Recommendations for Decent Kid-Friendly Playstation Games (1 Viewer)

[Ken_McAlinden]

We are getting a PS2 for X-Mas, and I am looking for games with decent playability that my seven year old daughter will enjoy. They can be old or new, Playstation or Playstation 2.

My last console was an Atari 2600, so I have been out of the game for ages.

Regards,

 

[PerryD]

For a seven year old, I would have recommended a Gamecube. For the PS2, I can think of Ape Escape 2, Klonoa 2, perhaps Space Channel 5. If she is really good at games, you can get Jak and Daxter or Ratchet and Clank. Most of the games that target little kids (Nickelodeon or Disney) are generally low quality.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

For a seven year old, I would have recommended a Gamecube

Well, that's the thing. It's not just for her. I already had a bead on games I was interested in, but I wanted to find some stuff that would be fun for her, too. If it was just me & the missus, I would have gone with an Xbox. If it was just the kids, I would have gone with the Gamecube. I figured the PS2 was a reasonable split decision.

Regards,

 

[Alanna]

I highly recommend PSone greatest hits packages such as SPYRO THE DRAGON (you get all three games, which are excellent - my mom loves them too) and CRASH BANDICOOT (Crash 2, Crash 3, Crash Racing).

Another Playstation One game is FINAL FANTASY ORIGINS with FFI (which was a Nintendo game way back, they upgraded the graphics) and FFII is another good choice. The box says "Teen" but I played the original Final Fantasy back in 1990 when I was 8 years old and thought it was the greatest thing since She-Ra. This is just a graphically upgraded version so...it seems friendly enough.

As for PS2 games, I think the console has a wealth of superb titles that anyone can get into. Which is why its the "mainstream" console. Here's some examples, "on the cheap".

KINGDOM HEARTS!! A few Final Fantasy franchise characters set in the Disney world. Oh you just can't beat this one. Over 100 Disney characters in the game and locations taken from all sorts of Disney movies such as The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Tarzan. Its Greatest Hits now and there's no excuse not to have it. Its the only quality game I can think of that has any kind of recognizable US cartoon characters in. As other people have noted, most games geared for "kids" are VERY poor in quality. This one was for the mainstream and made by SquareEnix. $19.99

COOKIES AND CREAM is a cute, sweet game with two bunnies that plays like the platformer Crash but you control both characters at once (or a second player can control the other rabbit). There are some light puzzle elements but nothing too brain straining. Plus its cheap - easily can be found for $12.99 preowned!

MAD MAESTRO is another cheapie that's ALOT of fun. You press buttons in time with music (kind of like Space Channel 5 which someone else recommended) but all the music is classical and depending on how well you do you will get different cinemas. Its relatively easy but one of my favorites. $9.99 new at EB.

No one mentioned SLY COOPER AND THE THIEVIUS RACCOONUS. The graphics are a gorgeous cel shaded affair and the gameplay is outstanding. Fluid to control and really appealing characters. Its a really pretty platformer and not too difficult. $19.99 Greatest Hits

KARAOKE REVOLUTION grades you on your singing and is a blast to play at parties or just swapping the mic back and forth between groups of friends. You will probably need the bundle with the headset, but its worth it.

WHEEL OF FORTUNE... ok I remember playing the NES ones back in the day and spending way TOO much time on the Super Nintendo versions... this one claims to have 2,500 different puzzles...

And if you want a blast from the past, there's three really great compilations out there for those looking to relive the early 80s. ACTIVISION ANTHOLOGY includes Seaquest, Rampage, River Raid and 30+ more games. INTELLIVISION LIVES! has 60 games on it from the classic console. But MIDWAY ARCADE TREASURES is my pick of the three. You can't go wrong with Spyhunter, Defender, Gauntlet, Sinistar, Root Beer Tapper and Joust all on one disc. These three are all $19.99 a pop.

And of course there's always TETRIS WORLDS. Everyone likes Tetris. I think.

Hope this helps... ! There's alot of great titles in there looking over the list... makes me want to dig a few of these out myself!

 

[David Williams]

I second Alanna's suggestion of The Spyro the Dragon Trilogy. It's dirt cheap and offers many, many hours of some of the best platforming fun to be had (avoid Spyro the Dragon: Enter the Dragonfly for PS2... it's very bad juju.)

 

[Eric_P]

SSX3 is a very cool snowboarding game that is very fun and gets alot of play from both adults and kids in my house

SSX Tricky is the previous version of SSX3 and is probably cheaper if you don't buy the more expensive new one..

Also, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, Bust-A-Move are a couple puzzle games that is fun for all ages..

Cheers

 

[Alanna]

The PS2 Spyro *IS* bad. The framerate is what kills it. Why Traveler's Tales is so bent on the little purple dragon's destruction I'll never know. I've tried the Gamecube version and the framerate is not quite so headache inducing however. The first three Spyro games on the Playstation One (done by Insomniac) are all great. Insomniac went on to do the two Ratchet and Clank games on the PS2 as well (both which are good and highly recommended. Ratchet 2 is even 16:9). SSX Tricky is also a good one, I know *I* had alot of fun with the game and so does everyone else that drops by the house.

But wait! There's MORE PS2 stuffz!:

I also thought of GUITAROO MAN if it can be found (another music game - a.k.a. timed button presser). The game has some wacky, very funny characters including a superhero dog that doubles as a guitar amp.

My little cousin (he's 9) loved ESCAPE FROM MONKEY ISLAND, which carries on the tradition of the adventure PC game.

I'm also shocked no one mentioned HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS yet, since Potter is still a pretty hot thing these days. The game is actually very good, in a Zelda-ish way and allows you to really explore the Hogwarts world in-depth. HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE is due out soon and is probably a sure bet if its half as good as the first one.

The non-EA licensed Lord of the Rings game, THE HOBBIT is another Zelda like action/adventure quest and is easy to get into and play.

This is one I need to add to the collection: PAC-MAN WORLD 2. Its not just another generic platformer (OK so its close to it - but still darn fun).

That's all I can think of for now. Whew... all in all that's alot of gaming.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

Thanks, folks, I ended up finding the Spyro and Crash PS1 three-packs on sale at my local Meijer for US$23.99 each. That should keep her entertained for a while. My wife likes the retro-arcade games, so we will also have some of the Midway Arcade Treasures and Namco Museum PS2 games for her to play.

Regards,