Originally Posted By ajnhollysmommy This last weekend we took a train to the North Pole and saw Santa. Andrew spoke for Holly and told Santa she wants a power wheels. (which by the way Santa found on sale at Target last Friday) then as I am standing prepared to here Andrew tell Santa he wants the Flying Dutchman MegaBloks ship (the one waiting for a good little boy hidden in the closet) he tells Santa "I want a GameBoy SP!!!" well crud, I was not expecting that one, it came clear out of left field, I know nothing about Game Boys- should I go out and get him one or just call it good on the ship. Should I try and find a used one on Ebay or another game store, or just get him a new one at how ever much they cost --UGH I need help!
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains I would skip the SP and go right to the Gameboy DS lite. There is a cost difference - but the SP games will work in both the DS and the SP but the DS games will only work in the DS (the DS is the newer model). My kids had the gameboy SP and wanted the DS this year - DS11 got one for his birthday and DD9 paid for half of hers (she got perfect grades and we agreed to help). I originally thought the DS was a waste of money - but there are alot of "brain games" for it now - I play it myself (brain age 1 & 2) there are math games and eye games - they are even using the DS for older people with beginnings of dementia and other mental problems.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad There is no question on this at all!!! Do NOT get a Game Boy Advance SP, get a Nintendo DS Lite. You can play the vast majority of the Nintendo Advance games (the ones for the Game Boy Advance SP) in the Nintendo DS Lite and the battery life, screen brightness, and sound are WAAAAAAAYYYYYY better in the Nintendo DS Lite. My 8 yr old girl has a pink one. My 6 yr old boy has a black one. My 4 yr old boy has a white one. They all play them like there's no tomorrow, especially while driving. My 8 yr old has had an Advance and an SP and my 12 yr old has had every handheld since Game Boy Color came out years and years ago. Again, do not get a Gameboy Advance SP! The battery life stinks, the screen is not nearly bright enough, and it isn't very durable IMHO. The Nintendo DS Lite is the way to go. This is the Game Boy Advance SP: (over on the left margin) (the Game Boy Micro is also pcitured) <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2hcpkp" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/2hcpkp</a> This is the Nintendo DS Lite: <a href="http://www.nintendo.com/channel/ds" target="_blank">http://www.nintendo.com/channe l/ds</a> The DS stands for Dual Screen. It has a stylus that comes with the system that inserts into the back for safekeeping and one of the screens is a touch screen. This system is really great, and I tell you, if you get Big Brain Academy or either of the 2 Brain Age games, you will play as much as your son does. LOL There are some really FANTASTIC games for all ages for this system. It's truly the best for the money.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad OOOOPS use this link <a href="http://www.nintendo.com/systemsgba" target="_blank">http://www.nintendo.com/system sgba</a> to view the Game Boy SP. sorry.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains If you do get the DS I will suggest you get the Nerf cover for it - first no stickers and second very protective and cool colors!
Originally Posted By dsnyredhead >My 8 yr old girl has a pink one. My 6 yr old boy has a black one. My 4 yr old boy has a white one. They all play them like there's no tomorrow, especially while driving.< I'm being >very< silly here because I understand it totally but I was wondering first, why are they playing while driving and second, why are they driving at this age? (um, sorry )
Originally Posted By LPFan22 $$$$$... LOL, I guess I'd check ebay or Amazon or something else if he really has his heart set on it. Waiting till next year sometime (making sure he still wants one) wouldn't be terrible either.
Originally Posted By threeundertwo <---Is apparently the only really mean mom here who doesn't buy her kids expensive little game systems. Are your kids good about taking care of them and not losing the cartridges?
Originally Posted By ajnhollysmommy He is good about taking care of things and he is the type of kid who would rather be outside then playing video games- so that is why I started to consider it BUT I know he would take even better care of it if he earned it so I think Santa is going to leave a note in his stocking about earning and saving and start him off with $10. By the time he earns enough there might be something else new and fancy.
Originally Posted By mickeymeg That is a great idea ! Nintendo DS is super super fun though. We have rubbed off on our Brownies as they all know that all their leaders play with them, on the last trip we took a bunch of them pulled them out of backpacks while we were on the ferry. So we had a Mario Kart tournament =)
Originally Posted By DVC_dad <<< I'm being >very< silly here because I understand it totally but I was wondering first, why are they playing while driving and second, why are they driving at this age? (um, sorry ) >>> LOLOLOL !!!
Originally Posted By DVC_dad <<<Are your kids good about taking care of them and not losing the cartridges?>>> I'll answer this in an effort to help the next guy a bit. This was a big problem with my 6 year old. He was NOT good at taking care of it, and he LOST game after game. So, I tried various things and finally found something that works and works well. Here is what we do. Oh and footnote, His first DS Lite broke within the first year, Nintendo replaced it at NO CHARGE at all. So, register these people, register!!! He has since become more responsible with how he handles it, as it took about 3 weeks to get the replacement from Nintendo. Okay anyway, here is what we do. We have a kitchen cabinet that has a Tot Lock on it. That is a cabinet door lock that you use a magnet to open it. They are easy to install and they are at Lowe's and Home Depot. I mean the cabinet door will not open AT ALL, not even a crack, until you place this magnet on the door handle. Somehow the magnet releases the lock and voila, open. Anyway, the DS's stay in the "family locker" along with iPod shuffles and anything else the kids don't want to lose. They get them out, they use them, they put them back. IF they don't put them back, and I find them around about the house, car, whatever, I take them away for one week no negotiations. You would be shocked at how easy it is to remember to put your "thing" back in the family locker after having it taken away a few times. The games. These games are nothing more than little chips. We have the "Game Bag" that is nothing more than a gallon sized Zip Loc Freezer bag. ALL the games go in it, no matter who's game it technically is. Anyone can play any game, only ONE rule... The owner of whatever specific game can take his or her game at any time. We are big on "my room, my rules, get out" and also, on "my game, I want it, give it to me." No one is allowed to have more than one single game out of the game bag at any given time, and any of the games in the game bag are to be shared. We take the game bag on the road with us. It's easier to just keep them ALL in one place or in this case, one bag. You would be surprised at how little of a problem this really is. The kids learn that if "I'm a jerk, and don't want him playing MY game, he is going to be a jerk to me and I won't get to play HIS game." It works itself out REALLY REALLY well in time, trust me. We love it! The kids share, the kids put the games back and all is well, almost all of the time. The tot locks which I highly reccomend can be seen here: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/yrlzw2" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/yrlzw2</a> They are made by One Step Ahead and are the ONLY safe lock out there. I know, I've tried them all.
Originally Posted By LVCajun I do love my DS BUT I do keep my SP around because it plays all my old Game Boy Games (GO Final fantasy 1-3). If you have a lot of old Game Boy games around, (I take it you probably don't because of you admission to knowing very little about the game systems) then the SP is a good choice. If not definitely go with the DS.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros As a May birthday (I'm the 10th), I can say that waiting that long did seem like a while when I was younger, but not too horribly long. It was one of those things that kept me looking forward without having to look too far. The placement was great as a kid, since it split the presents about halway through the year, but the longer half had all the exciting build up to Christmas. I would say to wait, and see how it goes. If he really wants it, he will be able to wait until his birthday and still be excited about it. If he isn't really that interested, he will forget about it by then. (And I also think the savings idea is great too!)
