What Kids Really Think About Kids' Games

marcellizot writes "For a hobby that's supposedly childish, real child gamers have quite a hard time of it. When they're not having every avenue of fun scrutinized for nasties and bad influences, they're often being sold game ideas that are boring and old even when the adults of today were young. Pocket Gamer asks, what do kids really make of today's kids games? 'Both Polly and Andrew both agreed that there were more good games for kids than bad overall, but most of the games they showed weren't just for kids at all. This betrays the difference in perception between parents and their children. Most of them aren't looking for the same old killing - instead, they want something that genuinely entertains them.'"

Comments

Developer Perspective

[neostorm]

I'm an artist and designer in the industry, and I've wanted to make kids games for some time (I currently work on Teen/Mature "next-gen" titles).
I'd prefer to make really simple, but quality titles that have solid stories and are morally enriching for the audience. i.e. the kind of entertainment that I remember being provided as a kid by public broadcasting, Fred Rogers, Shel Silverstein etc.
The problem I'm having is that the level of commercialism in today's kids entertainment is just as bad, if not worse, than most mainstream software. Usually involving other products so the parent company can tie in other potential sales to it (Barbie, et al). Just the kinds of things kids should absolutely not be faced with at young ages.
The only solution I can foresee is either finding funding from an independant source who shares my personal goals, or hoping somewhere along the way the genre manages to break the stigmas associated with "kids" and "educational" entertainment softwa Kids games are seen by publishers as "simpler", and therefore thought to be quicker to develop, receive lower budgets, and are treated as discardable products. Educational titles often have difficulty pushing away from boring gameplay. (I still think Oregon Trail is one of the only "educational" pieces of software that ever provided any sense of reward or fun for the audience - and it's over 30 years old! that's the timeline of the industry!)

I guess I typed up this rant hoping someone could point out a good childrens game developer that actually cared about it's audience, and treated their product in a responsible and respectful way. Any ideas?

Re:Developer Perspective

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm right there with you, buddy. The lack of worthwhile kids games is a real shame. I'm a small-time developer that has what I feel are some good "edutainment" designs but they are going to be extremely difficult to sell to a publisher because they don't involve buying toys or eating junk food. If I could just get one out these games out there, and a child somewhere benefits from it, I will have felt like my time on the planet hasn't been wasted. I like to think that maybe Nintendo will start thinking in a more positive direction for kids games thanks to the success of the Brain Training games. But then again, this is the company that backed Pokemon, the ultimate videogame merchandising juggernaut. I wish you all the luck.

Re:Developer Perspective

[spike1]

Do you remember the 1980s?
He-Man? Thundercats?
With the terrible moralistic crud at the end of every episode?

If kids think they're being lectured at, they'll turn off. (their ears, not the TV)
Are these Barbie films transparent enough for your kids to see through them?

Re:Developer Perspective

[LionKimbro]

I don't remember He-Man and Thundercat sermons, but I do remember something of GI Joe sermons. There'd be a section at the end, where they'd say, very directly, (This is what's right, this is what's wrong, "And knowing is half the battle.") ... and I assume He-Man and Thundercat sermons were similar?

No; The Barbie movies don't work like that. The moral messages are integrated into the movie themselves. Like most any movie that adults watch.

There's a lot of role modeling: Princess Anneliese loves to study science, but she never says anything like, "You should study science!" Rather, it's just her favorite thing to do, and it's mostly background. Of the 12 dancing princesses, there's a daughter who loves to collect bugs, a daughter who loves to read all the time, a pair that love to do oddball things, and so on. This is not to the exclusion of traditional female role models -- singing, sewing, and so on. But it's all woven together, they're all co-present. What is not present in any of the modeling, is a lack of courage, or inability to take action. Taking initiative, putting yourself out there, not just emotionally but physically as well, striving, exertion, it's all there. These are role models for pro-active kids.

There's also a lot of explaining. In Princess and the Pauper, you'll see how class works; One of the main characters is an indentured servant, and she explains how that "works," and what it means. I don't remember seeing anything half as complicated in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stories that I love(d) as a kid.

As for "moral," (as opposed to cultural,) there's a lot of struggle, sacrifice, and duty. Commitment to duty is very high in all of these stories, as well as sacrifice, though the story makes it clear that the characters have other things they'd think would be more fun or pleasurable. Ultimately, though, these characters realize that there's something more important to them, that they want, and they do what it takes to get there, even though it doesn't benefit them personally.

From a philosophical analytical perspective, these are "Virtue Ethic" stories, rather then, say, studies of intentions, argument from consequences, or absolute moral rules. These stories advocate (by demonstration of internal debates, and then choices made, rather than lecture,) for the cultivation of virtues (honesty, courage, fairness, pride, intelligence,) and living a full life, with beauty, pleasure, and fun. So I classify this as "Nichomachean." I'm only a lay philosopher, but this is what I see, and this is how I call it.

They're actually good, and, you might get a kick out of watching them. (Serious.) I've lent one of the movies to a couple who doesn't (well, didn't) have kids, and they returned it with the note, "Surprisingly good!" (None of my other friends will watch though. No surprises there..!)

My spirits are lifted after seeing them, and that's enough for me.

If kids think they're being lectured at, they'll turn off. (their ears, not the TV)

Quite.

But the kids do not turn off. Rather, they enact the scenes and the struggles and the arguments in the movies. It's quite clear to me that these movies are effective, and that that is good.

Re:News!?

[Anonymous Coward]

I remember really enjoying Oregon Trail. I think that was supposed to teach something. I'm not sure what. Maybe I learned that you can't carry back more than one bear-worth of food, so shooting more than that is a waste of bullets. But, no, I didn't learn that. I kept shooting them anyway. But it was fun all the same.

LucasArts Adventure Games

[Ekhymosis]

They should bring back the old LucasArts Adventure games, like my favorite Monkey Island and Sam and Max. The Indy Jones games weren't bad either. Fun adventures, puzzles to work out the brain and great story lines and best of all, no gore or any 'hooker beatings'...unless you get Max angry.

Sure, most kids won't like the graphics since they are used to modern game engines, but if these games could be redone with someone modern graphics while retaining the same fun factor I'm sure many kids would love it.

Yes, they have MI4 with 3D engine, but I still liked the way they did MI3 better. Grim Fandango was fantastic, and the Dig was good too. Too bad many kids nowadays prefer brainless shoot-kill games.

What kids really think about '80s games

[Ambitwistor]

Anybody remember these features from 1UP, with commentary from sarcastic elementary school kids?

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Re:News!?

[Chabo]

I stand corrected. ;)

I never actually played the game, that's just what I thought I remembered based on the ads. The most recent console to come out that I own is still my SNES. :-D