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General discussionKid-friendly games help(76 posts)(76 posts)
(76 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted December 01, 2015
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Jasonofthenorth: what do you recommend anyway?
south park stick of truth! :) sorry :P
Posted December 01, 2015
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astrugar710: I would highly recommend the Trine series if they like fantasy stuff. My kids were about the same age as your 2 older kids and they both loved the first Trine and we played the second and third games as they came out. The first game is rated 10+ so you may want to look into it and see if it's appropriate for your kids but for me personally I did not find anything offensive or violent about it. You can find the first one here: http://www.gog.com/game/trine_enchanted_edition
Thanks! I love the look of Trine. I've had my eye on it for awhile and am saving it for later.
Posted December 01, 2015
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Leroux: I think all of the above would be perfectly fine for primary school children, not sure about preschool children though.
Awesome list Leroux - thanks! Lili and Spirits look perfect, as does Snapshot. Never Alone looks really cool, but a bit too scary for my oldest. He is very easily scared. =)

I got Tiny Bang Story - $1.24 on sale - nice call.

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Luned: I don't think "Lilly Looking Through" has been mentioned yet, or "Gateways" (there are guys you can jump on, but it's just as easy to avoid them).

If you have some form of touchscreen device, jigsaw puzzle apps are great for under-5s.
Thanks! Lilly had some mixed reviews - what was your experience? I think my kids might really like it as it looks beautiful and simple.

Gateways has been wishlisted! Thanks again!
Post edited December 01, 2015 by Jasonofthenorth
Posted December 01, 2015
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Jasonofthenorth: Despite my belief that video games do not encourage violence, I am trying to avoid anything with punching, hitting or otherwise destroying/"killing" other people/animals/creatures in the game. They are young enough it's difficult for them to separate games and reality when we're not immediately talking about it.
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ET3D: What age are your kids? I think that kids as young as 4 (and certainly 5) can separate cartoon violence from real violence pretty well. And I'm sure you'll be watching over them when they play, so you could certainly talk about it.

In my experience video games can cause violence due to frustration, that's pretty much about it. If my kids (5 and 7) play something like Kinect Disneyland Adventures they end up shouting and hitting each other, but they won't suffer any ill effect playing Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth (another Kinect title), where kicking and punching is part of the game.

Adventure games are pretty good (the Humongous Entertainment ones were mentioned), as are abstract puzzle games (but they can be a little hard for young kids). I can't make too many recommendations in the context of GOG, unfortunately. I can for Android games and PC games that aren't necessarily on GOG.
I have a 4 year old, almost 3, and 1.5. I'm less concerned about the 4 year old, though even without having been exposed to games yet, he will still get a little punchy when extremely frustrated. Trying to "protect" them may be a moot point. My wife is not a gamer which adds to the arguments AGAINST introducing games, and we haven't had the conversation of how to handle it yet as we're on the same page they aren't quite ready.

Good to know your experience with those other titles, though! Thanks! We're all about having open and honest conversations with them about this stuff as they are exposed to it.

What are some of your non-GOG recommendations?
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Jasonofthenorth: Hey all!

I just saw Impossible Creatures and thought "My kids would love making their own hybrid animals" (they are 4, almost 3, and 1.5 years old). But then the fighting and killing... not so keen on showing them that yet.

What are some games that aren't too scary and your kids enjoyed playing with you? Or, if you don't have kids, what do you recommend anyway?

Thanks!
Jason
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Tallima: I haven't read everything, so I apologize if I duplicate.

- Humongous Entertainment games are a HUGE hit at my house
- They also like watching me play some simulation games and they like to try their hand at them. Games I've tried are:
--- zoo tycoon
--- a helicopter flight sim form Bohemian Interactive
--- theme hospital
--- theme park

They also really enjoyed Witcher 2. (that last one's a joke)
Hahaha! Nice.

Theme Hospital & Park are great ideas. I have SimCity 2000 but they will probably be way more interested in things they recognize and understand. Thanks!
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Jasonofthenorth: Hey all!

I just saw Impossible Creatures and thought "My kids would love making their own hybrid animals" (they are 4, almost 3, and 1.5 years old). But then the fighting and killing... not so keen on showing them that yet.

What are some games that aren't too scary and your kids enjoyed playing with you? Or, if you don't have kids, what do you recommend anyway?

Thanks!
Jason
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Green_Hilltop: Buy Croc 2: Legend of Gobbos! It's a really great platformer and it's not very scary (the mines can feel creepy though, if you're a kid I guess).
Thanks! I couldn't find this on Steam or GOG - where is it?
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Jasonofthenorth: Hey all!

I just saw Impossible Creatures and thought "My kids would love making their own hybrid animals" (they are 4, almost 3, and 1.5 years old). But then the fighting and killing... not so keen on showing them that yet.

What are some games that aren't too scary and your kids enjoyed playing with you? Or, if you don't have kids, what do you recommend anyway?

Thanks!
Jason
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KiNgBrAdLeY7: My nephew really liked those two:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wATL8jsUobs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfDgO-ahYJ4

We regularly play those coop or VS.

The first one is free and can run even on a crap pc (requirements wise).
Thanks! Those are too violent for them yet, but I loved Streets of Rage as a kid myself!
Post edited December 01, 2015 by Jasonofthenorth
Posted December 01, 2015
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Jasonofthenorth: what do you recommend anyway?
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bela555: south park stick of truth! :) sorry :P
Hehehe =)
I clearly need to fix my quoting skills on this forum - apologies to everyone involved...
Post edited December 01, 2015 by Jasonofthenorth
Posted December 01, 2015
I just realized it's not available online, but it was released both on the PC and PS1, so you can try getting the games for them on Ebay. But I've got no idea if the PC version will run on newer system, I know it ran for sure on Windows Vista/XP.
Posted December 01, 2015
As a young kid I had several educational games on DOS- the Super Solver series (Treasure Mountain, to be specific), Carmen Sandiego games and Math Blaster. I don't know if these games are sold in modern forms anywhere but the old DOS versions should be easy enough to find.
Posted December 01, 2015
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Bouchart:
Where in the world is Bouchart?!
Posted December 01, 2015
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Jasonofthenorth: SimCity
I forgot. We tried that one too. They enjoyed making the roads the most.
Posted December 01, 2015
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Bouchart: Carmen Sandiego games
Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego... i remember those games :) One of the few games that actually made me pull out the encyclopedia and start looking up stuff so i could get to the proper destination rather than guessing blindly. It probably helped that the robot was voice acted and was funny as hell :)
Posted December 01, 2015
Oh wow games for tiny humans. That all depends on what they can do with keyboards and or joysticks. All three of mine always tore keys off the keyboards. Or ate the mouse. But right now I have a 10 year, 7 year, and 3 year. The 3 likes garbage trucks right now so he is good enough giggling at his siblings antics and some videos (Thrash and Trash productions). I got the others hooked on Minecraft as the very first "play with daddy" game. I still got my old kiddy library here though. I dont think you can actually GET these anymore. Well some, but i will not sully this place with that name.

Please pardon the ancient game list. A lot of these can only be played on Windows 98. Or 95.
(hands down the best BABY game) Jump Start Toddler

Fisher Price: Great Adventures: Pirate Ship
Fisher Price: Great Adventures: Western Town
Fisher Price: Great Adventures: Castle
Tonka: Search and Rescue
Thomas and Friends: The Great Festival Adventures
Mr. Potato Head: Saves Veggie Valley
SpongeBob Squarepants: Operation Krabby Patty
Astrid Lindgrens Pippi
Care Bears Care-a-lot Jamboree
Madeline European Adventures
Arthur's Thinking Games
Caillou Ready For School
Winnie The Poo Toddler
Curious George Learns Phonics


Clifford:
Thinking Adventures
Musical Memory Games
Reading

Busy Town
Best Activity Center Ever
Best Reading Ever

Freddie Fish:
And the case of the Missing Kelp seeds
The case of the Haunted Schoolhouse
The Case of The Hogfish Rustlers of Briny Gulch
The cAse of The Creature of Coral Cove

Blues Clues:
Blue's treasure Hunt (Paprika's Favorite Treasure) (Magenta's favorite treasure)
Blue's Birthday (Red Disk) (Yellow Disk)
Blues 123 Time Activities
Blues ABC Time activities

Jump Start:
Artist
Explorers
Languages
Toddlers
Preschool
Kindergarten
Phonics
Spanish
Dreamship Tales
Thinking Adventures
Math

Living Books,
Harry and the haunted House
The Berenstain Bears In The Dark
Aesops Fable The Tortoise and the Hare
Dr. Seuess's ABC
The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
Stellaluna
Arthur's Birthday
Arthur's Reading Race
The Bearenstain Bears Get in a Fight
Mercer Mayer's Just Grandma and Me
Mercer Mayer's Just me and my Mom
Sheila Rae, the Brave

Online gaming: Free to play, or subscription for the good stuff. Well worth checking these out for any kid that can point a mouse. Be sure to be a Real Gamer and make yourself an account and keep tabs on the little ones activities because, its the internet!
Roblox (does not meet the original posters strict criteria, but its pretty dang entertaining playing games that some kid wrote. Dont expect ANY adult fun. HIGHly suggest making a free character. Just so you can not be one of the evil "guests". They are hated by all Robloxians for good reasons. And it allows for some parental tightening of the reigns to keep chat in check.)
Animal Jam (It reminds me of a really complicated form of chat board with language filters and animals. Meets all kinds of Parental approval. Including it forces PROPER spelling. Has the option for a parent to make a account and tighten up security or loosen up.)

And lots and lots more. Again, thats the old wallet of disks.
I made ROMs of my old cart collection ages ago (no they AINT "those" ROMS) and they love playing the games I wasted way too much time on myself There are even companies that make the old controllers with a USB plug! i still love to fire up Mario kart 64 and get beaten by a kid with faster reflexes..
Posted December 01, 2015
LEGO games are a good start, as well as what the others mentioned.
Post edited December 01, 2015 by BruceLeeForever
Posted December 01, 2015
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Jasonofthenorth: What are some of your non-GOG recommendations?
The best game for little kids is hands down Kinect Party / Double Fine Action Theater on the Xbox 360. It overlays all kind of environments over your living room, allowing the kids to interact with them. It's really amazing for little kids.

Another game I played with the kids when they were very young was World of Zoo on the Wii. There's also a PC version, available on Steam, which was what I got first, but it had just half the animals. I did most of the playing, but left the choice of what to do to the kids. In the game you can pet and clean and feed zoo animals, give them toys to play with and add stuff to their cages. The kids enjoy looking at the animals and picking which ones to unlock and what to build.

There are also a lot of tablet games that they've enjoyed, mainly kid stuff (some of it educational), but also The Enchanted Cave, which is an easy roguelike. My small one liked it quite a bit at 4. The Enchanted Cave 2 is available on Steam, but I haven't played it, and IIRC it's a little more complex (which could be an issue for small kids).
Posted December 01, 2015
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Leroux: Also check out Botanicula, it's non-violent and like an interactive children's book. You click on things on the screen and watch what happens. It does contain some dark themes and scary creatures (e.g. spider-like dark bugs that suck the life out of everything they touch and let plants wither), so if your kids are easily scared, maybe that could be an issue, but check out the trailer and reviews and see for yourself.
The last part of Botanicula, when you go into the dark place, is quite creepy. But otherwise, it's true it's cute as hell, there's no reading, it's easy to understand what is going on, and (most of) the puzzles are not too difficult, so it could be a nice recommendation for kids.
Posted December 01, 2015
The all time classic kids game in Europe in a new updated version. Hugo Troll Race: http://www.hugogames.com/hugo-troll-race/
Post edited December 01, 2015 by Matruchus
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussionKid-friendly games help(76 posts)(76 posts)
(76 posts)