My Top Ten: Games You Want Your Kids to Play
Maybe it's my time of life but I started thinking about what I'd like to impart to my offspring. Article written by colossalblue in Features, on Friday, July 3, 2009 at 10:00.I don’t have any children, despite my age and my wife’s ever-increasing broodiness. I just like having what little money I do and I know that once there’s a child on the scene I will have to stop buying Grand Theft Auto and start buying Hannah Montana. I have had a quick think though, what games I’d like to pass on to my children, should I ever become a breeder.
- Elite (BBC Micro et al.) – This is the most epic game ever. You start as a simple trader with a small space ship and a never-ending expanse of space to explore and build your empire by trading and engaging in combat (for good or evil purposes) or mining asteroids. There was no end to this game, you just got to be the best at the various career paths. Teaches commerce, life-skills and interstellar travel.
- ToeJam & Earl (SMD) – Two aliens from the planet Funkotron who just want to rebuild their spaceship and find their way home. Avoid weird earth-folk and collect gifts to power-up (or harm you – it’s like a lottery) whilst listening to the Funky Jazz soundtrack and admiring the SoCal fashion and culture references. Teaches self-depreciation, thoroughness and “The Funk”.
- Banjo-Kazooie (N64) – You get an amusing sidekick, there is magic involved and you have to defeat an evil witch using jigsaw pieces and musical notes to save your little sister. This game is like every Disney movie ever but good. Teaches compassion, friendship and shamanic magic.
- The Neverhood (PC) – It’s not often that you find a video game where the animation aspect is taken so literally. This game was all stop-motion animated with clay models and speaks of a simpler time in game design. It was a point-and-click adventure with a sense of humour almost as big as its sense of style. Teaches investigation, craft and animation.
- The Secret of Monkey Island (PC) – This is probably the funniest video game ever and you’d want your kids to have a sense of humour wouldn’t you? The swordfights aren’t done with swords but by hurling insults at your foe. Brilliant! This is soon to be re-released on XBLA and PC in a special edition. I really hope they put the “stump joke” back in. Teaches humour, honour and the recipe for a potion to destroy ghosts.
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64) – A timeless tale of resisting oppression with a mixture of intelligence, wit and resilience. This game is the blueprint for a decent citizen. Well, without all the hitting-people-with-swords. Teaches honesty, vigilance and music.
- LittleBigPlanet (PS3) – There are no bad men to kill and no evil seductresses trying to get inside your zipper with this game. It’s just good, clean fun dressed in a cute costume. The create side of things is like the technology department of your local high school but with less knives and more education. Teaches creativity, engineering and knitting. Sort of.
- Gran Turismo 4 (PS2) – This game taught me how to drive. Seriously, I played it lots while I was learning how to drive. I even had a little steering wheel and whilst it wasn’t exactly the same (my instructor resolutely refused to trade in his dual-peddle Corsa for a Pike’s Peak Escudo) it was enough to teach me the basics of steering and pedal control. Teaches mechanics, driving, physics.
- Flower (PS3) – To put it simply: Everyone should play Flower. There is an emotional process throughout the course of this game that I still don’t fully understand but I know it’s what we like to call “A Good Thing”. Teaches aerodynamics, environmentalism and botany.
- Braid (Xbox360) – A simple story of one man’s quest to find a princess who has been kidnapped by an evil monster. This has an ending which is both expertly done and unbelievably unexpected but I won’t spoil that for you. The key mechanic is the manipulation of time and the ability to try again if you make a mistake. Teaches forgiveness, perseverance and perspective.
Credit goes to Gastos84 for the idea for this list… and the next…
Comments
Please note that all comments are the opinion of the individual author and not TheSixthAxis.
nofi | 03/07/2009 10:03
Wants a custom tag.
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Yeah, wicked list. The only one I didn’t play and love was ToeJam and Earl, but the rest are perfect choices.
cc_star | 03/07/2009 10:24
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You didn’t play ToeJam, or just didn’t love it?
One of the funniest games ever made – think I’ve still got it, may dig it out shortly
Bilbo_bobbins | 03/07/2009 11:41
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ToeJam is probably the funniest game ever, used to play this all the time.
Gastos84 | 03/07/2009 10:05
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The Secret of Monkey Island. My god. How did I manage to completely forget about that game. I loved it. Good call squire
3shirts | 03/07/2009 10:12
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I have had ScummVM on almost every device I ever buy. Have it on my PSP and PC, had it on my N95, Samsung Omnia and now G1.
I can’t count how many times I’ve completed the first three Monkey Island games (which run in ScummVM) but I am overdue a replaying of the fourth.
hannes_truce | 03/07/2009 10:25
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IMO best games ever are monkey 1+2. brilliant. some of the first games i ever played.
deepmenace | 03/07/2009 11:43
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yep, 1 and 2….and to some extent 3 where all LOLfests the like of which no other video game has ever challenged.
am sitting truly on the fence on the new ones though. lets just wait and see eh?
http://www.telltalegames.com/monkeyisland
3shirts | 03/07/2009 12:14
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I just shat myself! NEW MONKEY ISLAND!
Aitrus | 03/07/2009 10:05
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I have kids (3 of them) and the 2 oldest love LBP and Flower. All of them – including the 2 year old – loves Singstar. I hope they get to grips with Rag Doll Kungfu soon so we can have some 4 player mayhem.
Gastos84 | 03/07/2009 10:06
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4 Player mayhem on RDKF with your kids. That sounds brilliant. I wish I had kids now
radiobridge | 03/07/2009 10:25
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Careful what you wish for,I’m missing a Killzone disc at the mo all due to a 2 year old.
Chimpanzee | 03/07/2009 10:08
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Good article. Good to see Monkey Island in there. Of course if I had to choose one of those 90’s Lucas Arts adventures it would be Day of the Tentacle for a kid, and Full Throttle for me
3shirts | 03/07/2009 10:13
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Flight Of The Amazon Queen is a good one too.
I miss those LucasArts adventures, its all stupid Star Wars games now after the adventure gaming arm got chopped off
hannes_truce | 03/07/2009 10:26
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were the indiana jones point and click adventures lucasarts? i believe so and they were also awesome. oh and the prequel to day of the tentacle: maniac mansion
YOURMUMANDME | 03/07/2009 10:39
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FOTAQ was an awesome game , spent ages playing this on my 500+ years ago .
Sam and Max is a brilliant Lucas arts point and click as well .
YOURMUMANDME | 03/07/2009 10:22
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I have a box of duplicates with a 2nd copy of Final Fantasy 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , and DragonQuest .
Along with about 150 + anime videos and DVDs , all being kept for the next generation to enjoy . Or be completely forced to play them , either way they will play them and they’ll like it .
colmshan1990 | 03/07/2009 21:18
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LOL
GamerRiley | 03/07/2009 10:28
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I’ve dusted off many a copy of my old favourites from the mega drive days and beyond for my two kids, and basically they couldn’t give a rats ass. It’s all COD4 and Warhawk in this house. My eldest, 12 (going on 17), is begging me at the moment to let him play GTA. I don’t know, kids these days are just moulded into psychopathic gun toting killing machines. I blame the parents!
radiobridge | 03/07/2009 10:30
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“Ban these sick games”
colossalblue | 03/07/2009 10:30
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Buy a BBC Micro and tell him he can play GTA when he has completed Elite…
GamerRiley | 03/07/2009 10:39
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Haha, this week I’m showing him Football Manager on the C64. I pressed play on the tape on Tuesday, I think it’s due to load by Saturday morning so should have all weekend at this one.
Hodgi92 | 03/07/2009 10:29
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Another great list.
That reminds me, I HAVE to buy Flower soon…maybe today
hannes_truce | 03/07/2009 10:38
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yes. yes you do.
Pixl1983 | 03/07/2009 10:32
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Great list. I think we should set up the TSA games education course teaching the youth what and what not to play.
The Neverhood was great. Does any one remember Skull Monkeys? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhLXdfMM2CM
I used to LOVE that game.
Watchful | 03/07/2009 12:58
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Until I read the list I’d completely forgotten about The Neverhood. And I found Skull Monkeys was just so damn hard. Still got most of my PS games, wonder if that one’s still kicking around somewhere.
colossalblue | 03/07/2009 13:16
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Skull Monkeys was the sequel wasn’t it? I think Klaymen was in a fighting game too but I can’t remember what that was called.
hannes_truce | 03/07/2009 10:39
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Did anyone ever come across ‘Zak Mckraken and the alien mind benders from mars’?
awesome game
yogh_wayne | 04/07/2009 00:40
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Yes, I just love it. It’s just brilliant, incredibly funny and has an epic story. One of my top three LucasArts adventures! The other two are Maniac Mansion and Grim Fandango
Downey92 | 03/07/2009 10:41
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No Super Mario 64 on this list (N64)? No idea what it teaches but it is such an epic game that everyone should play.
3shirts | 03/07/2009 14:10
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Shrooms makes you big and strong?
Lanselta | 03/07/2009 10:44
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I enjoyed Kings / Space / Police Quest games. They taught me to type! (may explain why im still crap!) Leisure Suit Larry and the Land of the Louncge Lizards was another, but I never let my parents catch me playing that one.
spooner_22 | 03/07/2009 10:59
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Crash Bandicoot: Warped…that should be on there!
Dafro1989 | 03/07/2009 11:13
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I put this on my girlfriend’s PSP and made her play it. Education at its best – “you WILL play videogames and LIKE IT”.
Bilbo_bobbins | 03/07/2009 11:43
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I was about to post the same. Fantastic game.
spooner_22 | 03/07/2009 16:01
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oh and…teaches: to get along with your siblings, how to ride a jetski, to love all animals (such as baby tigers and polar bears coz they are cute and you can ride on their backs)
DarthSharkey | 03/07/2009 11:43
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Lots of nice games. I would let my kid (If I had one) play Zelda the Ocarina of Time so they know how good games can be. Show them LBP and build them up to FF7 when they are a little older.
Lorcan | 03/07/2009 11:48
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Fantastic list!
Everytime I read something about braid, I want it. Badly.
The only thing I would have added that was an integral part of my childhood was a Crash Bandicoot title.
deepmenace | 03/07/2009 11:50
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Where’s the Manhunter love up in this biatch?
deepmenace | 03/07/2009 11:51
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every child should have the “plastic bag strangulation” kill under their belt.