What game should be a young kids first game?

[Anthony1]

Actually, I have a couple of questions.


1. What is the earliest age that a kid should start playing video games? 4 years old? 5 years old?

2. What would be the best game to basically teach a kid about video games. In terms of the controls and it being easy enough and the kid not getting discouraged?

[Oberfuhrer Hamm]

Actually, I have a couple of questions.


1. What is the earliest age that a kid should start playing video games? 4 years old? 5 years old?

2. What would be the best game to basically teach a kid about video games. In terms of the controls and it being easy enough and the kid not getting discouraged?

Try a platformer. SMB was my first game.

I think that a kid will start playing when they become interested in it. As soon as that happens, you will need a crowbar to get them off. :D (I speak from personal experience. My mom was, for a time, sorry she introduced me to a Nintendo. I never got off the thing.)

[Viper_3000]

I started when i was about 4 and my first game was doom. Ahhh the good ole days of rocket launchers, miniguns, and blood spraying everywhere. I can rember many a nights where I would pretend to be asleep and get up to play it when my parents were. speaking of which i need to go find my old pc so i can go play doom.

[Achika]

SMB

I was going to say that. Zelda was my first game at 5, I could handle it but I know there are a lot of parents going around now saying that "it's too hard for my 5 year old." :/ I just don't think they give their kids enough credit.


Why not say, "what's a good system for a younger kid to start out on?" Show them the library of games you have accumulated for said system and let them pick which one they want to play.

[XpOsUrE]

I would say to go with classic nes type games that were not all that hard to learn how to play classics like mario series, zelda games etc on the nes.

[Goodwill Hunter]

If you have a really young kid, and can stand the purple dinosaur, Barney on the Genny is a very simple game to play. All you do is walk left or right and press a button when you find a friend or a present...you can also press a button when you are standing by an animal or object, and it will move or make sounds appealing to a little kid. Cant die...can't lose...Barney says great job, even if you find 0 out of 10 items (which is nearly impossible).

My girls started at three on this game and were very excited that they were able to do something by themselves...they were also Barney addicts at the time, which helped (them...not me!).

Fortunately, they moved on to SMB, Tetris, Ms. PacMan, and others...Barney hasn't been off the shelf for a good four years, praise God!

Rich

[Stamp Mcfury]

If your talking abough Retro Games for kids I'd recomend the NES with games like Bubble Bobble, Chip and Dale, Mario 1,2,3. all those Disney games made by Capcon for the NES too.

[Tritoch]

With my first kid (a boy!) on the way I've been giving this a lot of thought lately, and my conclusion right now is: just see how it goes. He'll definitely be exposed to games frequently through everyday living (they can't not be in my house!), and when he shows an interest I'll try to find something appropriate and easy enough for him then.

[BIGMIKE]

my kids are loving SMB (all of em)
duck hunt is just as popular
but mario kicks ass
they even have me playin those games again

[Bratwurst]

I want to say Donkey Kong. Maybe that's because it's what I was raised on!

Something to think about is the controller they'll use too, I'm inclined to think that a big but not too stiff joystick is a good way to introduce a little kid to video games. Those (relatively) tiny NES pads require dextrous fingers to manipulate, something that could be easily taken for granted by older players.

[Dire 51]

I started my oldest daughter at 11 months. She was more interested in the controller than the game, but at least she got the car in Outrun to move a few feet.

Seriously, I picked up a copy of Richard Scarry's Busy Town for the Genesis so both of my girls will have something to play once they get older. It's a very simple game, along the lines of the Barney game that was mentioned - so if you can't stand that big purple pile of crap, hunt up Busy Town instead.

[ubersaurus]

I played the sesame street games for the atari 2600 when I was 3 or 4...also some others, but those were the first oens I actually knew what I was doing in.

[Chunky]

well i was grown on the 2600. Combat, pac-man, asteroids, adventure, haunted house.

but NES as the first system that was mine, and SMB and excitebike worked.

My neighbor has hsi 5yo daughter playing asteroids and starwars rouge S. but the is a starwars freak, it's nuts but she hates barney and stuff and loves yoda and darth.

[Half Japanese]

If you're wanting a current generation system, I'd say (yes, this is stereotypical, so sue me) go for the Gamecube. It has the most comfortable controller (children or adults for that matter) as well as a number of games that can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of age. The Playstation 2 would be my next recommendation based on it's large diverse library and decent gamepad. The Xbox is only recommendable for a child assuming you have a controller S (that fatass controller will probably crush a child) and your 4 year old has a strange fixation with first-person shooters or pc ports.

Retro, you can't lose with Super Mario Bros. (NES or SNES incarnations) and maybe the Kirby games. The Playstation One is an excellent system with a shitload of edutainment titles and titles that can be enjoyed by children (and while we're still fairly current, the N64 is a decent, cheaper, older alternative to the GCN, but it's not nearly as good IMO).

[The Manimal]

Hot Slots

[Sotenga]

Ghosts N' Goblins. :D

No, I think games that don't reqiure a lot of action or thinking would be a good idea. I can't cite any examples, though.

[den68]

I wouldn't say that my daughter is a gamer just yet but she has played a few games on a few systems. I started her about a year ago when she was 2.

she has played:

Most of the Pico games

Sesame Street Counting Cafe - Genesis
Elmo's Letter Adventure - PS1
Elmos' Number Journey - PS1
Tekken 3 - PS1
Tarzan Untamed - Gamecube
Tekken 4 - PS2
Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets - PS2

I've found that the fighting games have been the most effective at teaching her use of the controller. Sure the subject matter may not be appropriate for a 3 year old but the button mashers have helped her grasp that pushing any button will make SOMETHING happen on the screen.

Free roaming 3D platformers are good too, the Elmo games while following somewhat of a rail do allow you roam freely a bit without worry a being hit by an enemy. The exploration is a good excercise, my daughter likes the level in Elmo's Number Journey where you follow a path to the Count's castle then get to explore the inside of it. She doesn't yet get that she's supposeed to be looking for specific numbers, she just likes the fact that she's making Elmo move.

Once she grasps these concepts I think the games that require you to move in a specific direction will easier for her.

Another good thing about the Playstation controller is I can easily give her direction. "Okay, press square, now press X, now circle. It's a lot of fun teaching her.

[IntvGene]

Start the kid with something bad.. like E.T for the 2600. From there, the games only get better.

[bargora]

Have you considered that a cart system might be a bit more...durable in your child's hands than a disc system would? When the time comes, I'll probably let him or her have at the Atari 2600, as long as I've got a decent supply of joysticks. Cart system, one button control, and the graphic violence at its worst is either "pixel collapse" or "pixel disintegration". O_O

They can move up to NES and Genny when the time comes. But no child that abuses the carts or his own CDs will ever be permitted to use my Playstation collection. :/ Of course, by the time they'd be old enough to move past the Genesis, they'd probably sneer at my antiquated disc systems, since at that point games will be full sensory virtual reality and stored on potato chips or something.

[BigBoogie]

Start the kid with something bad.. like E.T for the 2600. From there, the games only get better.
Dont do that the kid will be traumatized.

My boy is 4. He mostly plays NES. I started him with the sesame street games. (ernies shapes was the easiest). He is getting better at smb, but I find kids get frustated easily when they die(which is often) I would say the best to really get them into is is kirby. Its got tones of stuff do do and enemies, but it is rather hard to die. Somebody also sai Bouble Boble, weve been playing that too, its something fun we can play together.

[Oberfuhrer Hamm]

stored on potato chips or something.

"Noooooooo! Why are you eating my Nintendo GameMicron and Sony Playstation 5 games?"

"I thought these chips tasted a little funny..."

[kai123]

My nephew loves sonic adventure 2 for the Dc.

[TRM]

1. What is the earliest age that a kid should start playing video games? 4 years old? 5 years old?

I had started playing when I was three years old. If you make your kids learn that they have to do their chores and stuff first, videogames are a good activity which can be used to reward them when you are pleased with their actions.

My first game was Super Mario Bros. I'm not sure if you want your kids to go the classic game route or not, but something along this lines is good.

[Half Japanese]

I just remembered, my stepsister LOVED these games:

Parappa the Rapper (ps1) (liked it so much she put a dent in the goddamn disc :angry:)
Um Jammer Lammy (ps1)
Sonic Adventure (DC)
Sonic Adventure 2 demo (DC)
Mr. Driller (DC)
Tetris (GB)
Super Mario Land (GB)

[atomicthumbs]

My two little brothers started off on my copy of Mario Kart 64. At the time they were 7 and 4. The yougest, now 7, is addicted to any of the recent Zelda games and has no problems beating either N64 Zelda, the Wind Waker, or for the GBA before I do.... Of course, I am 25 with a job, a girlfriend and way too many games and movies to work through!

[Gamemaster_ca_2003]

my easy course on getting your kid into videogames

1.Get a Playstaion
2.Get Namco Museum Vol.1 or 3
3.Set game to Pac-Man (or Ms. Pac man (or Dig Dug) on vol. 3)
4.watch your kid learn to appreatice video games.

Now when he is ready to move on you
1.Switch pac man with Pole position(ms. Pac Man with Pole Position 2 on Vol.3)
2.Watch him get the need for speed.

When he thinks he is ready you.
1.switch game to Galaga(or Bosconian)(Galaxian on vol.3)
2.watch him learn Shooters,

And then when he is either old enough or ready lean the fighting games.