Gaming as a dad is different than gaming as a kid, college student, or husband. The amount of time is somewhat less, but the real decrease is "time per sitting." It's difficult to get a solid hour of gaming in, particularly if the kids are awake. And there is the content issue ... no Gear of War for the kiddos.
My solution: Bing them along. Following are a few games I've enjoyed both playing in front of the kids, and even better, playing with them.
(Note: Being a Nintendo fanboy for 20+ years, it made it pretty easy to go the kiddie route. The selection of games here will be heavily Big N.)
Gamecube/XBOX/PS2 -- Lego Star Wars
This is number 1 for numerous reasons. The kids are big Star Wars fans (though I guess there are some semi-obvious content issues there), so Lego Star Wars is a big hit. The violence is limited to shattered Lego pieces, and the gameplay is easy to pick up on. The coop mode is fantastic, especially the "drop-in, drop-out" style. It's good when the kids are stuck and want to drop out for a few seconds, and equally as important when one of us wants to quit but the other doesn't.
Wii - Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess
Though rated T, this is a pretty tame game. It's beatiful to look at, and the kids enjoyed watching almost as much as I enjoyed playing. Also, a six year-old can be very helpful when Dad is stuck in a dungeon. They see things we miss, and if they're following along throughout the game, they know the items as well as we do. Good times.
Gamecube - Mario Party
This has been a great "Mom, Dad, and kids" game on Saturday afternoons or just before bed. The settings allow for a variety of time needs, and the handicap feature levels the playing field. And it's Mario on a game board -- tough to beat.
Gamecube - Mario Kart Double Dash
Even though I called Star Wars #1, my daughter and I have had the most fun playing this game together. In Double Dash two characters ride each kart -- one to drive (usually my job) and the other to use the collected items. This is a total blast, easy to get the hang of (she was throwing turtle shells at age 4), and the sense of shared accomplishment is great.
My solution: Bing them along. Following are a few games I've enjoyed both playing in front of the kids, and even better, playing with them.
(Note: Being a Nintendo fanboy for 20+ years, it made it pretty easy to go the kiddie route. The selection of games here will be heavily Big N.)
Gamecube/XBOX/PS2 -- Lego Star Wars
This is number 1 for numerous reasons. The kids are big Star Wars fans (though I guess there are some semi-obvious content issues there), so Lego Star Wars is a big hit. The violence is limited to shattered Lego pieces, and the gameplay is easy to pick up on. The coop mode is fantastic, especially the "drop-in, drop-out" style. It's good when the kids are stuck and want to drop out for a few seconds, and equally as important when one of us wants to quit but the other doesn't.
Wii - Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess
Though rated T, this is a pretty tame game. It's beatiful to look at, and the kids enjoyed watching almost as much as I enjoyed playing. Also, a six year-old can be very helpful when Dad is stuck in a dungeon. They see things we miss, and if they're following along throughout the game, they know the items as well as we do. Good times.
Gamecube - Mario Party
This has been a great "Mom, Dad, and kids" game on Saturday afternoons or just before bed. The settings allow for a variety of time needs, and the handicap feature levels the playing field. And it's Mario on a game board -- tough to beat.
Gamecube - Mario Kart Double Dash
Even though I called Star Wars #1, my daughter and I have had the most fun playing this game together. In Double Dash two characters ride each kart -- one to drive (usually my job) and the other to use the collected items. This is a total blast, easy to get the hang of (she was throwing turtle shells at age 4), and the sense of shared accomplishment is great.
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