Handheld games

[Wisch]

I have a 6 year old. Last night he played our neighbors game boy advance and now he wants a player. We have a Wii so I am not interested in making a purchase right now, but maybe for or by Christmas. He also has a Leapster L-Max for education games.

What are the choices? GB Advance, PSP, DS-Lite..others?

Pros and cons? I will probably play some too.

[splashpot]

They've basically stopped making new GBA games. DS Lite can play both GBA games and DS games so it doesn't really make sense to get a GBA.

[DVaut1]

Get a DS. It's fun for everyone, but Nintendo handhelds have many games that are especially marketed to the younger set. Because it plays all GBA games, there's no real reason to get a GBA, and the PSP has a bunch of features your kid probably doesn't care about (mp3/UMD playback, web browsing, etc.), and most of its games are geared towards teens and adults.

[B00T]

DS and it's not close

[ilya]

DS Lite and PSP are your only two choices, really. Go for the DS Lite...cheaper (plus you don't have to spend extra on memory cards and protective gear)...backwards compatible with a huge library of GBA games...more durable (snaps shut to protect the screens)...likely to tie in with the Wii in the future (if it doesn't already)...plenty of games you will enjoy as well. There's a good selection of games that blend entertainment with learning....or mental exercise anyway...turn-based strategy games, games like Brain Age that train your arithmetic skills/spatial perception/etc, puzzle games, like Meteos and Lumines, that reward both wits and reflexes. A collection of NYT crosswords if you're into that, and plenty of Sudoku action.

To be fair, the PSP has good titles in those genres as well, although overall the selection is smaller and it's harder to find good games for a real bargain.

The PSP also plays movies you've already bought on DVD using its own proprietary format, and lets your 6 year old surf the web and chat on IM with strangers!