console it is.

 

[MR.C]

I'd also say PS3. Has all those Lego games and PS Move and will grow with them.

Never mind the fact you get a bluray player too.

And media server and free online gaming.

Can't understand why you ruled out the most practical console. You might think its too advanced for kids ? They are kids, they will teach you about it soon

 

[KleinBoontjie]

My opinion (looking at the age group), buy a second hand Wii. (/maybe one thats modded /wink wink)

 

[Sherbang]

Thanks for the advice everyone, lots of pros and cons to all 3 systems.

I didn't leave out the PS3 for any reason other than that 3 choices was more confusing to me than 2 and I was confused enough already!

I think, after reading everyone's advice that I'll research the PS3 a bit more and see if I can maybe try them all out somewhere.

I'm also assuming/hoping there will be some good christmas deals on the consoles in the next month or two too, so I'll wait a bit before deciding. Might get a second hand Wii cheap, in the meantime, as beans100 suggested, and upgrade at a later point, when SO's daughter is a year or two older.

I think I must also ascertain who the console is for exactly - SO says it's for daughter but I suspect it's actually for SO and her friends so an xbox / ps3 would probably be more appropriate if that's the case! Who knows, I might end up getting into it too! For some reason I thought the Wii was primarily aimed at children, while the xbox/ps was aimed at teens and adults but I see now that that's a bit of a simplistic way of looking at it.

 

[DominionZA]

My kids are 8, 15 and 16. All of them play XBox online with friends etc... Only my son (the 8 year old) enjoys the single player stuff.
4 XBoxes dotted around the house and all get used. The only one that does not play is my wife.

My son has had an XBox in his room since he was 4. Plenty of kiddies games to play, and evolved as he got older.

I myself play XBox and have a gaming room dedicated to this task You never too old (me = 41).

Had 2 PS3's. Gathered dust so let them go. Nuff said.

 

[Chevron]

Thanks for the advice everyone, lots of pros and cons to all 3 systems.

I didn't leave out the PS3 for any reason other than that 3 choices was more confusing to me than 2 and I was confused enough already!

I think, after reading everyone's advice that I'll research the PS3 a bit more and see if I can maybe try them all out somewhere.

I'm also assuming/hoping there will be some good christmas deals on the consoles in the next month or two too, so I'll wait a bit before deciding. Might get a second hand Wii cheap, in the meantime, as beans100 suggested, and upgrade at a later point, when SO's daughter is a year or two older.

I think I must also ascertain who the console is for exactly - SO says it's for daughter but I suspect it's actually for SO and her friends so an xbox / ps3 would probably be more appropriate if that's the case! Who knows, I might end up getting into it too! For some reason I thought the Wii was primarily aimed at children, while the xbox/ps was aimed at teens and adults but I see now that that's a bit of a simplistic way of looking at it.

Definitely get Uncharted for yourself on PS3.

 

[Wasp_21]

Thanks for the advice everyone, lots of pros and cons to all 3 systems.

I didn't leave out the PS3 for any reason other than that 3 choices was more confusing to me than 2 and I was confused enough already!

I think, after reading everyone's advice that I'll research the PS3 a bit more and see if I can maybe try them all out somewhere.

I'm also assuming/hoping there will be some good christmas deals on the consoles in the next month or two too, so I'll wait a bit before deciding. Might get a second hand Wii cheap, in the meantime, as beans100 suggested, and upgrade at a later point, when SO's daughter is a year or two older.

I think I must also ascertain who the console is for exactly - SO says it's for daughter but I suspect it's actually for SO and her friends so an xbox / ps3 would probably be more appropriate if that's the case! Who knows, I might end up getting into it too! For some reason I thought the Wii was primarily aimed at children, while the xbox/ps was aimed at teens and adults but I see now that that's a bit of a simplistic way of looking at it.

I have the PS3, (self admitted Fanboi), and have the move setup as well. Just spent R400 on Move games for her, and she has zero interest in holding the controller, because she has played an xbox with kinect, which doesn't have controllers. She is 5 in a few months time. For me, the Xbox is a better buy for the kids (well Kinect i mean). And lets face it, future wise, everything is going to be touch/gesture controlled going forward, so why should they learn with a controller?

 

[DominionZA]

I have the PS3, (self admitted Fanboi), and have the move setup as well. Just spent R400 on Move games for her, and she has zero interest in holding the controller, because she has played an xbox with kinect, which doesn't have controllers. She is 5 in a few months time. For me, the Xbox is a better buy for the kids (well Kinect i mean). And lets face it, future wise, everything is going to be touch/gesture controlled going forward, so why should they learn with a controller?

For us adults too. But damn do you need energy.
We have about 6 kinect games or something. The kids rope me in every now and again to play and it fsks me right up.

But ye... Kinect a big hit with the kids. Especially when their mates come around. They all choose to play Kinect.

 

[Techgeek]

I mostly use PS3 but between Xbox and Wii, I would go for the Xbox.