Challenging the DS Champ: Didj and Leapfrog 2 Enter the Ring

Remember the Leapfrog books from your childhood? They’re used as learning devices with a secondary dash of fun that tied interactive adventure stories with early mathematics and spelling. Leapfrog is now upping the ante on its learning software, releasing two new handheld systems that hope to compete with the Nintendo DS. They’re reported to have a host of release titles with more educational content than Nintendo. Which is good news–if you’re into that kind of thing.

The first of these two systems is named Didj (short for didgeridoo?), a marriage of graphics and learning while integrating a visually pleasing and enjoyable experience, geared for children ages 6-10. Retailing now for $89.99, it undercuts the DS by a good $30-40 that could be used for a game.

The Leapster 2 has a similar design philosophy and comes at an even lower price of $69.99 this month, geared toward ages 8 and under. The Leapster system has received an immense overhaul and now provides a “…robust learning experience through built-in tutorials and learning levels that adapt automatically to your child’s pace.” The Leapster 2 is also backwards compatible so kids can replay (original) Leapster favorites and brush up on their skills.

Leapfrog has also taken an online angle with the two systems through the use of a USB port for both PCs and Macs. Kids can connect to the computer and receive rewards they’ve earned and modify or share art they have created. Likewise, parents can connect the handhelds to the computer to see what skills their child is learning, track their progress in games, and “…explore and share in their accomplishments.”

But one question still lurks in the back of my mind: should (interactive) learning be socialized? Both of Leapfrog’s new systems lack the Wi-Fi connection, a keepsake of the DS, connecting players all over to take part in the fun together. I believe that Wi-Fi in connection with educational software could propel the handheld even more, creating a desire for challenge with an early urge toward competitiveness. Moreover, the parents buying these systems are deeply involved in their child’s learning; why, they’re the very people who think their child won’t graduate kindergarten if they get them a Nintendo DS, so they buy them a Didj instead.

People in the educational software business discount the educational value while failing to acknowledge the grand storytelling in many DS titles. A perfect example is The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, where Link is pitted against all odds in this perfected formula for success in interactive entertainment. As a fervent gaming advocate, I would consider it a travesty if a child grew up not knowing who Mario and Luigi were. It takes that kind of craft to create and tell stories with lasting characters that growing children will learn to love.

Conversely, while the Didj and Leapster 2 are high on education, they don’t seem high on quality of entertainment. Most of the games now available are largely based on Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, and popular movies. If anything is collectively known about gaming and entertainment, it’s that games based on shows and movies tend to always be terrible. They are the deathblow of the industry. People buy these games because the characters, story, etc., already appeal to them and they already know the story–not much entertainment value there. So when Leapfrog suggests that entertainment and education go side by side, that is not necessarily true. This dynamic involving movie-based video games is like having unwrapped Christmas presents under the tree – simply bogus.

Ultimately, the decision is up to you parents. If you want games to teach your kids so you don’t have to, get them these systems. But be careful, because these games are like gateway drugs. When kids learn their intelligence is linked to how well they play them, they will be prime candidates for a World of Warcraft addiction.