Is a Nintendo DS a good gift for my 12 year old or are they more for adults?

Answer 1

Yes, the Nintendo DS (or the DS Lite, which is mostly identical, but smaller and lighter and has a few other minor differences) is a brilliant gift for those of all ages. There are tons of games that would be a brilliant choice, the biggest ones of which would be Pokémon Diamond and/or Pearl (they're similar games with a few differences in what appears and some events are a little different. You can't get all the Pokémon without trading between systems though). These games are the fourth of their kind, and is the fastest selling game franchise is the world and the second highest selling in the world (Mario has sold about 192 million games in 20 years while Pokémon has sold over 155 million; so theoretically Pokémon will surpass even Mario and become the highest selling game franchise in the world). Other games that may be a good choice are Animal Crossing and Mario Kart DS, but there are definitely others. Most games on the DS are very good, so it does come down a bit to what sort of game he/she prefers. Most people agree that the above stated games are very good though. Also, the ability to play certain games with over people all over the world via a wireless internet connection (wi-fi) is definitely a bonus. There are no messy cables with DS, unlike the various Gameboys.

The only other alternative is the PSP, but I can think of a number of reasons why it wouldn't be as good a choice:

1. The DS has a more unique style of control. It utilises the use of a touch screen and stylus (or a thumb strap, which should ber included with the system), creating a style of gameplay very different from any other console or handheld available. PSP uses the standard control buttons and a d-pad.

2. PSP is more expensive.

3. There are probably less games that may be as enjoyable for younger audiences on PSP

4. A fair number of the PSP games are ports (copies of games that already exist on a different gaming system), which does leave some level of originality to be desired.

5. There is no backwards compatibility for PSP because it has no predecessor. Nintendo DS has two game slots with which you can also play the older Gameboy Advance games (but not anything from the older Gameboys. Check the box, it should be pretty clear which is which)

To be fair, there are a couple of advantages that PSP has over DS. They are its capability to play specially designed movie disks in the PSPs own format (called UMD) and the graphics are a little more powerful. But to tell the truth, the game itself is REALLY what matters. Sure, powerful graphics looks pretty but it gets tiring after some time and it's how fun the game is that truly matters, making the significance of the graphics of PSP practically null and void.

So the short answer is yes, Nintendo's DS is a brilliant choice for a gift for your child. He/she will absolutely love it, I'm sure. Chances are, you will too. There are even some really fun games that are literally good for ALL AGES (from as early as you can hold the stylus to parents. Even a few grandparents like them, as long as their eyesight is still decent) as well (Brain Training for example, but there are others).

I recommend that you invest just a small amount of extra cash if you buy the system and get some screen protectors for the DS touch screen, as the touch screen does tend to scratch a bit over time and protectors prevent that from being permanent. Just remove and replace a new protector every few months or whenever they're really needed to keep the screen nice and easy to see. There are protectors designed for the DS, so look in your game store for one; they often come in kits with a couple of other things in there too, but the protector is what's most important (note: some supermarkets might not have them, but places like EB Games and JB Hi-Fi for example, should have them. Just ask).

Answer 2

The Nintendo DS is a great gift for an 12 year old

For an adult it depends on what kind of person he/she is
if that adult likes playing nintendo and those electronic games than the Nintendo DS is a great gift for an adolt to.

Answer 3

The DS is a perfect portable gaming system for a 12 year old as nintendo has some rather excellent games for the ds. It's cheaper than the psp which sells for $169.99 so the ds is the way to go.

Answer 4

No its a great gift. The PSP (Playstation Portable) is more for adults but the DS is mostly for kids. I am 15 and I have a DS, while the games are kiddy sometimes i still have fun playing games like mario and zelda.

Answer 5

No the DS is PERFECT!!!
Whilst you're at it it would also be cheaper in the long term to get an R4 card with a mini-sd memory card so you can download game emulators instead of buying the games.
it will save you tons of cash, your kid will be able to play lots of games at the same time and you can also put music and stuff in it.

I own a pink DS and I have not seen a single inappropriate game. They're all sort of kiddie and fun in that unique way.

Answer 6

Well, the whole thing with Nintendo products nowadays are that they're "for everyone." This includes expanding the audience to adults, but I'm a teenager and there are lots of games I enjoy. I'd bet there is such a wide variety of games and genres on the system that it can be enjoyed by your child.

Answer 7

Yeah its a good gift. PSP is more for adults but it also is for kids to. But the DS is for both adults and kids.

Answer 8

My kids (18 and 13) both have a DS and they both love it. It has a good variety of games and a fun interactive screen. I've had fun playing it too.
Nintendo really has done a good job of making games everyone can enjoy!

Answer 9

Not to sound like a fanboy or anything, but I find the DS a great gift for your kid. I've owned one since 2005 and it's never failed to provide me endless entertainment; unless of course I was playing Ping Pals.

Answer 10

yess its an awesome gift for a 12 year olf.
I would have liked it when I was 12.
My 6 year old neice got one for christmas but I have been the one playing it and Im 13. It has all kinda awesome games.
I love mario.
Good Job.