I grew up with board and video games as a kid. I still play and review hundreds of games a year, but now I'm doing it as a parent, a college professor teaching games and 3D graphics, and a game developer who's contributed to many of the top video games.
My children are in elementary school. They play a lot of board games and video games. Like your kids, most of their video games are apps on iPad and iPhone. We have limits on game playing time and rules about sharing and playing with friends.
Because I know a lot about games, I know just how good...and how bad...some of the apps out there are for children. So, I'm really careful about which apps my own kids play.
My guidelines for choosing an app are:
Fun and Smart. There's no point in giving kids apps that they don't like, so they have to be fun. Fun should also be smart. Not edu-tainment smart, but something where they're solving problems and having new and creative experiences instead of just tapping to win.
For both Girls and Boys, of all Backgrounds. There was a time when toys didn't to come in pink and blue versions, or force little kids into teenage notions of gender. The best apps for kids have positive male and female role models and offer healthy cultural diversity. When I look at an app, I want to see female engineers, African-American astronauts, and the limitless potential of all people.
Non-Violent Play. Violence in media doesn't instantly turn my kids into total monsters. But when exposed to even cartoon violence, you can tell that they're more likely to hit and fight for hours afterward. I want games focused on positive experiences and better ways of solving problems.
No In-Game Advertising. Kids deserve a premium, curated experience. They shouldn't be sold as eyeballs to advertisers. In an app that has in-game advertising, the experience is controlled by the advertisers instead of the parent.
No Player Tracking. Many apps gather data on players. This might be checked to track how many people are playing, or a detailed record of geographic location and game interactions. I don't want a company knowing anything about my kids, so I ban all apps with tracking or that record personal information.
No "Free-to-Play" with In-App Purchases (IAP). Many games are marketed as "Free-to-Play," meaning that they cost nothing to download. They don't even require parental approval to install. But once your child starts playing, there are buttons inside of the game to charge your credit card. So, they aren't really free at all--there's a bait-and-switch. Many Free-to-Play games are also designed not to be fun, but instead to turn kids into game addicts. That's because their business is based around making them constantly want to press that button to pay more.
No Online Play. Game ratings don't cover the online experience. Even a great game experience like Minecraft completely changes into something as dangerous as walking alone in a big city when kids interact with random strangers through it. I don't let my kids surf the Internet, play games with online multiplayer, or use a computer or iPad without the parental controls turned on.
Fun for Parents, Too. Pixar's movies and the Harry Potter books are experiences that I can enjoy with my children. If they're playing a game on a long car ride, then I want to be able to talk to them about it. If it is screen-time at home, then sometimes I want the whole family to be able to sit on the couch and play together.
With those rules in mind, here are the five great apps that my kids are allowed to play right now on iPhone and iPad:
A gorgeous set of puzzles based on the impossible architecture of artist M. C. Escher. The heroine, Ida, is a tiny collection of building block shapes that resemble a little girl in a dress and peaked hat. She's a princess traveling through a strange world. The music and story moments are just as good as the visuals. I've seen a few adults get stuck on the puzzles, but kids are more experimental and seem to have no problem.
One of the best features of this game for kids is that you can't lose. You can get stuck for a while on a puzzle, but it never tells you that you're doing something wrong and never stops you from playing or makes you restart.
This game has one in-app purchase, but it is for the sequel that contains another 10 levels. The developer made this an in-app purchase instead of a separate game so that the two could flow together.
Monument Valley uses the Unity Engine, which contains software that I wrote.
Alto and his friends snowboard down an infinite mountain. They capture escaped llamas, collect gold coins, and pull off flips and tricks. Two of the six playable characters are girls, including the inventor.
The interaction is as simple as can be: you just tap to jump. All of the tricks are from jumping at the right times and for the right distance. The constantly changing mountain, pretty backgrounds, and new trick challenges keep the game fresh for many hours. Although a few of the tricks are a bit frustrating, just riding down the mountain is often soothing and fun even for kids much younger than age nine.
There is a brief moment when an angry "elder" will knock your snowboarder off of the snowboard. Because some of the tricks would be dangerous to imitate, it is also worth talking to your kids about not actually trying to jump a skateboard or sled off a roof or do a backflip in real life.
This game is minigolf in space, combining real science with really silly ideas. You hit a ball around small planets and then ride rockets between them, seeking the wormhole.
To swing at the ball, you just drag your finger back and release like in Angry Birds. But here you're navigating the realistic gravity of planets, stars, and asteroids. Along the way you're treated to inspirational quotes from astronauts, scientists, and writers, a timeline of space exploration history, and collectable space factoids. These cover 40 different nationalities and plenty of both men and women, showing that science and space are for everyone.
Kids get to name galaxies after themselves and their friends. These names are seeds that spawn huge new galaxies to explore, each one uniquely tailored to the name.
This is also a game where you can't lose, or even get stuck. You can always hit the ball to go farther and try again. If you shoot off into space, an alien just warps the ball back to the last planet. For older kids, there are craftable powerups, trick shot achievements, and par scores to strive for.
I wrote Project Rocket Golfing for my own kids, based on their daily on feedback and ideas.
Rated Ages 9+, $2.99
A homage to the Mario Bros. games in which a bouncing Mexican jumping bean collects fruit as it hops to the goal. The controls are simple: tap to change from bouncing left to bouncing right, and very occasionally swipe to. You can play each level over and over, trying to hit different challenges: finish the level, collect fruit, find the hidden pink pet, and beat three different time scores.
The music is fun and slightly videogame-retro, and all of the colors are brightly saturated. There's a lot of variety in the game levels despite the simple controls. You'll balance on a rolling ball, ride conveyor belts, hop of disappearing bubbles, and avoid spikes and pits. Some of the secrets and higher levels are too difficult for younger children, but that just makes a great opportunity for a teenager or parent to jump in and help out.
The theme is more Mexican-restaurant than authentic Mexican, so there's some cultural appropriation here to keep an eye on. But, the game mostly embraces food and except for the sombrero isn't really going too far with things.
This is a hair styling toy instead of a game with specific goals. You first choose a person or animal (all with a lot of hair!) You can then wash, cut, blowdry, dye, style, and decorate their hair. At the end, you can also take a picture of your creation, which goes to the iPhone's photo stream as if captured with the camera.
The characters murmur appreciatively as you go about your work, and wiggle or shift their eyes slightly. The scissors, hair dryer, and other tools make satisfyingly realistic sounds. This is the one app on the list that won't hold the attention of adults for very long, but it lets kids play with hair in extreme ways without repercussions for themselves and their dolls. Both my son and my daughter enjoy the game, and I appreciate the inclusion of beard trimming and animal grooming.
This article was about games for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. If you're interested in more information about PC and console games, then I recommend Mike Krahulik's article at Penny Arcade. He describes a lecture that he gave at a PTA meeting and how he chooses games for his kids.
Morgan McGuire (@morgan3d) is a professor of Computer Science at Williams College, researcher at NVIDIA Research, and a professional game developer who contributed to the Skylanders and Guitar Hero series and Project Rocket Golfing. He is the author of the Creating Games and Computer Graphics: Principles and Practice textbooks, and the Graphics Codex, an essential reference for computer graphics now available in iOS and Web Editions.
 |
| Image by Kris, CC0 License |
Because I know a lot about games, I know just how good...and how bad...some of the apps out there are for children. So, I'm really careful about which apps my own kids play.
My guidelines for choosing an app are:
 |
| Smart toys should be for everyone! |
For both Girls and Boys, of all Backgrounds. There was a time when toys didn't to come in pink and blue versions, or force little kids into teenage notions of gender. The best apps for kids have positive male and female role models and offer healthy cultural diversity. When I look at an app, I want to see female engineers, African-American astronauts, and the limitless potential of all people.
Non-Violent Play. Violence in media doesn't instantly turn my kids into total monsters. But when exposed to even cartoon violence, you can tell that they're more likely to hit and fight for hours afterward. I want games focused on positive experiences and better ways of solving problems.
No In-Game Advertising. Kids deserve a premium, curated experience. They shouldn't be sold as eyeballs to advertisers. In an app that has in-game advertising, the experience is controlled by the advertisers instead of the parent.
No "Free-to-Play" with In-App Purchases (IAP). Many games are marketed as "Free-to-Play," meaning that they cost nothing to download. They don't even require parental approval to install. But once your child starts playing, there are buttons inside of the game to charge your credit card. So, they aren't really free at all--there's a bait-and-switch. Many Free-to-Play games are also designed not to be fun, but instead to turn kids into game addicts. That's because their business is based around making them constantly want to press that button to pay more.
No Online Play. Game ratings don't cover the online experience. Even a great game experience like Minecraft completely changes into something as dangerous as walking alone in a big city when kids interact with random strangers through it. I don't let my kids surf the Internet, play games with online multiplayer, or use a computer or iPad without the parental controls turned on.
Fun for Parents, Too. Pixar's movies and the Harry Potter books are experiences that I can enjoy with my children. If they're playing a game on a long car ride, then I want to be able to talk to them about it. If it is screen-time at home, then sometimes I want the whole family to be able to sit on the couch and play together.
With those rules in mind, here are the five great apps that my kids are allowed to play right now on iPhone and iPad:
Monument Valley
Rated Ages 4+, $3.99A gorgeous set of puzzles based on the impossible architecture of artist M. C. Escher. The heroine, Ida, is a tiny collection of building block shapes that resemble a little girl in a dress and peaked hat. She's a princess traveling through a strange world. The music and story moments are just as good as the visuals. I've seen a few adults get stuck on the puzzles, but kids are more experimental and seem to have no problem.One of the best features of this game for kids is that you can't lose. You can get stuck for a while on a puzzle, but it never tells you that you're doing something wrong and never stops you from playing or makes you restart.
This game has one in-app purchase, but it is for the sequel that contains another 10 levels. The developer made this an in-app purchase instead of a separate game so that the two could flow together.
Monument Valley uses the Unity Engine, which contains software that I wrote.
Alto's Adventure
Rated Ages 9+, $2.99Alto and his friends snowboard down an infinite mountain. They capture escaped llamas, collect gold coins, and pull off flips and tricks. Two of the six playable characters are girls, including the inventor.The interaction is as simple as can be: you just tap to jump. All of the tricks are from jumping at the right times and for the right distance. The constantly changing mountain, pretty backgrounds, and new trick challenges keep the game fresh for many hours. Although a few of the tricks are a bit frustrating, just riding down the mountain is often soothing and fun even for kids much younger than age nine.
There is a brief moment when an angry "elder" will knock your snowboarder off of the snowboard. Because some of the tricks would be dangerous to imitate, it is also worth talking to your kids about not actually trying to jump a skateboard or sled off a roof or do a backflip in real life.
Project Rocket Golfing
Rated Ages 4+, $2.99This game is minigolf in space, combining real science with really silly ideas. You hit a ball around small planets and then ride rockets between them, seeking the wormhole.To swing at the ball, you just drag your finger back and release like in Angry Birds. But here you're navigating the realistic gravity of planets, stars, and asteroids. Along the way you're treated to inspirational quotes from astronauts, scientists, and writers, a timeline of space exploration history, and collectable space factoids. These cover 40 different nationalities and plenty of both men and women, showing that science and space are for everyone.
Kids get to name galaxies after themselves and their friends. These names are seeds that spawn huge new galaxies to explore, each one uniquely tailored to the name.
This is also a game where you can't lose, or even get stuck. You can always hit the ball to go farther and try again. If you shoot off into space, an alien just warps the ball back to the last planet. For older kids, there are craftable powerups, trick shot achievements, and par scores to strive for.
I wrote Project Rocket Golfing for my own kids, based on their daily on feedback and ideas.
Bean Dreams
A homage to the Mario Bros. games in which a bouncing Mexican jumping bean collects fruit as it hops to the goal. The controls are simple: tap to change from bouncing left to bouncing right, and very occasionally swipe to. You can play each level over and over, trying to hit different challenges: finish the level, collect fruit, find the hidden pink pet, and beat three different time scores.
The music is fun and slightly videogame-retro, and all of the colors are brightly saturated. There's a lot of variety in the game levels despite the simple controls. You'll balance on a rolling ball, ride conveyor belts, hop of disappearing bubbles, and avoid spikes and pits. Some of the secrets and higher levels are too difficult for younger children, but that just makes a great opportunity for a teenager or parent to jump in and help out.
The theme is more Mexican-restaurant than authentic Mexican, so there's some cultural appropriation here to keep an eye on. But, the game mostly embraces food and except for the sombrero isn't really going too far with things.
Toca Hair Salon
Rated Ages 4+, $2.99
This is a hair styling toy instead of a game with specific goals. You first choose a person or animal (all with a lot of hair!) You can then wash, cut, blowdry, dye, style, and decorate their hair. At the end, you can also take a picture of your creation, which goes to the iPhone's photo stream as if captured with the camera.
The characters murmur appreciatively as you go about your work, and wiggle or shift their eyes slightly. The scissors, hair dryer, and other tools make satisfyingly realistic sounds. This is the one app on the list that won't hold the attention of adults for very long, but it lets kids play with hair in extreme ways without repercussions for themselves and their dolls. Both my son and my daughter enjoy the game, and I appreciate the inclusion of beard trimming and animal grooming.
This article was about games for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. If you're interested in more information about PC and console games, then I recommend Mike Krahulik's article at Penny Arcade. He describes a lecture that he gave at a PTA meeting and how he chooses games for his kids.
Morgan McGuire (@morgan3d) is a professor of Computer Science at Williams College, researcher at NVIDIA Research, and a professional game developer who contributed to the Skylanders and Guitar Hero series and Project Rocket Golfing. He is the author of the Creating Games and Computer Graphics: Principles and Practice textbooks, and the Graphics Codex, an essential reference for computer graphics now available in iOS and Web Editions.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.