Slashdot Mirror
Controllers for Kids?
zapyon asks: "I have been asked for help with selecting a joystick for a 6 y/o boy, but I am no player. The hardware tests I found (or rather the models tested) seemed to be targeted on more or less grown-up players of 3d shooters and the like.
So I would like to forward the request for help to you slashdotters: Any joysticks you can recommend for a kid? Perhaps simple, but robust models with a smaller 'stick' but large buttons? Perhaps less than 2 dozen special buttons? I remember this 'Competition Pro' joystick I used with my Atari ST ages ago: 2 large red buttons, very robust design. Anything like this today? State-of-the-art top models are certainly too expensive, too.
Hope anyone can help, it's going to be a Christmas present for the boy. He is playing on a Windows XP (personal) with kids' games, but the mouse is not the right device to play these games." This brings me to the topic of controllers suitable for 8-10 year olds for the current crop of consoles. I don't think I've seen a console that has been released in the last 2-3 years that has controllers which are suitable for such small hands. Is there anyone marketing such, and if so, where can one find them?
I remember useing the old 3 button gravis designs when I was that age, amazing thing is, I still have my gravis from that era and it still worked the last time I used it.
I actually like it better than the standard H-Box behemoth. Seems they like their controllers and keyboards to be big and bloated too.
Before I part with'em: two pennies weigh ~4.996+/-0.014g, have a zinc core, and the face of Lincoln. You can keep 'em.
Is excellent for small hands. My 12 year old brother has one and he does fine with it. He also baby sits kids for my mother's friends and I've seen him teaching kids as young as 5 - 7 to play Pikmin. Also, the Game Cube, although far from lacking in adult titles (Eternal Darkness was great) is probably the strongest console for kids games.