In our last few articles we talked about how the Xbox® console can help you teach your children, and we also pointed out what a blast the Xbox Live™ Arcade can be. This time around we want to focus on a couple key games that we think are great titles for younger children.
The listed games are in no way the only options you have. In fact, there is a complete list of family-friendly games right here at Xbox.com. We have found that while these games may not be the latest or greatest, they are a ton of fun for your child and deserve our attention. We'll not only tell you a bit about each game, but also why we think your child may enjoy it.
Spyro: A Hero's Tail Developed by Vivendi Universal Games, Spyro™: A Hero's Tail puts your child in control of a purple dragon with ferocious breath. Not only is he small, cute, and cuddly-looking, but he's also a force to be reckoned with in the Dragon Realms (the areas of the game).
As the game begins, an evil Red dragon has scattered Dark Crystals across the land, and has turned what was once a peaceful area into an evil-looking environment full of baddies and plenty of platforming-type puzzles. In all, there are four Dragon Realms in the game, and each one is quite large. Your children need to span the lands and destroy all of the Dark Crystals and Dark Gems. Once they beat the boss on that level, they can move on to the next.
Caution: Contents flammable!
The game is set up in a linear fashion, which means there is a set of steps that needs to be followed in order to advance in the game. Spyro also has four friends that help him on his mission to save the Dragon Realms. These four friends are controlled by your child throughout different parts of the game.
Each of these characters has a special ability. Just like Spyro can breathe fire, Sgt. Bird can fly to reach high spots, Blink can dig and go underground, Sparks can get into the tiniest of places, and Hunter can jump really high and use his bow. After a boss level is completed, Spyro learns new fire breathes, and before the end of the game your child is using fire, ice, water, and electricity breathes, as well.
While the game is linear in fashion, there are several side missions your child can choose to do, such as protecting baby turtles or finding hidden dragon eggs. All in all, the game is a lot of fun. While it may seem basic, it can teach your children hand-eye coordination, help them develop a sense of direction by using the map, and introduce them to judgment-making in certain situations. The levels are fairly big, the graphics are decent, and your kids are more than likely to have a blast with this budget title.
Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue Brought to life by Electronic Arts and Krome Studios, Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2™: Bush Rescue™ puts your child in the center of a surreal world where Boss Cass's escape must be stopped. In case you aren't familiar with the first installment of the game, Ty previously put Boss Cass away. As a member of the Bush Rescue, the ultimate goal is catching Boss Cass and stopping his evil minions from wreaking havoc and doing harm.
The game has a childish Australian hunter tone to it, and the cool thing from the onset is that you get to operate Bunyips (which are a bit like Mechs in Mechassault®, but geared much more toward a younger player) to capture and take down Boss Cass and his minions, especially the bigger and tougher ones. Along the way, your child receives help from Sly (Ty's brother), a scientist, his friend Shazza, and other members of the Bush Rescue team.
Ty, ready for action in the Outback.
Throughout the majority of the game, Shazza drives different vehicles for your child, and supports Ty in his quest. There are jeeps, helicopters, and turbo-charged carts. The carts also can be raced against one another—perhaps you against your child, or your child against a friend—through seven levels of split-screen racing action.
As you progress through the game, little shacks appear and are used as save points. If you mess up and die, you return to the last shack. The levels of the game are vibrantly colored, and the game play is fun and addictive, so you'll want to monitor how much your children play. If left alone, they may play this one all day.
Platformer-Action Games for Kids We specifically wanted to touch on the platformer-action games, as these types of games can be learned easily and played quickly. In the titles we mentioned above, both of the control schemes are easy to master, and jumping into the game will take your child no more than a few moments. Platformers are great because they teach your child problem-solving skills as well as directional skills.
Each of the titles, Spyro and Ty, has rich imaginative worlds that your child will cling to, and both are Rated E for Everyone. In the future, we will be highlighting some of the more recent child-friendly titles that catch our eye. Just keep in mind that we can't cover every game on the Xbox in one article, so keep a close watch on the Xbox Solution section here at Xbox.com for more tips and suggestions for the younger gamer.
