Ok, time has almost come to retire the Wii, and whilst my son wants the Wii U (so he can play Mario Kart etc), I'm not convinced
I've looked at a couple of comparison, and this one sums up the specs versus the 3 pretty well here
So, what's everyone's thoughts on what I should get my son for Xmas ?
Like a 3DS or Vita?
Thar be dragons outdoors.
Gotta keep the little darlings inside and away from predators. Don't forget the vitamin D supplements.
If there were any games for it that were any good, then I'd agree with you immensely. Alas, the kinect is still merely a tool to roleplay Minority Report. Maybe the Kinect-Exclusive developers Rareware of Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts fame will save the kinect's game catalog (Insert gratuitous amounts of canned laughter)
a tool to roleplay Minority Report
You mean Tom Cruise(?)
I am not sure why u r getting down voted. But my kids love Kinect and xbox 360. Sure xbox one has better kinect. There are few kids games on kinect and also Skylanders and infinity if kids wants to play with remote.
I believe he's getting downvoted for the random link to a Razor scooter in a topic about da vidyagaems.
My favourite Kinect game is Milo. Oh wait.
O well. Few fellow members are not happy with my comments either :)
PS3. Massive library and games are cheap as not. Also a massive step up from WiiU.
lol, don't be so negative ladies. My auto correct decided I meant WiiU as I have typed it a lot. I meant massive step up from Wii
/edit/ bad autocorrect, done it again, WII!
HAHAHA. Wow. You really took a beatdown with your statement :-P
I do agree with what you were trying to say. PS3 is super cheap and a massive library of great games to boot. Add PS+ and your winning!!
Don't get a console because of the specs. Get it for the games. If your son wants Mario Kart, see what games on the Wii U appeal to you so that when he's not playing and you have some spare time, you can play as well (if you don't like Mario Kart that is).
Yes. I don't even know why a tech comparison table exists for game consoles. Comparing RAM is useless.
Comparing RAM is useless.
But then how will people know how many games they can play at the same time?
Checkmate atheists
If he likes the Nintendo games, the Wii U would be the best bet in my opinion. Plus it should be a bit cheaper. Between the other two, there's not much difference.
But if you go Xbone or PS4, make sure you find out if any of his friends has either one, then go for the same one. Leaves the option of online play available. =D
Don't forget to consider PC also. If you have a PC it may already be fairly capable game wise. I don't know when kids start needing PCs for homework either, but if you get one, you could spend a few hundred extra and it will outperform anything current gen.
Agreed. Find out what his friends have from their parents and then get the most popular one. That way he can play online with his friends.
Wii U is cheaper up front but more expensive long term as it has region locking whereas the other two don't. Makes buying games much more expensive for the Wii U
not really ozgameshop, uk amazon, zavvi, dick smith, fishpond, mightyape, videoezy all cheap wii u game prices
Brand new Wii U games have pretty much all launched at $59, I don't get where region locking is making it more expensive. I wish it wasn't region locked, however, its region locking doesn't impact the price we pay for games as they are cheaper then ever at launch these days.
You may be forgetting that the Wii-U is now the only next gen console that doesn't have a subscription for their online service.
why is Agret getting negged? He is spot on.. nintendo games cost more and generally dont go down in price. You can buy AAA ps3 games like Uncharted 3 for $10 now… at target Zelda TP, Mario Galaxy, Mario Kart are $40 at least? Those games came out years ago.
Totally correct. I often buy first party Nintendo games when I do find them cheap as their value never seem to drop below $40.
I'm kicking myself that I didn't get a Wii-U a few months ago when when they were under $200… They are floating around the $400 mark now. I've been doing the sharehouse thing for about 10 years and Mario Kart is the one game that no one ever gets bored of.
And the Wii-U will play all your old Wii games. For $200 I'd buy the Wii-U in a heartbeat but not for $400 because 3rd parties have all but given up on it atm. Might drop in price once Super Smash Bros comes out….
My house is truly bored of Mario Kart long ago. The kids lasted about a week longer than the wife and I but that was not much more than a month. Thankfully we didn't get to see the Mercedes DLC.
Not sure why I'm getting negged for sharing my own user experience with the WiiU. I probably have bought more games and peripherals for the thing than any of those who negged as well.
My kids still love the 3DS Mario Kart, they just got bored with the WiiU one very quickly. Neither are they asking for any new WiiU only games. They want Disney Infinity, Minecraft, Skylanders etc.
People saw your top one, and went through and negged all your comments out of spite, I believe.
Most likely, anyway my vote is a PS3 for a 7yo. Excellent console that they can both play together, massive library of cheap games and will be supported for ages to come.
@Where's_That_Cake: I too, see the value in a PS3 for a 7 year old. The games catalog is there, and many titles can be bought cheaper.
However, I am answering OP's question as to which of those three he should buy, and it's definitely the Wii-U. Games, quality and fun on the Wii-U are currently unmatched. I will be pro-PS4 in the future….. In the future. Not now.
The time will come when I will take up my sword but for now that dragon sleeps.
It's because Nintendo fanboys can't accept Mario Kart 8 doesn't have staying power for everyone.
I'm 19 and I'm never gonna get bored of Mario Kart :)
mario kart DS is one of my fave mario karts. I also got bored of MK 8… there really isnt much to it. Just the GP races and then online… They could have tried harder with it.
tough crowd….
Neckbeards feel empowered behind a screen on the internet. Causes them to act in unpredictable ways.
@Davo93: Is it justified if I act the same way in real life?
ALSO, I'll have you know that my neck is thoroughly unshaven, thankyou very much :3
ALSO, I'll have you know that my neck is thoroughly unshaven…
Ok, so you do indeed agree that you have considerable neck plumage… ;)
@StewBalls: D: Gasp! I meant to say shaven! SHAVEN!
It must be my inner neckbeard, trying to get out.
Same with me… It would be great for parties!
Xbox One or PS4, nintendo used to be a solid buy but who knows what's going on with then, 3rd party have all given up.
If you've had a wii for so long than you'd be better of with the
New gen as you could keep them for years to come.
I can't wait to play all of the no games that are on the next gen consoles.
Keep in mind that pretty much all the Wii games and accessories are compatible with the Wii U. If you've already got Wiimotes, Nunchucks and Classic Controllers they can all be reused. Old Wii games can still be played as well if he has any favorites.
From a games point of view there's no doubt there'll be a more limited selection available in future compared to PS4 or Xbone. So it comes down to whether those upcoming games on Wii U plus the existing library would be sufficient or if there are more games on the other platforms of interest. For a 7yo I'd imagine the Wii U offering would be a winner (for a teenager on the other hand, probably not).
As others have said, given there were sub-$200 Wii U's available at mid-year, the current price is a little steep. No doubt new bundles will arrive for Christmas though.
Don't succumb to the temptation of becoming a spec whore. 7 year olds care not and Nintendo will have the best line up for someone your son's age for a few years yet. They may not have the quantity, but there are some pretty great games for that age bracket. If you want another console for you, buy that as well.
My 7yo is much more into Minecraft than Mario and I think a lot of kids nowadays will be the same. It's also giving their minds a work out rather than mindless Mario.
Wow, 5 negs for saying my kid prefers Minecraft. Perhaps there's fanbois among us?
Not likely. I got negged below just for saying I was going to buy both versions of Super Smash. Unless that's really a terrible crime and nobody informed me?
I negged you because I'm mindless and since there were so many people negging you I did the same!
The way you word sentences is pretty careless. Id review how other people read your content before you post.
Does he have lots of friends? What do they have?
PS4 and X1 have pretty average libraries at the moment. I'd say keep an eye out for Wii U bundles towards the end of the year and grab one of those.
Are you going to get him Sunset Overdrive? If no: Don't get an Xbox One this year.
Are you going to get him Infamous? If no: Don't get a PS4 this year.
There's your only two exclusives. Get him Mariokart, Smash Brothers 4, Splatoon, Zelda Hyrule Warriors, Mario 3DWorld and Nintendoland (And Wonderful 101!) to name a few. And probably don't get him Bayonetta 1 and 2.
My son is 7 and plays the 360,ps3,wii equally, he loves the Lego games which you can buy for all consoles. For his age I'd probably buy a ps3 or 360 to add to your collection instead of going out to buy an expensive new one which will cost more to stock up on games. It all comes down to what you want really! I'm sure any 7 year old would love a new console…I'm not sure if they are old enough go reap the benefits of having the newest model but that's just my 2 cents :)
Seriously, I'd say buy him a PC and not a pre-built but the parts and make it an activity to build it with him. Show him the parts, what they do and how they work together then buy games for that. It'd be cheaper in the long run and you might instil the bargaining trait into him as finding PC games is somewhat a bit of a task but with patience can really come through.
Best suggestion in here by a million miles.
Also, finding better value & cheaper games isn't difficult, it's the standard pricing. Because you don't pay potato prices for potato quality versions of the same game anyway.
Install steam. Profit. Win.
Nah do that in a couple of years. He will get a better experience when he is a bit older with building a PC…
It is a great idea but I doubt a 7 year old would be able to focus enough to build a PC..
A 7yr old would have to be sedated or something, not to be able to handle turning in a few screws and clipping stuff into a motherboard. My 4yr old helped me build her first bike and that's a heap more complicated than clipping a few PC components together. Building a PC takes less time than clipping together your average lego set.
lol hand most 7 year olds a screwdriver and an open pc box and I very much doubt you've have a gaming machine at the end of it.
If they were interested, they'd probably want to take everything apart. More likely, they'd be saying "I'm bored. When can we play?".
finding PC games is somewhat a bit of a task but with patience can really come through.
Waiting for Humble Bundles and Steam sales isn't that hard.
I just meant being patient. It's not difficult at all.
id prefer my kid (if i had one) to play on consoles over PCs. You wuoldnt really want your kid hunched over a PC playing by himself or online games. At least with a console he can play with your family and mates with them there.
Buy your son another Wii and paint a U on it, he won't know the difference
Then get him a white Android tablet for $99 or cheaper and say it's a Wii-U gamepad! The OzBargain experience!
Smash Bro's soon. (actually its this weekend on the 3DS).
Many games coming out for the Wii U, a little hacky slashy, but, not blood and gore in every direction.
Also, buying him minecraft on the PC wouldn't be a bad idea either assuming his allowed to use your home computer.
Wii U + PC access is a great combination atm.
I am so mad at Nintendo for making the Smash Brothers releases so seperated from each other that I'm going to buy BOTH versions just to spite them!
W-wait…
But you get a free soundtrack CD by buying both!
I know right! Frank we should band together and buy both out of anger!
….hold on, something isn't right….
Yes. Something s definitely amiss. Maybe we will find out what it is if we each buy 2 copies of both versions!
Apparently it's because it takes longer to develop for Wii U. I say it's because everyone who wants Smash Bros will buy it on 3DS just because it's Smash Bros Then everyone will have to upgrade when the Wii U version comes out. Whereas if they released both at the same time I think majority of people would only buy one version.
Get him a kite and go fly together
Seven years old mate, he wants to hold the screen not a boring controller :D
WiiU is where its at.
Should have thought about it earlier… when they had the Wii U sales, would have been a cheap xmas present buying him a Wii U Basic Bundle for $179.
Get a WiiU now because that's what he wants. MarioKart 8 is a great game to play with friends too. While I got mine for under $200 I think it's worth $299 if you can find it at that price. The WiiU has good parental control too and there won't be so much temptation to play 15+ games as they are far fewer on the WiiU. That said it's also a fun console for adults to play too if you are not a serious gamer.
In three years when he's over 10 you'll be able to pick up a PS4 or Xbox One for much half today's price and they will have a great selection of games in the bargain bins.
Kids don't care about specs or screen resolution either. My nine year old still happily plays Wii games which I find hard to play as they are so pixelated. Gameplay and fun is all that matters with kids and the WiiU ticks those boxes and is that best value. The WiiU however is 1080p and beautiful to play on an HD TV as long as you are playing a WiiU game on it and not a Wii game, but again kids don't care.
Also don't underestimate the convenience of having the WiiU gamepad and being able to play games on it without the TV. My son plays Mario Kart 8 or Zelda Windwaker on the gamepad alone most of the time. Only when friends are around does he use the TV. It's like having a console and a handheld gamepad in one. Even I use it this way while my wife watches TV.
Plus the convenience of the Wii-U being that a single-TV family doesn't mean no console gaming whilst Mommy's Soaps are on. 90% of games either have a quick button (usually minus) or an option in settings to play the entire thing on the Gamepad. As a kid who grew up with being kicked off the TV every time the news/the Biggest Loser was on (Yes, my childhood sucked), I have needed this function for 20 years.
Now that I have it, I'm an adult and don't have to share the TV with anyone. Sadface :(
ps4
PS4 - he will eventually want to play real games
real gamers don't discriminate between consoles.
Which is a fair point, because the PS4 and Xbone aren't a games console, they're a media PC with no PC inside.
Don't even care about the negs!
(I care immensely)
I got the Xbone because I loved the wii and wanted to upgrade to the best motion detection for fun (as opposed to serious) gaming.
Yeah, they want to do everything, but I didn't buy it for anything but gaming (with the Kinect) and haven't used it for anything else.
That's because their using a PC.
7 years old? He doesn't need the best graphics. Get a PS3, cheap console with hundreds of quality games for under $20 each.
Unless it's really for you not him, then get a PS4.
I have add nintendo until I was 14yo, I am now 25yo (:D) and still enjoy Nintendo with friends.
I have a Wii and a xBox 360 (when I play alone).
He is just a kid, and he will get lost with all controls possibilities with an Xbox or a PS, also graphics are much higher and might be scared depending of the type of games you will find for him (not kidding).
Wii is Nintendo, cool graphics, very fun games and something that kids can refer to: Mario and cartoons graphics.
He will be pretty happy for the next 3 years for sure, I don't see my little cousin who is 9 playing something else than Wii games.
Mostly, if you get him some more controllers so he can play with friends which is recommended at his age I will say, instead of being stuck behind a screen and playing solo game by himself.
There is the kinect also on Xbox, but still different games.
And for those who are saying get/consider a PC, really? At this age? You want to stick your kid behind a keyboard and a screen for games?
None of those maybe a handheld like 3DS
3DS is a dangerous purchase right now, with the New 3DS right around the corner.
3DS XL - surprisingly social.
Wii U - appropriate for a 7 year old.
Let him work for his own PS4 / Xbox One thus making the Wii U purchase an 'ozbargain' for you!
edit: obviously when he's of legal age (or just bump up his pocket money?!)
Yeah.
I don't know anyone who bought an Xbone for Forza or Titanfall and left it to gather dust for 9 months.
Cough
It's an interesting criticism to make of the Wii/U that the controller gimmick gets tired whilst simultaneously extolling the virtues of the Kinect. Given that even Microsoft has given up on Kinect being an integral part of the Xbone experience I suspect that future Kinect games will be few and far between.
Hey. At least they have proclaimed Rareware to be kinect-exclusive developers after the release of Kinect Sports Rivals.
R.I.P. Rareware.
Get the Wii U for these Reasons. Nintendo is Family friendly with great games upcoming. The wii U gamepad is basically a tablet, you can use it to look at anything on the internet through your wireless home network, while you watch tv your son can keep playing on the Wii U gamepad controller at the same time. He can make his Own Mii character so he has an identity on the console and loads more.
IMO, Wii U
Wii U. Gotta start them early on a Nintendo education.
It depends if you want him up each night playing first person shooters with strangers on the Internet til' 6am.
Wii U - you've already got extra controllers from your old wii, so you don't need to purchase extras for multiplayer. Favourite games can be revisited as it's backward compatible. I have not regretted buying one during the last sale run, my 4 yr old and 6 yr old love it, and so do I.
If you are stuck on consoles, at his age I'd go for the Wii U based on the types of games released on that console. PS4 and XBONE are for the more mature aged gamers.
Not to mention there are hardly any multiplayer/coop titles for X1 and PS4 that let you play locally, it's all online these days so unless you want to buy a 2nd TV and a 2nd console and a 2nd online subscription it's going to be taking turns playing or with the WiiU everyone can get involved.
Yeah, the rarity of local multiplayer annoys me even on the PS3/XB360.
Buy him something to use outdoors.