Best for Kids?

[raskar42]

I have a 1 year old son who's nuts for games. If I'm playing a game anywhere in the house he'll come racing into the room and try to pull the controller/port system out of my hands and starts slapping buttons.

 

Every system has games for small children and "edutational" titles. I was wondering if anyone had an opinion on what the best system and titles would be for a very small child.

[awsomo3000]

Why not one of those leapster systems thats mmade just for kids??

[davepesc]

I don't know your kid, but 1-year-old is probably too early for any console, you already described the cord pulling.

 

My daughter is 3 1/2 and I let her fiddle with the 2600 about a year ago. find a game like Frogs and Flies where something happens no matter what the kid does with the controller and there is no way to "die."

 

After the Atari, my daughter graduated to the Genesis (Barney, Richard Scarry, Krystal's Pony, Ecco etc). She still plays that and the N64, where she loves Kirby's Adventure, the Elmo games, Pooh, Yoshi'd Story and Mario 64.

 

She loves Katamari Damacy, but she just hasn't figured out the PlayStation controller.

 

Oh, and she loves the Bongo games on the Gamecube too.

 

EDIT: almost forgot the Sega PICO. All edutainment software controlled with a wand.

Edited January 12, 2006 by davepesc

[8th lutz]

That is too early for a game system. Wait for your son to be 3 or 4 years old at least. Sega Pico maybe before then. I don't know anyone with that system. I got other systems in mind, but I don't have any experience with the type of games your talking about.

Edited January 12, 2006 by 8th lutz

[JB]

While I have to agree that 1 is a tad young, I can say that when I was 4 I was hammering away on our 99/4a and Vectrex.

 

I loved Minestorm, and named all 5 of my ships' pilots.

Given my parents' strong appreciation of sci-fi, I knew enough to get some notables spaceship pilots like Captain Kirk, Buck Rogers, and ... Santa Claus.

 

On the other end, Hunt the Wumpus on the 4a terrified me with the big scary wumpus-jaw intro and death sequence.

 

 

I was horrible at most of them, but I still had fun.

 

 

My recommendation would be to grab a system with a lot of games, teach him how to use, and see what he likes.

 

 

Keep it simple, though. Not saying it necessarily has to be just one or two fire buttons, but if it's too complex, they won't have fun.

 

Asteroids, for example, would be something to avoid. The momentum-based gameplay takes a more mature mind to appreciate.

 

 

I'd focus in on the NES as a good intro system.

Large software library, lots of bright colors, and the game controls weren't getting out of hand at that point.

That and Duck Hunt is helluva fun.

...

But either get the connector fixed first, or find a toploader.

No child needs to fight the system.

 

 

 

Of course, at that point I think the ability to make things move was enough to entertain me by itself.

I do remember firing Solar Quest up and just holding hyperspace to watch the ship spin in and out of the playfield. Stupid sun always spoiled it for me, though.

[Room 34]

My son is just about 3, and so far the only video game he's interested in playing (or trying to) is my Jakks Pacific Namco 5-in-1 plug-n-play. (Ms. Pac, Galaga, Xevious, Pole Position, Mappy.) He isn't very good at it yet but he likes to try.

[birdie3]

My son is 3 and 1/2 and he plays (old Atari and GBA) quite a bit. He is surprisingly agile although he is still noticably a beginner. I would wait until your child is at least 3 or 4 years old before you start them on gaming.

[Zonie]

Atari 2600 games, and like already mentioned the Pico. I have a Pico and my son loved it.

[SteveW]

You could always pick up the Jakks Pacific Atari 10-in-1 joystick. It would be less wiring, switches, and cartridges for a toddler to pull out compared to a real Atari 2600. Plus, with the batteries screwed inside the joystick, you don't have to worry about the kid pulling out the power supply and electrocuting himself with it.

[NintendoDieScreaming]

I'll be another to suggest a joystick with a lot of games in it. The Pac-Man games are great to start youngin's out on. SOnic is great for the colour and the speed, if anything else.

[maibock]

I also have a one year old and obviously the short attention span, leaves very few video games since he's still learning the whole 'cause and effect' thing. Frogger on the GBA SP is indeed his favorite and used as a calming device when we're out or just in general for fun. He loves the music(will dance when prompted) and can move the frog around - ok most likely into traffic, but hey, he's enjoying it..

[n8littlefield]

I have an 15 month old and he LOVES those little LCD games like the Activision ones from Burger King. We have two of them, he can hit the buttons, they beep, he sees an immediate response on the screen. I'd suggest hitting dollar tree and picking up a few of them - they're great both to give you time to game, also perfect for car rides!

 

Edit: Also, I have a somewhat dead 2600 joystick that's "his". When I play I give him his controller and he hits those buttons instead of mine!

Edited January 12, 2006 by n8littlefield

[Lord Helmet]

Edit: Also, I have a somewhat dead 2600 joystick that's "his".  When I play I give him his controller and he hits those buttons instead of mine! 

998924[/snapback]

 

I do the same thing. My daughter (18 mos) sits on the couch next to me with an old playstation controller and mashes buttons while I play games. It was all good until I caught her sitting on the couch with the controller in her hand yelling DAMMIT at the television (like I do ) Guess I should watch my mouth

 

Edit: It was actually really fricken funny. One of those times you know you shouldn't laugh at your kids, but you do it anyway

Edited January 12, 2006 by Lord Helmet

[davepesc]

 

I know exactly what you mean.

[MacbthPSW]

davepesc's advice above is particularly sound. I've posted this before, but here's my take on things (as a father of five kids, fwiw): Kids and Video Games - http://psw.ca/robin/?p=65

[eric_ruck]

The PICO is fantastic for childhood development on account of the pen but also discovery aspects. I think it really did a lot for my kids. If you're looking for one ask me, I have an extra.

 

(One of my kids was a biter and chewed through the pen cord so I got a replacement Pico. Then I found a replacement pen and fixed the first one.)

 

The other thing I used to do is play games "with" the kids by giving them an unplugged controller. Typically something like Project Gotham Racing, "you're driving that green car." When they were 3 they had no idea the cord wasn't plugged in. I basically just wedged it under the console. That trick no longer works with my kids, now 5. They have a Genesis to play now.

 

Eric

[JB]

The other thing I used to do is play games "with" the kids by giving them an unplugged controller.  Typically something like Project Gotham Racing, "you're driving that green car."  When they were 3 they had no idea the cord wasn't plugged in.  I basically just wedged it under the console. 

Heh.

 

I have vague memories of "playing" arcade machines without putting money in them.

[Famicoman]

Go Pico. I had one.

[ntavio]

My 4 year old daughter and 3 year old son are playing Super Smash Bros Melee for the Gamecube right now and having a fantastic time.

 

They also love the Sesame Street games with the Kids Controller for the Atari 2600.

Edited January 17, 2006 by ntavio

[kyle]

I would have to say any and all the GTA games on PS2