This weekend we celebrated my son’s fifth birthday and he and I spent some father-son bonding time with Mario Kart: Double Dash. For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure, this is a Gamecube title that has been available for a few years. If you have a Wii and you’ve been having trouble tracking down Mario Kart Wii, this could give you a great option for half the price!

Having said that, it plays beautifully on the Wii as well as the original Gamecube and, like many of the Gamecube games, it is capable of displaying at 480p if you have your console connected to an HD television via component cables. Honestly, it looks beautiful and the control is spot on. Yet, what makes this title a real family winner is the two-player options.

My son’s first exposure to this title was at a kiosk while we were at a local GameStop. As with most Mario games, he was drawn to the colorful graphics and humorous sound effects. However, as much as he seemed to enjoy the visuals, he wasn’t quite understanding the racing mechanic itself and when he finally crossed the finish line in eighth place, he seemed discouraged to see that his characters looked sad.

Rather than race head-to-head with him, I chose the 2-player option that allows him to control the second character on my kart. We were able to race as a team against the other characters and while I controlled the vehicle itself, he was in charge of the power-ups. This meant that when we’d pick up a speed boost, he’d ask me when it would help and then press the button. And when we’d pick up a banana peel or other trap/attack device, we’d coordinate on where to use it.

I found this experience far more enjoyable than playing the game against him and I felt that it instilled a sense of cooperation within him while providing a sense of accomplishment when we won the tournament.

Keep in mind that you can play up to four players with this title (4-player split screen or two 2-player teams) on a single machine and it has support for network play using the broadband adapter on the Gamecube. This has some great potential for a family or a small group of kids playing together. I don’t have a problem with competition, but in this case, we enjoyed cooperation and competition together.

I heartily recommend it and as an adult I can say that it’s as much fun for me as it is for my son!

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The Scooby Game, Part 2:
For those of you who missed Part 1 or would like a refresher, you can find it here.

As noted previously, when a game is rated “E” for Everyone it is referring to the content. Let me qualify this, if I may. Since viewing a film is more passive, the rating is appropriate for all viewers because everyone who sees the film is capable of participating similarly based on their level of interpretation. (This is not to say that everyone walks away with the same experience.) However, with a videogame, you have the player and you have others who may view the game. Now if a game is rated “M” for Mature, I would infer that my four-year-old should neither play the game, nor watch someone else playing the game because of the content. Does that make sense? In contrast, a game that is rated “E” should have no objectionable content for practically anyone in the room to view. But that doesn’t mean that anyone can play the game. (Keep in mind that games rated “E” for Everyone are actually intended for ages 6 and older, not everyone as the rating implies. For more details, check out the ESRB ratings guide here.)

In the case of Scooby Doo! Night of 100 Frights I found nothing that was objectionable for my son to watch. However, playing the game requires a level of hand-eye coordination and patience that was far beyond my (then) three-year-old. In fact, as a seasoned gamer, there were a number of sequences in this game that truly frustrated me and required that I play them over and over until I accomplished the objective (and survived). Many more challenging games have such sequences and provide a sense of accomplishment for a veteran gamer. However, sequences like these can discourage and dishearten a younger and less-experienced player.

There are a few specific sequences in this title that hearken back to old arcade games or early 2D platformers where the only way that you can survive the sequence is through memorizing the patterns. Gamers 20 years ago thought that this was “fun” and it provided an opportunity for bragging rights. However, these days it can be a bit tiresome.

As I mentioned in the first part of this article, Scooby Doo! Night of 100 Frights is a hub-based game. This means that as you accomplish certain tasks and navigate particular areas, you then can return to the starting point. Usually, sucessfully navigating an entire area gives you the opportunity (thankfully) to unlock another linking point. This allows you to jump in at that point instead of having to go through the whole area again. In many cases, this saves time. In certain instances, it truly preserves sanity. I don’t mean to beat a dead horse. As I said before, overall the game is actually pretty good. It’s just those few areas that test whether or not you are committed to finishing the title.

In part one I mentioned the monster tokens. These are for the completist and are simply a novelty within the game. Acquiring them neither pushes the plot further nor helps in any way to finish the game. What they do offer is another opportunity to nurture the desire to collect things. It was this aspect of the game that really captured my son’s attention. He wasn’t as interested in the story or the plot line as much as seeing the different monsters in the areas and collecting the monster tokens. Once a token is acquired, it unlocks that creature in the monster gallery. There were entire 0ne-hour sessions during which all my son wanted to do was look at the statuesque representations of the monsters in this cavern showcase. This macabre trophy room became more important than any other aspect of the game. And it was his interest in this that got me thinking.

Whether it be Pokemon, Matchbox/Hot Wheels cars, or baseball cards, our culture encourages children to collect things. When I was a kid, I collected rocks and coins. As a young adult I began to collect comic books and videogames. The fact is that there is a big difference in collecting rocks as opposed to comics or baseball cards. Though there are rare gems and minerals, there are no lists that say, “only 1,000 gold nuggets were made.” Yet no matter what, when you want to fill a gap in your collection with a rare or limited item, it usually costs more and can become a bit of a thorn in your side until it’s acquired.

This concerns me. I see games that encourage this level of collecting (and we can trace this as far back as the original arcade version of PacMan) and I wonder what we’re “wiring” our kids brains to do. If my son becomes as obsessive about baseball cards as he was about those monster tokens, is he going to justify spending a thousand dollars on some single card one day to complete an historic team from his childhood? Should this be an issue for concern?

I don’t have answers. I have questions and concerns for my family. We all want what’s best for our children. And we want to help our kids navigate the challenges that life offers. Sometimes games (including sports, board games, and videogames) can offer the opportunity to role play and problem solve to enhance a skill-set for life. But they can provide the opportunity to learn other behaviors as well. Some of which may not serve our children’s best interest. All I can say is that as with all things, we parents must try to maintain open communication with our sons and daughters to better understand what they are learning and to help shape those lessons accordingly.

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Halloween is a special holiday for many and ideally it provides an opportunity to be scared without real fear of danger (i.e., those fangs were bought at the local drug store). For those that want to enjoy some halloween game choices, Game Apparent has a few suggestions for you ranging from the kid-friendly options to the more adult oriented fare.

First Up is a PlayStation 2 EyeToy title called Play. For the uninitiated, the EyeToy is a USB camera that hooks up the the PlayStation 2 and enables players to interact with the games without a controller. You can wave your hands or jump up and down and the software recognizes your actions and applies them onscreen. Play was the first release for the EyeToy and it includes a collection of mini-games. One of these is called, Ghost Eliminator. Essentially, this is a scene with a haunted house and ghosts and bats appear and you have to wave your hands over them to dispel them. It’s really simple and fun for young and old. This is a great family choice and these games get people off the couch and laughing. Good stuff!

One franchise that is virtually replete with options is Scooby Doo. You’ll find Scooby games for the GameBoy Color, Super Nintendo, Genesis, and all of the previous generation systems (GameCube, PS2, and Xbox). One that I personally reccommend is Scooby Doo: Night of 100 Frights. (However, don’t introduce it to a child under 6 without reflection. For more information, see this article on our site.) Having said that, Scooby is always fun - especially when you finally reach the end and the villian claims that he/she would have gotten away with it if, “it weren’t for those meddling kids.”

Though this is a fun title, I’d suggest that you consider this for your 6+ kids in spite of the “E” rating on it. There are a number of truly frustrating platforming sequences in this game that challenge veteran gamers and I’d hate for your family to get frustrated unnecessarily. This is also a fairly involved title that easily takes 15+ hours of gameplay to finish. But for the Scooby fans, it has cameos from many of the original monsters. It’s available for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube.

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a modern classic stop animation marvel. It is a wonderful film for Halloween and for those who want to play within this ficticious world, there are a few options. The PlayStation 2 offers Kingdom Hearts 1 & 2 which include Halloween Town and many of the cast members. There’s also a Kingdom Hearts on the GameBoy Advance entitled, Chain of Memories. The GBA also has a prequel game entitled, The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Pumpkin King.

Many have begged for a sequel for this cult classic over the years. Capcom granted us something close with, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas - Oogie’s Revenge. This is a 3D adventure platformer with some interesting play mechanics. I recommend it highly for fans of the original, but it wasn’t as good as I hoped. However, it was most certainly worth playing. The voice acting is credible, but the camera can be a bit frustrating at times. Of these games, Kingdom Hearts and KH: Chain of Memories are rated “E” and Kingdom Hearts 2, TNBC: The Pumpkin King and TNBC: Oogie’s Revenge are rated “E10+.” As endearing as the characters are, I would consider adhering closely to the 10+ for those titles. There is a bit of violence, but most importantly, Tim Burton has a rather twisted imagination and many of these creatures in this could give a smaller child real nightmares.

For the older teen in the household, or even the parents who are interested in gaming, there are a number of horror-based titles available and many of these (being older) are available used for a fraction of the orignal cost. Please be aware that these are “M” rated titles and, therefore, are not intended for children under 17 years of age.

The Resident Evil series and Silent Hill titles offer some partiuclarly dark imagery that will scare the most jaded horror film buff. There are a couple of Buffy the Vampire Slayer titles (one for the Xbox, and the second for Xbox, PS2, and GameCube). These are interesting 3D adventure platformers that include a number of familiar characters if you were a fan of the series. In addition to these, I’d like to recommend 3 other creepy options.

Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
This “M” title for the GameCube is a fascinating psychological thriller. It takes place over multiple time periods and in each of these, you control a different member of the Roivas family. As you play through the game you must remain aware of your character’s sanity through an onscreen bar. If you lose all of your sanity, the slightest scare begins to cause your character physical harm. The visuals are exceptional and the control scheme is very fluid. Be aware that in this game your character is expected to cast spells. Though this game mechanic is implimented well, it may not be appropriate entertainment for some families.

Call of the Cthulhu
This “M” title for the Xbox brings H.P. Lovecraft’s horror world to life in a first person adventure that will have you pausing the game and walking away at times. Similar to Eternal Darkness, you have to be concerned with your character’s sanity. If he sees too much that he cannot process properly, the screen will begin to blur and control will fail. It’s quite an impressive effect as well as being quite unnerving. I was a little disappointed with the overall graphics, but it was worthwhile to play a title based in a world envisioned by Lovecraft.

Fatal Frame
Though the first title is rated “T” I consider both titles ”M” rated. The second is more visually disturbing, but the sense of fear accomplished in the first title seems reason enough to save it for your teen. The series utilizes a rather unique play mechanic that has the player using a camera to see the ghosts (otherwise invisible) and trap them. There are plenty of moments in these titles when you suddenly feel all the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Nothing like coming around a corner and seeing something move in the distance. It’s not about the jumping out and scaring you moments as much as the frightening things that you see out of the corner of your eye. And nothing shocks you quite as much as thinking that you’re all alone and then when you look through the camera, you realize you’re not! Both titles are available for the Xbox and PlayStation 2. However, these have a bit of a cult following and might be harder to find.

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The Scooby Game, Part 1:
My son loves Scooby Doo. I can’t blame him. I loved Scooby Doo when I was a kid. And honestly, looking at some of the kids shows these days, it holds up pretty well. The Mystery Gang cares about others and they don’t use weapons. They just use their minds. Granted, each episode usually has at least one plot hole big enough to accommodate a decent sized planet, but I still give ‘em an “A” for effort. With this in mind, last year I decided to introduce him to a fairly current Scooby game. (Keep in mind that I have systems that are 30 years old, so the fact that this title was available for the Xbox, PS2, and GameCube puts it only one generation behind and, therefore, fairly current in this context.)

For those of you who may grow weary of my assorted analogies and meandering prose, I’ll give you the quick up front. It was a BAD idea. My son was just three at the time and he was at too early an age to appropriately relate to a more engaging and immersive title such as this one. I would seriously advise against such exposure at this age based on this experience. Now, for those of you still interested in the details and willing to navigate the twisted thought patterns of my mind, read on…

The game is called Scooby Doo! Night of 100 Frights. It’s actually a pretty good game. I’d rate it a 7.5 out of 10. The ESRB grants it an “E” for everyone with a caveat of “comic mischief.” The game is essentially a 3D platformer in which you have to solve a rather complicated mystery. It appears Professor Alexander Graham has mysteriously disappeared and the gang sets out to find him. However, before they get far, they all get kidnapped and it’s up to Scooby to find everyone and solve the mystery. This title is hub-based and requires multiple re-visits to stages to get all of the “Scooby Snacks” and “monster tokens.” The former are required to open additional areas while the latter are not required to complete the story. However, it was the monster tokens that became my son’s obsession.

Acquiring a monster token unlocked a 3D version of that monster in the monster gallery. In many cases, you’ll see a monster token when you enter an area, but you will have no way to reach it. Most of these require special inventions made by Professor Alexander Graham. And the inventions required to access many of these tokens are not available until the later parts of the game. I can’t tell you how many times we’d spend time in the same room or on a particular section of docks trying to figure out how to get a monster token. And it wouldn’t matter if I told him that we needed to come back later, he wouldn’t hear of it.

That was just one of the issues. Another was the difficulty curve for this title. Even though it’s listed as an “E” title, that’s just content. Nothing offensive in there. However, I cannot imagine anyone under seven or eight years having the patience and the hand-eye coordination to handle many of the tricky maneuvers. Especially one sequence that required the player to jump from ship to ship as they were sinking and if you made one mistake, you had to start all over again. There were a number of these sequences throughout the game and after my son failed repeatedly, he’d hand me the controller dejectedly and say, “I can’t do it Daddy. You do it for me.”

As you may have already guessed, I had enough warning flags to try to stop this, but he was obsessed. I tried to tell him that we could play it when he was a little older. That really depressed him. It was like I had opened Pandora’s box and it was too late for me to ask everything to get back in so I could close it up and pretend that it didn’t happen. Nope. My son begged to play, “The Scooby Game,” as he called it, all day long.

My wife, God bless her, played dumb. She has never been a big fan of videogames anyway so it wasn’t really a lie when she told him that he’d have to wait for Daddy to come home from work because she didn’t know how to work the system. We had him play in the evening after his younger sister had gone to bed. We didn’t want her to want to play the game at this point (and she was only one). But this time of day was a problem too. Be aware that some forms of entertainment can wind us down whereas other can do the opposite. In this case, the attention required for the platforming elements and the puzzle-solving components was enough to have his brain in high gear. Not only did he hate stopping the game at the one-hour limit, but he had a harder time winding down and going to sleep. My wife and I discussed this at length after the first week and we resolved to get through this title, but as soon as it was done, we would not introduce another game to him that would require this level of involvement and attachment. I’ll pick this up next week and give you the details of what transpired over the following month or so that it took us to survive our first immersive title with our son. In the meantime, if you have specific questions, observations, or relevant experiences of your own, I invite you to click the link below and share your comments.

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