From: v089l3s3@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Jeremy B Horwitz)
Newsgroups: rec.games.video
Subject: Re: Sega or Genesis
Date: 4 Oct 92 16:43:00 GMT
Article-I.D.: acsu.BvLvs2.MEJ
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Oct4.141213.24841@mother.bates.edu>, mperron@mother.bates.edu (Mike Perron) writes...
> 
>	I have a 6 year old boy who just sold his old nintendo and we would like
>to get him either super nintendo or Sega Genesis. Any opinions would be apprec-aiated. Thanks in advance.
> 
>Mike Perron
>mperron@mother.bates.edu
You have to set up some preliminary standards for what you expect
first, before you choose the Genesis or the Super Nintendo.

Will you be using the system yourself, or will you want to buy 
something simply for his use? 
This question is important because the graphics and sounds of a
16-bit system won't necessarily be of benefit to a 6-year old.
Stripping those away, the only things left are gameplay and
challenge, and number of titles geared towards his age group.

Which system has better gameplay on average? I know for a fact
that I have returned more Genesis games for lack of enjoyment
than I have SNES, on the average. I find the programmers of
SNES titles to be generally more capable of producing a game
I enjoy than Sega's programmers.

Which system has more challenging games? A toss-up. SNES titles
like Super Mario world and Pilotwings will probably never be
completed by a 6-year old, who will just enjoy playing the games
over and over for fun, and because they have many levels.
By an older person, Mario can be completed in 1-5 days, depending
on whether or not they try to achieve the ultimate goal in the
game or go for a quick completion. 
Genesis titles are, on the average, easier for both young kids
and adults alike, and tend to be less replayable than SNES games.
This may be good for a 6-year old, but not for a 8 or 9 year old.

Which system has more titles that kids can play? Well, this also
depends on the parents' standards. Sega does not restrict the
gore content in its games, so titles like Splatterhouse 2 and
TechnoCop feature blood at its best. These titles are in the
minority, though, and feature parent advisory labels. Nintendo
restricts the amount of blood and the like in its games to
meet "family standards", and makes more of an effort to 
appeal to the younger set. Sega has a lot of plain easy game
titles which kids can play, but only a few (Where in the
World is Carmen Sandiego, Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego)
which are truly "educational". Nintendo has games suited
to younger children, like the Mario Paint game and Super
Scope 6 gun games, but no "educational" ones as of yet.

It is important to note that Sega's claim is that they
target the 12-17 and 18-24 audiences with their games.
It shows. Few "kiddie" games are mixed in, and unless you
find a knowledgable person, it would be very hard to
find the ones appropriate for a child in that group.
Nintendo claims that they target kids up to 17 primarily,
and get games in the 18-24 bracket occasionally. i've
found that that strategy has created more games with a
kids' type of look but long lasting adult replay
value. 

My choice for myself is the Super NES. I would also
recommend it for your boy...

Any questions.. Just mail me.

-> Jer
Newsgroups: rec.games.video