Gaming Want to put together a puzzle game package for my dad, suggestions?

[Futurdreamz]

My dad will be retiring sometime in the next couple of years (he applied for a two-year extension but has the right to put in his two weeks at any time and still get full pension) And I was hoping to put together a DS with a bunch of puzzle games and such. He isn't really into technology as much, and still uses an old Mac OS 8 computer for document work (but I got him a laptop with 10.6, so he might start transitioning over). Mostly he sticks to more representional games such as card and puzzle games, with the most abstract/time sensitive game being Aqua Blooper piper

My plan was to get one of the DS family devices with a flashcart loaded with games such as picross and card game packs. I'm not sure if going for a cheaper edition (such as an Original DS or DS Lite) will run the risk of it having hinge and battery problems, and while he probably wouldn't be interested in the more advanced games of the 3DS, there are still several that are pretty good (and a used 2DS isn't particularly expensive) and he may find interest in games available (such as the picross e family) on the eShop (I will not introduce him to the Badge Arcade, that thing is practically meth). Going to a 3DS/2DS would necessitate using a SuperCard DSTWO flashcart however, which runs the risk if being blocked if he updates the 2DS (he's not particularly tech savvy, and while 3DS updates are automatic DSTWO updates are kind of beyond him). I am definitely planning for use of a flashcart to allow access to a larger game library without breaking the bank, but if I can find them cheap then I suppose the flashcart won't be needed.

So I suppose my main questions can be defined as:

1. What version of the DS (DS Lite, DSi XL, etc) would you recommend? And what should I be watching for?

2. What is the best inexpensive flashcart for DSs? or does it matter?

3. What DS games would you recommend? Additionally, is it possible to get most of them cheap as cartridges?

4. Would the much newer 2DS be preferable?

Thanks.

 

[4ur0r]

1. 2DS with custom firmware and a cheap r4 so if it ever gets blocked (and probably won't) you just need to buy a new one for some pennies. Otherwise, a DSiXL would be the natural choice for "old" people and the NDS still has a lot of emulators (maybe with a DStwo it's even better).
2. Any kind of r4i, doesn't actually matter that much.
3. Brain training, cooking mama, picross, professor layton, fullblox (3DS, it's really mind challenging!)
4. IMO, yes. It's so dirty cheap

 

[Futurdreamz]

Custom firmware on the 2DS? I wasn't aware that was possible.

 

[RingGenie]

Puzzle Series Vol5. Slitherlink is my favorite DS puzzle game. It's Japanese, but you can get an English patch.

 

[BORTZ]

Picross
Picross 3D
Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords
Lock's Quest
Any of the Professor Layton games
Zendoku
Scribblenaughts
Tetris DS
Zoo Keeper
Planet Puzzle League
Meteos

I might be reaching here but:
Kirby Mass attack
Phantom Hourglass
Spirit Tracks

 

[FAST6191]

Any of the puzzle games featured in http://gbatemp.net/threads/links-to-various-gbatemp-features-over-the-years.352851/
Anyway some flavour of picross/Nonograms. http://gbatemp.net/threads/looking-for-games-like-picross.342351/ http://gbatemp.net/threads/are-there-any-other-games-out-there-like-picross-ds.131149/
Tetris DS or the homebrew Tetris Grand Masters/TGM.
DS homebrew does well when it comes to puzzle games actually, http://gamebrew.org/wiki/List_of_DS_homebrew_games is a start there. http://filetrip.net/nds-downloads/games/download-puzzlemaniak-3-6a-f6442.html being the more well known and highly regarded among those (and for good reason).
The telegames ultimate series. They did more on the GBA but the DS entries are well worth it too http://gbatemp.net/threads/ds-5844-card-games-the-classics-europe.326746/#post-4218100
For card games I did attempt to cover basically everything once, though the discussion of the quality did not get so far
http://gbatemp.net/threads/card-games-on-the-ds-a-discussion-of-things.332152/#post-4338771

I have not done so much for the Japanese puzzle/board/card games.

1. What version of the DS (DS Lite, DSi XL, etc) would you recommend? And what should I be watching for?
Depends on the site and hand strength/flexibility. This is very much in suggestion territory -- what did they like/find themselves able to handle before...

2. What is the best inexpensive flashcart for DSs? or does it matter?
If the cart supports the wood firmware it should be good. The DSi and 3ds have some more troubles as Nintendo made efforts to block things, however the go to cheap cart there is the R4i gold. Probably best to wait for suggestions from others though.

3. What DS games would you recommend? Additionally, is it possible to get most of them cheap as cartridges?
Covered elsewhere. Yes and no. Some will go cheap, some get ridiculously expensive ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/Intenium-Elven-Land-Nintendo-DS/dp/B000Q362A8 was a suggestion in the thread linked)

4. Would the much newer 2DS be preferable?
If you can get him to hold one...