Leapster Vs. Leapster 2 Vs. V.Smile

We have Leapsters and L-Max Leapsters. Don't know about the L-2's. We also had a vsmile at one time and got rid of it because the kids did not have any interest in the games for it. Leapster had better quality games. My kids have been playing them for years. I actually have an extra pink Leapster L-Max that is still in the box. I need to sell it!

I have both the V smile and the Leapster 2. I prefer the Leapster 2 as I am able to track progress and receive reports when I download her progress every week. Even her teacher recommends the leapster 2. Seen great progress with it. I also Have the Tag and love it as well.

I have 3 boys (youngest is 8) so it has been a while since we have used these products. We had the vsmile console device and leapster handheld. Vsmile was terrible. Leapster was ok but it quickly was outgrown. Before long your son will not enjoy it and it will be collecting dust. I recommend a DS or DSi. You can get games for little ones and it will grow with him. The graphics are much better and the games are more sophisticated/fun, and will keep his attention longer. I am pretty sure you will be able to find DS games for kids as young as 4-5. Good luck!

My son got a leapster 2 for his 4th birthday in August and he loves it. At first he got frustrated when something was above his level but now his favorite game is a 1st grade game and he is in pre-k. He has learned so much from the few games he has and I am so excited for him to get the ones we bought him for Christmas. Good luck with your choice and have a Merry Christmas!

We have had all three...the V Tech stuff is okay, but my kids love the Leapster products. We had a regular leapster and my son dropped it in a cooler full of water by accident ...needless to say, it didn't survive. Both of my kids love my daughter's (age 6)so much that we are getting a second one for my son (4) for Christmas. Leapster is having an awesome sale...three games and a Leapster 2 for something like $90. Check it out...best deal out there. Good luck!

I have vtech smile for my 3yr old son and its so easy for him to comprehend. leapster is also more expensive

We have the regular Leapster, and my kids love it.

I am not sure if V-Smile has improved their systems, but I have literally gone through 4 systems. Never once was it something my children broke. Two times the games would stop "clicking" when inserting so it wouldn't read the game. Once, the onn/off button quit working, and then one machine just started shorting out while the kids were playing a game. I would call the Vsmile CS and they would immediately ship out another one without questions. I am so frustrated now because the current machine only plays about 3 of their games...but I am so tired of dealing with them. I wasted so much money on the games/system. BUT, I could just be very unlucky!! The games themselves are very fun, and they have a great selection.. also, the last time I got a new system was over a year ago, so the system itself could be improved.

I posted this same thing last week! We went w/ the Leapster 2 for my almost 4 yr old daughter. I've heard from several people that the v-smile is just not the greatest quality. She had a v-tech tv game when she was little that she had no interest in and the graphics were really bad. The difference between the leapster and leapster 2 is that you can connect the L2 to your computer and play the games on there as well.

I have no experience with the V Smile, but we do have 3 Leapsters in our house (2 regular and 1 Leapster 2). The Leapster 2 is the same as the regular Leapster except that you can also hook it up to your computer to track your child's learning and play additional games. The Leapster and Leapster 2 games all work on both systems. I don't let me kids (6, 4 & 2) use the computer often so we have never used the computer part of the Leapster 2. I got a really good deal on it otherwise I would have just bought the regular one. All my kids love theirs and it is great for car rides, waiting at restaurants and quiet rest time. Also, if you ever have a problem, Leapster Customer Service is great. They just sent us a replacement system for one of ours that the screen was messed up on.

I bought a V Smile for my son when he was about 4 and I thought it was awful. The graphics were terrible. He played it "some", but never a lot. I now have a 2 year old daughter and so I have saved it to see if she likes it. In the meantime, my parent's bought my son a DS and he loves it. The graphics on it are incredible.

Also, I have friends with the leapsters and they rave about them. Personally, if I were doing it all over again, I would lean towards the leapster and away from the VSmile. The leapster also sort of goes hand in hand with other leapster items (we have leapster videos that my kids love).

Good luck!