Leapster or V-smile

We have a Leapster, and my 5 year old plays with it all the time (especially on car rides). My 2 year old has recently started playing with it. She doesn't really know what she's doing, but has fun with the lights and sounds :) The games are great and the graphics are impressive, too.
Anyway, the new Leapster DOES plug in to the TV.

We have a Vsmile, my 6 year old used it first (who has moved on to the more popular system DS like her friends), and now my 3 year old is using the Vsmile. The older one definitely used it more and loved it, I think though it is because my 3 year old is still a bit young...but they both do enjoy it. Walmart sells the games for about $20 I think.
K.

I would not buy a V-smile. I owned the held one and the 2console system and both of them ended up not working after a couple of uses. I will never buy another product from v-smile. I prefer leapfrog products and I have bought a leapster 2 for my 3 yr as his Christmas present so I am hoping to have better luck with it. The games are more expensive but i just bought some games from best buy that were only 12.99 and I know that toys r us has them on sale for 19.99 according to their big toy book ad. Hope this helps.

Our V-Smile can ONLY be used with the TV, not separately. Do they make them differently now?

I like the V-Smile, and my kids do too, but I think we all like the Leapster better.

Good luck!

I would definitely go with the Leapster! We have both for our 2 children. They are now 5 and 8, but we've had it since they were 3 and 6. The v. smile is very grainy and for younger children which may be okay for your son now, but not for long-term. The leapster is a better choice in my opinion, but I also saw in the stores now a new version of it. Although, I will tell you that my too rarely play their Leapster anymore and we are looking into the Wii for Christmas.

I hope that helps!

We have both and prefer the Leapster. The V-Simle has been fun but hardly gets used. The response time from the joystick is slow and makes it a little hard to play for my three year old. Both my 5 year old and 3 year old love their leapsters and now isthe perfect time to invest because the games usuallyg on sale around the holidays.

I believe you can hook the leapster l-max up to the tv as well. I have 2 sons and we had 1 of each. I like the leapster better BUT the games for the v-smile are cheaper, SO we had more games for that.

Our 8 yr old just upgraded to the DiJi by Leapster and loves it! I love the educational part and he does too. LOL He loved the Leapster. The games were so cool, especially School House Rock.

Good Luck!

Take Care,
N. :) SAHM homeschooling 3 boys 13, 8 & 2 yrs old and married to my Mr. Wonderful for almost 15yrs. I love to help other moms, who want to become SAHMs, reach that goal!

We had a V-Smile but I think the Leapster is better. My son played with his cousins last Christmas and he loved it. He was almost 3 and played with it for over an hour. You can get the Leapster L-Max which is more expensive I think around $80 but it can be plugged into the television or played on the little device itself. The best of both worlds.

J.,
I went through this a couple of months ago, I ended up going with the Leapster. I felt that leapster had a longer life and more to offer then the vsmile. When you plug in the system to the tv graphics are not as good. Make sure you buy some extra games the games that it comes with does not last very long. good luck I am sure whatever decision you make will be a good one for you child.

I have bought three vsmiles and they all have broke. I have took them back to the store and called the company with no return calls. I have also had leap frogs since the kids was babys and never once had a promblem.

Hi J.. I have a v-smile for sale with 6 games. Email me if you're interested. :) The v-smile is definitely convenient because you can plug it into the tv. And you don't need batteries since you can get a a/c plug (which I have too!)