Has anyone ever gifted an "emulation machine" to a kid?

[Harsky]

This week I helped my little cousin hack his 3DS and loaded it with a bunch of NES/GB/retro games and when I spoke to him again, there was only one game he played over and over and over again. Mario Kart 7 without even touching any of the other games at all.

There seems to be a growing trend of selling emulation machines (PSPs, Raspberry Pi, Xbox with XBMC etc) and what I noticed is a small group of people saying that they wanted to buy one for their little kid. I guess my point is, with the power to play over 1000 games in their handheld, how many kids actually just... stopped playing with it?

 

[Sliter]

hmm it's a good point but I don't know xD if wa sbe I would at leats give a look in each ine and play the ones I liked most until I got bored hahah maybe recomendadion or what they call me to play together...
well one time I gifted a DSlite (sady it not much alive today) to a buddy and he only wanted to play pokemon, everything else he played he would use invincibility cheat to pass the stuff faster :v lol
Don't even cared for some fan translate dgame sI put there for him >w> lolol anyway

 

[InsaneNutter]

With 1000's of games to choose from where do you start? chances are his friends have Mario Kart 7, or he knows about that, so chose to play that.

I think with older games you probably will need to sit down and show him what's good about the game. Or find something you can play 2 players on and both enjoy together.

Lets be honest, many retro games don't exactly age well. To us and people who grew up with them they will always be awesome, however I could totally understand how someone much younger than myself wouldn't like them.

 

[Deleted-379826]

Aw, I would of LOVED this when I was younger

 

[Deleted User]

I don't have that much stuff set up on my sister's 2DS, but she does, from time to time, play some SNES or GB/C games.

 

[Andim]

I guess my point is, with the power to play over 1000 games in their handheld, how many kids actually just... stopped playing with it?

I've never done this, but if I was gonna give such a setup to a kid, I'd limit the selection to my favorite 2-dozen or so games from each platform. And I'd talk him through what he might like to play. Just leaving a kid with ROM fullsets sounds like a bad idea.

 

[gnmmarechal]

I have given my 9y-old brother a GBA a couple years ago, and gave him some of my older electronics for him to play with. In fact, I made him use DOS on a 486DX2 desktop I own before Windows. And he did play some emulated games on the GBA.

 

[KingBlank]

I've had varying results, I sold someone one of my DS flashcarts preloaded with loads of stuff and they played so much, Even asking advice on upgrading it and adding new games.

Another person just played Pokemon and did not touch the other games, I struggle to understand those people... But whatever.

 

[ZeryOs]

What I do in this situations is make packages or batches of games. Pick a bunch sound interesting but not enough that would overwhelm me and play them. When the time is right (usually when I have passed a few and tested everyone or almost everyone of those) I move on to the next patch.

That strategy works the best for me. Maybe could work with your cousin expand his horizons as well.

 

[Taleweaver]

I actually got into the hacking console thing after seeing a parent (also a friend of a friend of mine) hook up his wii to play with his kids (and us). Granted, it was a single instance but I think the 'it's for my kid' is a proxy excuse The buyer wants to play together with his kid The child... I don't think he or she is even really excited for the prospect

My own nephew is also somewhat addicted to video games but I won't get him that (he hasn't seen my hacked consoles yet). Not only because it'd put pressure between me and my aunt - in - law (it's not up to me to basically give him something illegal), but also because it could mean he goes to neglect his other hobbies.
Also : last weekend he came over to see our new house.while we were eager to show him around he barely looked up from his 2ds. I like video games but that really wasn't the best experience, there.

 

[ZeryOs]

I actually got into the hacking console thing after seeing a parent (also a friend of a friend of mine) hook up his wii to play with his kids (and us). Granted, it was a single instance but I think the 'it's for my kid' is a proxy excuse The buyer wants to play together with his kid The child... I don't think he or she is even really excited for the prospect

My own nephew is also somewhat addicted to video games but I won't get him that (he hasn't seen my hacked consoles yet). Not only because it'd put pressure between me and my aunt - in - law (it's not up to me to basically give him something illegal),

Dude, a hacked console ins't illegal. Specially if you own the games so don't go that road which isn't the topic.

but also because it could mean he goes to neglect his other hobbies.

If you happen to do that is because you have a way into the kid's life (including a relation to the kid's parents). Not likely to give any family member a console or anything just because they want one. Is usually because you fancy to give them one (because they are interested and you want to share it with him) and in the best scenario you want to share a moment.

Also : last weekend he came over to see our new house.while we were eager to show him around he barely looked up from his 2ds. I like video games but that really wasn't the best experience, there.

In the end it depends on the individual. As much as I like to play with my children (if I had any) or my life-partner for that matter, if they don't like it, than is a NO. But if they do, doing something like hacking a console or putting time into setting some setup for that one person in particular is a really special feeling in my opinion and is the best satisfaction it comes out of to me.

 

[Taleweaver]

Dude, a hacked console ins't illegal. Specially if you own the games so don't go that road which isn't the topic.

I've read quite the threads on the topic. Apparently you don't so I'll spell it out for you :

I don't own the original games. Therefore giving someone a machine with roms on it would be illegal.

If you don't want to discuss it, I'm fine with that.but since you quoted it, you actually do.

 

[Ryccardo]

No, but I sold CDs with VisualBoyAdvance and games in elementary school

 

[Stwert]

Several times, I’m actually quite a generous person. I often give away things, which have ranged from games, to consoles, to 50” DLP TV’s (back when they were still quite new), 3D printers, money and all sorts of other things.

I’m actually thinking of putting some things on this forum. Some for sale, some for free.

 

[DaniPoo]

I started playing around with emulators on PC about 17-18 years ago so I was like 12-13 years old back then (Man time flies).
Anyway I really loved it, and shortly after I was messing around with a HEX editor (Hexposure) to modify in game text and stuff.
There was also Tile Layer Pro for editing game graphics.
this was shortly followed by pause that lasted a few years (I call it the girl and booze chasing era).

Eventually I would calm down a little bit even though the girls still couldn't leave me alone.
During this time (18-20) I was very much inte the PSP scene anbd it sparked new life into my interest for tech stuff.
This is when I started to learn C++ (a language that I have been using in my professional career.

Yes, I belive giving kids tech stuff that is fun to tinker with is a good ideé.
But instead of giving them a complete machine with thousands of games.
Maybe give them a few good games and then teach them how to dump games and then then how to add them to the machine.

 

[Tsukimori]

Instead of giving someone a system preloaded with games, giving them a system with the capability to add more games and tinker with them is more beneficial and fun for both parties. The "teach a man how to fish" adage comes to mind.