D1STORT1ON
Neo Member
I did the Lego Star Wars games with my son. Also some racers.
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If you had a child, how would you introduce them to gaming?
- Thread starter CaptainSlayAHo
- Start date
Mitsurux
Member
It just sorta happened with us. Both me and my wife play games (Separately and as a family). So my Daughter just grew up with games around, being played, being talked about etc. She currently has a Switch and Xbox One. She pretty much has the history of (North America) gaming available to her through my collection etc.
Fun Story time: A few months ago I decided to hook up my original NES to one of the CRTs i have in the basement, i wanted to see if it still worked etc. So i popped in SMB/Duck Hunt. While Playing Duck Hunt my daughter happened to come down stairs and was really grabbed by the game play, the simplicity of it (How many rounds can you get past/high score), the next day my nephews came over (Teenagers) and she wanted to show them the game, before i knew it it was like 1987 again, the three of them were competing for high scores, who could last the longest (Smack talking, trying trick shots, heated competition) etc.... for about a week Duck Hunt was the thing... just wild. I guess it goes to show that solid concepts/game play truly are timeless.
(ok Story time over)
Fun Story time: A few months ago I decided to hook up my original NES to one of the CRTs i have in the basement, i wanted to see if it still worked etc. So i popped in SMB/Duck Hunt. While Playing Duck Hunt my daughter happened to come down stairs and was really grabbed by the game play, the simplicity of it (How many rounds can you get past/high score), the next day my nephews came over (Teenagers) and she wanted to show them the game, before i knew it it was like 1987 again, the three of them were competing for high scores, who could last the longest (Smack talking, trying trick shots, heated competition) etc.... for about a week Duck Hunt was the thing... just wild. I guess it goes to show that solid concepts/game play truly are timeless.
(ok Story time over)
cireza
Member
I have kids. They play :
- Team Sonic Racing on Xbox Series
- TMNT Shredder's Revenge on Xbox Series
- Saturn Bomberman on Saturn
- Castle of Illusion on MegaDrive
Overall, older consoles are much better to learn a very basic thing : synchronizing both hands. Modern games are a lot more tolerant, especially something like Team Sonic Racing, so you somehow play even though you are doing complete shit with the controller. So the kid doesn't learn anything in the process.
Bomberman is perfect for this. Moving in all 4 directions and using a button to put bomb. Then you have to hide and wait. So it requires synchronizing your actions and be very precise. So the kids rage because they suck at first, but eventually they make progress and understand it.
- Team Sonic Racing on Xbox Series
- TMNT Shredder's Revenge on Xbox Series
- Saturn Bomberman on Saturn
- Castle of Illusion on MegaDrive
Overall, older consoles are much better to learn a very basic thing : synchronizing both hands. Modern games are a lot more tolerant, especially something like Team Sonic Racing, so you somehow play even though you are doing complete shit with the controller. So the kid doesn't learn anything in the process.
Bomberman is perfect for this. Moving in all 4 directions and using a button to put bomb. Then you have to hide and wait. So it requires synchronizing your actions and be very precise. So the kids rage because they suck at first, but eventually they make progress and understand it.
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The_Mike
I cry about SonyGaf from my chair in Redmond, WA
My 3 to girl watch me play from time to time and finds it interesting because she setimes see mom and dad play.
Although when she tried paw patrol she didn't really understood the concept of moving.
However she loves the bonus map with doggy boogie and she goes crazy and shakes her ass every time we open that bonus map lol.
Although when she tried paw patrol she didn't really understood the concept of moving.
However she loves the bonus map with doggy boogie and she goes crazy and shakes her ass every time we open that bonus map lol.
MadchesterManc
Member
My daughter once joined me for some 2-player House of the Dead: Overkill, both rocking move controllers and anaglyph 3D glasses. Was fun but she hasn't really taken to gaming herself, its her choice at the end of the day though and I'm not gonna force it.
qwertz12345
Banned
10...I have one but I turn off the tv every time he is near me.
Idk, I don’t plan to introduce him games until he is at least 7 years old.
CaptainSlayAHo
Banned
Interesting forum to be in lol
Crayon
Member
I'd probably get them started on league (i hate league) at about 5. Do their homework for them so they get in a good 6 hours or so after school. All day saturday and sundays off. Let them graduate high school because I'm a responsible parent who wants the best for my kid. Then it's off to sout korea to train with the best and start entering tournaments. Hopfully we can start getting a lil paper before they can buy a beer. $
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Edgelord79
Gold Member
I’d wait until they were older. Plenty of things to do that don’t involve screen time.
Shubh_C63
Member
Yeah I like discussing about them more than I actually play.
Sid Of Bee
Member
I guess a few handpicked games from that era would be a nice transition. Super Mario 64, Metal Gear Solid, Tekken 3, some racing games etc. Also, definitely PC gaming. At 9-10 years old I'll build a PC with them for them.
Sid Of Bee
Member
I guess a few handpicked games from that era would be a nice transition. Super Mario 64, Metal Gear Solid, Tekken 3, some racing games etc. Also, definitely PC gaming. At 9-10 years old I'll build a PC with them for them.
Nah what you do is start them on some real easy shit to get their confidence up, THEN you introduce them to something like Dark Souls just to humble their asses real good.
F31 Leopard
Member
My 6 year old I let him play simple games on his iPad at 4. Gradually introduced him to more complex games as time progressed. Latest game he played is MH Rise.
SlimeGooGoo
Party Gooper
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Punished Miku
Gold Member
I'd hand them a controller while I play whatever I want, but make sure it has no batteries.
After they grow up enough to realize they're not playing, I'd tap them on the shoulder proudly and tell them that now they're ready to begin their training.
After they grow up enough to realize they're not playing, I'd tap them on the shoulder proudly and tell them that now they're ready to begin their training.
StreetsofBeige
Gold Member
ANIMAL1975
Member
Like others said, you don't have to introduce them to gaming. They watch you play and one day you get home from work and they are already at it. That's what happened with my son many years ago, he's almost 19 now, i don't remember what he played first or how old he was, but what i will never forget is me arriving home one day and he playing Bioshock2 multiplayer lol _ with only 9 or 10 years or even less! I sat there watching him in awe, i never had played online in my life before, even games with multiplayer i would only play the story mode, i had this feeling i wasn't good enough and would make a fool of myself lol. Later that night i was trying it myself _ falling on my back and mounting that horse again _ soon i was addicted and never looked back, so you can say my kid introduced me to multiplayer gaming lol 
anothertech
Member
The only proper way.
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lovetalkgames
Banned
I play so much it’s almost inevitable at this point. Even when I’m not playing she brings the controller to play. I can’t even put on gameplay from YouTube without her thinking it’s gaming time.
I love the idea of sharing a hobby that means so much to me with, anyone really. But children are such sponges that they program very easily when they have a gamer parent. I’m not shocked at all my daughter is into video games at age 1.5.
I love the idea of sharing a hobby that means so much to me with, anyone really. But children are such sponges that they program very easily when they have a gamer parent. I’m not shocked at all my daughter is into video games at age 1.5.
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ZoukGalaxy
Member
Nintendo, Nintendo and Nintendo.
Note: Nintendo
Note: Nintendo
Aesius
Member
My friend's dad had this on PC when we were kids, but he kept the disc hidden. My friend found it when I was at his house one day, so we tried playing it when we were about 9 years old and his dad caught us and was super pissed.
StreetsofBeige
Gold Member
LOL. Don't worry, I had a similar experience.... but with sex-filled romance books. Buried in my parent's bookshelf behind my dad's business books were these thick paperback novels (they must had been 400 pages). As a kid you dont know anything about romance novels except it has some pastel cover with your typical hunk and distressed maiden.
My older brother said lets check them out as he knew about them. I hadnever read any of these books ever in life (back then or now). I couldnt believe the explicit text in these books. If there were pictures, it would be a fucking porno.
For all of you who think these kinds of novels read by desperate housewives with Fabio on the cover are cute love stories think again.
The Fartist
Gold Member
My daughter has pretty eclectic taste. She loves Shadow of the Colossus, the Last Guardian, beat them both several times. She loves Tekken 7, Puzzle Fighter, and plays the shit out of a couple of Roblox games, we're currently enjoying Stray together and gives me props whenever I get gold in a GT7 license test. I think she's gonna be okay. She'll be eight in November, by the way.
I'm pretty strict with how my kids game. I let them experience the hobby but I prioritize their health and education first. I keep them away from predatory practices and mobile games. All of the consoles have parental controls enabled that block access unless I grant them time. We talk about what they want to play and their goals before I add time to keep their sessions mindful.
StreetsofBeige
Gold Member
Good call.
Dont do what one of my bothers and sis in laws do..... which is virtually nothing. They lock the internet with net nanny kind of stuff, but when it comes to gaming on Switch, or cell phone they practically gave up disciplining them. They'll game during dinner and when company is over. They have no balls to just walk over and take away the devices. They always relied on verbal commands. Worked fine when they kids were 8. Doesn't work so well when they are 12 or 14.
Rivet
Member
I'd show my son GTA5 and how you can fuck a prostitute then still get your money back by killing her, like any father should do.
Just kidding, with my 5 year old son I started with Sackboy Adventure on PS5 and Paw Patrol on a roll (an average game but a good representation of the series and it's free on the new PS+). Basic gameplay with lovable characters.
I don't think he'll ever love older games (at least those before PS3 era) , they're things of the past unfortunately. The world changed and those games don't fit the internet era. Too hard, too long, too slow...
Just kidding, with my 5 year old son I started with Sackboy Adventure on PS5 and Paw Patrol on a roll (an average game but a good representation of the series and it's free on the new PS+). Basic gameplay with lovable characters.
I don't think he'll ever love older games (at least those before PS3 era) , they're things of the past unfortunately. The world changed and those games don't fit the internet era. Too hard, too long, too slow...
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I tried introducing 2d games since that felt easier for me.
They never really learned since they wastly prefered 3d and could control in 3d better than 2d by age 3. By age four they easily mastered dual analogue because they REALLY wanted to play - minecraft
Now by age 6-7 they still play minecraft as well as whatever dual analogue games (they really prefer this to games just using a single stick such as overhead views)
Captain Chaos
Member
On a strict diet of Nintendo First Party games.
BlackTron
Member
New Super Mario Bros. U. A 2D Mario with co-op. Can't beat this experience.
I also think I'd give them a N64 with a small TV and a bunch of carts. There's something premordial about discovering games by sticking it in the system and pressing power. No install, no OS menu, just playing the game. This is more approachable than modern gaming for really small kids and would allow them to try things out on their own instead of always having to follow direction on what to play.
Old Genesis Sonic games are also pretty good because they only use one button.
I also think I'd give them a N64 with a small TV and a bunch of carts. There's something premordial about discovering games by sticking it in the system and pressing power. No install, no OS menu, just playing the game. This is more approachable than modern gaming for really small kids and would allow them to try things out on their own instead of always having to follow direction on what to play.
Old Genesis Sonic games are also pretty good because they only use one button.
Rambone
Member
I'd keep them away from gaming for as long as possible until I know that they are productive in school, home, not lazy and have good overall ethics. Pretty sure the day my dad showed up with a Nintendo forever altered my future. I've spent way too much time gaming, time that could have been better spent developing my body, mind and future.
I Master l
Banned
Its up to him but i'd rather if he interested in sports or any better hobby