With an aging demographic of video gamers, it’s not unexpected that we’re now on a new generation of video game playing youngsters who have the same desire and passion to play games as we once did when we were younger. Of course, games have become a bit more complex since the days of the NES and Atari 2600 and of course, so have the tastes of this generation of gamers.
Here’s a list of eight games that kids would no doubt love to play on their own or with you. If you know of any other great family friendly games, be sure to comment and let everyone know!
Minecraft
Who would have thought a small java app would be so wildly popular and fun to play? Even the creator (Markus Persson) never expected his idea would be worth a sweet $2.5 billion. But, it is and anyone who’s played this fun little game knows exactly why. It’s a very basic game with just one idea – Build your own world. The best part is how easy it is to play with others nowadays. If you’ve got kids, this is _the_ game to play with the young one(s). There are no objectives, no story-line or anything that would really require thought beyond that of your imagination. It’s the perfect game for kids (and adults!) of all ages to sit down and play together in a stress-free environment.
A Boy and His Blob
If you’re looking for a family friendly and touching story, than this game will be worth checking out. The characters are hand drawn, the environments are beautiful, the soundtrack is immersive and soothing, and the boy is able to give his blob a hug anytime he wants. With this combination, you’d be hard pressed to find a more enjoyable game for you and the little one to play. One of the most creative and original aspects of A Boy and His Blob is how you feed the blob different flavors of jelly beans to turn him into useful tools to get past obstacles.
LittleBigPlanet (any of them)
In LittleBigPlanet you’re in control of a sockboy. It’s just a little creature that can be decorated in any fashion that you can find a costume for. The idea of this game is very simple – complete the level by solving puzzles that range from very simple to complex, to needing a partner to solve at all. The best part is the amount of created content by the community. You’re not stuck with the same dozen or so maps to play on, but rather thousands of others to choose from. This means you may not ever have to play the same map twice. It’s perfect for those youngsters who only want to see new stuff. Like mine!
Fruit Ninja Kinect
So you want the kiddo to play outside to get some exercise but it’s either raining or you simply don’t want to deal with the back and forth of them whining about wanting to play a video game. Well, a great compromise is Fruit Ninja Kinect. While it’s not really an exercise type of game, you’ll both still get a workout playing this one together swapping at the fruit as it flies in the air. The kids love it because it let’s them slash their hands around all ninja-like. You’ll like it because they’re not just sitting on the couch exercising their fingers, but rather moving around and expending that absurd amount of energy kids have.
Mario Kart 8
I was wary about putting this one on the list given it’s one of the two games that’s considered a relationship killer. While Nintendo is great at making games that focus on the younger audience, they sure know how to summon the competitiveness that’s found in every person. That’s where Mario Kart 8 comes in. It’s a fun racing game that has very easy to use controls so even the younger kids have a chance against the older ones in terms of simple mechanics. The power-ups in the game level the playing field even more, but be wary of the frustration this may cause with them. Kids love to win, and there’s nothing more frustrating than almost winning a match only to be smacked back when a turtle shell hits you just before crossing the finish line.
Kinect Sports: Season Two
This is the perfect rainy day game. It’s a package of simplistic sports games that require you to use your body instead of just your fingers to play in. With games like football (American), tennis and baseball, you and the kiddo will get a nice workout and have fun playing together (or against each other). The games themselves aren’t within the rules of the actual sport (save tennis, I think) though. For example, in the football game you play one set of downs to score a touchdown or a field goal. If you don’t get it within that amount, there’s a turnover. But it’s extremely easy to make big plays keeping it more action oriented and the game not nearly as long as the real deal.
Super Mario Galaxy
Everyone has to play a Super Mario game in their lifetime. For the new generation, Super Mario Galaxy is the perfect one to play. The best part of a Mario title is the simplicity of the controls and moves that the character is capable of and Super Mario Galaxy is no different. Using only the Wii remote, one can move around flawlessly, collecting items and using abilities. This level of simplicity means it’s very easy to learn for the little ones and something that gaming parents can easily play with their children.
Lego Dimensions
Every kid, at some time or another, has mixed and matched their favorite toys in epic imaginative adventures. Lego Dimensions brings those adventures to life in a virtual experience that stimulates the creativity of kids of all ages. That’s the joy of Lego bricks and children. Anything can be created to be anything else the little one can imagine. We’ve all experienced the joy of playing with Lego bricks and, at least this time, there’s no cleaning them up and missing the smallest ones only to “discover” them the next morning by stepping on them.
