I'm thinking about buying my kids a console - mainly so they can play Guitar Hero, but I'm sure they'll want some more games at some point. They are 5 and 7 years old.

So, can someone summarize the differences between the various consoles? How should I decide which one to get?

Thanks.
James

5 and 7? get them outside getting some exercise, or just get them a wii, very fun and family orientated. i am a pc man so can't really say.

Don't worry, they are outside a lot more than they're inside.

Thanks for the opinion on the Wii.

The Wii is what your kids are going to enjoy the most. But, the visuals aren't the greatest...so if you really want to treat them, go for the XBOX 360 or the PS3.

At that age the wii is probably the best fit.

Best,

3Ball

Well, the 360 has more power and makes guitar hero look MUCH better, but alot of the games for it are rated M, which im sure you don't want your kids playing. the wii doesn't have nearly the same graphics power, but I player guitar hero on it and I'm too focused on the notes to worry about the visuals. There's a new guitar hero coming out just for the wii and it is supposed to be way better than the aerosmith guitar hero for the 360/PS3. The wii is also alot cheaper. The one problem is that Nintendo is planning on making a new console relatively soon, so the Wii won't last as long as a PS3 or 360. That is just a rumor at this point. One other negative for the Wii is that it can get frustrating because it only knows up or down in relation to the sensor bar, which is placed on top of the tv. That means that you have to hold it level with that bar to truly know up or down. Basically, if the TV is high off the ground and your kids are in front of it, they might have to hold the wii remote above their heads and then move it up and down. This can be helped by putting the sensor bar in a different location, but then it might be too low. This shouldn't stop you from getting one, but it's just something to think about. Overall, I think they will enjoy the Wii more.

One more thing; the new Guitar Hero is only for the Wii and adds a drum and microphone, much like rock band.

Wii - Family and kid oriented console. Lots of gimmicky motion sensitive games and classic Nintendo franchises like Mario, Zelda, and Metroid. Simplest, easiest to use interface and availability of old NES, SNES, and N64 games through the virtual console that you can buy for cheap. Some other old consoles as well have games on there. Lots of fun for groups, but ultimately kind of boring for an individual with the exception of a handful of games. Also the Wii can play any Gamecube games so that greatly broadens it's available library. The console is very stable and I haven't heard about any going bad and needing repair yet.

Xbox 360 - For kids their age, the biggest draws for this console will be Rock Band and the Live Marketplace. The Live Marketplace is the best implemented downloadable games option of the three. Every game has a demo and a lot of them are really fun for not a lot of money. Overall it has the second easiest to use interface, but probably the best designed one with more options and functionality. Tons of really great games for groups and individuals to play, but a lot of them are targeted to older audiences. Can play the majority of old Xbox games, but not all of them. The 360 has earned a bit of a reputation for instability and flaky hardware, but most of those issues have been resolved with more recent hardware revisions.

PS3 - Smallest game library of the three and worst downloadable game implementation, but has free online play and a built in blu-ray player. This console is definitely targeted more toward older audiences, but there are a few games available that are appropriate for younger gamers. Backwards compatibility is shaky to nonexistent. This one would be good if you are mostly concerned with getting a good Blu-Ray player. There have been fewer reported problems with the PS3 than the 360, but such issues seem to have mostly been worked out with the newer hardware revisions.

All in all, I'd recommend the Wii if the console is JUST for the kids and the 360 if it is partially for you as well. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

Here's my comparison:

The Wii 'seems' like the kid friendly game center at first, but my 6 year old has some difficulty with the motion control on some of the latest greatest Wii games. He's very coordinated for his age too. The games they have the most fun with on the Wii are actually gamecube games that we picked up cheap. He's had some fun with things like Rayman and Mario Kart, but....

The Xbox360 has become the most used of our 2 systems because of Xbox Live and Lego Star Wars. Lego Star Wars can be played on any system, so that's kind of moot, but it's not Wii exclusive and the kids love it more than any other game out there. Then Xbox Live has a ton of games that my kids love. Simple easy to get into games and puzzle games. The Wii games somewhat suffer for kids under 12 because they are designed to look bright and colorful for kids, but they have to put in challenging design elements for teens and adults.

I don't have a PS3 so I can't give you that input.

Actually some of the best Wii games make very little use out of the motion sensors. My son is 7 (6 when he first got it) and games like Lego Star Wars/Indiana Jones, Super Mario Galaxy, Smash Bros., Zelda are not heavily reliant on the motion control. Also the Wii Store where you can buy old school games is great.

For kids that age, I would just go for the Wii.