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The time has come, you have decided you want to buy your child their very own video game console. Depending on their age, their preferences for a console and games can vary greatly and there is a multitude of options to consider. Ultimately you want to find the best fit for your child and the best value for yourself and fortunately I’m here to help you make that decision.
Which Video Game System is best for your kids in 2020?
First thing first. When buying a console for anyone, the top priority you want to consider is where does your potential console owners friends play? That is generally going to be one of the most influential factors someone has when getting a console. If your daughter’s friends are all playing on PlayStation 4’s but you get her an Xbox One, that could be a problem.
Even though both machines share most of the same library of games, she won’t be able to play with her friends if they are on another platform. So before you do anything, make sure you are getting them the console that their friends are playing on.
I have seen first hand with friends of my own growing up, nothing worse than getting the wrong machine and being locked out of sharing your gaming experiences with your friends who are on another platform. Now if your kid already has a strong preference or doesn’t have friends they will be playing with, then this first step is irrelevant. Be sure to do some digging first.
With that out of the way let’s break down the more popular modern choices. In general, the big three cornerstones of the console gaming world right now are the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. All three offer many of the same games but each system also has its own unique offerings. Most people looking to get a new console will opt for one of these three but let’s assess each one and even some other alternatives that may work out even better.
Introductory Option For Young Children 5-12: NES or SNES Classic
Being a child of the 80’s and 90’s I was fortunate enough to grow up in an era where the gaming industry matured with me. The first time I got my hands on a controller I was five years old and the Nintendo Entertainment System was the perfect first console to introduce me to gaming and I think it’s a great starting point for as the best video game system to buy for your kids in 2020 too.
Most of the games of that era were specifically designed with young children in mind. The bright cartoonish visuals emulated the cartoons I loved and greatly captured my imagination. At the same time those games were and still are, very challenging and they pushed my young, evolving, mental capacity to the limits.
Even though the NES is now over 30 years old, I think it’s actually a great place to start when introducing young children to games.The most convenient way to do this is with an NES Classic.
The NES Classic boasts over 30 games in one set top box. Unlike the original NES console, this one doesn’t use cartridges, all 30 of its classic games are already installed into the system and ready to play as soon as you plug it in.
Another alternative or supplementary option is the Super Nintendo Entertainment System Classic. The SNES Classic works the same way as the NES Classic but it has 21 games instead. The number of games is fewer than the NES version but these games are a bit more advanced visually and in many cases they are just bigger more challenging games. With that said they are still perfect for young kids because of the cartoonish visuals and light violence.
Both of these options have the benefit of being on the cheaper end and there is little to no fuss or complexity to using them. All of their games are preinstalled and you won’t ever be buying new games or dealing with software of any kind. Another benefit I see for children is there is no online functionality to these two retro systems.
That means no worries about them interacting with strangers online or any other concerns you may have with exposing your children to the internet. These systems are closed off boxes that you just plug in and play, everything is contained in the room you have the system set up in and that can give some parents a peace of mind.
If you are not familiar with games and your kids skew to the younger age range of this 5-12 year old bracket, I definitely think you should give one of these two consoles a look. As I said before there is little fuss to setting them up and once they are set up, you are good to go. Simple, easy, affordable and a good way to introduce them to the world of videogames.
Alright, so you know about the classic options but maybe your kids are a bit older, or maybe you too are a gamer and want to enjoy some modern games with your children and play as a family. Perhaps none of those are true but you are just a parent (or phenomenal relative) looking to get a kid the latest and greatest in interactive entertainment. in that case I would recommend Nintendo once again but this time, we will look to the their latest console, The Nintendo Switch!
Cutting Edge Option For Young Children 5-12: Nintendo Switch
The Switch is the hottest selling console on the market today and for good reason, it has an impressive variety of games that appeal to children and adults alike. The Switch has an increasingly growing amount of third party games support and Nintendo themselves have always been known to produce top quality first party (games made by nintendo exclusively for their own consoles) games; titles featuring their iconic franchises such as Mario, Donkey Kong, Zelda, and Pokemon. These games have been popular for decades and all of the latest versions of these games can be found only on the Switch.
The simple fact that It’s a new Nintendo console alone would be enough for me to highly recommend it as the console of choice for kids young and old but, the killer feature of the Switch is the fact that it can also be used as a portable handheld gaming device. So if you want to give the kids some screen time but you don’t want to give up the living room tv, they can still play their games wherever they are.
Another feather in the Nintendo Switch cap is that of all the modern game consoles, the Switch has hands down the best assortment of games for younger children.
It is also a great console of choice for family games you can all play together. The ability to interact with your kids with a variety of games can be a priceless benefit and your kids will grow up with fond memories of those times long after those systems are old and discarded, take it from me, a former kid who has been there.
The Nintendo Switch is an affordable, versatile option that I think any child would be happy to own. The Switch also has online functionality with a subscription fee so your kids can enjoy playing with friends around the world. Having just launched in 2017, it will almost certainly be well supported for years to come with the latest releases too. For all the reasons mentioned before I see it as a fine choice for all ages.
Another new contender that just released is the Nintendo Switch Lite. This plays all the same Switch games, has the same features, except, this version is hand held only. That means, no ability to hook the console up to the TV. With the absence of TV connection, you get the benefit of a more durable hand held version of the Switch and a cheaper retail price of $199.99 USD.
Again the Switch can work for any age and it’s the console of choice for many adults but if your children are in their teens or older, they very likely have preferences of their own.
Perhaps more likely than not, the young adult gamer wants the latest and greatest AAA releases and because the Switch is on the lower end of the power scale, it doesn’t get many of the big, blockbuster mature titles you hear about such as Grand Theft Auto V, Call of Duty, Apex Legends, or Red Dead Redemption. Because of this the teenager or young adult will probably be interested in one of the two more mature centric consoles, Xbox One or PlayStation 4.
First let’s go over the major similarities between these two products. Both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are pretty much on the same playing field when it comes to power and ability to play the latest games.
These are the two preferred platforms for mature games, the vast majority of big budget games that you hear about are made for both of these consoles, they probably share something like 80 percent of the same library of popular games as well.
Keep in mind that although both consoles get most of the same games, in the vast majority of scenarios you cannot play that game online with someone on another console. That means for example, if little Billy has NBA 2K19 on PlayStation 4, he can only play NBA 2K19 against people who have it on PlayStation 4, he cannot play online with his friends who have NBA 2K19 on their Xbox or PC.
Both consoles also have online functionality so people can play games with their friends or strangers over the internet. Both consoles require a subscription to play online with various pay options, hovering around 50-60 US dollars per year. With that subscription you get play games online and you get a great value of getting several free games every month.
Even though they both have a lot in common there are still some very noteworthy features and games that separate both products. Let’s take a look at each and what situations I think they would work best.
Most Bang For Your Buck with ages 13 and up: Xbox One
Microsoft’s latest console is the Xbox One. This console currently comes in two varieties, the cheaper and slightly less powerful Xbox One S an the more expensive but current reigning console champion of power, the Xbox One X.
Both versions play all the the same games so there is no worry of getting an xbox One game that doesn’t work on one console or the other. The only difference between the two is the One X will run games better (better graphics, 4K resolution, faster loading times) than the Xbox One S.
The Xbox One is probably the least popular among the big three major consoles, this is in large part because it offers the fewest high quality exclusive titles among st the three platforms.
The Switch and PlayStation 4 both have a number of critically acclaimed exclusive games that simply out pace what the Xbox has delivered in that same arena, with that said, Xbox does still have a handful of very good exclusives and pound for pound it offers the most value for money spent with the services that are available in the Xbox ecosystem.
A big bonus with the Xbox One is that a large number of Xbox 360 games (the predecessor console to the Xbox One) are backwards compatible. This means that if you own some Xbox 360 games, there are good odds you can play those games on the Xbox One.
In some cases the games even look and run better on the new console. This feature is absolutely free and adds a lot of depth to the already great Xbox One games library.
This is something you want to keep most in mind if the person you are buying an Xbox for previously had an Xbox 360. It’s also a valuable feature because even new Xbox owners can buy and play older 360 games which typically are a lot cheaper than new games designed for the Xbox One.
It is also extremely likely that the next Xbox console to come out within the next couple of years will continue to support backwards compatibility so the games you buy on Xbox One will still work on the next console going forward.
As noted earlier in this article, there is a subscription service to plays games online, this is called Xbox Live Gold. Xbox Live will likely be a crucial aspect to consider when purchasing an Xbox because online play is such a big part of modern gaming. Paying for a subscription service isn’t ideal but it’s par for the course with gaming consoles.
What you do get with your subscription however is lots of good value. Every month Xbox Live Gold gives users two free Xbox One games and Two free Xbox 360 backward compatible games.
These are four games selected by Microsoft every month so that’s 48 games a year! Now most of these titles are generally older games that have been on the market for months or even years but for a teenager or person who may be experiencing their first console, that’s a lot of fresh content they can explore and enjoy.
Speaking of content, what many call the best value in gaming can also be found on Xbox, Xbox Game Pass. Frequently dubbed the “Netflix of gaming” gamepass is another subscription service that give subscribers access to over 100 games for the price of $10 US dollars a month.
The breadth and depth of games is noteworthy and better yet, all newly released Xbox exclusive titles go directly to game pass when they launch for retail. As a frequent user of Game Pass myself I think it’s a remarkable value, particularly for people who don’t have many games to begin with. Forbes has called it the best value in gaming and I’d be hard pressed to disagree.
The Xbox one is certainly the best value option because with a subscription to Xbox Game Pass right away you have a massive library of games that your child can download and enjoy completely as long as the subscription is running. Instead of having to spend $120 on two brand new games you can sign up for a few months of gamepass and let them enjoy a great variety of offerings for $10 a month.
The Market Leading, Most Popular Console with ages 13 and Up: Playstation 4
Even though the Nintendo Switch is fastly approaching, all in all the Playstation 4 is the best selling console of this current generation. It has achieved that position for good reason, the Playstation 4 offers some of the best exclusive games of this generation with titles like God Of War, Uncharted 4, and Spider-Man. Playstation 4 is the place where most mature gamers are playing and likely where your older kids friends are playing and for those options alone, it would have to get strong consideration for the 13 and up crowd.
Similar to the Xbox One there are two main versions of the Playstation 4. The regular PS4 console and the Playstation 4 Pro which is a more powerful version of the base console. Much like Xbox and the Xbox Live Gold service, Playstation has its own online subscription called PS Plus. Ps Plus lets you enjoy games online while also providing two free games to download every month.
There is also another subscription service called Playstation Now which is somewhat like Xbox Game Pass in that it allows you to play hundreds of games for a monthly fee but its downsides are that most of those games are not downloads, and are streamed across the internet and the subscription is $20 a month.
When games are streamed it is different than simply downloading them. Streaming a game is like watching a video on Hulu or Netflix, there are no downloads but you use your internet bandwidth to play a game that is running off another system on a server. This results in lower visual quality and input lag.
Beyond having great exclusive games and the biggest user base, another edge the Playstation 4 has is Playstation VR. Playstation VR is a console addon that lets you play an entirely new library of games in Virtual Reality. This is currently and best and cheapest option to experiencing high end virtual reality gaming. If you are looking to go all out and really offer up something new the whole family can enjoy, Playstation VR may be something you want to add to the mix.
Playstation VR generally runs from $250-$400 USD. The prices vary because they often are bundled with certain games. The games for Playstation VR can only be played with the VR headset so keep that in mind also. You need both Playstation 4 console and a Playstation VR headset to play the VR games.
If you are more interested in VR and you want something solely dedicated to it and unattached from any console or PC then the next system on this list is one for you.
For stepping into a bold new frontier: Oculus Quest
All in one VR Headset
Virtual Reality as we know it today is still relatively new. The platform is evolving all the time, new updates, apps, and products are being made all the time. The Oculus Quest is the first virtual realty console, an all in one device that needs nothing else besides the headset and the included controllers to work.
I have had a Quest since the summer of 2019 and it is a ground breaking device. The ability to play virtual reality games and apps without any wires and hardware is incredible. The Quest is extremely portable too, you can easily pack it up and bring to a friends house or any other location.
The variety of apps is also quickly growing. The Quest has been a big commercial success, perhaps the first virtual reality headset to approach the main stream market and because of that developers are responding by releasing their games and apps on the device.
To add to all of that, the firmware for the Quest is continually updated. These updates have had dramatic impact on the capabilities of the device. The Quest now allows for hand tracking, the use of some apps in the dark, and the Oculus link which allows you to connect your Quest to a PC to play virtual reality games off of there.
It’s a great device that continues to get better but is it right for kids?
Well that depends on a few things. One note of caution, the Oculus is somewhat vulnerable hardware for a young kids. Since this is a VR device with no cords, you can be easily immersed in the virtual reality apps you are using.
This can lead to overzealous players getting exciting. It’s possible you can knock some furniture over, run into a wall, hit someone nearby, smash the controllers together too hard, or cause any other unforeseen accident while playing.
The Quest has a fantastic grid system that prevents you from doing these things, you highlight the play area you are in and you will see a grid pop up to tell you that you are too close to the end of your play area and that you should back off. It works extremly well and after 100+ hours of me playing games on my Quest, I have never had any accidents.
That said, knowing that the grid means you need to step back and actually stepping back take some self policing. Young kids can get carried away and may not quite understand the importance of playing in the boundary.
Because of this I would not recommend this for very young children (let’s say 10 and under) because I don’t know if the will have the discipline to stay in bounds. For everyone else however, the Quest is a really great device and likely unlike anything they have played at home before.
Lastly another awesome advantage of the Oculus Quest is that there are several games that provide some great exercise. My favorites are the boxing games Creed: Rise to Glory and Thrill of the Fight. Both of these games can get even kids sweating.
A great resource to use if you are looking for games that provide some great fitness benefits is VR Fitness Insider. Some of these games are serious workouts and a great alternative to traditional gaming which is incredibly fun but mostly sedentary. VR is a way to keep your kids entertained and happy while still keeping them active.
Lastly, the Oculus Quest is a great device for creativity, learning, and communication. There are several apps and events that can be used to interact with other people. There are apps that let you draw and create models in a virtual environment. There are educational experiences like museum tours and history lessons. There is a lot to explore and more things are being created all the time.
Consider the Oculus Quest is you want an outside the box console option, it’s not the same as the other game consoles I mentioned early, it doesn’t play the main stream top games but it is a very unique and totally new experience and almost anyone can find something in that they love.
Alternative Options For Kids
I really do feel that the options above are the best ones for most situations but there are also some other routes you can may want to consider. Getting a used Playstation 3 or Xbox 360 can be very cheap. These last generation consoles would probably run you between $50-$80 and the majority of games would also be very low priced.
Lots of great experiences can be had here and I think younger players (lets say ages 6-12) would be quite happy with either of those machines. Kids in their teens may not be as satisfied with the older consoles because they are out of date and behind what most of their peers would likely be playing on.
I’d also look into getting a Nintendo 3DS. It is not a traditional console you put on the TV screen at home but rather, a handheld dedicated gaming device. The 3DS is basically the the current evolution of the Gameboy that was popular in the early 90’s.
There are many great games on the Nintendo 3DS for all age ranges and new games are still being made for it to this day. It can be bought anywhere games are sold and it’s easy to manage as there are not many subscriptions or fee’s to keep track of. It’s also cheaper than buying any of the big 3 gaming consoles retailing for about $80-$150 USD depending on the model and bundle.
Lastly, 2020 will be the year the next generation consoles finally come out. If your aim is to get your kids the latest and greatest in game consoles, then you may want to hold out until the end of 2020 or early 2021. Both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox series X look to be extremely powerful and push the boundaries of what console gaming can be.
Summary
To sum it up, if you are looking to get the little ones into some enjoyable interactive entertainment, I would suggest the simplicity and purity of the NES or SNES Classic. Those games were great starting points for my generation of adult gamers and for young kids who don’t know about the current cutting edge games available, these games are clean fun and no hassle to set up and enjoy. Consider them excellent training wheels to get the kids started.
If the kids are a bit older or they want something from this century, go with the Nintendo Switch. Largest assortment of kid friendly games, lots of family games, and it’s a console they can grow with for years. to come as it will be supported.
For the teenagers and up who are looking to play the more action oriented, mature, blockbuster games, the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One is where you want be. PlayStation 4 gets the edge for having the more impressive library of exclusive games while also having the most people playing on it; it’s likely your kids friends will be playing on PlayStations and that’s where they will want to be too.
The Xbox One is another great choice however as it offers tremendous value with Game Pass and has a few great exclusives of its own. Also keep in mind that your kids friends may be playing on Xbox’s as well so as stated several times before, that is a huge factor when buying a console, so do your homework there to find out which direction you should go.
Most importantly, get a feel for what your kids want if you are looking to buy them a game console. If they ask for a particular console, and you have no objections to it, go with the request. Chances are thats where their friends are playing or that’s the console that has a particular game they want.
Gifting a child a game console is a huge deal, if its a purchase they greatly enjoy, you could be gifting them their new favorite toy. The world of gaming is immensely varied and endlessly expansive and there is a game out there for nearly everyone Hopefully this article has helped you make that decision a bit easier. Keep in mind that like any technology, gaming always changes and things shift. If you have any questions or would like any further advice, leave a comment!
Helpful Resources
Getting your child a gaming console can be scary if you are a parent who is unfamiliar with videogames. There are several things to be concerned about. Screen time, violence, strangers online, etc. Fortunately there are built in parental controls and resources out there that can help guide you through a lot of these issues.
Common Sense Media is a really helpful website that has recommendations and guides to help parents navigate through media content. Here is how they describe their goals.
“Common Sense Media helps families make smart media choices. We offer the largest, most trusted library of independent age-based and educational ratings and reviews for movies, games, apps, TV shows, websites, books, and music. Our Parent Concerns and Parent Blog help families understand and navigate the problems and possibilities of raising children in the digital age.”
Here is a very handy guide from Digital Trends for setting up parental controls on the major consoles available right now.
If you are looking for great deals on videogames or video game consoles, I highly recommend Cheap Ass Gamer. They are constantly updating their website with new deals and they are particularly great during Black Friday. You can also follow them on twitter here.
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