Yet with nary an ad about iOS gaming apparently, the iPad tops the most wanted lists for kids 6-12...
Here is my take:
Why does the handheld market have to cater to kids? Can't it target core gamers and carve out a respectable market with that demographics, too?
Handhelds are often seen as pacification devices, at least by parents toward kids. Keep them quiet on the road trips and around the house. Why buy a handheld for a kid, when mommy can lend little Johnny her iPhone? I see this happening all of the time, but that just my perceptive anecdote.
Arguably, as a 31 year old core gamer (with disposable income), who had no interests in handhelds bought into 3DS last year in anticipation of Resident Evil Mercenaries 3D/Revelations. Since, I've acquired 20 3DS games, all bought new and most preordered. Why am I, or gamers like me, not the demographic Nintendo tried to target? Bring over our favorite Intendo series, work with third parties to get quality offerings of our favorite series' and work to create new IP's (sorely lacking on this gens HD systems as of late)...I'm a prime example of the gamer who has traditionally shunned handhelds and dove in for my favorite series. I acquired other offerings along the way, even in genres I've never tried. I invest in my investment.
I will say not every gamer is like me and some are too stubborn to give certain platforms a chance. I'm glad I did. It reminds me of that PS2 generation feeling: awesome!
Aside, I work in the salon industry and you wouldn't believe how many kids are pacified using the parents iPhone for Angry Birds. The more parents use the device, the more curious the child is, the child begins to use it and then they must have it. It's a natural extension of monkey see, monkey do.
I dunno, I feel like Nintendo can still target a younger base, but they should be aware they could make gains by targeting my demographic just as furiously.
I would just have a hard time dropping 500 bucks for a kid's own device. This is where I think the iPad mini will be huge.
This is another point. A device like the 3DS is more easily replaceable. It costs less than an entry iPad, and 3DSis more like a cat: if you drop it, it has a few more lives and is more likely to survive unscathed. The iPad, iPhone and iPod touch are just slabs of glass and aluminum. I've seen so many cracked backs of iPhones it's almost comical. I'm typing this on my iPad as we speak, there is no way I'm letting my son (step), let alone any other eleven year old (clumsy, careless) hand a delicate device. How parents and people who lost their jobs, people who more on about terrible economy can sellout money on such fragile things for kids, I dunno.
I feel better having mine play traditional games on a traditional device. We've each developed a great library for our 3DS'.
already agreed above that it's not a sign of being truly talented - we're pretty realistic about where our kid stands as mentioned above. However, the ipad as a learning tool has been a revelation : which was more the point.
This interests me, to an extent. Could this also be detrimental? I think learning and absorption can be rather east, when packaged in an appealing, fun manner. What happens when these children who are trained and groomed, using flashy graphical metrics and measures, arrive at school and have/use nothing of the sort? Where learning is in a clunky textbook? Plain pencils and papers? It no longer becomes fun, interesting or as engaging as it once was....
I often say kids struggle in the ADD era of instant gratification - everything is flashy and competing for attention - video games and electronics are fun for them. They're groomed on iOS/DS. They get to school and it can't compete the way an electronic could.....
Sorry the last bit was touching in a previous discussion, but top part talks about Nintendo and targeting new profit
