If you’ve watched any normal network tv channels lately, with the impending holiday season and the recent new console launches, you have also no doubt seen at least one commercial for what I call “videogame knockoffs for kids”. They’re even given elementary names, like the Leapster and the V-Smile, they’re made of brightly colored plastics using large proportions and very whimsical designs. The problem as I see it becomes apparent in many of the commercials themselves.
What do you think of these kinds of toys for children?
The worst offender was a commercial featuring an alien with a futuristic gun; just before killing two humans the alien pauses to contemplate his actions. The ad goes on to tout one of these types of game systems, and claims that if you want to keep your children away from violence and educate them instead, you should buy said system. To me, they’re bashing mainstream videogame companies and systems in an attempt to get more business from concerned parents for themselves. To me, this means that they view their business as OUTSIDE of the videogame industry, otherwise they wouldn’t so easily attack their fellow game companies. To me, this is a self-destroying concept that hurts ALL videogaming and is ill-concieved on almost all levels (the one exception being on a sheer business/competition level).
Don’t take this as all encompassing, it is really the extreme here, there are MANY other commercials for these types of systems that espouse much better ideals, such as parents yelling to their kids: “Stop cleaning your room and start playing your videogames!” and preaching the concepts that interactive media can be one of the best (and most effective) forms of education for any child / adolescent. Again the problem arises, however, that these types of systems are pushing a form of safety through avoidance. If your kid’s system CAN’T play any violent videogames, then they’re safer. If you never go to Germany the nazis won’t be able to get you!
I do suppose that it comes down to simple numbers and cents, these companies are competing with Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony. Why play nice? One reason is that these companies are a niche market, the V-Smile website claims their systems are for children ages 3 to 9, while the Leapster website is even more dellusional and attempts to market their products to children from ages 0 to 18. Look at these things, what 18 year-old is going to carry that crap around his highschool (or even college)?
At least when you go to ‘kids & baby’ – ‘toys & games’ on Amazon high up on the list is a bright, shiny new white Nintendo DS! A system that any child of very young age can begin learning and playing with, and continue well into their teens and even 20’s. Are these systems yet another way for big-bad companies to squeeze some more well-earned bucks out of under-educated and rightfully concerned parents? Should the big-three companies back out of the children’s entertainment market and let these “specialists” take over for the good of the youth and the nation? Does Jack Thompson hate ALL videogames, including these?
These kinds of systems aren’t unique to the children industry, they also make poker, classic arcade, and even DDR plasticky standalone deals.
I think that kids should get real systems, and instead of buying them a system that does not play any violent video games parents should be involved with their children and be aware of what they’re playing. No matter how much sheltering is done, kids are going to get their hands on GTA somehow, and so it’s better to have that conversation first.
I know from my years at Staples and Meijer that parents do buy these, but mainly for real, real young kids and because they’re cheaper than a full console + software. OK, there may not be much for a 4 year old, but you can get a used Gamecube pretty cheaply, and that’s going to be a lot more fun for them.
Are these brightly colored plastic consoles more durable than the mainstream ones? Perhaps they are more resistant to being struck or hit by angry (or careless) kids? Anyone know if that’s true or not?
If a kid is four years old, I think parents just by them the cheap junk. What the heck does a toddler know about game quality?
Zilch.
These systems aren’t that cheap though, they actually cost upwards of $100-200 plus games. They are most likely very sturdy, but I haven’t really noticed any Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft systems being particularly flimsy either.
Unless of course your friend sits on it for an extended period of time…that’ll do it.
Reinforcing what The Game said, Parents need to take an active roll in what their children do. Little Jimmys mommy and daddy going out and buying a leapfrog and saying “Whooo Good thing we stopped violent behavior in its tracks.. now lets go drink and ignore our children!” doesnt help much of anything.
As far as the concept of these gaming systems being “outside” the video game industry theyre dead wrong. Dependency and Addiction to video games doesnt have to start with a PS3 or Wii. Take myself for example, Im a video game JUNKIE! I could spend hours in front of a game and go wow I just wasted a whole day, only to turn around and do it again.. and my ass didnt have a system till I was 16 (yes thats right 16, Super NES bought second hand).
Moderation is everything, Lesson I have had to learn time and time again in regard s to video games and systems.
I have NO problem with buying your kid a game that teaches hand eye, quick thinking, and intelligent thought.. but know where to draw the line and know how to teach them when its time to draw the line.
Great article and point about these systems being “outside” of the game industry. Funny thing is, Vtech’s V-Smile is the same idea they’ve been pimping towards kids for years! They are in no way “outsiders” to this business, they only choose to market themselves this way, and, it always ends in failure for their crappy overpriced kids’ games. My mother bought me this thing in the late 80’s http://www.vidgame.net/vtech/socrates2.htm
It was an earlier attempt at v-tech trying to market an “educational” system towards kids. It was SLOW, the amount of education it provided was extremely limited, and the “games” for it cost about as much as an NES game did at the time. For the first time as a kid, I remember NOT being excited at all to buy a new “game” for a console such as this.
This is the main problem these things have, they AREN’T fun for kids at all. Say what you want about the educational content, but, these things never matched the fun factor of some great “edutainment” games like the oregon trail, number munchers, and so forth. Therefore, parents get frustrated when kids aren’t playing their video games. The Game is right about this, parents should have a much more hands-on approach to their education. RARELY does mixing education and video games ever work, and trying to pimp these products to parents thinking children are going to actually play this over a gamecube is a terrible marketing ploy. We should educate our kids creatively, but, don’t expect them to give this up over their Gamecube. Try rewarding good educational habits with video games they WANT.
“Unless of course your friend sits on it for an extended period of time…that’ll do it.”
Or your friend’s Mongoloid-idiot brother runs into the room and hits it. That also breaks game systems. Especially Dreamcasts.
However, X-boxes have been scientifically shown to support hundreds of pounds, and have been used to reinforce the structures of Microsoft employees’ houses.
(DISCLAIMER: CRITICAL HITS AND ITS STAFF DO NOT ENCOURAGE USING YOUR X-BOX TO FORM THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR HOUSE AND ASSUME NO RESPONSIBILITY. LEAVE X-BOX FOUNDATION BUILDING TO PROFESSIONAL CONSOLE BUILDERS.)
Well, they may be able to hold a stable few thousand pounds, but let me tell you from experience, you let ONE M-16 drop on top of an Xbox, and you can kiss your future halo matches goodbye. (though the ordeal oddly left no scars on the casing)