What console for 8 yr old
Discussion
Hi all,
So I'm not a gamer at all. So have no idea. Its my boys 8th birthdsy soon and he has for the last year been really getting into football (Something else I know bugger all about) , anyway back on point. He would love a console to play Fifa on. He's been playing the android app for a little while so this is the next step.
So PS4, xbox, switch or pc/laptop?
Help I'm 100% clueless on this one..
So I'm not a gamer at all. So have no idea. Its my boys 8th birthdsy soon and he has for the last year been really getting into football (Something else I know bugger all about) , anyway back on point. He would love a console to play Fifa on. He's been playing the android app for a little while so this is the next step.
So PS4, xbox, switch or pc/laptop?
Help I'm 100% clueless on this one..
If they have an xbox and he has a PS4 they can't play together online (usually, some exceptions).
That said, I usually turn off the online comms anyway.
Nintendo tends to have more family friendly stuff but not as much as it used to. PS4/xbox are much the same, some different exclusives. PC can be vastly more expensive but more cheaper games and variety plus you can do all the usual PC stuff that consoles don't do.
He will know what he wants.
Watch the age rating on games, they are there for a reason, some are stuffed with sex, graphic violence and bad language and some have cartoon bunnies. Like movies check out reviews and guides for an idea on content.
That said, I usually turn off the online comms anyway.
Nintendo tends to have more family friendly stuff but not as much as it used to. PS4/xbox are much the same, some different exclusives. PC can be vastly more expensive but more cheaper games and variety plus you can do all the usual PC stuff that consoles don't do.
He will know what he wants.
Watch the age rating on games, they are there for a reason, some are stuffed with sex, graphic violence and bad language and some have cartoon bunnies. Like movies check out reviews and guides for an idea on content.
Slightly ot
Both PS4 and x box will require a susscription to play online.
Do not leave a credit/debit card linked on it, use voucher cards.
When you do get one be aware of fifa ultimate team mode-(football sticker album on steroids)
ETA whilst it doesn’t help your decision now, be aware that the PS4 and Xbox are getting due for replacement in a few years, maybe less(rumours only at this point) Games may well continue to be made for them for years to come even after the next consoles launch, as happened when this gen launched but it may well be that the next console will be on a Christmas list in a few years
Both PS4 and x box will require a susscription to play online.
Do not leave a credit/debit card linked on it, use voucher cards.
When you do get one be aware of fifa ultimate team mode-(football sticker album on steroids)
ETA whilst it doesn’t help your decision now, be aware that the PS4 and Xbox are getting due for replacement in a few years, maybe less(rumours only at this point) Games may well continue to be made for them for years to come even after the next consoles launch, as happened when this gen launched but it may well be that the next console will be on a Christmas list in a few years
Edited by Yabu on Monday 28th January 09:52
Christmas 2017 I blagged the kids a PS4, they were 7 & 8 and I naively thought they jump straight into gaming as I was. Turned out most of the games I asumed would be fine for them were fairly technical and if they missed something (hidden switch etc) they would get bored and not bother playing anymore. Most games for the PS4 were aimed at older gamers. XBox had a few more suitable games, but was still overkill for their level. Last Christmas I P/Xed the PS4 for a Switch and we've ended up all sat as a family playing Mario Kart etc fairly often since. ( Must try not to get mardy when my kids constantly beat me though) The Switch is also portable for when we go away to the grandparents etc so quite handy there too.
For FIFA, definitely PS4 or XBOX. They have the biggest online communities (if he is going to be allowed to play online at 8).
FIFA has a mode called Ultimate Team (which I play a lot of) - basic concept is you start with a crap team, earn coins through playing and various other means to buy a better team. Danger is you can buy packs with real money which give you a certain number of players and items, with the rarest / most expensive cards very unlikely to be packed. Very easy to spend a lot of money on it (or in the case of an 8 year old nag you to do so for him). Make sure your credit card ain't linked!
FIFA has a mode called Ultimate Team (which I play a lot of) - basic concept is you start with a crap team, earn coins through playing and various other means to buy a better team. Danger is you can buy packs with real money which give you a certain number of players and items, with the rarest / most expensive cards very unlikely to be packed. Very easy to spend a lot of money on it (or in the case of an 8 year old nag you to do so for him). Make sure your credit card ain't linked!
Edited by Integroo on Monday 28th January 11:44
If he is into cars and just wants to do them up, drive around a life like world driving anywhere then it has to be an xbox one with forza horizon, if he is not into cars and prefers other things then either console ps4 or xbox will be fine.
Games like lego etc you may think sound a little childish but if he is only 8 I'm sure he would work his way through them if he was interested in marvel,harry Potter etc for more of story.
Just youtube any games before you buy them and see what they are like. You don't have to play online. There is no need at a young age they will be happy enough etc
Games like lego etc you may think sound a little childish but if he is only 8 I'm sure he would work his way through them if he was interested in marvel,harry Potter etc for more of story.
Just youtube any games before you buy them and see what they are like. You don't have to play online. There is no need at a young age they will be happy enough etc
If FIFA is going to be the main thing then definitely go either Xbox or PS4, as FIFA on the Switch is nowhere near as good.
Which one of those two you pick won't have much of a difference to be honest, as others have said pick the one his mates have. Or if his mates don't have either of them, then flip a coin lol! Personally I am an Xbox man myself, but they're very similar.
The Switch is probably the best all rounder for a child though, just a shame FIFA is so behind on that.
Which one of those two you pick won't have much of a difference to be honest, as others have said pick the one his mates have. Or if his mates don't have either of them, then flip a coin lol! Personally I am an Xbox man myself, but they're very similar.
The Switch is probably the best all rounder for a child though, just a shame FIFA is so behind on that.
You also have the advantage of a huge range of 2nd hand games with PS4/Xbox. My lad when faced with spending his own money on Fifa picked the under £10 'old' version over the £50 latest version. He doesn't play that one online though just face to face with his mates.
I do let him go online in Star Wars Battlefront 2 (with all comms switched off) as I can't compete with him on split screen anymore. He's nearly always on the end of game podium.
He struggles with adventure/puzzle games because he doesn't understand the 'language' of those yet. That patch of wall is pale for a reason, smash everything to find hidden stuff etc. Lego games are a good starting point though, they help you along.
I do let him go online in Star Wars Battlefront 2 (with all comms switched off) as I can't compete with him on split screen anymore. He's nearly always on the end of game podium.
He struggles with adventure/puzzle games because he doesn't understand the 'language' of those yet. That patch of wall is pale for a reason, smash everything to find hidden stuff etc. Lego games are a good starting point though, they help you along.
I bought my kids a Nintendo switch for Christmas. We have Mario karts and Lego ninjago games so far. Pretty good and my two (age 7 and 9) have a lot of fun with it. Now also my wife is complaininflg I spend too long on it!
The good thing about a switch is it turns.portable and the kids can play it with two separate controllers fault clip in to the main body.
We've not investigated online stuff yet but there seems loads of possibilities, plus linking separate machines too with their mates.
My main complaint is the price of games. Not having had a console system before the.prices seem pretty shocking. (£50 a game)
My other complaint is there isn't a serious motor racing game like Forza available yet.
The good thing about a switch is it turns.portable and the kids can play it with two separate controllers fault clip in to the main body.
We've not investigated online stuff yet but there seems loads of possibilities, plus linking separate machines too with their mates.
My main complaint is the price of games. Not having had a console system before the.prices seem pretty shocking. (£50 a game)
My other complaint is there isn't a serious motor racing game like Forza available yet.
prand said:
My main complaint is the price of games. Not having had a console system before the.prices seem pretty shocking. (£50 a game)
My other complaint is there isn't a serious motor racing game like Forza available yet.
I agree about the price of games, used games a bit better vfm. When I bought a console just over 2 years ago, I opted for the Nintedo Wii U over the Switch (which was on pre-order), because of a large back catalog of games, meaning I could buy them used cheaply. Even some new titles where only £13-15 delivered from Amazon.My other complaint is there isn't a serious motor racing game like Forza available yet.
As for serious racing on a Nintendo, I think Mario Kart is about as serious as they get as a rule....
300bhp/ton said:
I agree about the price of games, used games a bit better vfm..
Used games are MUCH better value for money. You can buy them at a year old. play them for a few months and move them on and hardly lose any money,You can also buy used games local from gumtree etc and sell again.
First hand, new release prices are ridiculous.
Thanks for all the responses. We'll not be letting him online yet. And I don't want him playing the types of games that you have to constantly pay out on to progress. Fifa is the main aim at the moment but will add to I'm sure. He plays football for a team every Saturday and does shokotan karate 2 nights a week and swimming lessons once a week. So gets out and about plenty to socialise with real kids 😁 so hopefully this will be a rainy day boredom killer think we'll go and find somewhere we can have a play and then decide
My 2 use xbox and thankfully so do most of there friends bar 1 or 2.
For xbox to control who they can speak to and who they can friend I have them set up as child accounts linked to my account and I can log in via my phone to set screen time, allow or block adding friends, limit the content they can play etc. Which is great as I work from home and is a good deterant for the wife when they are miss behaving.
Also give me peace of mind as some of there friends have no restrictions on it so can see, play and speak to who ever they want to.
https://support.xbox.com/en-GB/browse/xbox-one/sec... info on the family stuff.
For xbox to control who they can speak to and who they can friend I have them set up as child accounts linked to my account and I can log in via my phone to set screen time, allow or block adding friends, limit the content they can play etc. Which is great as I work from home and is a good deterant for the wife when they are miss behaving.
Also give me peace of mind as some of there friends have no restrictions on it so can see, play and speak to who ever they want to.
https://support.xbox.com/en-GB/browse/xbox-one/sec... info on the family stuff.
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