> > For ease and portability, I would definately go with the Gameboy. With a pretty good battery life and a large selection of games, especially older ones being marked down,
>
> This is a vital point in favor of the Gameboy, in my opinion. If you buy the most expensive current Gameboy in production (the GBA SP I believe), it will play every Gameboy game since the first release of the system in 1989. The Gameboy is the most succesful gaming console of all time, and the fact that the current system will play games released 15 years ago is unprecented in the videogame world.
>
> You can, as was mentioned elsewhere, pick up an older Gameboy for less money, but if you're not that concerned with the initial starting price, I reccomend the Gameboy Advance SP. It has a light built into it -- a big issue, as the Gameboy has a tradition of being hard to see -- and will play the latest games as well as the older ones.
>
> If you buy older GB games, you'll be able to get them for a song. There are tons of them, and buying them used won't be a problem, either in game stores or from online sources such as eBay. You also get the advantage of knowing that Nintendo is still supporting the Gameboy and new games are being released all the time. If you get an older Gameboy system (it was redesigned as the "Gameboy Advance" a few years ago), you won't be able to play the newer Advance games. However, Nintendo supported the original Gameboy for more than a decade, and since the system is so profitable for the company, it's likely they'll support the Advance for years to come.
>
> The Playstation One, however, is not really an actively supported console these days. There are a lot of games you can pick up cheaply, but there aren't many (if any) new ones being released. Its successor, the Playstation Two, is nearing the end of its lifespan, and you can't play the newer PS2 games on the PS1 (and you won't be able to play the PS3 games on the PS2). As mentioned above, you'll also have to have a TV and power source for a Playstation, which may or may not be a problem.
>
> One last thing to consider is durability. The Gameboy is a rugged little system. I have an original GB, released 15 years ago, that still works well today. The games are all cartridges, hard to break, unlike CDs which snap and scratch. In my mind, this is a pretty big deal in a portable system. I also have less-than-nice things to say about the quality control at Sony, as I had my PS2 fail within about a year of purchase. Strangely, my much older Playstation still works fine, though they had a lot of trouble with the first few years manufaturing the Playstation, as well.
>
> The Gameboy is a good little system. For a long time, the average quality of Gameboy games tended to be significantly inferior to the non-portable consoles, but with the GB Advance, some really good games have been released (as well as a bunch of old Nintendo/Super Nintendo titles that are still fun today). It also has a massive games library, the diversity of which is unmatched by any other system out there.
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> Of course, you don't get the graphics quality of a Playstation, but it's the tradeoff you make for a handheld system. One last note I should mention: while you can play multiplayer games on the Gameboy, if your kids are going to play them, you need two Gameboys and two copies of the game they're going to play. That's a drawback that may or may not be significant to you.
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> Stephen

Took everyone's advice - mainly yours, Stephen, and bought the Gameboy Advanced SP's. And two games - one per child. And flinched at the cost.

I do recognize the long term value, though, and we've already had a quiet hour -which is priceless in parenting terms. Also, they come equipped with a rechargable lithium battery, with ~18 hours of playing life on a three-hour recharge. A great savings, not only in dollars, but also in battery-replacement hassle factor.

Kids are finding the games "too hard," which is reassuring to me, because it means they will have to work at them, go back to the manuals, and trade off with each other to succeed. Double bonus is that they won't be compelled to spend hours at it when they are frustrated - will be something they can pick up and put down.

I am pleased with the quality - they seem solid and well-made, and the cartridges, (although they seem small and losable) are strong.

Thanks for your time and advice folks.

teach