Games for the Under 10 Set

Erik Kubik has this to say about modern gaming consoles and younger gamers...

I thought of this when I overheard a conversation between a customer and the sales staff at a local game store. Her complaint was about the violent games on the Xbox 360. Her son who looked about 10 wasn’t interested in the Wii, which she mentioned to the store employee. She asked if there were any learning games. I tried hard not to laugh as I watched her kids make facial expressions at the idea of “learning”—facial expressions that would have made Mario choke. The store associate fumbled and mentioned Rock Band was a learning game. She continued to ask about non-violent games and the employee pointed her to Forza for the 360.

Good learning games are few and far between on most consoles but there are some titles out there for those of you who aren’t about the killing and mayhem. I can easily name 20 titles on the Wii but let’s look at the 360/ps3 instead. I’ll try to focus on “good” games because too many games geared toward younger audiences tend to be poorly developed and cheaply made, and end up playing terribly.

There is the Lego Series with the long and creative list of Lego Star Wars, Lego Indiana Jones, and Lego Batman. The series will soon be joined by Lego Harry Potter. All of these games are fun; they are easy so younger gamers can pick them up quickly. Most of the games are 8 to 10 hours long and have co-op game play with a variety of extras that keep the game fresh. Parents love Legos! Kids love Legos! Most of the titles can be found on Goozex for 100-300 pts with plenty of copies available.

Another non-violent game genre is racing and there are plenty of titles for both systems. Two of my favorite exclusives are Forza Morotsport on the 360 and Motorstorm on the ps3. Both are decent games and are only 100 points. But there is also Dirt, PURE and Sega Revo Rally. Most racing games drop in value quickly so they can be picked up on the cheap.

Despite the suggestive lyrics and questionable clothing, there is always Rock Band or Guitar Hero. As most of us know, Rock Band and Guitar Hero are fun music games the whole family can get into, although parents of younger gamers may want to lean toward Lego Rock Band.

If racing or rocking out doesn’t suite your tastes, try an adventurous platformer or two. On the Wii and the Nintendo DS it’s all about Mario. The ps3 has the Ratchet and Clank series. The first game, Tools of Destruction, is only 450 points on Goozex; making it affordable. Although the games are rated Teen, most of the stuff in the game is mildly crude humor.

Sometimes you have to look beyond the popular titles. There are some movie tie-in games like Wall-E and Kung Fu Panda. They’re okay--just don’t expect the cream of the crop. Stay away from Spiderwick Chronicles! Its’ not even worth the paper the manual was printed on. There are also some puzzle games and some trivia games. There are family-friendly arcade games available on the PSN and Xbox Live that can be downloaded; such as classic Playstation titles like Crash Bandicoot, etc. All-in-all, there may not be a lot of learning games, but there are plenty of other fun games where the focus is not wading through pools of blood while getting hammered with F-bombs.

Looking Forward to November

Erik Kubik Says Traditionally, November signals the beginning of the Holiday release schedule for games. More or less, from my understanding, it’s when developers stand to make the most money throughout the year, even if their games are terrible. There are some hot titles coming out. It comes down to buying now or waiting until Goozex delivers my copy.

Band Hero--One of two music games coming in November, this game comes out November 1st for 360, PS3, PS2, DS and the Wii. It’s totting itself as Guitar Hero fun for the whole family. I do know it has an extensive song list, with 65 Top-Forty songs and the ability to import more songs from the other Guitar Hero games. Players will be able to drop in and out, much like Guitar Hero 5. Honestly, I’ll pass. Rhythm games are not my thing, but I do predict it will sell well with families, especially on the Wii. If you already have Guitar Hero and Rock Band then you should wait until Goozex can get you this game.

Lego Rock Band—Unfortunately, I know very little about this game. It is coming for Wii, PS3, and 360 on November 3rd. It’s nothing more than a “family friendly” rock band game with Legos. The Legos can be used to customize their avatars, vehicles, and rock dens. There will also be Lego-themed challenges. Does that mean building things or knocking them down? It seems the presence of Iggy Pop and David Bowie are there to make it more “rockable.” If I had to pick between the two, Band Hero and Lego Rock Band, I might actually pick the latter since it is something different. Anyways, unless you have small children, just wait for Goozex.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is Game of the Year material and it is making its way onto the PS3, PC, and 360. Just from the trailers every gamer knows this is going to be a great game. It has everything you love about the Call of Duty Series and more. It comes out in early November. I cannot wait to play the Special Ops mode, which is similar to the final mission in COD 4, “Mile High Club.” The multiplayer elements are going to be mind blowing. My prediction is Modern Warfare 2 is going to be a must-have for the Holiday season. Do not wait for this game on Goozex as you will have to wait many months.

Assassin’s Creed 2--This game comes out for the PS3, PC, DS, and the Xbox 360. The first game was one of my least favorite games of 2007. The previews for the sequel show an interesting game but I am worried about length. After 6 hours is that going to be it? Is the new setting, Renaissance Italy, and the new game play features like dual assassination blades and flying machines, be enough for gamers? The game slashes onto shelves on November 17th. My thoughts are unless you loved the first game wait for Goozex to bring it to you.

New Super Mario Brothers--It is time to dust off my Wii. This wondrous take on the old comes out November 15th for the Wii. Featuring 4 player co-op and 2d Game play, I can dig this. There are mushroom propellers and a penguin suit. What? No frog suit or metal helmet!? I like that Yoshi is back but I’m worried how well the 4 player co-op will work out. The game is built around the idea of working together, so what if you have ornery friends or the AI is terrible? For a gamer like me, this means the TV will meet my Wii mote. In the end, if you are a hardcore fan and are in the mindset that I gotta-have- every Mario-game, grab this game as it comes out.

Resident Evil Darkside Chronicles--I am going to buy this on launch day, the 27th of November. As a big fan of Resident Evil, I want no mistake that I need to have this game. Reason 1, it comes with the Wii Zapper. The second reason to own this game is that you get to blast zombies with Claire and Leon as they travel back through Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil Code Veronica. Like Umbrella Chronicles, Wesker will make an appearance and this will just make me want to drag out my Dreamcast or my Playstation. Co-op rail shooter with Zombies- what else do gamers need over Christmas break? If you don’t like Resident Evil or rail shooters, then wait for it on Goozex.

So readers what are you looking forward to?