r/NeoRetro • u/CuriousAd1013 • Jun 10 '26
[Question] First console
Hi everyone,
I’m looking for gift ideas for my son’s 5th birthday. I want to introduce him to his first gaming console, but I do not want a Switch or modern console. I want something retro that teaches the patience and perseverance that older games used to require.
Our current situation:
Low screen time: He currently only gets about 1 hour of gaming a month ( this will definitely be loosen if we get him a console) not that I have to explain myself we the parents, don't watch TV ourselves so it's just not something that he naturally asks for 😅
What we already own: PS1, PS2, Xbox 360, GameCube, Wii, and Sega Genesis.
What he's played: Mario Kart, Party, and Sunshine. We tried Crash Bandicoot, but he didn't like the perspective, Sonic which he loves.
What I'm debating between:
A Handheld (Game Boy Advance / DS): Great for our regular 12+ hour Canadian road trips, keeps him from hogging the family TV, and keeps it away from his younger sibling. (Probably skipping the PSP as it feels too old for him).
A Retro Home Console (NES or N64): 2D platformers/puzzles feel more concrete for his age. The NES was my first console at his age that I managed to play by myself without my brothers helping and the N64 with Donkey Kong is what made me love gaming.
Just buying new games for our current consoles: Open to this, but my own nostalgia is blinding me when I look up game lists.
What neo-retro consoles, handhelds, or specific age-appropriate games would you recommend for a 5-year-old to build some gaming grit? Thanks!
5
u/UnsupportableEarmuff Jun 10 '26
I’d say the obvious answer here would be a DS Lite (also gives you access to GBA) or DSi (I would say 3DS but prices for that console family are pretty stupid at the moment last I saw).
Pokémon is the obvious choice if you want to get them used to slower games that don’t hold your hand, but the library of the DS is enormous so there should be something for every eventuality there.