Decent Games For Kids?

[NayusDante]

I'm always trying to find new stuff that I can play with my sister, but there's not very much that's both appropriate AND worth playing. The kids game market is full of licensed stuff, and everything else is just a shooterfest. She's 10, and there's quite a few games she likes that I approve of, quality-wise:

Katamari series
Smash Bros series
Portal
The Sims (no expansions, just the original content)
and she gets a kick out of watching me mess around in Garry's Mod

I need to find something new and fun, preferably free and multiplayer. She enjoyed PSO, but got frustrated pretty quickly. She also seems to like the basic elements of RPGs, but doesn't want to read through the text. As awesome as Brawl is, I'd love to introduce her to a bit more variety, without it being the gory shooterfest that today's mainstream has become.

When I was a kid, I played King's Quest, the Lucas Arts games, Megaman, Zelda, Final Fantasy, Earthbound, etc. Today's kids just seem to look at games differently and expect less in terms of gameplay. If it has pretty graphics, or Pokemon, they eat it up regardless.

Is there a kid-friendly equivalent of Oblivion? A nice open-ended RPG that she could really get into, without the hardcore-gamer focus?

[ScourDX]

Here are few games I recommend

Gurumin: Monster Adventure (PSP) - action RPG similar to Zelda
Loco Roco (PSP) - the gameplay is simple and addictive
Jeanne D' Arc (PSP) - Strategy RPG. It is very easy to learn and addictive
Okage: Shadow King (PS2) - very unique game for RPG
Heavenly Guardian (PS2) - 2 players. If you like Rocky & Pocky, you will enjoy this.

[Fuyukaze]

If your looking for free and fun that are multi-player there's plenty available on MSN games or PoGo. That's not intended as an insult either.

For games that cost, I'd recomend the following.

Harvest Moon
Inu Yasha
Bomberman
Pac-Man World

[Trevelyan]

ditto Harvest Moon :) & Bomberman
Tiggers Honey Hunt, i always like to bump this for the N64!

When my sister was around that age she only ever enjoyed the Gameboy & some of its major titles as far as I can recall.

[Meltd0wn]

My daughters and I enjoy the following. (their ages 9, 12)

Nintendo DS:
Animal Crossing:Wild World
Pokemon Diamond/Pearl
Pokemon Ranger
Zelda:Phantom Hourglass
MySims
Spyro a new begining
SIMs
Cooking Mama
Nintendogs

Wii:
Super Mario Galaxy
Nights Journey of Dreams
Endless Ocean
MySims
WarioWare Smooth Moves

Xbox360:
Lego Star Wars
Viva Pinata

[Iron Draggon]

Ghost Master... it's basically a 3D update of EA's classic Haunting... and if she likes the Sims, she should love this game... none of the spooks are gory

[PentiumMMX]

Some I'd suggest, from various systems:

- Diddy Kong Racing (N64. One of my favorites, with good multiplayer. It may be a little hard for some people, though)
- Mario Kart (Series (Various systems). It's got great multiplayer, as we should all know)
- Mario Party (Series (Various systems). It's ok, but some people might not like it (My parents love it, though))
- Super Mario Galaxy (Wii. Who doesn't love Mario?)
- Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure (PSP. An awesome action-adventure game that can be considered a Zelda-like)

[GnawRadar]

I too have a little sister, 9 years old, and we play video games together occasionally and here are some of here favorites:

WiiSports, especially bowling
Singstar, any version
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Samurai Shodown V, and she is good at it

I also played a little Mark of the Wolves with her at Next Level Video Games and she was starting to get a hang of using Gato, so hopefully I'll be able to create a good 2d fighter fan before she's a teenager. :)

[Juskin]

Not enough?

There are tons!

Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Bros. Series.
Mario Kart Wii
Super Paper Mario
Animal Crossing
Klonoa series
Kirby series
Paper Mario series
Sonic series
Rayman series
Ratchet and Clank series

Seriously I could go on and on. You don't need to get the newest titles, retro games are just fine too.

Kids of today like quality games too, some of them just need that extra push from you to convince them of that.

Also, just like us adult gamers, kids aren't black and white either. Not every kid friendly game will appeal to them, they usually have their own tastes.

[diskoboy]

PixelJunk Monsters, if you have a PS3 or plan to get one.

My 2 nephews can't get enough of PJM.... (Neither can I, come to think about it.)

[Vectorman0]

Are you up to trying older systems? I'd suggesting getting an Atari 2600, as there are many good games that are very inexpensive.

[Pantechnicon]

Animal Crossing, Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (which seems to borrow a lot from Animal Crossing), Katamari Damacy and Singstar have all been mentioned and are huge faves with my kids - ages 10 and 7.

Let me also add Dance Dance Revolution to the good-for-kids lineup because it has the added benefit of requiring them to be off the couch to play it. In fact, where video game time is otherwise tightly regulated in the Pantechnicasa, DDR is the one game the kids can play any time they wish.

[navin_johnson]

To add to some good ones already mentioned (esp Lego Original Star Wars, Diddy Kong and Mario Kart 64 which are big favorites with my kids). My kids are a little younger than the OP's (mine are 6,4,3, and a baby) but many of the same games would still apply:

Zelda Windwaker
Viewtiful Joe
Donkey Konga
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat - they love the bongos
Banjo Kazooie
Pilot Wings 64
the SNES Donkey Kong games
SNES Lost Vikings
Super Mario World
PSone Crash Bandicoot games