Hello everyone. I am stuck.
I want to buy a game system to donate for use at church with a teen youth group that I lead. They have a casual time of about 45 minutes before each Wednesday evening meeting, where they hang out, play music or sports, etc. Several who have been attending lately are really into video games at home, and I would like to buy a game system for them and others to play on the projector before and maybe after youth, as well as at some events.
The intent is to be inclusive and have good, clean fun. The group is not that large (about 13 at a time on average, mostly high schoolers, but several who could come more often), but we are growing. (Some older kids graduated out.)
I was originally intent on the Wii, since it was physically interactive, fun, and popular.
Then at the store they recommended Kinnect, since it would (1) work without controllers, and (2) be new and exciting. I asked the kids, and even had two of the bigger gamers come and try it out. They liked it a lot, and wanted it.
But I started to see that the games for Kinnect were not only limited (as it was new, and I understood that), but tended to be more edgy, not necessarily appropriate for church. For example, they only had one dance game, and about half of the songs on it were very suggestive. Not that they would not hear them on the radio, but they might present a problem I would rather avoid. The girls had all asked for a dance game if I bought the new system. Boys wanted sports and hunting (and some dancing).
The Kinect had sports games (which would be the most attractive to a large group), but the additional games again tended to be a little aggressive, although not all were. And, of course the normal X-Box 360 games worked with it, but required more controllers.
In our area, hunting and fishing and active sports are popular, especially with our kids, but they are also tech savvy and enjoy gaming.
Our church rents our space, so anything we have has to be put up and taken down weekly.
The pros to the Wii: Most have it or have access to it. It is familiar. Many games available, expecially dance selections.
Cons to the Wii: Everyone has it. (Not so new and exciting.) Keeping up with controllers. Games perceived by some teens as more for children.
Pros to the Kinect: No one has it. No controllers necessary. Has the WOW factor. Can still use the regular X-Box games (but only with controllers).
Cons to the Kinect: Very few games (for the time being). Games are sometimes edgy. Need controllers to use old games.
We did see the Sony Playstation 3 and its wand add-on, which was new and exciting in a way to them, but did not seem much different than the Wii in game play.
Also, the Wii was less expensive, until you added all the controllers necessary to let up to 4 play.
Anyway, those are most of my thoughts in a nutshell, and I would like people here to help me think about it and choose. The goal is to buy something that will be fun and another good reason to hang out at church, leading into youth group programs or just for positive fun as a contrast to other, more negative influences.
What do you all think? I truly need some insight.
Paul
I want to buy a game system to donate for use at church with a teen youth group that I lead. They have a casual time of about 45 minutes before each Wednesday evening meeting, where they hang out, play music or sports, etc. Several who have been attending lately are really into video games at home, and I would like to buy a game system for them and others to play on the projector before and maybe after youth, as well as at some events.
The intent is to be inclusive and have good, clean fun. The group is not that large (about 13 at a time on average, mostly high schoolers, but several who could come more often), but we are growing. (Some older kids graduated out.)
I was originally intent on the Wii, since it was physically interactive, fun, and popular.
Then at the store they recommended Kinnect, since it would (1) work without controllers, and (2) be new and exciting. I asked the kids, and even had two of the bigger gamers come and try it out. They liked it a lot, and wanted it.
But I started to see that the games for Kinnect were not only limited (as it was new, and I understood that), but tended to be more edgy, not necessarily appropriate for church. For example, they only had one dance game, and about half of the songs on it were very suggestive. Not that they would not hear them on the radio, but they might present a problem I would rather avoid. The girls had all asked for a dance game if I bought the new system. Boys wanted sports and hunting (and some dancing).
The Kinect had sports games (which would be the most attractive to a large group), but the additional games again tended to be a little aggressive, although not all were. And, of course the normal X-Box 360 games worked with it, but required more controllers.
In our area, hunting and fishing and active sports are popular, especially with our kids, but they are also tech savvy and enjoy gaming.
Our church rents our space, so anything we have has to be put up and taken down weekly.
The pros to the Wii: Most have it or have access to it. It is familiar. Many games available, expecially dance selections.
Cons to the Wii: Everyone has it. (Not so new and exciting.) Keeping up with controllers. Games perceived by some teens as more for children.
Pros to the Kinect: No one has it. No controllers necessary. Has the WOW factor. Can still use the regular X-Box games (but only with controllers).
Cons to the Kinect: Very few games (for the time being). Games are sometimes edgy. Need controllers to use old games.
We did see the Sony Playstation 3 and its wand add-on, which was new and exciting in a way to them, but did not seem much different than the Wii in game play.
Also, the Wii was less expensive, until you added all the controllers necessary to let up to 4 play.
Anyway, those are most of my thoughts in a nutshell, and I would like people here to help me think about it and choose. The goal is to buy something that will be fun and another good reason to hang out at church, leading into youth group programs or just for positive fun as a contrast to other, more negative influences.
What do you all think? I truly need some insight.
Paul
