Starting them off; your choice of an introductory game
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Portal and/or Half Life. I hate valve, but they are the best introductory games i know of.
Edit: If you want to start off from a different scene, i'd say platformers. Sly 1/2/3, Ratchet and Clank, Jak series; anything that is challenging and entertaining on a balanced level. Those are the games that made me gamer, and pushed me to explore the different genres.
Edit: If you want to start off from a different scene, i'd say platformers. Sly 1/2/3, Ratchet and Clank, Jak series; anything that is challenging and entertaining on a balanced level. Those are the games that made me gamer, and pushed me to explore the different genres.
1. Super Mario Wii - Teaches them the basics of a 2D platformer and has a good deal of difficulty later on. The Wii version has multiplayer too which might make her feel more comfortable.
2. LittleBigPlanet - Has similar 2D gameplay but has a few more complicated features, and introduces them to moving on the z axis. Again this game has multiplayer so you can help her out in that way.
3. Crash Bandicoot 3 - It's a 3D platformer with linear levels, this introduces them to full 3D movement but avoids some of the obstacles that turns away new gamers, like exploring and getting lost.
I'd imagine playing those 3 would ease anyone into gaming. Once they're completely comfortable with full 3D movement they can move onto pretty much any game that has it.
Puzzle games are great too if they need to learn how to use the controller a bit more, like Tetris.
2. LittleBigPlanet - Has similar 2D gameplay but has a few more complicated features, and introduces them to moving on the z axis. Again this game has multiplayer so you can help her out in that way.
3. Crash Bandicoot 3 - It's a 3D platformer with linear levels, this introduces them to full 3D movement but avoids some of the obstacles that turns away new gamers, like exploring and getting lost.
I'd imagine playing those 3 would ease anyone into gaming. Once they're completely comfortable with full 3D movement they can move onto pretty much any game that has it.
Puzzle games are great too if they need to learn how to use the controller a bit more, like Tetris.
This too, btw. If you want to get her into the RPG genre. It's better than Dragon Age, and you can pick it up with two expansions for 30 USD (GOTY Edition). Now tell me that isn't a great deal.Champion360 said:
For the RPG/JRPG genre I'd say start off with Pokemon. It has extremely basic stat building but its easy to learn and enjoyable.
Little Big Planet is probably the platformer at it's most basic level. Just run and jump.
Little Big Planet is probably the platformer at it's most basic level. Just run and jump.
Yeah, I noticed this when I got my 7 year old sister play Spiro.tlozoot said:
It was the only game I had which wasn't a 15 or 18, and was fairly simple.
Sadly, my PS2 doesn't work, so she couldn't play:
Haven:Call of the King
Rayman 3
The Sims Bustin' Out
Metal Arms: Glitch in the System
Max Payne
Ratchet and Clank 1,2, and 3
Psychonauts
Jak and Daxter 1, 2, and 3
Half Life
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
The Simpsons Hit and Run
Tekken 3
Worms 3D
A few Harry Potter games
Rayman 3
The Sims Bustin' Out
Metal Arms: Glitch in the System
Ratchet and Clank 1,2, and 3
Psychonauts
Jak and Daxter 1, 2, and 3
Half Life
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
The Simpsons Hit and Run
Tekken 3
Worms 3D
A few Harry Potter games
Damn...I wish the PS2 worked...
Nothing even remotely what us seasoned gamers would consider 'hard'... or even 'easy' for that matter. These are complete newbies we're talking about; they are unfamiliar with the complex controllers we use with ease (and they are actually pretty complicated if you think about it), they don't know standard game mechanics, they don't know the kinds of clues we're all familiar with (My sister was stuck in a dungeon in 3D Dot Game Heroes because she didn't know that zelda 'puzzle' with three movable blocks you need to push to get past. Something which I'm sure any of us could do in our sleep - push the left and right blocks forward and the middle one to the side.) and they are probably not that great with precision either.
I remember Yahtzee recommended Little Big Planet as a good one and I am inclined to agree.
If they didn't mind playing an older game, the original Super Mario Bros. games might not be a bad choice, but while the controls are simple the games themselves aren't easy to someone new to them. The same goes for Megaman. I guess the original Doom might be an option too; the controls are more complicated but the easiest difficulty setting is actually pretty easy.
I remember Yahtzee recommended Little Big Planet as a good one and I am inclined to agree.
If they didn't mind playing an older game, the original Super Mario Bros. games might not be a bad choice, but while the controls are simple the games themselves aren't easy to someone new to them. The same goes for Megaman. I guess the original Doom might be an option too; the controls are more complicated but the easiest difficulty setting is actually pretty easy.
Hit the nail on the head. Simple, addictive, and you can pick it up and play it in short bursts.DE619 said:
COUNTER STRIKE!!!!!!!
Nah, just kidding. Mmmmmmm, maybe some PC classics:
Half Life, Grim Fandango, Psychonauts, Silent Hill 2 (if she's into horror), Thief, any RTS game, Sam and Max Season 1 and 2, Portal and some more I cannot remember. The rest are hardcore apparently, like The Void, which is the best game ever made.
Nah, just kidding. Mmmmmmm, maybe some PC classics:
Half Life, Grim Fandango, Psychonauts, Silent Hill 2 (if she's into horror), Thief, any RTS game, Sam and Max Season 1 and 2, Portal and some more I cannot remember. The rest are hardcore apparently, like The Void, which is the best game ever made.
Let him/her watch a Longplay movie or let him/her watch others gaming various games to see the posibilities without the treshold of actually having to make choices/provide physical input.
Then let the person play basic gaming controls, like platforming/jumping, 3D environment, moral choices, realistic gameplay, abstract gameplay, etc.
Altho i do give games like Heavy Rain my vote, it might be too real/too much, especially the quicktime events that require advanced hand-eye coordination or the moral choice of personally removing your own finger for the sake of a loved one.
Then let the person play basic gaming controls, like platforming/jumping, 3D environment, moral choices, realistic gameplay, abstract gameplay, etc.
Altho i do give games like Heavy Rain my vote, it might be too real/too much, especially the quicktime events that require advanced hand-eye coordination or the moral choice of personally removing your own finger for the sake of a loved one.
A platformer, for sure. The entire design is simple for games like the Super Mario series, LittleBigPlanet, Crash Bandicoot and such. I have never played a Super Mario game (don't kill me!), so I think LittleBigPlanet is a good choice as there's really only three buttons you need - jump, grab, and the analog stick.
I think Limbo would be a pretty good choice, as it's easy to control, has a gradual difficulty curve, and will teach that trial and error is important in any game to a newcomer. That, and I think that every gamer should play Limbo.
My piece of advice is to make sure she tries some AAA stuff. If you start with retro stuff like mario it will only trivialise games to her.
Start her with whats hot and new in the now, or what you guys are into at the moment - so she doesnt feel left out.
If you talk about Starcraft 2 all day, and then say "here is what we mean - play some mario" it just looks patronising and stupid.
Start her with whats hot and new in the now, or what you guys are into at the moment - so she doesnt feel left out.
If you talk about Starcraft 2 all day, and then say "here is what we mean - play some mario" it just looks patronising and stupid.
Crash Bandicoot 3, simple and quite easy, and mostly 2D it's a fun game and a good starting block for bigger 3D games, there's even a shooting bit for N. Gin. and *sigh* she has to get used to awkward vehicle sections (and you can get it on an emulator easily)
then move to something with a [more complicated] storyline
Edit: if you need to get her into it, play Portal in front of her, or something equally flashy, I've heard that Crysis is breathtaking.
then move to something with a [more complicated] storyline
Edit: if you need to get her into it, play Portal in front of her, or something equally flashy, I've heard that Crysis is breathtaking.
Well, on my girlfriend i started with the best thing a newcomer might enjoy. Side-scrollers. Mario games,the recent Castlevanias, then move on to something more complex, like a simple JRPG or a top-down Zelda (not the Oracle games, they were bastard hard). Ask her what kind of stories she likes, before choosing the next step.Yassen said:
Also, don't assume that games like Half-life 2 or Heavy Rain are good for her because of the acclaim they received. Ease her in with some 2D stuff first. 3D is quite disorientating to a newcomer so if you must, try giving her something with easily discernable floors/walls, etc. Most FPS games use the full colour palette of brown and black and are hardly good for an entry-level player. She might not even like 3D games at all.
Trust me, what you and me see as virtues in a game, are not the same as what a non-gamer sees.