What are the best retro games for kids?

the_syco

So, a mate got a Nintendo Classic Mini, for himself and the kids. However, the games selection is fairly poor, and the quality on the 40" screen is very bad (played a Nintendo game on the Pi, and the graphics are grand, so I think the mini just has bad graphics?).

So, I got a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+, and am going to put a few games on it for himself and the kids, using RetroPie. So, I'm looking for suggestions for games to play. The kids are roughly 2, 5, and 7 years old. He's in his 30's.

Asking in this forum, as like myself, he grew up playing the classics in the 80's & 90's, and would prefer games that he can just jump in and play, in the 20 or 30 minutes of peace that he sometimes gets.
Anything on the Atari, N64, Sega systems, PSX, etc.

Thanks

Sparks43

Obviously I should say Boulder Dash here. And I have

But for quick half hour stints any game that has a good progress save is viable.

The lost Vikings on snes is a lot of fun and has a code based save

The legend of Mystical ninja also great

As is Smash TV

But if I was to plug one game it would be Super Mario Kart. Absolutely great fun and if enough Boardsies are interested I’d run a competition on here.

Needs to be on original console the mini or the switch. Can’t be emulation though sadly.

There’s lots of fun bettering your pbs and getting better at the game.

So all interested please give me a shout

Tom Mann Centuria

If he or you has a spare fifteen or so euro knocking about I'd recommend a Wii (because I think we're allowed to call a wii Retro now). Maybe you already have one gathering dust. Loads of games with motion controls that kids love and tens of classics for him. Also most games available for dirt cheap, and softmodded gives you even more retro options.

Appreciate this isn't what you asked for, but still.

the_syco

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

Loads of games with motion controls that kids love

Haven seen his kids, I don't think throwing things at the TV would be a good idea :pac:

Dr Bob

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

If he or you has a spare fifteen or so euro knocking about I'd recommend a Wii (because I think we're allowed to call a wii Retro now). Maybe you already have one gathering dust. Loads of games with motion controls that kids love and tens of classics for him. Also most games available for dirt cheap, and softmodded gives you even more retro options.

Appreciate this isn't what you asked for, but still.

got a free wii at the dump on saturday when I was dropping off some stuff there
Almost got a free Ps3 phat as well(found out one of the workers there had dibs on it so handed i back , you dont want to piss those lads off)
My kids love Streetfighter 2 and tekken but the one they wanted to play most was gauntlet dark legacy on the PS2 (with the multitap) , even my sons friends were asking for it..

Stoner

I bought a Wii for my boy last year. Was not a success.
Stuck on Spiro, no interest, loves it on the PS4 though.

When I was a kid I loved the latest games, my son is the same. Wants to play with the VR headset.
I just about have him playing rpi Minecraft.

I did that whole CRT time crisis thing too.

He wants the latest things like I did at his age. So I stopped showing him retro games. I figured out I was like one of those people I watched on the Toy Show when I was a boy buying their kid a wooden train, "I had hours of fun with mine years ago" . Handmade by Seamus in Galway

Yeah you did love it 30 years ago, because it was the latest and greatest back then.
I wanted the latest Hornby when I was a kid, I'd say Seamus's son in Galway did too. Digital stations, lights smoke, forward and reverse vs check out the grain on the wood on the wheel, while ignoring the lack of coupling rods.

Should have asked those guys if they would have swapped their wooden train for the hoop and stick their old man had.

I was really pushing my own interests instead of his.

Anyway that's my locked up rant over and done with.

Happy retro gaming all!!!

BTW ive loads of Wii stuff, wheels etc. I picked up a second had Wii and there were a few Mario games not even listed on adverts with it. Also got a new old stock one in Bray.
I was hoping he'd like it but he didn't at 4 years old they already know what the latest tech is

I bought some puppets, he loves those, but I can't sneak old tech past him.

peddlelies

Did you turn on the crt filter on the snes classic, will make things look a lot better on such a big tv

the_syco

peddlelies wrote: »

Did you turn on the crt filter on the snes classic, will make things look a lot better on such a big tv

Will check it out; would it be on the TV or the console? The part what looked bad was the lack of pixels. Way more smoother on the Pi, than the snes classic.

Shapey Fiend

I've a 5 year old and he gravitates towards Mario and Sonic mostly. Also really likes any kind of puzzle game for some reason so we play a fair bit of Lemmings, Tetris, Columns, Shove It! etc.

Retr0gamer

Worms?

Tom Mann Centuria

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Worms?

"You'll regret that!"

peddlelies

the_syco wrote: »

Will check it out; would it be on the TV or the console? The part what looked bad was the lack of pixels. Way more smoother on the Pi, than the snes classic.

It's on the console itself, in the options menu at the top iirc. You have 3 choices; 4:3, pixel perfect and CRT filter.

TheRepentent

the_syco wrote: »

Haven seen his kids, I don't think throwing things at the TV would be a good idea :pac:

boxing , bowling and the golf on the wii are brilliant

briany

Yeah, let's not try to get kids to like retro games. To me, it's under that same umbrella of parents who dress their kids up as Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles, as if that was their kids' idea. That is to say an attempt to vicariously recapture the parents' childhoods.

Anyway, the less the little feckers maul your mint copy of Cannon Fodder, the better. :cool:

Retr0gamer

Don't know about that. I don't have to do much coaxing to get relatives and friends kids to play old games and really like them. It's teenagers that might turn their nose up at them but they soon turn around when they see everyone having fun without them. Kids seem to have more interest now as well as they love the pixelated look because of Minecraft. I wouldn't force kids but had a friends 9 year old ask me what I was playing. It was a Gameboy. Asked him if he wanted a go. You couldn't get him off it for the weekend.

Inviere

briany wrote: »

Yeah, let's not try to get kids to like retro games. To me, it's under that same umbrella of parents who dress their kids up as Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles, as if that was their kids' idea. That is to say an attempt to vicariously recapture the parents' childhoods.

Can't say I agree there. There's magic to be found in games of all ages, and without us to expose the younglings to by-gone gems, that magic gets lost. It's not about recapturing childhood at all (imo), it's about sharing the magic with people to who it's new again for.

CiDeRmAn

Inviere wrote: »

Can't say I agree there. There's magic to be found in games of all ages, and without us to expose the younglings to by-gone gems, that magic gets lost. It's not about recapturing childhood at all (imo), it's about sharing the magic with people to who it's new again for.

Like a lot of media, there are those who think that only the current is relevant and everything else is mere historical curiosity.
And there are those who lived through those games at their most impressionable age and are left with those joy-joy feelings playing them again, in a way that even the best of the modern age can touch.
But I think there are others, perhaps a minority in the Gen Pop but the majority here, who see it as a continuum of games, all are valid and worthy of play.
There are great games to be found in every era, and people who play games themselves should be open to playing them, even if they came out before they were born!

pinksoir

A good game is a good game, just as a good film or album is a good film or album. There's context of course, but by and large if the gameplay is engrossing, anybody will enjoy it.

Shapey Fiend

The problem with a lot of modern games is 5 year olds can't play them. I mean he can sort of use a PS4 controller but it's a struggle.

The only games my kid could handle when he was 4 or so was 3DS stuff like Kirby, Mario and Sonic Mania cos it's one or two buttons and directions so he's making the jump to Mega Drive a lot more easily than modern console.

I do agree with that foisting your childhood stuff on kids is weird though. Every kid has different interests and you should be trying to look at things from their perspective.

Gradius

Sonic, Mario, puzzle bobble, pang, parodius maybe