Nintendo switch or other gaming option

amother

Mon, Apr 24 2023, 8:54 am

Hi!

It has come to the point that I think I need a gaming option, mainly for my 12 year old son.
We have been straddling along with cheap game consoles and game son my phone but I need to get another option as those as rent working well.
My son has been begging for a Nintendo switch or DS. I don't know much about them.a few questions for those that have them:
1. Do you need to buy the games or they come with games?
2. Is there internet access and can I disable it?
3. Can you play just with the handheld device or do I need a screen?
4. I have no idea anything about this so which is the best one to get for a child this age?

Thanks!

amother

Bottlebrush

Mon, Apr 24 2023, 9:12 am

My boys each have one and all their friends have. They switch disks with each other all the time. I do not allow any Wi-Fi on it so I buy the disks you can download games and they have many free games but that means your child will be on a device that has access to internet. I bought my boys switches because I didn’t want them on iPads and I hide the charger for the switch. So they can only play for so long before it runs out of battery. Sometimes I let them charge it twice or three times a week sometimes only once a week depending on how their behavior is. Most weeks they get it charged twice and they can play for many hours per week.

amother

Papayawhip

Mon, Apr 24 2023, 11:05 am

amother OP wrote:

My kids love the switch.
We got the switch lite a few years ago, and it was a mistake-they really wanted to be be able to play games against each other and the lite doesnt support that. When the lite broke, we bought the regular switch.
You can buy physical games, or purchase games online through the switch (cheaper), or download free games from the switch (needs internet).
There is internet access-you need it to activate the switch-you will need to connect it online with a nintendo account that you'll make (very easy to do).
After that, you have the option to put parental controls, which I recommend. You'll need to put a simple quick app on your phone or other device in order to control it (easy to do).The parental controls can disable the ability to purchase content without the parent, or to communicate with strangers through the game etc.
Theres not much else for the kids to do on there, internet wise .
You can play just with the handheld device (the switch lite is a bit easier for that, its lighter), but hooking it up to a large screen is pretty awesome, especially as the kids get older. You can always do that later. (You are not able to hook the switch lite to a screen)

If your son is 12, and has friends who enjoy gaming, I suggest getting the switch. Even without connecting it to a screen, he will be able to enjoy playing against his friends (by disconnecting the joy cons on either side of it, and each child takes one to use as a separate controller. The switch can stand up on a table by itself and act as a mini screen while they both play. Its pretty amazing). The switch lite does NOT do that. And as he gets older, if you decide to, you can purchase additional controllers and a real screen, and 4 kids can play against each other at once.

I STRONGLY suggest you look at a bunch of youtube videos to get familiar with it. Search for starting nintendo switch, nintendo switch for beginners, and nintendo switch parental controls. I once also had NO CLUE what this is all about, and my kids were begging me for a switch etc...the best way to understand this is to learn about it all-and I promise its pretty easy to understand.

One more thing-I really recommend that you yourself feel educated and comfortable with setting it up; the user account, handling the switch, AND USING IT, for the sole reason of your kids not thinking they know more about the tech than you do. You need to show them that youre able to use it, you understand how it works, and youre involved. Dont let your kids think for one second that they have the upper hand when it comes to technology-with this basic device or any other future ones