Video games play a vital part in a child’s development. Do I have any evidence to prove it? No. This publication isn’t The Journal of Pediatrics; I’m too lazy to look up that stuff. However, from anecdotal experience as a ’90s baby, I can state that video games were essential to my upbringing. My Gen X cousins introduced my brother and me to the PlayStation, and the rest is history.
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Fast-forward two decades, my brother and sister-in-law ushered a beautiful baby boy named LJ into the world. Now that I’m officially an uncle, I’m thrilled to pass down the joy of video games to the next generation. And I am responsible for imparting LJ with the best games possible so he doesn’t grow up to become a basic Roblox brat. Here are my top picks.
6
Marvel Vs. Capcom
Choosing my favorite fighting game for LJ is like choosing a favorite child (except for Capcom Fighting Evolution, that game can suck it). At first, I leaned toward the Street Fighter series since it was my introduction to fighting games. But then, I decided to think more practically.
Teaching a child double quarter-circle motions is daunting. It took me until middle school to finally nail the maneuver on my Dualshock 2. (And the blisters on my thumb afterward were excruciating!) Sure, Street Fighter 6 came a long way in accessibility. However, the MvC series had simplified controls for decades.
There’s a sentimental reason for my choice, as well. I want to share the lore of the #freemvc2 movement. MvC was a series that was pronounced dead after 2018. However, the launch of the MvC Fighting Collection proves that if a group of people care enough about something and work together, they can make anything happen! That’s the kind of lesson I want to teach my nephew.
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Mario Party
- Platform(s)
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Switch
- Released
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October 9, 2021
- Developer(s)
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NDcube
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer
- Engine
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proprietary engine
- ESRB
-
e
- Platforms
-
Switch
- Publishers
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Nintendo
I love Mario Party. Who doesn’t love Mario Party? It’s the titular party game for any family willing to risk the fabric of their relationships for a few stars. After all, is it really game night without a family argument?
Kidding aside, Mario Party holds a lot of sentimental value to me. When my brother and sister-in-law were dating, we would play this game almost weekly. Since then, Mario Party nights have become a treasured family pastime. So, in a way, Mario Party is a significant part of LJ’s parents’ love story.
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I look forward to seeing the look on LJ’s face when he gets his first star (and when he gets his first star stolen from him by his competitive uncle). Then, I can share stories of how LJ’s father used to chew out Nintendo whenever he was losing.
Will I get heat from LJ’s father for sharing that story? Probably. But I’ll reiterate: it’s not family game night without a family argument!
4
Dance Dance Revolution
Dance Dance Revolution
- Released
-
September 26, 1998
- Engine
-
Unity
- ESRB
-
e
- Developer
-
Bemani
Music/rhythm games are one of my passions. But what game should I share with LJ first? Sure, I could introduce one of my long-forgotten niche rhythm games and whine about how it’s lost in obscurity. However, that’s too me-focused, and this is about sharing sweet memories with LJ. (Sorry, Bust-A-Groove, not this time.)
Instead, I’ll choose a game to enlighten LJ’s physical education. I can tell this kid will be a natural athlete. He can hold his head up for over 90 seconds at merely 11 weeks old. He’s a tummy-time champ! And on his musical keyboard playmat, he’s a regular foot-kicking virtuoso! Do you know what other game uses a mat? Dance Dance Revolution!
For all those people thinking, “Play Just Dance instead,” all I can say is, “IT’S JUST NOT THE SAME!” There’s something tactile and satisfying about pressing down on an arrow with your foot and seeing it reflected on the screen.
Plus, you can’t place a toddler in front of a screen and say, “Ok, copy this professional choreography.” But you can guide a toddler through a beginner stage in DDR (basically rhythmic walking). That’s perfect for developing motor skills.
3
Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo
Another Capcom fighting game? Yes. Another Capcom fighting game (sorta). If I’m responsible for introducing LJ to video games, I will make him a fighting game enthusiast. (Although, if he grows up to love first-person shooters, I won’t love him any less and accept him for who he is.)
Puzzle Fighter, as the name implies, is a puzzle game structured like a fighting game. You stack gems of the same color and then destroy those gems to attack your opponent. A cast of chibi Street Fighters and Dalkstalkers adds charm to the mix.
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Are there more accessible puzzle games for children? Maybe Puzzle Bobble (which, let’s face it, looks like a game for babies). But Puzzle Fighter is a lot more fun. Few feelings compare to the thrill of destroying a towering gem like a Jenga tower and watching your character hadouken your foe into oblivion.
Puzzle Fighter features all the primary colors (red, yellow, and blue). Ergo, playing Puzzle Fighter will teach LJ introductory color theory and help his overall cognitive development. Wow. I’m an awesome uncle!
2
Sid Meier’s Civilization
I tried playing Civ 6 with my mom once, and she disparagingly called it “Social Studies: The Game.” And you know what? She’s right. Sid Meier’s Civilization expertly simulates the cornerstones of civilization, such as developing technologies, founding a government, building trade routes, and even the harsh reality of war.
Is Sid Meier’s Civilization historically accurate? No. But history’s most renowned leaders are in it, including Teddy Roosevelt, Queen Elizabeth, Mahatma Gandhi, and Cleopatra. So, it’s close enough.
We need to raise Gen Alpha with as strong of an education as possible. And I’m from America, where civics education is desperately needed now more than ever. So, do I want my nephew to play Social Studies: The Game? Abso-freaking-lutely!
1
PowerWash Simulator
My brother and I, being fraternal twins, grew up with drastically different tastes in video games. While I diligently practiced fighting game combos in my room, my brother was across the hall yelling and shooting at strangers in games like Call of Duty and Halo. Even now, I can’t suggest a game to my brother without pushback.
However, there are rare moments where our tastes overlap. Our shared enjoyment of PowerWash Simulator is one example. We both indulge in the soothing practice of plopping on the couch and slowly blasting dirt off of a house that looks like an angry giant took a massive crap all over it.
The trend of real-life chores becoming hit video games is odd to me. Still, if completing video game chores excites LJ to help his parents with real-life chores, that’s a big plus.
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