GamerParenting: Gifts for Every GamerKid
When the Holidays Roll Around, Even a GamerParent Needs Help
11/26/2008 8:16 PM | 0 Comments | Page 1 of 2
Before we begin, let me announce that I'm proud of the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) for finally adding more information to their ratings. For five years I've been telling them that parents want this. It's the right move, it helps parents, it takes some heat off the industry's back -- and it's about bloody time.
There. Now that that's done...
I guess you could call this my holiday column, but it really is a buyer's guide. Why would gamers need a guide when they have Metacritic and GameRankings (and Crispy Gamer reviews)? Because even GamerParents fumble blindly when it comes to picking the right games for their children. Your spouse doesn't want junior to grow up too quick, so you've got to make these games count! Here's a handy guide for 2008, a banner year for videogames.
ESRB Rating: KA-Kids Through Adults
Diego Dinosaur Rescue
Since the Entertainment Software Ratings Association (ESRB) doesn't really seem to use this rating anymore I'm going to use it for those early E ages, meaning games that are good for the under-six set. If you've got a toddler,
Diego: Great Dinosaur Adventure (especially for Wii and DS). So are the Wii remakes of
Pajama Sam,
Spy Fox, and
Freddi Fish.
Magic, whimsy, and people made of burlap.
By "Everyone," the ESRB really means roughly 6 to 9 years old. For this group I heartily recommend
LittleBigPlanet. The old-school platforming adventures of the enormously endearing Sackboy and the power to remake the world in all sorts of clever ways, make an addicting combo.
ESRB Rating: E-10+
Boom Blox
This newer rating basically means anyone 10-12, or tweens. I'm going to pick an underdog here, because I've never seen a game captivate my family and friends as much as
Boom Blox (spearheaded by Steven Spielberg). The oddball combo of throwing a ball at a Jenga-like tower to knock down blox for points is so easy a child can do it. So game mom and dad. And grandpa and grandma. Heck if you've got a pet monkey, why not give him a turn?
Rock Band really rocks! We salute you!
For this group -- almost any group, really -- I recommend
Rock Band 2, especially if they already have the first game. What makes the Rock Band series great is that it feels like it's been made for people who genuinely wish they could be in a rock band. Guitar Hero, while worthwhile and terrific, feels like one of those metal heads who head bangs and plays air guitar during lunch break.
