's Guide to Gaming Consoles

A Parent’s Guide to Gaming Consoles: Making the Right Choice for Your Family

As a parent, making the right choice between gaming consoles can feel overwhelming. With options like PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch being tossed around, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But don’t worry – we’re here to help you make sense of it all and find the perfect gaming system for your family.

Understanding Your Family’s Needs

Before diving into specific consoles, consider these key questions:

  • What age are your children?
  • What types of games interest them?
  • What’s your budget for both the console and games?
  • Do you want to play together as a family?
  • How important is portability?

Let’s break down each major gaming platform with these considerations in mind.

Nintendo Switch: The Family-Friendly Champion


The Nintendo Switch stands out as perhaps the most family-friendly console available today. Its unique design allows it to work both as a traditional home console connected to your TV and as a portable handheld device – perfect for families on the go.

Models and Pricing Nintendo offers three versions:

Family-Friendly Features

  • Extensive library of all-ages games
  • Recognizable characters like Mario, Pokemon, and Zelda
  • Strong parental controls
  • Local multiplayer focus perfect for family game nights
  • Most affordable current-generation console

Online Service

Nintendo Switch Online subscription:

Expansion Pack tier: $49.99/year Includes access to online play and classic games

Basic tier: $19.99/year

Parental Controls

 Click here for the official Nintendo Switch parental controls page

Kid’s and Teens Perspective

Jacob – I’m biased because I was raised as a Nintendo head, but I think the Nintendo Switch is great for family, party games, and general fun games. 

Isaac—The Switch is optimal for families and kids. There are lots of options for parents to set limits, and some of the most prevalent games on the Switch are designed for kids.

Xbox Series X|S: The Power Player

Since its launch, the Xbox Series X has been the most powerful home video game console on the market. But that power hasn’t translated into many benefits for families, mostly because Microsoft itself does not publish many family-friendly games. 

With an Xbox Game Pass subscription, families can access over a hundred games. However, parents need to be very careful when setting up parental controls, as the vast majority of games on Xbox Game Pass are not family-friendly. 

When you are looking to buy an Xbox, there are two choices you have to make. The Series S model is the cheapest if you have a fast enough internet speed and don’t care about buying physical games. This version of the console is all digital and has no disc drive. This may be difficult for parents who want to give physical gifts to their children. On the other hand, we have the Series X with a disc drive. Both options can be viable for your family depending on whether you want to go digital or physical. 

Models and Pricing

Family Considerations

  • Excellent backward compatibility
  • Game Pass subscription offers great value
  • Fewer exclusive family titles
  • Strong parental controls

Online Service

Xbox Game Pass:

Ultimate: $19.99/month Includes hundreds of downloadable games

Core: $9.99/month

Standard: $11.99/month

Parental Controls

Click here for the official Xbox family settings page

Kid’s and Teens’ Perspective

Jacob – Xbox is good for competitive gaming; however, my biggest complaint is that the controllers don’t have gyro controls.

PlayStation 5: The Premium Experience

The PS5 offers cutting-edge graphics and performance, with an increasing focus on family-friendly titles. The recent release of games like Astro Bot shows Sony’s growing interest in all-ages entertainment.


Models and Pricing

Family Considerations

  • Growing library of family games
  • Excellent parental controls
  • Higher initial investment
  • More mature-focused game library overall

Online Service

PlayStation Plus subscription:

Premium: $17.99/month Each tier adds more games and features

Essential: $9.99/month

Extra: $14.99/month

Parental Controls

Click here for the official playstation parental controls page  

Kid’s and Teens’ Perspective

Jacob – Playstion is good for story and graphically intense games.

Isaac – Better for single-player games focused on the telling of a story more than the competitiveness of those games 


What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

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