Jump to content

Menu
Giving You and Your Child a Road Map to the Best Possible Education
The Well-Trained Mind Community

Computer game suggestions?

Twolittleboys

By Twolittleboys,
in The Chat Board

 Share

Recommended Posts

Twolittleboys

Twolittleboys

Posted
Posted

I am thinking of maybe giving my kids (11 and 14) my old computer for Christmas. "Old" is relative - it is probably around 2 years or so old, a fairly cheap one, much used, and runs under Windows 7. The kids had a much older computer (say 15+ years) but it stopped working a while ago. We had a bunch of really cool games for that one (Zoo Tycoon, Civilization etc.) but it stopped working a while ago. Obviously, our old games won't run on my newer machine so I am thinking of getting some fun games for the "new" one they'd get.

 

I would like a nice mix of different genres but would prefer "classics" and games that are not too wild/violent and somewhat educational (doesn't have to be an educational game per se but shouldn't be mindless either). Older son is very much into electronics/games, younger not so much but does like slower, not stressful games.

 

Anyway, I do have a couple of ideas but it would be great to get some additional ones. So what game do you / or your kids like best? Oh - I would rather not hook the PC up to the internet so stand-alone games would be best.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Julie Smith

Julie Smith

Posted
Posted

How about a fun, interesting typing game. It's called Ephistory. Other than the fact you type to shoot, it is, to me a typical looking game. It is not violent or gory. You are a girl riding a fox through an adventure landscape. You discover new areas. The bad guys are bug like creatures that come towards you. They have a word above them that if you type that word you shoot the bad bug. Once you kill it, it disappers.

 

My boys really enjoy the game, and it is good for increasing (not learning, just increasing) typing speed.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Twolittleboys

Twolittleboys

Posted
  • Author
Posted

How about a fun, interesting typing game. It's called Ephistory. Other than the fact you type to shoot, it is, to me a typical looking game. It is not violent or gory. You are a girl riding a fox through an adventure landscape. You discover new areas. The bad guys are bug like creatures that come towards you. They have a word above them that if you type that word you shoot the bad bug. Once you kill it, it disappers.

 

My boys really enjoy the game, and it is good for increasing (not learning, just increasing) typing speed.

Thanks, I will take a look at it. For the most part though I would rather pick games that are less about shooting/speed. Not so much because I dislike them but at least my older son has plenty of shooting/reaction games on his phone/tablet. So for the PC I was more thinking of simulations, adventures, strategy, RPG etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Julie Smith

Julie Smith

Posted
Posted

Thanks, I will take a look at it. For the most part though I would rather pick games that are less about shooting/speed. Not so much because I dislike them but at least my older son has plenty of shooting/reaction games on his phone/tablet. So for the PC I was more thinking of simulations, adventures, strategy, RPG etc.

Other than tying speed, it isn't about speed. Youngest is able to accomplish the game with a typing speed of 14 words a minute. The game also has a great story idea behind it. It is about a person with writers block and the artwork is made out of what looks like folded paper.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
happypamama

happypamama

Posted
Posted

My Win 7 machine runs Caesar III just fine.

 

The newer Myst series games should work too.

 

I can't remember if The Room and its sequels work for PC, but DH and I really enjoyed them on my iPad. They might not be great for younger kids though, but my 14yo has liked them.

 

Safecracker was a good game.

 

I don't know if the first two Syberia games would work on Win 7 or not -- I haven't tried them on my Win 7 machine -- but I'm (and I mean I, never mind the kids) anxiously awaiting Syberia III, which was supposed to be out this year but which has been postponed a bit. In the meantime, DH and I are playing an older game from the same people called Amerzone, and it's running fine on my machine. (Okay, so DH and I like adventure/puzzle games.)

 

My kids like Minecraft and the various Lego games too.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Twolittleboys

Twolittleboys

Posted
  • Author
Posted

My Win 7 machine runs Caesar III just fine.

 

The newer Myst series games should work too.

 

I can't remember if The Room and its sequels work for PC, but DH and I really enjoyed them on my iPad. They might not be great for younger kids though, but my 14yo has liked them.

 

Safecracker was a good game.

 

I don't know if the first two Syberia games would work on Win 7 or not -- I haven't tried them on my Win 7 machine -- but I'm (and I mean I, never mind the kids) anxiously awaiting Syberia III, which was supposed to be out this year but which has been postponed a bit. In the meantime, DH and I are playing an older game from the same people called Amerzone, and it's running fine on my machine. (Okay, so DH and I like adventure/puzzle games.)

 

My kids like Minecraft and the various Lego games too.

Thanks for the additional ideas! Yes, when I said the old games won't work I was more thinking that we would probably have to rebuy a newer version. I think we have Caesar I for example... I guess I will see if any of our old discs work but am not too hopeful.

 

I was actually thinking of getting Civilization/Colonization again as everyone likes that one. I did enjoy Syberia I but didn't get into Syberia II so much (but that may just have been that I wasn't in the mood). We do have Minecraft (well, without a computer the kids haven't played it in ages but theoretically we have it). Loved Safecracker!

 

I might get Myst - kids weren't too interested in it before but it didn't run very well on the old PC. Maybe Monkey Island? We do have pretty much all parts of King's Bounty which older ds loves. Would Baldur's Gate be similar?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Twolittleboys

Twolittleboys

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Other than tying speed, it isn't about speed. Youngest is able to accomplish the game with a typing speed of 14 words a minute. The game also has a great story idea behind it. It is about a person with writers block and the artwork is made out of what looks like folded paper.

I will definitely take a look at it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Twolittleboys

Twolittleboys

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Note that those games run on Steam, which requires the child be 13 years old to get an account.  All of our kids have Steam except for DS12.

Thanks, I have an account that I would let the kids use. I would though prefer to just download games as I don't really want internet access on the computer. Not sure if that is an option though...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
RegGuheert

RegGuheert

Posted
Posted

Thanks, I have an account that I would let the kids use. I would though prefer to just download games as I don't really want internet access on the computer. Not sure if that is an option though...

 

O.K. You will need internet access on that computer in order to get the games.  I just asked DS14 and he says that all of the games he currently has (about 15 games) can be played offline.  As such, you should be able to block internet once the games are downloaded (and run once) in Steam.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Twolittleboys

Twolittleboys

Posted
  • Author
Posted

O.K. You will need internet access on that computer in order to get the games.  I just asked DS14 and he says that all of the games he currently has (about 15 games) can be played offline.  As such, you should be able to block internet once the games are downloaded (and run once) in Steam.

That's what I was hoping for. Internet is just too tempting and I don't want them to spend a lot more time online than they do already. But downloading games wouldn't be a problem.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Slartibartfast

Slartibartfast

Posted
Posted (edited)

Steam is just something you can download. It is like itunes for games.

 

There are always sales going on and you can get some VERY nice games for super cheap. I think I paid $5 for Civ V, with expansions, (there is a newer Civ now but whatever :lol:)

 

Most of the games I buy I get on sale. It gave me a bargain shopper badge.  :lol:

Edited by Slartibartfast
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
HomeMum

HomeMum

Posted
Posted

Note that the big annual Steam sale is at Thanksgiving time.  I don't play any Steam games but I have a Steam account so that I can purchase games to transfer to the children for Christmas and birthdays.

 

YES, this ^^^. Watch for Steam games. You can get some amazing stuff for pennies. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
happypamama

happypamama

Posted
Posted

We get most modern games from Steam too. The kids just use DH's or my account.

 

I'm not familiar with Baldur's Gate, Monkey Island, or King's Bounty, but now I will have to go check them out.

 

There's Schism Mysterious Journey, Lights Out/Dark Fall, and the Longest Journey, but idk if they come in Win 7 versions, and they may be too creepy/dark for teens/teens.

 

DD would probably vote for The Sims.

 

Caesar III is way better than Caesar I. My kids think it's hilarious.

 

Colonization has a free version too, freecol.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cintinative

cintinative

Posted
Posted

Looks interesting! We have/had various versions of Incredible Machines which seems similar?

 

It is my understanding that this is a sort of improvement on that but I never had the earlier version.  We run it offline so once we downloaded it from Steam we didn't need to go through Steam again (except when i needed to load it on a new computer).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RegGuheert

RegGuheert

Posted
Posted

Older son is very much into electronics/games, younger not so much but does like slower, not stressful games.

I'm more like your younger son: I prefer the slower games. Specifically, I like puzzle games.

 

There are a ton of puzzle games on the iPad, but one classic that is available on Steam is called Chips Challenge (I and II). This was available from Microsoft on Windows long ago, but you can get it on Steam now. I bought it on sale last Thanksgiving for about a dollar.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Moonhawk

Moonhawk

Posted
Posted

You could check out gog.com for old games that you may not be able to find anymore.  They have a lot of re-releases of old games that can work on newer machines.  We got a lot of our Star Wars old PC games through them, and have been happy with quality.

 

They didn't have Zoo Tycoon, but they did have Railroad Tycoon and Rollercoaster Tycoon.

 

Favorite puzzle games for me were Myst, and Dig.  I don't know what ages they are for, though.  Love Portal and Portal II (but, get motion sickness). I got bored/frustrated with Machinarium, but I played it after I had kids, so patience is usually not something I have to spend on games anymore :) 

 

RP games: Baldur's Gate is the best imo. And, the blood is pretty pixely :) The Expansion pack is worth it. 

 

Others: flying games, specifically Star Wars Tie Fighter, X-Wing, and X-Wing vs Tie Fighter.  Best with a joystick, though.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Cinder

Cinder

Posted
Posted

I'm more like your younger son: I prefer the slower games. Specifically, I like puzzle games.

 

There are a ton of puzzle games on the iPad, but one classic that is available on Steam is called Chips Challenge (I and II). This was available from Microsoft on Windows long ago, but you can get it on Steam now. I bought it on sale last Thanksgiving for about a dollar.

 

I used to looooove Chip's Challenge! I might have to ask ds1 to get that for me for Christmas. It was one of his first computer games--along with Links386--and he also has fond memories of playing it. This was back in the olden days when we'd have to go into DOS to load Links386. We had a sticky note on the monitor so ds1 would know how to enter the commands. Maybe that's what started him on the computer science path. :D

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
RegGuheert

RegGuheert

Posted
Posted

Some top Steam game recommendations from here (roughly in order):

 

- Terraria

- Don't Starve

- Portal II

- Portal

- Undertale

- Broforce

- Battleblock Theatre

- Faster Than Light

 

These run well on their four-year-old computers which contain Intel Core I3 laptop microprocessors.

 

In case anyone is interested, it appears that "Don't Starve" is on sale for 75% off this weekend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...