Games to get your younger sister |
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I went to work today with a skip in my step, fresh from finishing Final Fantasy XII. I thought nothing could ruin my work day, until I heard this disturbing piece of internet news. Apparently Gamestop has a games 4 girls kiosk filled with questionable content.Here's the entertaining quote from a Kotaku report regarding the offending kiosk:
Apparently the powers that be at Gamestop are still under the delusion that girls actually enjoy playing crap like this. The roster of insipid titles is truly painful to take in with the exception of Cooking Mama, which rocks! I mean look at that line up: Strawberry Shortcake, The Little Mermaid, That's So Raven, My Little Pony and something that I think is Hillary Duff.
Yes I understand that the games in the said kiosk targets girls, young girls, not women, and I am aware of the complicated and touchy subject that is "female preference regarding video game genres." Since this writer is not a female, he chooses to not get entangled in that mucky (flame-baity) subject. Instead I will focus on a topic that is much closer to home and is still related to this disgusting kiosk.
I have a sister, and the possibility that she might fall victim to this odd aberration is not a welcome one. I assure you, I will never, ever, ever, ever, let my younger sister suffer through the insanity that that is Bratz. This article is about that.
If not Bratz, and games of their kind, what proper games will I get my sister? And, for all of you QJ readers, if you'd like to introduce your sister to the world of gaming, what games can you get her? Also, if your younger sister is already a gamer, what games will you recommend that she get?
There are the games you think you're sister might like.
As hard-core a gamer as your sister might be, it's very likely that certain games still have a mesmerizing hypnotic pull that could shame even the most serious, angry, and grungy, bad to the bone gamer.I like to call those games smart games wrapped in layers and layers of stupidity. There's a reason why a lot of females like plush-toys. That same odd mysterious reason applies to female gamers too. Especially the younger ones. (Again this is just my humble opinion, I really don't want some righteous lady flaming me for stereotyping...)
Safe games to get your younger sister are nice pick-up-and play games that are endearing or funny. Loco Roco, Yoshi's Island, Kirby, Zelda, and Nintendogs all fall into that pick-up-and-play, oh so smart yet oh so stupid cute category. By safe, I don't mean safe for girls, no, let's try to not put stereotyping into this; by safe I mean that there's a high chance that she'll like the game that you get her.
If your sister isn't a gamer yet, smart-wrapped-in-stupid is a nice place to start. If she already is a gamer, it's a safe gift to get her.
Getting them into gaming if they aren't yet
I mentioned pick-up-and-play in the above segment, of course pick-up-and-play also include games like TTekken, Soul Calibur, and Dynasty Warriors. Although a bit more serious than say Kirby or Yoshi, these games have a system that is very welcoming to button mashers and at the same time very rewarding to those who move beyond button mashing.
Moving past button-mashing is a major achievement for most new gamers, and often times causes a paradigm shift regarding their opinion of games. Regardless of gender, once newbies start to get it, they start to like it, then like all new gamers they start searching for similar and better game experiences. You want to get your sister games that allow for that transition.Say for example, your sister is really good at her simple pop-cap game, lend her a PSP that has Lumines in it, and I promise you you're not going to see that PSP for some time.
The games that you'd like your sister to like.
A trusted acquaintance of mine once told me that in his humble opinion, the problem with female gamers is that some genres just plain bore them. He thinks that females tend to stick to trusted familiar genres and miss out on some gems in the other genres out there.
While I'm not entirely sure if he's correct, his point does make sense. A lot of games just don't cater to certain people's (male or female) taste buds. It gets very difficult to find games that will interest some gamer because a lot of games out there just plain bore them. Some female gamers might get pissed if the game is just a tad bit too filled with curvaceous cheesecake and testosterone-induced stupidity.
This issue gets magnified if the female you're trying to get a game for isn't a gamer yet. As I've mentioned above, sure you can manage to get her to like Nintendogs, but she'll probably laugh at you or raise an eyebrow if you get her Gears of War or some other macho title.
Tastes in games vary, some girls like solely bloody FPS games, some like only RPGs. What makes this guessing game annoying is that as a guy, it is a bit harder to predict what a girl will like. Naturaly you're hoping she'll get interested in a genre you're interested in to, just so you guys have something in common to enjoy and have family time with.
So what's an older brother to do?
Well, what you'd want to do here is expand her palette. Get your sister to like other types of games. Even if her tastes are wide already, there's bound to be something new out there to try out. Get her nice cross-genre games. If you notice that she likes MMORPGs or menu-driven games with deep story-lines, get her an action-rpg like KH2. Maybe from there here sphere of interest will grow and soon she'll try to steal Devil May Cry from you.
If she likes cutesy stuff and isn't really into sports games, maybe Pangya will make her like new stuff. If she's into simple platforming and she loves deep story, try getting her Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time, you'll be amazed at how fast her proficiency and gaming-related reflexes will grow. If she's into anime-style RPGs, then get her anime styled beat-em up games like the Naruto games on the PS2, or the Bleach versus game on the Wii. Actually anime is a very nice indicator that she'll love gaming. Chances are that if she likes anime, she'll find a lot of Japanese titles interesting.
We're working on the idea that they're uninterested because they find it boring. They find it boring because it's something unfamiliar to them. Find them things that they can associate with and maybe their interest will grow.
So after all this talk, what will I get my sister?Well, I'm lucky that my sister is already a gamer. Also my sister is into anime. She already appreciates games like Ragnarok Online, so she probably gets those things on her own. She's probably got some Naruto stuff in her room already, so no more Japanese styled stuff for her. I want to get her something new genre-wise. Something easy to pick-up but deep and rewarding.
I'm on a budget here. So I'm looking for something cheap. I'm going to look at the old-game bin. These two dated yet still good PC games come to mind:
No One Lives Forever 2
NOLF 2 is a well done mix of FPS and stealth peppered with oodles of comedy, fashion and 60 camp. A nice way to get your sister to like more competition-based FPS games like Unreal Tournament, or perhaps stealth-based games like MGS or Splinter Cell.
Syberia/Syberia II
Game review scores for this adventure/puzzle game series range from 7/10 to 9/10 so that's a good indicator of the game's quality. Plus the engaging story and healthy amount of puzzles in this game makes me feel like I just gave my sister a good book.
What about the next-gen?
Well, since a lot of the titles on the PS3 come out 2007, I recommend that you guys keep the PS3s to yourselves for now. Because the Wii is cheaper, maybe you could afford to give that to your sister. Wii Sports already comes in the bundle, so that's a big bonus.
What next-gen title to get your sister? Watch out for this game: Rayman Raving Rabbids.
The number of genres simulated by the mini-games in this Rabbid-infested game gives you much reason to give this to your sister. That and bunnies I mean rabbids are oodles of "stupid." What did I say about the plush-toy effect?
If you don't want to get your sister a Wii, just because you're short on cash, don't fear, the game comes out for the PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PC, and the PSP, so platform shouldn't be a problem.
This is just my personal preference though, what games would you guys get your gamer/non-gamer younger sister?
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Comments [refresh]
nice article!
And nintendogs are cute!
loco roco is just yellow blobs with smiley faces on them...I could make that in paint.
Female gamers have all sorts of tastes when it comes to gaming, there's not one set of games that will be enjoyed by all. Hell, I've got a sister and she enjoys everything from the sims to GTA: San Andreas and everything in between. OH! also, Syberia rawks.
My little sister loved it, more than I think she will like elite beat agents.
What the hell is this, this so-called "News" read's like a study someone has done on the gaming habits of monkeys. FYI females are also human, just bloody ask her what she wants, you don't have to train your sister/whatever to like games, she either will or won't. "Smart wrapped in stupid" my ass.
I think all people, regardless of gender, want more or less the same things from games... they want to be sucked into the gaming experience, provided a challenge that is suited to their skill level, and most of all they want to be entertained! What you find interesting, challenging and entertaining differs, of course. If you can't identify with a macho super hero there's a good chance you will find the character (and quite possibly his game too) kinda bland and unappealing. The Tomb Raider games have a pretty solid female fanbase, and that's not a coincidence. Lara is strong, intelligent, beautiful and deadly capable of taking care of herself. She's someone you can look up to and sympathize with.
To engage people you have to speak a language they understand. Tell them stuff they can relate to. Men and women tend to see different things in the world they live in. Cultural and biological differences and their importance in shaping us isn't really interesting here; some tendencies is there to be seen, and that's just how it is (for the moment at least).
Anyway... rant over...
my younger sister mostly like platformers (Spyro, Mario etc), spiritual survival horror games (like Fatal frame... she hates Resident Evil and other zombie games for some reason), roleplaying/adventure games (WoW, Final Fantasy 9, Secret of Mana, Zelda) and strange and creative stuff like Animal Crossing and Pikmin...
My girlfriend adored I-ninja and Stubbs the zombie, likes puzzle games and fighters (especially Tekken and Dead or Alive, she doesn't want to play street fighter with me... bummer :/) and really likes everything that has something to do with vampires or werewolves (she stole my gameboy for a week when I introduced the GBA Castlevania titles to her, lol)... she seems to like Dead Rising too, but she hates the way her phone keeps ringing and rants about crappy game control every time she messes up in stressful situations...
Anyway... my tip is: If you want to introduce a girl to gaming, find out what she likes, what makes her laugh and how she gets her kicks, and then go out and find a game with lots of that stuff. Works for me :) NEVER buy a "girly" game to a woman! If she's got any spirit whatsoever, she will kick your ass for underestimating her.
At the gamestop I work it I was there the day that kiosk went up and we all just kinda sighed. Most days we have (.>) put games like Resident Evil 4, Devil May Cry, and other games that gamer girls we know enjoy playing.
So I don't think anyone here really needs a lecture on the matter. Just they need to not be as narrowminded as a large company.
my sis rox she's cool with star wars BF2 on my psp
I couldn't have said it better myself
plus, the games mentioned are for little girls, just as there are some games geared towards young boys, not teenagers and adults
get over yourself
like those sony SOBs who only see them making money of selling games and not the homebrew picture +P
the article never tried to impose any sort of taste onto female gamers.
Read it again r-tard.
what a weird title?
games to get your younger sister.. what?
to grow taller?
to start playing games?
grounded so you can play all the games you want without sharing?
to become your slave and bring you all the munichies you need while gaming?
*****ing hate ppl who thing gaming or games with violence is limited to males! i love halo 2 u know... *****s
as previously stated it's targeted towards YOUNG GIRLS as in ELEMENTARY SCHOOLERS. Mothers come in asking for 'girly' games ALL the time. . . all this kiosk does is help THOSE MOTHERS pick out what THEY want to buy for their little girl. It has nothing to do with the idea that girls only like those games. i love when people make a big fuss about nothing.. retards. OBVIOUSLY girls, whether young or older, like the violent games as well, but like I said, it's the MOTHERS (and of course the father figures) who are the ones specifcally asking for the 'girl games'
what the heck is this ? is this a psp new ? no ? get off !
Ok everyone I have an idea!!!
We need to get the Frag Dolls to come to this Gamestop or whatever its called, bring their big motars, and rocket launchers from their favorite FPS game, then blow up this "girls only booth."
Stupid *****ing stereotypes!
Yeah, my Wife's little cousin(12) is quite a gamer, and everytime she stays over she'll just sit and play on my Cube...I remember when she first came over to play she brought her own games the likes of the already mentioned Hell to stand and watch Bratz, some Olsen Twins Game, SpongeBob (wasn't really that bad, but annyoing after two full hours)...After giving it some thought, I began showing her some of my games and see what will happen...She no longer plays that girly crap, now she's 13 and into games like Zelda Ocarina of Time:Master's Quest, Mario Sunshine, SoulCalibur II, BurnOut, anything Sonic, Tony Hawk games, SNK Vs. Street Fighter, anything Sims...etc. The last time I commented her about the Bratz and Olsen twins games, she told me she had exchanged them for credit to get new games because those games were for little girls....I'm just glad she's seen the light.
my sister is hardcore into prince of persia and would never even look at one of those games
And only two actually play video games, although as the youngest one is only 7, it might be understandable.
Anyways, the other two don't play any of those *****ty "girl" games, they play the same type of games I played when I was their age. They play Pokemon, they play The Sims, they play games online that are basically puzzles made with flash. I've even gotten them to play Halo with me before, but they're very bad, so it's usually ME who doesn't want to play anymore, heh.
It's not so much that they're targeting "female gamers". Lets just say those are normal "gamers" (Because do you seriously see studies and statistics on "male gamers"?) It's that they're targeting young girls under 10 who want to play a game, if any game, based on their favorite tv show. I've seen some young girls shopping at walmart in the game section; they all wanted games based on kids movies, they didn't get anything else.
a girl of a decent gamers age (teen, lets say) will probably be into any game. My cousin is a girl, she recently got married, and she probably plays Xbox more than me. Of course she's not gonna get "that's so raven". A 10 year old would enjoy that obviously though.
I stopped reading after the writter said tekken was button mashing....that is just plain stupid
Getting girls to play those piece of crap games like Thats So Raven and those games are only making them hate games even more. If you really want to get a girl into gaming, just let her watch whatever you play or get her something that isnt hard to understand.
this girl i know got a PS2 specifically for DDR. Then i let her borrow Final Fantasy X and Kingdom Hearts 1. Being a n00b to gaming in general, i had walk her through a few parts, but eventually, she ended up beating the game, beating Sephiroth, and getting ultima weapon on her own. She also loves the story and everything on FFX (though she thinks its weird that people wait in turns for battles 0.o)
Theres also many girls that are better than most guys out there. Again, the key to get girls into gaming is to slowly do it with fun, but not overly easy and stupid, games.
Maybe you should look at the article again, dumbass. The article is only about what the blogger thinks would be suitable games for categories of females, which is exactly what the first part was arguing against doing. The only difference between lists is that the blogger mentions some good titles instead of only stereo typical crap.
How did the boys get into gaming? Did they just randomly get a "M" Rated Game and loved it? I know I didn't, and nobody in my family did. I pretty much started with watching Pokemon, which changed into playing it on the Gameboy Color, which moved into playing Final Fantasy on the PS1, and eventually I started playing everything. My younger brother did what I did and he is now an MMO-RPGer. Since my sister is about 5 years younger than I (Im 15 mind you) she started playing games that are more advance quicker. At ten she has already Played KH 1 and 2, Mario 64, Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire, etc. She doesn't like playing puzzle games; she plays action/adventure games, games that take you into the action ASAP.
one can win against ai in tekken by just button mashing... tekken's system can be rewarding if you move past button mashing, and moving past button mashing in tekken is required if you want to fight human opponents...
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meagara just got pwned
I got my Seventeen-magazine-reading, always-on-the-phone-chatting, fashion-concious stepsister into gaming by picking up multiplayers like Smash Brothers, Mario Party, Diddy Kong Racing, Super Monkeyball, etc. and then letting her beat me a few times. She liked being better than me at something, and when she actually got good enough to not pull my joystick'd punches, she made a worthy opponent and we had a lot of fun together.
For someone who's already a gamer, though, I'd just pick out something I know they'd like based on games I've known them to enjoy in the past.
Girls are just like guys when it comes to video games and computers. Some guys love 'em and some guys don't. Some girls love 'em and some girls don't. WHen it comes down to the actual games...you's be surprised at how similar male and female tastes are. I love playing Halo and Oblivion with my cousin and shes more obssessed with FPS games than I am. I tend to like the RPG anime stuff more, as well as MMORPG's.