OT: Video games with your kids
Assuming nobody actually wants to talk Michigan football during these difficult times, I've got a question for the dads (and moms) on the board: have you found any good video games that you are able to play with your kids? Preferably on PS4, as that is the platform I own. I certainly don't want to be creating an addiction for my kids, but as they are at an age now where they have the cognitive and motor skills to play something, I'm interested in using this as an avenue to have some fun with my kids.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:02 PM ^
Grand Theft Auto.
November 18th, 2020 at 7:56 PM ^
Upgrade to,the complete immersive 3D version to save thousands on day care
November 18th, 2020 at 4:04 PM ^
I play the new remastered Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1&2 on xbox w/ my 6 year old and 4 year old girls. They love creating characters, and can actually do some tricks. It's pretty fun and I highly recommend it.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:24 PM ^
Great idea. I loved THPS back on the PS1.
November 18th, 2020 at 10:27 PM ^
Just make sure not to take it easy on them and whoop their ass. Might as well teach them victory doesn’t come easy.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:05 PM ^
Any Lego Game (Dimensions was great, but is discontinued), or sports game or even 1:1 fighting game (like Super Smash on the Switch) as long as it's not too realistic.
The switch is much better for kids games and playing with them.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:15 PM ^
just picked up a Switch at local Target. case was empty but luckily i asked their tech dept if they were getting more. they had 1 left in the back. it’s getting hard to find as we get closer to Xmas. you can overpay for the QVC bundle but they at least accept monthly payments. theres supposed to be a deal out on 11/22 according to CNET, but i’m thinking it’s a black friday type deal and will be tough to acquire
November 18th, 2020 at 6:01 PM ^
Black Friday deal everywhere for Switch is New System (last year) with exapnded battery + Mariot Kart + free period of Nintendo online subscription. I don't think you'll have to refresh constantly to try to get one.
November 18th, 2020 at 10:06 PM ^
Can confirm the Switch is great for kids! My 9 yr old loves it... The latest big thing is the game Animal Crossing - New Horizons. I don't get the allure, myself, but the kid is absolutely loves it. Fortnight, I guess, is still popular.
But for younger kids, you can't beat the Switch - so many titles available that are perfect for them... Plus, it's dead simple to switch between console and TV screens, so it's the most portable thing you'll find.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:06 PM ^
Call of Duty. In a few short sessions, your loving child will transform into a toxic demon that tells everyone that he fucked their mother.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:07 PM ^
And if you have any parenting skills/common sense, maybe Minecraft or Creative Mode in Fortnite - just don’t buy cosmetics!
November 18th, 2020 at 4:06 PM ^
Grand Theft Auto! Just treat the prostitutes with respect and it's all good.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:09 PM ^
I destroy my kids in Madden until they cry. Teach them the disappointment in life that awaits them in but a few short decades.
November 18th, 2020 at 8:57 PM ^
Well, that is until they have their own kids and they can finally starting winning at Madden.
November 19th, 2020 at 12:42 PM ^
Sheeeeit, my 9yo beats the everloving hell out of me in Madden and laughs his ass off all the while.
Kid can’t take the receiving end when we play out back though. Crybaby.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:11 PM ^
Overcooked/Overcooked 2 - co-op cooking game that may end up with you screaming at everyone around you. But tons of fun once you get it right.
Any cartoony racing game, e.g. Team Sonic Racing - like Mario Kart, but with Sonic characters
Any of the SkyForce games - vertical shoot-em up. Good clean fun for any age.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:22 PM ^
I love Overcooked! That's the only video game my wife will play.
Crash Team Racing is on PS4, I've been thinking about that.
Have not heard of SkyForce. I'll have to check that out.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:12 PM ^
Little Big Planet is a good one. A platformer that has a very cute aesthetic and can be difficult at times but super entertaining to play in a group.
Caveat is I'm nowhere near dad age so I don't know if it's too difficult or not.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:23 PM ^
I second this take on Little Big Planet, but I would stick to LBP1 or LBP2 and avoid LBP3 altogether. The series can be difficult at times for younger kids but that's why mom/dad/big brother are around to take the controller!
November 18th, 2020 at 4:14 PM ^
I don't think it's on PS4 as I'm an elitist PC gamer, but Roblox. We usually do co-op stuff, little do the other kids we're playing against know they're getting slaughtered by a middle-aged guy who is getting a false ego pump.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:15 PM ^
I got out my old N64 with steering wheel and pedals controllers and played Sanfrancisco Rush, and my kids like it.
I hope to get a PS5 sometime as a late birthday gift/ xmas gift so I can get the new xwing game. It is available on the PS4 as the same game I think. I am hoping to get a flight stick too. I'm guessing my kids may have fun trying to fly Star Wars ships. (Although this is mainly for me to get to play with my brothers who live far away).
November 18th, 2020 at 4:31 PM ^
my kids don't want to see me in GoldenEye
November 18th, 2020 at 4:21 PM ^
Tearaway Unfolded is a great game for kids and parents to enjoy together. It's cutesy, not at all difficult (very forgiving) and it also has an online site where you and your kids can create papercraft from the game. Since it's an older game, you can typically buy it on sale or at a reduced price, like now for only $5!
November 18th, 2020 at 4:22 PM ^
My 6 and 4 year old boys love the Lego games. My 12 and 10 year old girls like Horizon. My 2 year old daughter likes going through their stuff while they're playing video games.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:26 PM ^
My kids are my carry on Warzone
November 18th, 2020 at 4:28 PM ^
I am an addict so probably don't take advice from me. But, kids are more advanced at these things than you think. Just let them get good at it in their own way. Anyways, my road went like this:
Super Mario/Duck Hunter Combo
Then Sonic
Then I got into sports video games and never ever looked back.
So start with a platformer. There's probably some good ones out there, but the best bet is to turn off your wifi, open up chrome, and jump over cactus with a T Rex. Then maybe move onto an actual game you need to pay money for.
Then move into the VR world. Something shooty, but for kids. Astro Bot Rescue Missions maybe?
Then just pull out the latest NHL game and help them win the Stanley Cup. Put it on the easiest setting. Maybe play as the opposing team and pull your goalie. Get the kid's confidence up so they don't give up before they get good enough to enjoy the real thing. One time I did this with NHL 94 and I scored 100 goals. It was the dumbest thing in the world, but I had a blast as a 6 year old, and still remember it 24 years later.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:59 PM ^
My dad and I used to do the pull your goalie thing on NHL 94 and 96 for the Sega. Great memories there.
I also used to love a Nascar game that would allow you to repair your car if you wrecked it bad enough but would knock CPU cars out of the race if they were unfixable. So one of myself, brother or dad would go the right way in the race and one of the others would drive the wrong way on the track and try to cause as much mayhem as possible.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:31 PM ^
I have a 6 year old. We started with Lego Ninjago and Lego Marvel Superheroes games on the PS4, they're very kid friendly, you don't really have to worry about dying or anything. Now he likes to play Fifa and Madden against me, where I usually set his difficulty to easy and mine to All-pro. Fifa actually has a one-button control mode which is great for kids.
We're getting him a Switch for Xmas, with the usual Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros type games, which he already plays pretty frequently at his friends houses.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:33 PM ^
I got my kids the Lego Avengers collection. They enjoyed playing, and when they watched the movies during the covid lockdowns, they already knew most of the characters. You can also get Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Ninjago depending on what your kids like.
I would also recomend Rocket League. It is a soccer type game with cars that is easy to play but with enough extra features and skill to keep you interested.
November 19th, 2020 at 1:52 AM ^
Rocket League is the only game I play right now. It’s so fun! Me and my 12 year old dominate. Also, it’s FREE!
November 18th, 2020 at 4:35 PM ^
Nintendo Switch, currently. My special needs 7 year old and I have some awesome MarioKart battles. The kid can basically beat me now. My healthy "normal" 9 year old has gotten in to a really fun game called Rocket League, which isn't what it sounds like, but is a team driving game in this arena where you attempt to knock a ball into a soccer or basketball goal.
Eventually here we will get a PS for the older one. (Can't wait...)
On the Switch, I play PGATour2K21 and that's a hell of a lot of fun.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:39 PM ^
This looks pretty cool for the whole family. Comes out next spring I believe.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:48 PM ^
Minecraft or the cartoon-y racing games. Most of mine are under 8 and that's what we usually play.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:51 PM ^
Anything Lego-related will be right up their alley. Maybe Madden or any of the other official pro sports games (NHL 2K21 for example) if they're a bit older and like those respective sports, but beyond that I think you're mostly going to be restricted to Lego games.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:52 PM ^
Can Fall Guys split screen?
November 18th, 2020 at 5:02 PM ^
The best game i have ever played with my kids was on the Wii U. It was called Lugis Haunted Mansion if i recall correctly.
You had 1 ghost who used the Wii U game display to see everything, then on the TV 3/4 other players played characters with flashlights, but could not see the ghost unless they shined the flashlight on the ghost, or randomly lightning would show the ghost for a fraction of a second.
It was the most amazing multiplayer game to play with family. They were unforgettable times.
November 18th, 2020 at 6:04 PM ^
They have Luigi's mansion 3 for Switch on super discount at Walmart down from $60 to $30 for black Friday. Absolute steal - also great for co-op play - one of you is Luigi and hte other is a blobuos ghost named Gooigi and can work together to solve puzzles.
November 18th, 2020 at 5:10 PM ^
Definitely need more details on your kids' age and interests -- can they read? Do they have any interests in any video game franchises (Pokemon, Star Wars, Avengers, etc.).
Based on them being "at an age now where they have the cognitive and motor skills to play something" I'm guessing they're 5-ish?
If they're into music/dancing, the Just Dance franchise is pretty fun, it's multiplayer, and will give your kids some exercise.
Along the same lines, I have a 6 year old niece that really liked Ring Fit Adventure for Nintendo Switch, and it's also good for physical activity (pretty good workout game for adults too). It's not multiplayer, but you can take turns playing the minigames.
I would recommend the Nintendo Switch for younger kids in general, since it has a lot of exclusives that are geared toward younger kids. Mario Kart has a lot of "driving assist" options that make it accessible even for really young kids. The "Let's Go" Pokemon games are a good way to get your kids to practice reading too. Edit: Oh, and the new Mario Kart Home Circuit game looks like something that kids would really get a kick out of. It comes with a real life RC car and you create a race course in real life and there's an AR element of playing the game on TV while the actual RC car goes around the track in real life.
November 18th, 2020 at 5:20 PM ^
Minor threadjack: anyone have a TV recommendation to pair with the new generation of consoles? Looks to me like you need 4k with a 120 Hz refresh rate to take advantage of them, and that appears to be about a $500 investment from what I'm seeing. Any advice is appreciated.
November 18th, 2020 at 6:07 PM ^
I have a Samsung QLED tv that I bought a couple years ago that is still absolutely fantastic. Maybe something from that line but newer? I think the OLED TVs are gorgeous but they’re so damn expensive.
November 18th, 2020 at 7:07 PM ^
OLED is definitely the way to go, although right now LG is ahead in the gaming space.
November 18th, 2020 at 7:18 PM ^
You're unlikely to get a true 4k+120 hz refresh rate on a $500 tv. The TCL 6-series is regarded as one of the better budget TVs for 2020, and it can't do 120 hz refresh @ 4k (it does do 120 hz refresh @ 1440p, IIRC).
Sony X900H series is one of the cheaper options that does 4k+120hz IIRC, and you might find a 55" for around $900 on sale.
Be careful because a lot of TVs are advertised to have 120 hz refresh rate, but it's not the same as being able to accept 4k @ 120 hz input.
November 18th, 2020 at 8:16 PM ^
Yeah, TCLs are all 60 Hz with a pseudo-120 Hz rate. And it's borderline criminal in my mind that Amazon lets them advertise them as 120 Hz TVs.
November 19th, 2020 at 11:43 AM ^
IIRC the TCL 6 series is true 120 hz refresh rate.
The problem is that it doesn't have HDMI 2.1, so you can't get 4k @ 120hz over HDMI. You can get 1080p or 1440p @ 120 hz over its HDMI 2.0 connection, I think.
That said, it's unlikely that very many games will benefit from 120hz refresh rate. I've got an older TCL hooked up to my PS5 and it's fine and is still a noticeable improvement from the PS4.
November 18th, 2020 at 5:34 PM ^
I just wish video games could go back to the before time when winning wasn’t determined by how much money you spent on gems and upgradables, etc, etc. Micro-transactions are the devil’s handiwork.
November 18th, 2020 at 10:02 PM ^
Totally agree. I can’t stand the “free” games that constantly bombard my son with offers to buy upgrades, outfits, etc.
November 18th, 2020 at 6:01 PM ^
My son is 12, and we’ve played Rocket League together for the last two years. It’s a 3 vs. 3 hockey/soccer- style game with cars instead of players.
November 18th, 2020 at 6:02 PM ^
Was just looking at this recommended list yesterday. It's really comprehensive and list games that are good for families of all skill levels. Give it a look!
https://www.taminggaming.com/search/category/Work+Together+to+Thrive
November 18th, 2020 at 6:17 PM ^
Mario Maker is great. I’ll make my daughter custom-made mario levels that she cannot really lose, and she has a blast. Plays for maybe 10 minutes, but still.
November 18th, 2020 at 6:27 PM ^
They've brought back Leisure Suit Larry ... or so I hear.