When you are looking to choose the best video games for every member of your family try the following:
Consider their interests and preference type. For example, mom may not be content to sit and stare at a screen fighting other computer animated guys. However, she might like the involvement and action you take to play the Wii sports games.
Choose games that are not dumbed down for kids. Your kids are not stupid. They are not going to enjoy the Dora game that is just like the Winnie the Pooh game they already have. So choose games that are stimulating, that are different, and that push their creativity and ability. Check reviews online by other parents, for what they believe are good games for children of all ages to play.
Next, choose games that are appropriate not just for age, but experience level. If your child has been playing video games for years, they won’t be as satisfied with a simple game, but a kid who hasn’t played much may struggle with complex and complicated controls. So start small and let your kids get the grasp of these video games before they move to the more complicated controllers and games.
Choose games that let them interact. A great choice for family members of all ages is to choose something that has a peripheral. This is any game that has something like a steering wheel, arcade stick, or DDR dance pad. This makes gaming more fun for everyone, especially kids, and can make games fun for the whole family. Dad can get just as in to Dance Dance Revolution as your five year old.
If your video game has something they can touch and feel it makes it easier. It means that you have simplified the controls down even further so that they can just act rather than thinking about which button is supposed to do what. Many kids do not like Gamecube or Playstation because they can’t keep track of which button does what or think fast enough for the results they want.
Choose games that fit your guidelines for appropriate content. Use the ESRB ratings as a great guide, but not as a rule. You know your kids better than anyone, and you know what you want them to see. Just because a movie is rated PG-13 does not mean you want the content in it exposed to your children, even if they are 15 or 16. So, make the same distinction with video game ratings. Look at why they got the rating. Look at what they say online about it. Look at what other parents say about the games you are considering. Look at review after review after review. It will help. If you want to choose the best video games for every member of your family, learn from other people’s experience.
Play the games with your kids, that way you can see if they are the best for them, or if you should maybe try again. If you use video games as babysitters you are going to get less than great games for your entire family, but if you use them for good family entertainment, then chances are you are going to get the best video games.
If you want the best video games for everyone in your family, choose games you can play together. Choose games that have ratings and content you think is appropriate. Choose games that are interactive.