How To Talk To Your Children About Classic Video Games

26 responses to “How To Talk To Your Children About Classic Video Games”

1. 

   Sam

   December 14, 2011 at 8:35 am

   Hehe my best mate and I have discussed this a few times in the last 3 years and we both decided to do the same thing, only half jokingly.
   “You can play the PS5 when you finish Donkey Kong Country 2!”

   Reply
2. 

   warcroft

   December 14, 2011 at 9:02 am

   Im 36. Have been a gamer for 30+ years.
   I have two kids, three and five.
   Right now I only let them play semi-educational games like Dora or Diego, etc. Or they play around with Tux Paint using my graphics tablet.
   I mistakingly let my son start playing Angry Birds and now, at age three, Hes always crying to play games. Last night it was three hours of tantrums because he wanted to play Angry Birds. This is not a good situation.
   Thats just a warning to future parents.

   Personally, from someone with over 30 years gaming experience, keep kids away from games as long as possible.
   If you must let them play then, like Sam said, games like DKC are great. Simple platformers.
   Games like FFVII take an older mind set and by that age they wont want to play FFVII because there are newer, graphically better games.

   Yes, graphics dont equal game play, but when it comes to kids graphics mean everything.

   Reply
   1. 

      Strange

      December 14, 2011 at 10:40 am

      I’m 35. I have a 10 year old and a 2 year old. I don’t agree with you about keeping kids away from games as long as possible. They’re great for teaching hand-eye co-ordination, logic/puzzle-solving and patience.
      I think a balance of all types and generations of games is the key. My oldest has played games from most generations of consoles and definitely values gameplay as well as graphics.

      My 2-year old can’t really play games yet, but I did let him play with the drawing part of PictoChat on my old DS as well as Tiny Wings and Siege Hero on my iPod. I think he only wants to play with these things because he sees all of us doing it.
      So if I really wanted him to start with the classic games, I’m fairly sure playing them in front of him first would be the best way to go about it.
      Kids just want to be like us, so leading by example is always the most effective way to get them to do what we want them to.

      Reply
      1. 

         warcroft

         December 14, 2011 at 10:46 am

         I dont play games while my kids are up. Once they have gone to bed then I play.
         The whole hand/eye coordination argument people use is a load of crap. Throwing and catching a ball teaches hand/eye coordination. Playing games teaches eye/finger click coordination.
         Games make weak kids, no muscles, very poor lung capacity.
         The logic/problem solving I do agree with.

         Reply
         1. 

            Strange

            December 14, 2011 at 10:58 am

            Like I said, it’s about balance. Obviously my kids don’t only play games and never play outisde, that would me an idiot and a bad parent which I really hope you weren’t implying.

            I disagree on the hand/eye co-ordination thing. I grew up never playing games(I didn’t play any until the original Playstation era, when I was about 20) and was terrible at sports the whole time. I was never able to catch a ball or throw it where I intended. Now, after 15 years of playing games my hand-eye co-ordination has increased to the point where I can now play ball games with my kids and throw and catch balls with relative ease. Playing more sports didn’t do that, gaming did.

            Reply
            1. 

               Strange

               December 14, 2011 at 11:01 am

               Oh and by the way, my daughter is not weak with no lung capacity. She’s a strong girl and plays the bass clarinet. She also plays video games.

         2. 

            qbngeek

            December 14, 2011 at 12:56 pm

            It seems you have no idea or can’t control your own kids. If you allowed 3 hours of tantrums to go on, then you need to learn how to control your kids. And I don’t mean smacking them.

            My 9yo has played games since he was about 3 or 4. He plays them with me/my wife or on his own. I collect old consoles and games so he has played everything from an Atari 2600 and mastersystem to X360/PS3 and my gaming PC.

            He also goes outside for most of the day and plays with his friends. He plays soccer, goes to tutoring and does archery. He also spends several hours a day reading books and listening to music.

            He also plays pokemon and warhammer competatively, and can kick most peoples butts at munchkins and killer bunnies.

            We play as a family and our 2yo joins in now. We also go out most weekends into the national parks around our house and both our kids have a love of nature and the world in general.

            As I have seen with my own friends and their kids, its not he kids…its the parents. Keep them balanced and they will be well rounded in life and skills. Like I siad, if your kids are allowed to throw tantrums for 3 hours than games are not the issue.

            Reply
3. 

   Aaron

   December 14, 2011 at 9:20 am

   HD Remakes.. that is all.

   Reply
4. 

   Badger

   December 14, 2011 at 9:23 am

   I think that the indie scene and the kind of neo-retro thing that’s happening these days (MegaMan 9, Scott Pilgrim, etc.) makes retro gaming a lot more palletable and accessible now than it has been in the past.

   I think we’re actually finally moving beyond flash. As long as a game is still compelling it’s not that hard to sell someone on playing it.

   Reply
5. 

   The Gremlin

   December 14, 2011 at 9:53 am

   I’ve taught my son (9) to appreciate game design and fun factor, not just graphics.. Its not that hard. I am very proud to see that he appreciates old games just as much as newer ones as long as the’re good. If you give the right guidance, and show by example it can be done

   Reply
6. 

   PrettyTones

   December 14, 2011 at 10:01 am

   So the kids in the pic are playing FFIV Advance…on a TV…with PS2 controllers… :/

   If and when I have kids, the first game I’ll get them to play is Super Meat Boy, and then Fire Emblem. The games are too hard? Well life is hard, get used to it, lol

   Reply
   1. 

      Ahtaps

      December 14, 2011 at 8:27 pm

      I think that’s probably the Final Fantasy IV in Final Fantasy Anthology which was a PSX (or PSOne depending on how old you are) version of the game, hence its ability to be played on a PS2.

      Reply
7. 

   Awnshegh

   December 14, 2011 at 10:18 am

   I’ve been the gaming influence of my 15 year old nephew since his birth. We started with racing games and anything educational. He now plays BF3 with the guys most nights. He balances this out with sports and playing the drums in a band.

   But in all this niceness I’ve tried more than once to get him playing the retro classics but he puts them down 10 minutes after picking them up. To be completely honest though – I do much the same thing.

   Reply
8. 

   Dr_Stef

   December 14, 2011 at 12:16 pm

   They should bring back more coin-op Arcades like back in the day when I was the only teen without a console or pc, and everyone else was spoilt rotten by their parents with their fancy c64 or Nintendo entertainment systems.

   This way, they’re out of the house having fun, when their allowance runs out they find other stuff to do like hang out with their friends outside,
   while in the meantime teaching them the art of saving money for useful and other fun things.

   Reply
9. 

   Mad Danny

   December 14, 2011 at 1:00 pm

   There are many games methinks which are a great combination of style and substance and were designed in such a way as to weather well. SNES-era games emulated with some nice filters to smooth out jaggy edges are equivalent to fantastic portable titles nowadays (Chrono Trigger, Terranigma, Link to the Past), or make for some good co-op (Lost Vikings, Troddlers, Bubble Bobble, Tyrian 2000). Stylised 3D games that knew to work within their limits often still look good, unlike those pushing for realism each generation (ie. show them the Twinsen games, prerendered isometric RPG and RTS games, some of the classic PS2 platformers and cell-shaded shooters once they’re old enough for XIII’s subject matter, but skip a lot of the UE2-developed shooters that look washed out nowadays). Some old games have modern equivalents you can refer to instead (eg. Crazy Machines Elements – if they like the game style they can work back to Incredible Machine).

   I think the main thing would be to be picky. The best old games are still good, but games that were merely good then might not be good enough now. The original Mario may be nostalgic for many, but I don’t think it would necessarily hold the interest of a newcomer compared to the SNES remakes. Zelda and Metroid were great original concepts, but again I think don’t go further back than the SNES versions to start with. Heart of Darkness and Oddworld are still highly entertaining, but I think Blackthorne, Flashback and the original Prince of Persia would mostly be for puzzle/platformer subgenre or IP history enthusiasts. Civilization and Railroad Tycoon were genre-defining classics, but perhaps only bother with Civ 3 or 4 and Railroads (or Transport Tycoon). I’ll second the notion that indies are bringing classic game styles back though – games like Trine and Revenge of the Titans and Torchlight could be a great stepping stone into retro gaming!

   Reply
10. 

    doctorroboto

    December 14, 2011 at 1:11 pm

    I’m not sure what I’ll do when I have kids but I’ll want them to play Link to the Past and Chronotrigger. They’re some of the best old school games that aren’t frustrating to play by todays standards.

    Reply
11. 

    Gemini

    December 14, 2011 at 2:06 pm

    As early as the NES??? Come on, at least start with an Atari 2600 emulator. I’ll allow passing on the Intellivision. 😛

    Reply
12. 

    Ema Nymton

    December 14, 2011 at 3:45 pm

    Wow! I never stopped to think about it….

    My 5yo and I play FPS split screen multiplayer. We aren’t allowed to shoot each other though. We just play hid and seek.

    Reply
13. 

    Aron

    December 14, 2011 at 3:50 pm

    I will introduce my kids to a wide variety of games and let them decide for themselves what they play.

    Why would i ever try to influence their likes/dislikes of certain genres/games because of my own predilections and history?

    Every generation has it’s Shakespeares and Da Vinci’s; adherence to “timeless classics” as a base line for a medium can only lead to stunted growth.

    “To appreciate something in the present is to understand it’s past” is a common colloquialism, or something to that effect, so i can understand why we all want our children to appreciate the games of OUR past, to know who WE are and where WE have come from – but to say that you should attempt to indoctrinate them into a similar childhood to your own for the sake of “experiencing a classic” is foolish really, because they should seek the knowledge on their own terms.

    My advice? Play the games of yesteryear in their presence, and show them the love you have for them despite their aged graphics and backwards mechanics. They will WANT to experience them with you, if they can SEE the love you have for them even now… Not just sermonizing about a bi-gone era when “Games were actually good and not just all about graphics”

    – Aron

    Reply
    1. 

       Lasher

       December 14, 2011 at 6:42 pm

       ^This +1

       My kids have DS’s and Micro GBA and a Wii. The Wii is for Mario Kart Donkey Kong and NewSMB (and Metroid for me). The DS’s/GBA I got a flash card from China and bunged all my favourites from when I was little (minus the MortalKombat/Killer Instinct/Doom etc). We play Super Mario 3 and Chrono Trigger and Ocarina (GameCube) together all the time. These ones don’t seem to give a crap about the graphics. I just hate the fact that their Granny bought them Sims 3 for the PC. What a piece of crap. Mostly they play educational games like Dora and Carmen Sandiego and stuff like that. I also second the point some said before about tux paint and a wacom. My 3 year old LOVES the Edubuntu Suite, I’d love to see that improve.

       I can wholly relate to sharing your memories of these games with your kids at the same age as you were. These days however things are a little different. Touch interface and edu-games on iPhone are so simplistic my daughter was tracing letters of her name at age 2. I put my 6mnth old on my lap at the computer last night and he grabbed the mouse with one hand and started bashing the keyboard with the other. He’s just copying what he sees. But the way these kids experience the advances in tech compared to our Generation is epically different when a 6month old is vey effectivly figuring out how to manipulate an iphone app. What will their kids be playing? Freaks me out.

       Reply
14. 

    JK

    December 14, 2011 at 7:02 pm

    My little 2 year cousin was playing some crappy game on his mums iphone while I (18 yr old) was sitting next to him playing Wario Land 2 on my Game Boy.

    He lost interest in the phone and wanted to play my game. I gave it to him and he didn’t have a clue on how to play it, but after a little assistance (me playing the game with his hands) he seemed to enjoy it, alot, thats until that Mickey Mouse Clubhouse show came on tv and diverted his attention to that.

    They may be hope left. I’ll definitely teach my kids if i ever get any the classic games aswell as the new ones.

    Reply
15. 

    thealienamongus

    December 14, 2011 at 7:32 pm

    my 4 year old cousin plays mostly ds Dora & Diego games and iphone games but when she is with me she plays on my psp sonic games from my Sega Genesis Collection and though not old locoroco & Little Big Planeton.On my ps3 she loves Skate2, Eyetoy pet & singstar games and watches me play other games.

    Reply
16. 

    AerintheADEQUATE

    December 15, 2011 at 4:02 am

    I’ve only got the one so far, but I think I decided to ease him into it over time similiar to how it was for me. I got him one of those little “Retro Atari Console” things that comes with 60 preloaded classic Atari games and I’ll let him have a go at it every once in awhile. Then a couple years down the road when he’s older I’ll break out the NES and see if he’s interested… etc.

    No need to throw him in front of some huge console with a 3D Lego game flashing across a huge HD screen all at once.

    Let’s just say he’s getting the Atari thing for christmas along with a basketball net and a sled and several other “running around” type toys ;-P

    Reply
17. 

    picky

    December 16, 2011 at 2:22 am

    my daughter just got disneyland adventures…insane!

    Reply
18. 

    Nick L

    January 7, 2012 at 10:25 am

    If I am ever lucky enough to have children of my own, I already know that gaming will be a part of their lives. i certainly won;t force it upon them, each to their own afterall, but I played games when I was young, why shouldn’t they?

    of course moderation is key, playing a game for 6+ hours a day is certainly not ideal for a child. I have a 4 year old sister (I am 21) and I let her play games if she asks for them. It started with some easy puzzle games on my iPhone, then I purchased an iPad for my mother (a mothers day gift) and she uses that too (mainly to watch cartoons on YouTube, but that’s a whole other story).

    I also have my SNES plugged in, and she plays Super Mario World with me from time to time. I agree with some of the comments poste here, hand-to-eye co-ordination is improved with games (not all games, but alot tend to help). My little sister is a perfectly happy and helthy little girl, she plays outrside alot, and sometuimes she plays games on (hers now, I guess) the iPad. I can;t help but wonder what the future will hold in 20 years. If I hadan iPad when I was 4, i’d probably be playing with holograms now.

    Reply
19. 

    Dave

    April 28, 2012 at 2:39 am

    I have four kids, 6,7,8 & 8. They each have a laptop and play lots of games on kids sites. They each have a DSI XL with a library of games to choose from. They have unlimited use of Laptop, TV and Wii. They are all honor roll, do their studies and chores first and play on multiple sports teams. I strongly reject any notion that gaming effects anything. I allow my children to choose their free time as they see fit and they prosper because of it. Most days they are outside riding bikes and playing in their fort, just like I did when I was young.

    I find they all like different types of games and value those games for different reasons. I think exposing your kids to lots of different types of games is important. Let them decide what interests them. Don’t be pushy cause you like something, that drives them away from it. Expose your children to everything you can and let them decide who they are and what they like. You’d be quite amused seeing your kids playing the first Warcraft or giggling relentlessly to movies released 25 years before they were born.

    Reply