Best games for kids?

[+davidcalgary29]

I let the kids (four and five) loose on the CV last night, and they were just ENTHRALLED. Sadly, they rated my personal picks ("Smurf Rescue"; "Antarctic Adventure") as "fun but too hard", and I'm at something of a loss trying to think of some better choices for them. Has anyone tried "Paint 'n Play" and "Dr. Seuss" and can recommend them to young children? Are there any other titles suitable for very small fingers and short attention spans?

[+grips03]

You could hack the rom(s) to make games easier

[fiddlepaddle]

Pepper II is not easy, but it's simple, and requires no button pushing...

 

And you get the smaller accomplishments of completing a "square"...

[cimerians]

Hmmm I think Mr. Do and Frogger might be pretty good. Simple...only one button or no fire buttons in the case of Frogger.

 

I am thinking back to when my nephews in the mid 80's picked up a CV that were that age and what games they had an easy time with.

 

They thought BC's Quest was great but it was hard for them with the dual buttons speed\slow etc.

 

DKjr and Donkey Kong they seemed to have a hard time with especially positioning under a ladder to climb it or trying to get on/off a vine.

 

Smurf Rescue was easier when they got used to just doing the double jump and difficulty #1.

 

Tutankham is ok but it will be hard to control for them since the explorer slides around a lot and the dual fires can be a little confusing at first for kids.

[+grips03]

Hmmm I think Mr. Do and Frogger might be pretty good. Simple...only one button or no fire buttons in the case of Frogger.

 

I am thinking back to when my nephews in the mid 80's picked up a CV that were that age and what games they had an easy time with.

 

They thought BC's Quest was great but it was hard for them with the dual buttons speed\slow etc.

 

DKjr and Donkey Kong they seemed to have a hard time with especially positioning under a ladder to climb it or trying to get on/off a vine.

 

Smurf Rescue was easier when they got used to just doing the double jump and difficulty #1.

 

Tutankham is ok but it will be hard to control for them since the explorer slides around a lot and the dual fires can be a little confusing at first for kids.

 

agree, Smurf level 1 is good, just have them stop before object and press up up to double jump. But perhaps at age 6, 4-5 is young.

[youki]

In my game "Smurf Challenge" (it is not Smurf rescue to gargamel castle) , there is specifically a Skill for young Kid.

[Manoau2002]

I would say that for games smurf rescue and artic adventure would be two of the more kid friendly games (Also CPK - Adventures in the park). As far as educational titles go there is learning with leaper, wiz math, face maker, and alphabet zoo. When I was 7-8 I remember really liking the game GORF.

[LynxVGL]

My kids really like MouseTrap too. I keep it on difficulty #1 or #2 max for them. The bird gets nasty fast.

[Bartsfam]

My kids, 11 & 14, like Bump and Jump, Frogger, Lady Bug, and Space Fury.

 

A little off course, but still from the same era, they will play Atari 2600 Basketball for hours on end. Go figure.

[SKELETOR68]

LADYBUG

[+nanochess]

I think Venture is more friendly for kids, you know, it's a smiling face shooting arrows and it has kids-like music

 

Also Burgertime, Frenzy and Qbert, maybe Gorf and Jungle Hunt.

 

Edit: Just I've saw ages of your kids, so Venture, Qbert and Gorf would be top in the list.

Edited December 11, 2013 by nanochess

[boxpressed]

I know that this is a CV forum, but remember those "special feature" versions of VCS games like Asteroids? The box had this teddy bear icon on it that signified that there was a game variation for young kids. Anyone try those? I'm wondering if any would be suitable for my four year old. He's a whiz at iPad games...

[retroillucid]

Carnival, Frogger, Venture, Mouse Trap, Lady Bug, Pepper II, Q*bert, Popeye, BC's Quest For Tires,

Antarctic Adventure, Tarzan,

[+5-11under]

Try Squares! on kid's setting

 

Definitely Smurf's is a tough game for younger kids... too picky on the jumping.

[NIAD]

While on the educational game front, you could try Brain Strainers which has a Simon inspired game. My daughter was 4 or 5 when I introduced her to Smurf Rescue and CPK Adventures and she handled it pretty well, but I started her out with an Atari 2600 controller. I don't think your kids will be to inspired by the Smurf PnP or CPK Pic Show games, but then again, you never know.

 

If you have an AtariMax multi-cart, you could always download the rom files for Peek-A-Boo and Frog Feast. Those are two very simple games to learn and have very nice colorful graphics as well as background music.

[youki]

Try Squares! on kid's setting

 

Definitely Smurf's is a tough game for younger kids... too picky on the jumping.

 

My child manage very well to play Smurf's Rescue to gargamel. And the youngest is 2 year and half old. The very good thing in that game for child , is that you don't have to use the fire button to JUMP.

[+5-11under]

My child manage very well to play Smurf's Rescue to gargamel. And the youngest is 2 year and half old. The very good thing in that game for child , is that you don't have to use the fire button to JUMP.

Even I'm bad at the game. I'd prefer the fire button to jump.

I also hate it that a few blades of grass can take a Smurf down, but that's another story, I guess.

[Pixelboy]

I've never considered the ColecoVision to be a good console for 4/5-year-olds from a general standpoint, because the controllers are rather big for small hands. Even an "easy" game can be hard for young children to master because of those controllers.

 

If I were in a situation where I wanted to let young children play ColecoVision games, I would try to install the Roller Controller in joystick mode, and then find some games that play generally well with that setup. Games like Venture can be rather entertaining with a Roller Controller.

[youki]

Even I'm bad at the game. I'd prefer the fire button to jump.

I also hate it that a few blades of grass can take a Smurf down, but that's another story, I guess.

 

In fact that is good for kid in that scheme of control , if that they don't need to coordonate 2 things at the same time.

My youngest , can move the smurt near the obstacle, stop , then push the stick up 2 times and the smurf jumps the obstacle. It is very easy for him. (at skill 1) . He just have to figure out what is an obstable or not. I found the game is very well thought for little kid in fact.

 

And for handling the controller, no problem as he does not have to use the fire button, he put it on his knees with one hand on the keypad he holds the controller and he uses the other to play.

[+davidcalgary29]

Pepper II is not easy, but it's simple, and requires no button pushing... And you get the smaller accomplishments of completing a "square"...

 

Bad choice. This is my favourite CV game, hands down, and if it's in the console the kids aren't going to get any playtime at all.

 

Thanks for all the great tips! We're going to go back to the Smurfs...after my boy recovers from his last attempt. He managed to trip over the CV and bonk his head (and had to be taken to emerg, where a very embarrassed Dad had to explain to the admitting nurses that he bruised himself 'playing Colecovision'), and insists that he'll only go back to the system 'with a helmet' in the future.

[ColecoDan]

 

Bad choice. This is my favourite CV game, hands down, and if it's in the console the kids aren't going to get any playtime at all.

 

Thanks for all the great tips! We're going to go back to the Smurfs...after my boy recovers from his last attempt. He managed to trip over the CV and bonk his head (and had to be taken to emerg, where a very embarrassed Dad had to explain to the admitting nurses that he bruised himself 'playing Colecovision'), and insists that he'll only go back to the system 'with a helmet' in the future.

 

But is the Coleco ok! Just kidden glad the kid is alright.

[R.O.T.S]

Yeah I am trying to think of something really easy but I am unable,perhaps my own favorite game Lady Bug?.At least doors can be arranged to for a small box like sanctuary for a while.

[Rik]

I really enjoy " Cabbage Patch kids, Adventures in the Park " and also " Monkey Academy " I bought Monkey Academy from eBay a while back in mint condition, complete. Then I found another one, same mint condition with hard shell plastic gate-fold a month later for like half the price I paid at eBay...figures! On the bright side, it's always good to have 2 copies of anything. Smurf Challenge and all other CV Smurf games are great for kids and adults. All CV games aimed at kids are my favorites! CPKAITP is pretty darn challenging IMO.

[RangerG]

If you have a flashcart, my son really likes Caterpillar SOS (Scheduled Oil Sampling), He is only 4 and this and Frog Feast are easily his favorites. Most of the others are just too difficult. He likes the stock Atari joystick best (which makes sense in that it is smaller).

[Marcks73]

Carnival and maybe Miner49er.