Suppose your little one has asked for a console. For the parent who is unschooled in the way of gaming culture, the sheer amount of choice on the market may seem confusing and overwhelming.
Whether you're after fun for the whole family or something to keep your young intrepid gamer busy, here are some suggestions for kid-friendly consoles and some game recommendations to get you started.
Nintendo Switch
This versatile system is essentially a games console and tablet hybrid, which can be home-based by hooking the dock up to your TV or handheld and taken anywhere. Complete with left and right-hand controllers - called joycons - that slide on and off, the ability to switch between handheld and dock is simple and seamless. With an impressive library of games available, the Switch guarantees fun for all the family.
Pros:
Joycons are comfortable and easy for little hands to hold
Convenient portability
Wide choice of games, including exclusive titles
High-quality, innovative design
Cons:
Short battery life
Not as powerful as its non-portable counterparts
Joysticks have been known to "drift"
Game Recommendations:
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Pokemon Sword & Shield
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
Sony PlayStation 5
Featuring impressive specifications and the ability for smooth multitasking, the PS5 is widely considered the best plug-and-play system. This console is available as a digital-only version, forgoing the need for physical games and costing around £100 less. Promising an immersive experience with stunning graphic capabilities, the PS5 is an excellent system for adults and children alike.
Pros:
Lightning fast load speeds
Extensive game library
DualSense controller with built-in features like haptic feedback and dynamic trigger effects
4K for ultra-HD visuals
Cons:
Hefty price tag
Bulky design
Large controllers may be difficult for young children to hold
Game Recommendations:
Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Autonauts
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
Xbox Series S
Boasting high-quality performance and a powerful CPU, the Xbox Series S is stylish and fantastic value for money. This console is unlikely to impress high-calibre, hardcore gamers but is an excellent initiation into next-gen gaming for young people. Featuring speedy loading times, frame rates of up to 120 FPS and internal storage of 512GB, the Series S is an upstanding all-rounder.
Pros:
Reasonably priced
Sleek design
Wide choice of games, including exclusive titles
Backwards compatible with older generation games
Cons:
No native 4K compatibility
Less powerful than its Series X counterpart
Limited storage space
Game recommendations:
Spyro Reignited Trilogy
Kingdom Hearts III
Unravel Two
Gaming PC
A gaming PC differs from a regular PC with the inclusion of high core-count central processing units and high-performance graphics cards. You could choose to purchase a <span style="text-decoration: underline;">gaming PC bundle with a monitor</span> and other peripherals or as separate components; the beauty of a gaming PC is the ability to customise it to your liking and upgrade any parts at a later date. It is even possible to upgrade your existing family PC with the components required to function as a gaming system. With arguably the most extensive library of games available, you'll never be hard-pressed to find something to keep you busy.
Pros:
All the features of a console as well as a PC
A steam account will give you access to over 30,000 games
Versatile and backwards compatible with most games
Second-to-none graphic capabilities
Cons:
Components can amount to a substantial sum
A complex list of parts can be difficult for beginners
You're likely to only get a warranty with a prebuilt PC
Game recommendations:
Minecraft
Stardew Valley
Roblox
Nintendo Super NES Classic Mini
This handy bundle is a smaller emulation of its original predecessor, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and will have the older members in your household reminiscing about the golden age of 16-bit gaming. This system comes pre-loaded with 21 classic games, including everything from arcade-style fighting games to extensive RPGs. They've even snuck in a brand new title - the long-awaited sequel, Star Fox 2.
Pros:
Simple gaming
Competitive price
Instant multiplayer option
Small, easy-to-use controllers
Cons:
Fewer game options than the NES Classic
Not every game has stood the test of time
Reset required to change games
Game recommendations:
Kirby Super Star
Super Mario World
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Resources:
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