What in the world were you expecting? Of course they do! It's the ultimate handheld gaming machine, running a full-fledged PC operating system and capable of playing almost anything a PC can. I would have loved a device like that when I was little.
The possibilites with the Steam Deck are just amazing. We're currently playing Yoshis Woolly World on Cemu in coop mode. Fun for both me and my boy :)
"Oh, you've got old school Nintendo games too?"
I ended up setting up a couple of emulators on an old laptop so I could have it back. She's more of a gamer than I am and I've just about got her convinced to grab a deck for remote play on her PS5. If I don't convince her soon I'm getting a second one because I know I'm gonna lose it again once she's done with NES.
Set her up with Chrono Trigger for SNES once she's done with NES era and you'll have about four days all to yourself to plan more defenses, such as Final Fantasy and Metroid
I've already got the emulator and the most of the SNES games downloaded (I grabbed a big pack of them). It's just currently not where she can see it because, as you said, I'm playing for time.
It's really only one night a week when she comes by after we get drunk at the bar that we play at the same time. So I'd have like 4 weeks where I wouldn't need to worry about it. Plus I've got a few two player games where I can dock it and we can play together. That'll buy me another couple of weeks. By then either I'll have her convinced or I'll just shell out the cash for a second one.
They've already taken the SX, the PS5 and the Switch. I'm not even going to let them have a sniff of the Steamdeck.
Once my eldest gets her hands on it I'll never see it again.
Once they're addicted to sniffing the steam deck vent, it's not yours anymore. Better not let that happen.
Bought mine, kiddo wouldn't let go. Bought her one, now she won't touch hers or mine 🤷♂️
Fortunately we have a couple switches and the kiddos are a lot more interested in those games now. I've definitely set a boundary that the steam deck is mine for 90%+ of the time.
I seem to have made my kids purists. They think emulators are cancer and that you must have the actual console for authentic exprience.
For just in case I made them a retropi with shit-ton of roms.
Safe so far.
Getting the original console for just a few games can be quite expensive. More recent consoles like PS2/3 and Wii (u) are quite affordable.
At the time my kids were late teens, so they used their own money to create their small "console museum".
Added plus is that godparents and grandparents don't need to think what to get as gifts. Grandparents are a bit clueless about the matter, but godparents are knowledgeable and are aware of the state of the collection.
I bought my steam deck to be mine and mine alone. Kids aren't allowed to touch it, if they want to play something they can use the switch.
