"I need 2 3DSes, 3 games for a boy and 3 for a girl"

Sure, all the time. You'd be amazed how many parents don't know anything about gaming and blindly trust on an employee.

Good list of games btw.

Good selection there, you've done well with a pretty tricky brief.

I see one game getting returned.

That's a damn good list, OP. You did good. I would have switched MonHun for Link Between Worlds, but eh.

Only a Pokémon? If both like the game I expect a visit soon lol

Good list, not sure about MonHun though. Haven't played Stories so it may as well fit with those kids.

I would have changed MH with Mario 3D Land, but yeah, that's a nice and broad selection. Hopefully you chose a gen 6 Pokemon title!

Fireblend said:

That's a damn good list, OP. You did good. I would have switched MonHun for Link Between Worlds, but eh.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Or this, yeah, since platforming is already covered with Yoshi.

I think you made some good picks. I would've replaced Smash Bros with WarioWare, but WarioWare may not have been originally chosen because it probably costs more than the others.

The one that sticks out to me is Monster Hunter Stories, as someone who has played the game.

Silky said:

That was more of a personal pick.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

I was going to guess that. haha No harm in that! :)

Two games with sizable multiplayer components that can't download play. I'm onto you OP!

You're a better employee than I would have been. I don't know if I could have held back a "so, six games?"

I had to find a game for a 15 year old that wasn't allowed to play anything that wasn't E.

Boys only like Barbie, so go with that.

Give the girl:
Mario 3D Land
Majora's Mask
Mario Kart 7

Nice one OP, I wish my retail interactions when buying games involved people who were as passionate and knowledgeable about gaming as you are.

You did good. You could've picked Style Savvy though, or Moco Moco Friends, or Art Academy, or Cooking Mama. I get what you are saying but there is nothing wrong with games like that, for both boys and girls. There is a really wide variety of games on 3DS that kids might like outside of the typical 'core gamer' type of game.

I don't want to drag this off-topic, but can y'all tell me what I'm missing with MonHun Stories? I've heard it compared to Pokemon, which is baffling to me. What exactly is the main gameplay loop there / what do you enjoy doing while playing that game/

Silky said:

Thats the thing though: these kids are ten, and something like Style Savvy would be way too complicayed. Kids dont want to play simulators. Hell even Animal Crossing I fesr may be too deep

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

You are highly underestimating these kids. 10 is absolutely old enough to enjoy a simulator type game. Animal Crossing is super accessible and very popular with kids, you shouldnt be worried about that.

Boy:
Mario 3D Land
Pokemon Sun/Moon
Zelda: Ocarina 3D

Girl:
Animal Crossing
Style Savvy: Styling Star
Rhythm Heaven

Monster hunter stories is a sleeper in the 3DS library. Another big game made to fit on a small console. That's a good list, there are still daily commercials for MK7 and the 3DS family on kids' TV and videos in the US.

MHS is so so good.

Style Savvy and Tomodachi Life are also some good picks for girls.
Kirby is also a good pick for young kid.

Cloud-Hidden said:

I don't want to drag this off-topic, but can y'all tell me what I'm missing with MonHun Stories? I've heard it compared to Pokemon, which is baffling to me. What exactly is the main gameplay loop there / what do you enjoy doing while playing that game/

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

It's basically a good child friendly JRPG that has monster catching Mechanics like Pokemon. I'd argue its probably even simpler due to the battle system kind of being Rock Paper Scissors kind of based. It has a clear triangle in the game and while I haven't beaten it, it's a pretty chill JRPG that's even easier than Pokemon but I'd argue its way cuter even. That games art style pops beautifully. So hopefully whatever kid ends up playing it loves it. Because there's a lot of cool monsters in it and its a visual feast. Its just overall a simple JRPG that's fun to play, much like Pokemon IMHO.

I will say if a kid likes to explore in games they'd probably love it too. Since theres a lot of neat secrets you can only get to with specific monsters than can do specific things, kinda like HMs in Pokemon.

At least a slice of my soul would be reaaaally tempted to slide Shin Megami Tensei IV for the girl. "Oh there is a very charming romance story in there, but very subtle and lowkey, she will love it..."

Good list OP

And yes, most of the population does not know much about games. Even though gaming is more mainstream now, the people who know about 1st party exclusives and that sort of thing are still a small minority.

Araujo said:

At least a slice of my soul would be reaaaally tempted to slide Shin Megami Tensei IV for the girl. "Oh there is a very charming romance story in there, but very subtle and lowkey, she will love it..."

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

"You haven't read Rose of Versailles, until you've read tiny snippets of it secondhand, from the perspective of a techno-samurai girl in post-apocalyptic Tokyo."

Garou said:

Boy:
Mario 3D Land
Pokemon Sun/Moon
Zelda: Ocarina 3D

Girl:
Animal Crossing
Style Savvy: Styling Star
Rhythm Heaven

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Rhythm Heaven would have been impossible since it was eshop only and the whole thing was at retail.

unless you mean the DS game...?

Sounds like you did good OP. Some parents are really clueless about games and basically still have 90s attitudes.

Real talk, my parents would usually let me pick the game, and I would pick the absolute worst garbage every time, without fail. So thanks for stepping up to the task, OP.

Concerning the "hello, I'm looking for your girl section? I'm used to the girl section being pink and fluffy, it seems you missed the memo here?" issue: To me it's sad that the parent thinks their kids interests need to be defined by their type of reproductive organs. But to each their own I guess.
I feel it's often fear of singleing the kid out. In my experience, my brother always has a bit of a disapproving look when I give his boys cute plushies or some of my own former favourite kid's books, and I think it's not because he thinks I'm trying to feminize them, but because they'll stand out in kindergarten with that. Most of their interests are also defined by their peers in Kindergarten, so if their best friends there all play with cars, they want car toys.
It's not easy helping your kid find their own and protecting it from ridicule at the same time, I imagine. Kudos to all parents that take an active interest in their kids either way.

You forgot 3D Land. And although it's the weakest one, I can see kids really liking NSMB 2.

Silky said:

Thats the thing though: these kids are ten, and something like Style Savvy would be way too complicayed. Kids dont want to play simulators. Hell even Animal Crossing I fesr may be too deep

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Lord of Ostia said:

You are highly underestimating these kids. 10 is absolutely old enough to enjoy a simulator type game. Animal Crossing is super accessible and very popular with kids, you shouldnt be worried about that.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Yeah, ten year olds are pretty much good to go with anything. These are 5th/6th graders. At that age I was playing and beating the likes of Loom, Quest for Glory, Monkey Island, Earthbound, Chrono Trigger, etc. Myst was still a bit much for me, but I was certainly able to make progress in it.

Should have sent her home with a copy of Monster Hunter, start those kids off early.

A few years back I sent a friend and her nephew each 3DSes for Christmas

She's an adult, about my age (I believe 29 at the time) I sent her n Midnight Purple 3DS (N3DS models weren't out at this time, she loved purple, and I believe it was $99 refurbished from Nintendo) with Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Super Mario 3D Land, and Animal Crossing: New Leaf.

She's a real Ghostbusters fanboy so I thought she'd get a kick out of Luigi's Ghost Busting adventures, Mario has been a staple since our childhoods, and Animal Crossing is my wife's favorite videogame to date, so I thought she'd enjoy it as well.

To her nephew, who I believe was 7 at the time, I sent an Crystal Blue 2DS (Made a thankfully correct guess that he'd prefer blue over red, the translucent case was freaking sweet, and I figure the 2DS would withstand a bit more abuse) along with New Super Mario Bros. 2, Mario Kart 7, and Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins

Mario platforming is solid gold, Mario Kart 7 was an easy choice (and we played a bunch of MK8 when I brought my Wii U over to their place) and I figured he was already way into Lego and Lego games, and Lego City is easily the best of the bunch.

A year later I sent them a bit of a booster pack. I sent him Pokemon X along with one of the big guide books for the game and Scribblenauts and I sent her Kirby Triple Deluxe and Ultimate NES Remix.

take out Smash and MH,
add in another pokemon so they can trade pokemons
add in a zelda game. prob ALBW

Madao said:

Rhythm Heaven would have been impossible since it was eshop only and the whole thing was at retail.

unless you mean the DS game...?

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Whoops, forgot it was download-only in US/EU.

Nice picks OP. Well balanced! Was afraid you gave the girl a Barbie game, Nintendogs and Style Savvy. Hate the whole "girls are pink, boys are blue" thing. I mean, if the girl is into those things (alot are, of course!) then everything is cool but if I were 10 again and would get only girl games and my brother all the cool games well...The pain would have been unimaginable.lol
Again, you did a great job.

Garou said:

Whoops, forgot it was download-only in US/EU.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Only US has it as a download only.

Good selection of games TBH. Did a good job of a tough situation there!

I actually forgot MH Stories existed. Looked it up and now i want it. Thanks for that at least op!