PC Game suggestions for 8-12 year olds please

dod

I am looking for suggestions for PC games suitable for the 8-12 year old children of a friend. It's for a top notch PC with Win XP and all the extras.

I am not at all abreast of the games market- from years ago I remember games like Railway Tycoon which required you to build railroads across the US taking into account budgets and other commercial criteria. I have no idea what the equivalent type games are these days.

I had in mind games that have a broadly educational perspective, but that is done in a fun way. They won't go for something that is overtly educational- but I suppose I am looking for something that will, at some level, engage their minds rather than a shoot-'em-up. Obviously, nothing explicit or gory please.

Many thanks.

CombatCow

Just two words : The Sims

It will keep any kid addicted for months which may or may not be a good thing.;)

Or maybe Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban if there into that kinda stuff.

CombatCow

KdjaCL

Shrek 2 (any movie they into check reviews on the game)
Sims
Rayman any of em
FIFA
Pro Evo 3
Any posts tiitles car games
Grand Theft Auto if they from Dublin never hurts to train em early

kdjac

RobertFoster

Originally posted by KdjaC
Grand Theft Auto if they from Dublin never hurts to train em early

lol

Lex_Diamonds

Your basically forgetting about your kid years. When I was around that age I was playing all kinds of videogames. Let them play anything, they can handle it tbh.

tHE vAGGABOND

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/501128/ref=amb_vg_h__nav_501128/202-0768463-2242239

amazon have a good childrens games section, good for ideas if nowt else

Dont be at yourself

Theme Hospital. It's old and out on budget, but it's fantastic. It's very funny, still got nice colourful graphics, and it will teach your child to run a hospital!

Stephen

I loved racing games when I was younger, still do.

/fond memories of Skidmarks on the amiga 600

tman

Simpson's Hit & Run

actually a fairly enjoyable game

bizmark

I agree with lex at that age i was playing 2 way link up doom death matches it wont effect him in the lest tbh

But if you don’t want him to play those types of games i suggest Civilization 3 it’s fairly educational the Sims is mind numbing rubbish tbh

Tusky

Originally posted by bizmark
I agree with lex at that age i was playing 2 way link up doom death matches it wont effect him in the lest tbh

But if you don’t want him to play those types of games i suggest Civilization 3 it’s fairly educational the Sims is mind numbing rubbish tbh

civ 3 for a kid :eek: Id love to see a kid try and understand civ 3.

tman

if you have a joypad, you could always grab an emulator and a bunch of roms...

bizmark

Originally posted by Tusky
civ 3 for a kid :eek: Id love to see a kid try and understand civ 3.

Well i was playing Civ 1 at that age (i think) much smaller of course but the general game play hasnt changed since then

Cake Fiend

I used to play Doom, Quake, GTA, all the rest under-age and I'm just a bloody normal bloke. A normal bloke who likes a bit of torture.

Tellox

I played all sorts of games growing up...looked at much pornography...
...It has affected me quite badly.

And anybody that knows me will vouch for that.

KdjaCL

Originally posted by bizmark
I agree with lex at that age i was playing 2 way link up doom death matches it wont effect him in the lest tbh

But if you don’t want him to play those types of games i suggest Civilization 3 it’s fairly educational the Sims is mind numbing rubbish tbh

that explains everything.

kdjac

bizmark

Originally posted by KdjaC
that explains everything.

kdjac

I love you to

KdjaCL

I have kids and if its 12s on the game they dont play it.
The guidelines are there for a reason.

kdjac

bizmark

Ya shooting pixilated imps with my pixilated shotgun has done a huge amount of damage to me

KdjaCL

Well it made youa fairly decent player but at what cost to society!!!

Wont someone please think of the children..

Btw my kids would whoop anyones ass at sf2

kdjac

the_obsolete

Definitely something creative like The Sims, Sim City, and any of the Theme games (Hospital, Park, World etc.). Also platformer games the world over are harmless, such as Sonic, Mario, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro...anything like that really.
If the parents are being protective stay away from first person shooters all together and a lot of the beat-em ups are fierce gory these days...some harmless Street Fighter should do though...

Earthhorse

You might try the LucasArts adventure games or alternatively the Broken Sword series. They're not educational per se but they do engage the mind and involve puzzle solving. Logic and abstract thinking will be required and they're a good laugh.

Failing that a Real Time Strategy game such as StarCraft or WarCraft, though based around battling armies, aren't too brutal in presentation terms and require a bit of brain power to play.

segadreamcast

Rollercoaster Tycoon over Theme Park - let's get perspective here for goodness sake :P.