Bordersdown: The Next Generation

[Neon Ignition]

A call out to the parents in the room with this one as we ask:

For those of us with children, have your kids engaged with gaming and if so what titles and how?

If not, what do you think is the reason why and is gaming something you've actively encouraged or something you've preferred to keep as your own interest and break away from the pressures of parental life.

If you don't have kids, do you think you'd be keen on encouraging gaming and if so which games and experiences?

[Dogg Thang]

My kids (12, 14) are both gamers and have been from a young age but the youngest is definitely the bigger gamer. It started with the DS many years ago and just went from there. Not a huge surprise because there were always games around. The biggest hit over the years has been Minecraft - the thing with that game is that there are so many different ways to play it that it's a game that really grows with the player. So it's one of the only gaming constants.

Pokemon has been huge for my youngest but, guys, getting shinies is way, way too easy these days. My kid has a box full of shiny Pokemon. Stardew Valley was a big one for my oldest kid. And Animal Crossing has been big for both of them. I don't know if there has been any big surprises in the games they like except that my youngest has played through Miitopia around 6 times and adores it. I haven't even tried it so I have no idea what it's like.

Most of these games are obviously on Nintendo systems and that has been a big factor in my console purchases. Bottom line is that Nintendo make great games for families... but then don't know how to work an account system for families...

[QualityChimp]

Son, 9.
Switch has been brilliant for him.
Plenty of accessible games and ones with handholding modes.

Also it's not hobbled by being dependant on online features.

The thing I'd be aware of is that a lot of blokes are desperate to get their kids into their interests, but maybe Elm Street, Robocop, Mortal Kombat and NWA aren't suitable yet.

[wakka]

I don't have kids but would like to at some point. I'd definitely be keen to get them into games, but I'm vaguely worried that they will automatically seem incredibly lame because of how into them their dad is!

Like the two chaps above, my first port of call would be Nintendo, and it's what I've always recommended to colleagues with kids who want their first console. The software isn't cheap but their best titles are such high quality experiences, often demanding that you engage your imagination and/or problem solving skills to advance. They're also well balanced in terms of difficulty.

The games I'd want to keep them away from are ones more cynically designed to be compulsive. Mobile F2P stuff is the worst culprit, but also stuff like Call of Duty. Putting aside how violent it is, the multiplayer is enjoyable but can also be an empty experience, a Skinner Box of little dopamine boosts with no real lasting reward.

As they get older I'd love to introduce them to stuff that had a really lasting impact on me, like MGS 1 and Shenmue.

And, of course, I'd have to comprehensively thrash them at Mario Kart. That's a must.

[Dogg Thang]

Yeah, so far I have kept my kids away from the F2P stuff. Won't have them in the house. But also being in kids media, I'm also very aware how, firstly, so many games are deliberately exploitative and, secondly, how content does have an effect on how people form their world view. It's just one small part of a much larger picture, obviously, but I'd still be fairly careful about what they might play. My eldest is someone I'd worry much less about in that regard but my youngest kid has a tendency to dive too deep into things.

[fuse]

Thread title took my mind to a very odd place where this place is still running 30 years from now but we're all grey and crusty (or dead!) and it's instead populated by lots of the same names just with "Jr" at the end.

[Dogg Thang]

I like that future.

[endo]

My eldest (7) and middle (4) kids have both got interested in gaming, but it's definitely the eldest who's most into it.

The Switch was very popular initially, and she's ploughed serious hours into Mario Maker 2 (as well as various other Mario titles). I think the first game she played was Mario Kart with me, which was ideal because I could set her up with auto-steering and auto-accelerate while she got used to how it all works.
The PS5 is proving popular too, Astro Bot being a big fave at the moment.

Middle child messes about with some simple games on my phone or her tablet, but she's just not as interested in gaming yet.

Even so, we've now made Saturday evening game night and we play various stuff before they go to bed. They both found Untitled Goose Game hilarious recently, as well as Goat Simulator and the Touryst, particularly the bit where you can dance on the beach. Eldest daughter found that particularly hilarious for some reason. Also Shantae (dancing again) and others. I'm really enjoying being able to share gaming with them to be honest.

[Mayhem]

Not yet, she's only 2, and I think the missus is rather against it, but that will be her choice when she gets a bit older...

[Golgo]

Interesting to read everyone experiences. Mine are similar. My lad is 14 and I was very wary about letting him game at all, which started about the age of 10. Needless to say, like other posters here, I was focused on giving him a 'quality', non-violent gaming education and shielding him from the dross.

First phase (10-12) was almost entirely couch coop games. Started with the Skylanders (not dross - hehe!) series which were/are really great (still have many models on display) and Minecraft (a classic, which we still play together). Also some fab coop games like Rayman Legends and Origins, Enter the Gungeon, Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime, Never Alone, and the Lego games. Also brainwashed him into understanding Nintendo as 'the best' so that's 3DS and now Switch (the Mario, Kart, Rhythm Heaven/Wario, Kirby, Brawl, Animal Crossing, etc.) and he still loves Pokemon in particular.

Second Phase (12-14) got a bit more complicated. Still loves Nintendo and we coop on that a lot but he's also got into online gaming which I resisted for a while. There are three favourites here that I think are excellent games and relatively benign in terms of community, and the questionable aspects of their business model can be ignored and don't affect play: Rocket League and Overwatch and Apex Legends. I wouldn't let him touch CoD or anything properly violent. He has no interest in buying cosmetic items and spurns Fortnite, simply because he's knowledgeable enough to see it's a shallow, uninteresting game. He plays other single-player stuff like Tetris Effect, Spiderman, No Man's Sky, but his main jam right now is these competitive games.

My main thing is action adventures, light RPGs, the Soulsbornes, and that kind of thing. I'd like him to share an interest in my stuff, but I guess the main thing is to guide our kids to enjoy their favoured aspect of gaming safely.

Oh, I also strictly ration his gaming time. He gets four sessions a week, that's it. Needless to say I sneak more for myself, like the total hypocrite I am. But I'm old and my eyes/brain are shot so it's doesn't matter.

[dataDave]

James' first game (from around the age of 1) was ARMS. Mainly because he used to watch me play and wanted to join in. Unfortunately, we sold the Switch, but he still sings the theme tune whenever he sees the Switch hardware anywhere.

We got into a House of the Dead 2 phase for a little while after that, followed by the Wii Sports Resort aeroplane game.

He likes to direct me while I play Minecraft.

Recently he discovered my NGPC. He worked out how to turn it on and start playing all by himself. MOTM is pretty much permanently in the slot, so naturally as a huge fan of martial arts he absolutely loves it. I can't wait to get the MiSTer up and running this month, and further to that the launch of the CPS-2 core. Those Capcom Vs. games are going to make him explode.

We might also go back to the Wii. I think Skyward Sword might be a good one. I still need to play that myself.

[fishbowlhead]

No kids of my own but my Nephew is obsessed with Astrobot since i got it. Unfortunately because of the obvious lockdown he’s only been over 2 times to play it.

Looking forward to getting him his first Nintendo console and introducing him to all Ninty has to offer for his birthday in October, he’ll be 5.

[nonny]

3 daughters 2, 4 and 6... I've purposely kept them away at present but they're all into tablet gaming. Just basic stuff but the 6 year old has started playing some complex games like Tetris and Match 3 type stuff with my guidance and she's great at it.

I'll probably introduce her to actual gaming with a controller at some point but it's difficult with the younger two around. I'd love to show her a platformer and say mario kart.

[charlesr]

My son plays a lot of Rainbow Six Siege, Sea of Thieves, Minecraft, Forza Horizon, VR (Half Life etc), GTA, Rogue Company

My daughter plays Roblox, Minecraft, Sims

[Neon Ignition]

We bought a cheap 2DS for Jr1 back on his third birthday, something to use on car journeys and more engaging than Youtube for him but he didn't have much interest for the first year. It's use increased from about 4 and a half but this third lockdown has really opened him up. I think partially it's that he's now five and a half so seeing more progression in the game makes it feel more rewarding but also everytime his teacher hosts a Zoom call with the class his friends all talk about playing Fortnite on Switch. Being the much wiser gaming parent that I am we have a WiiU set up meaning he has access to most of the Switches relevant library at a fraction of the cost (and with better suited controller options) so sometimes I let him play 20 minutes of Bowser's Fury on the Switch but most of the time he's in love with playing Mario 3D World.

This heavily increased time and focus means he's become obsessive in his love for all things Mario. He loves the characters, adores watching people play the games on Youtube playthroughs and I've even caught him playing a video of a level on the phone and 1:1 copying the footage in order to guide himself on how to complete a level he's struggling with. He's knocking around World 5 and it's hitting his current limits but...

Jr 2 is approaching her 4th birthday and seeing so much of it has dragged her focus in so now they play a lot of co-op in Mario 3D World and also against each other in Mario Kart 8. They fall out easily in 3D World, the system where one player can get left behind of hindered off screen by the other causes some fuss but MK8 works well. Always amusing to hear what they think is trash talking each others performance. They still have multiple characters to unlock so the sense of reward for play is still there.

We're very much in on keeping them Nintendo focused though. He still eyeballs the Switch but with a WiiU the Switch is just horrific value to him.