Gaming system recommendation for a client...

MaidMirawyn

MaidMirawyn

New Member
A client of mine is looking to get his wife a gaming system for her birthday. He's in his mid fifties, she's in her mid-thirties, and they have a toddler.

She loves puzzle and thinking-type games (PC), and one of her current addictions is Fish Tycoon. She is not a hack-and-slash or RPG gamer, by any means.

So, here it is: Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3, or Xbox 360? Originally he was interested in the Xbox 360, but after I told him about the Wii, he's intrigued by the motion-sensitive nature of the Wii, and the golf/tennis/bowling possibilities. (He's not a gamer at all, but he remembers seeing ads for the Wii and thinks it could be fun. Basically, though, it's going to be his wife's toy.)

Anyone have any recommendations for a system, based on games they've played or the games that a friend like that enjoys? I would be interested in input especially from guys with non-gamer wives. He also asked about recommendations for specific games.
 
If you're looking for a recommendation for a non-gamer, go for the Wii. It is very user-friendly to use, and the games are extremely easy to pick up and play, with virtually no learning curve.

Speaking of curve, my three year old brother can throw a pretty decent curveball in Wii Sports baseball. And my grandfather loved Wii Bowling. And my aunts and uncles all love Wii Sports games. None of those people were into video games, but once they saw how approachable the Wii is, they were hooked.

As for games, Wii Sports (packaged with the system) is a great starter title. They/she may also be interested in Excite Truck, Trauma Center and WarioWare, but it really depends on personal taste. =)
 
SirThom said:
If you're looking for a recommendation for a non-gamer, go for the Wii. It is very user-friendly to use, and the games are extremely easy to pick up and play, with virtually no learning curve.
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I have to agree with Tom.

I've learned to love both PC and console games, but recognize that a woman in her thirties is probably going to be more interested in Wii Sports or Wii Play than she would be in Starcraft or UT2004.

SirThom said:
They/she may also be interested in Excite Truck, Trauma Center and WarioWare, but it really depends on personal taste. =)
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I haven't played Excite Truck or Trauma Center, but I do own WarioWare: Smooth Moves. I like it, but WarioWare games are an acquired taste and may not be a good choice for someone new to gaming. I'd recommend renting the game before purchasing it.

She may also be interested in Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree, but I haven't played it myself so I can't say.

If she's a little bit more adventurous, then she might want to try out Zelda: Twilight Princess as well. The Zelda series seems to be popular with women, likely because the main character looks like a young woman.

EDIT: Almost forgot: She might also be interested in a Nintendo DS Lite.
 
I wouldn't discount the 360. Viva Pinata will have her hooked fo' sho'. Beautiful Katamari is coming exclusively to 360 as well. In addition, M$ is pushing for games for non-gamers. I think we'll be seeing more games like that in the near future.
 
The 360 has a lot of great puzzle games on Live Arcade. If she likes puzzle and strategy games, I'd be willing to bet money she'll really like Settlers of Catan, which has a Live Arcade version with online multiplayer or really decent AI opponents.

It's originally a board game. I've managed to get some of my college buddies hooked on it-- even people who normally don't like that sort of thing.
 
The 360 has a horrible track record for dying due to the lack of decent cooling. If you ever opened up one you would see that it is a horrible piece of trash.
 
vibrokatana said:
The 360 has a horrible track record for dying due to the lack of decent cooling. If you ever opened up one you would see that it is a horrible piece of trash.
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While I can agree with this (I'm currently on my fourth Xbox 360), I will say that the Xbox 360 is an incredible machine as well. It's a different type of machine for a different kind of gamer. The Xbox 360 may be something this lady is interested in (there are quite a few great arcade/puzzle-style games on it), but it's really a matter of personal taste.
 
SirThom said:
While I can agree with this (I'm currently on my fourth Xbox 360), I will say that the Xbox 360 is an incredible machine as well. It's a different type of machine for a different kind of gamer. The Xbox 360 may be something this lady is interested in (there are quite a few great arcade/puzzle-style games on it), but it's really a matter of personal taste.
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having to send in a console due to hardware problems probably wont make it that appealing.
 
more appealing than you think. Most folks i know with a 360l ook past the obvious cooling design deficiencies and keep getting them replaced.
 
having to send in a console due to hardware problems probably wont make it that appealing.
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It was appealing enough to me to make me want to wait about two months for four different Xbox 360's to come in. :p
 
tjguitarz said:
I don't see words, I see a baby kicking and screaming because he doesn't like the big bad monster that is Microsoft. While I do agree that their OS is not at a level it should be, their gaming systems are very nice. They look nice. They smell nice. And they play great games very well.
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I fail to see why someone would buy a car just because it looks nice but falls apart soon after you drive it off the lot.

"Oh ya, I love this car but i've had to send it in 3 times because the engine fused together. I really recommend everyone buy it!"
 
If the car looks nice, drives amazingly smooth, has an engine that goes from 1 to 100MPH in two seconds, and can fly and also swim - the part about it falling to pieces wouldn't bother me that much. ;)
 
MaidMirawyn said:
But I am an actual gamer...
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Trouble is, the definition of "gamer" is changing.

Who is a gamer?

Is it the 13-year old who can tank Illidan in World of Warcraft but can't make it through sex ed class without giggling?

Is it the 16-year old who collects the most Pokemon and says, "My Pokemon, let me show you them"?

Is it the 18-year old at the LAN party knocking back Red Bull and yelling out, "BOOM! HEADSHOT!"?

Is it the 21-year old college frat guy who plays Halo drunk?

Is it the 21-year old girl who has every style of couch available for her Sims?

Is it the 30-something that buys every blasted reiteration of Super Mario Bros. that Nintendo spews forth in a vain effort to recapture his youth?

Or is it any of these people?

If Nintendo has taught us anything, it's (1) let Sega do it, then copy it, improve on it, and profit, and (2) the term "gamer" is more elastic than we once thought.

Nintendo has upset the hardcore community by making gaming available to a larger audience with the Nintendo DS and the Wii. (To be fair, approving crappy games base on movies and delaying Metroid 3: Corruption hasn't earned them any love, either.)

I don't know if this really relates to the MM's post, but my point is this: Gaming is meant to be fun. If a game is fun to you (and doesn't cause you to stumble, of course), then play it.

Ignore the fanboys who shout out, "ZOMGBBQ PS3 HAS LIEK A TRILLION MEGAFOLPS" and still make stupid phallic jokes about the Nintendo Wii (almost a year after launch).

Gaming is, largely, what you make it. This coming from a former gaming elitist who has purchased a Wii and is trying to reform his ways.

Maybe if we expand the definition of gaming a bit, we can get more female players involved in the larger gaming community. Lord knows that we could use a few women to help balance out the male posturing and general stupidity that runs rampant on gaming forums.

In short, find a game you like and have fun with it--whether that's The Sims, Wii Sports, Counter-Strike, Halo 2, or...whatever game is popular on the Playstation 3 right now, I haven't been paying attention.

EDIT: I would just like to add: It's time that gaming grows up a little. The average age of the gamer is 23 or 25 or something like that.

On a related note: It's time for game developers to stop pushing absurd and unrealistic images of women like Agent Bloodrayne, Lara Croft, and Kasumi (from Dead or Alive)--women that look less like heroes and more like adult film stars--when the majority of gamers are not adolescent males.

Okay, I think I've hit my ranting quota for the day. Carry on. :)
 
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Tek7 said:
can't make it through sex ed class without giggling?

Is it the 18-year old at the LAN party knocking back Red Bull and yelling out, "BOOM! HEADSHOT!"?
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That's me! HAHAHA!

And I completely agree with you about the women thing. It's unfair to them, and unfair to the guys trying to keep their minds pure.
 
Wii. Most innovative, original, well-built system of them all. Haven't had one problem with mine. Most fun with a system I have ever had.


'Nuff said.
 
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