Console Video Games

Family Game Night

By Amy Phillips and Becky Spilver -- School Library Journal, 2/1/2007

Family game nights are experiencing a resurgence in popularity. Creating an opportunity for families to play together doesn't have to be limited to board and card games. While the majority of puzzle and arcade games for individual players are available for handheld game systems like the Nintendo DS or the PSP (Playstation Portable), there are quite a few games for console systems that would make for great family nights. This month, we are concentrating on puzzle, arcade, and card games that may be good for family game nights. Some libraries encourage family game nights at the library—another opportunity for libraries to provide resources for community building.

The titles reviewed here have been rated E (everyone, ages 6 and older), E10+ (ages 10 and older), or T (teen, ages 13 and above) by the Entertainment Rating Software Board. To find out more about this rating system, visit their web site at esrb.org/ratings/index.jsp. Librarians can purchase video games from distributors such as Baker and Taylor, Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and Thomas Klise/Crimson Multimedia. Also, consider taking a non-traditional route and work with local retailers. Manufacturers list prices have not been included because prices fluctuate widely depending on the market and the popularity of a game

Gr 6 Up—This puzzle game is based on moving blobs of mercury around mazes. While the premise sounds easy, the mercury is fluid and can fall apart or drop off the maze. The mazes have a Rube Goldberg machine feel to them as they contain such things as a bounce pad, a propeller, and a flux transmitter. The mazes are in different labs and each lab has a series of mazes that must be completed in order to unlock the next lab. Players earn points by picking up bonuses, completing the maze in a set time, and getting all of the mercury to the end of the maze. Party games are unlocked as players pick up the bonuses. The graphics are high quality for puzzle games. Hand and eye coordination is a must. Recommended for all library collections.

Gr 3–6—This grand adventure with the Muppets on the high seas is a fairly nondescript entry into the puzzle genre, but the games are fun to play. Players can choose from Kermit, Miss Piggy, Animal, Gonzo, Fozzy Bear, or Pepe (the Prawn). In story mode, the group finds itself on the bottom deck of a cruise ship. Players compete against each other (or against the computer) on a board game-like deck, where opening doors leads to mini-games. Players collect cruise money and try to win mini-games such as Pig Party (counting pigs that move in and out of a room), shuffleboard, and a crab toss, among many others. They work their way up the decks of the ship by winning mini-games and collecting money. Single players can set the game to "manic mode" for faster play—otherwise, this turn-based game can drag. There is a fair amount of patience required to learn the controls for the various mini-games, so this may discourage some of the youngest players. An in-game tutorial is available for each game. Recommended for those libraries building a comprehensive video game collection.

Gr 6 Up—This is an unusual pinball game set in medieval Japan. Action takes place in a pinball-based setting with the player controlling flippers, but also commanding troops on the field in order to reach a goal. The Odama is the pinball—gigantic rolling death for anything in its path. This mighty weapon is in the trust of Yamanouchi Kagetora, son of a defeated clan. The general and his troops want to avenge his clan and live by the doctrine of Nintendo, Way of Heavenly Duty. The game requires a microphone (which is sold with the game) for the player to verbally order troops on the field. The combination of moves required in the most basic levels, plus the verbal orders, makes for a challenging game. The graphics are reminiscent of Japanese artwork, which helps the player get in character, but the quality of the graphics makes the field difficult to see. The biggest drawback is that all dialogue is in Japanese with English subtitles, which makes the game even more challenging to follow. While this is an interesting game, it is not good for multiple players and the extra equipment required makes it a challenging library purchase. An intriguing game, but not recommended.

Gr 3 Up—Based on the animé and manga series, this is a great party game. Players get to choose from seven characters, all with unique attributes (but not with different abilities that affect game play). There are two modes of play: "Board Game" and "VS play." During Board Game, players battle each other over a game board with tiles—each tile represents a mini-game, special game, or special event card. In-game directions are given at the beginning of each mini-game. Whoever wins the game gets possession of that tile. Each player in turn selects a tile to play, and strategy comes into play when choosing since tiles that are won can be stolen by sandwiching them between your own tiles. Whoever has the most tiles and money when all the tiles are turned over wins. There is very little game movie action—just stills that are minimally animated between games, making the game play move fairly quickly. In VS mode, players can choose just to play unlocked mini-games without the board. A variety of stages and terrains (new boards) become available as players meet certain requirements. Controls are fairly easy to master. Highly recommended.

Gr 3 Up—While there is no dearth of SpongeBob SquarePants video games, this one stands out as a great entry into the party game genre. Players can choose from a variety of characters to play, including SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy, Mr. Krabs, and Squidward. The object of the game is to win a role on the show, "New Adventures of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Bob." There are 30 mini-game competitions, with the player with the most cumulative points getting a part on the show. There are three modes of play: "Story," "Tournament," and "Single Audition." Tournament mode can require some good 2-on-2 teamwork to succeed, making this a good way to foster players working together to accomplish their goal. Easy-to-understand directions are given in-game. There is also a chance to practice each mini-game before competing for points. Good, clear graphics and easy controls with individualized difficulty levels (so each player can choose easy, medium, or hard levels) make this a great choice.

Gr 8 Up—All kids love going to amusement parks. Thrillville allows players to create their own parks. The premise behind this game is that crazy Uncle Mortimer has created an amusement park and he wants the players to build a second park. The game begins with a tutorial on the game's five primary tasks: build rides, maintain upkeep, develop and play games, follow the business, and talk to the guests. The player must decide what rides to place in the park, train the park's personnel, make sure that the business is doing well, and befriend the park's guests. There are mini-games which are arcade and puzzle based. If the player does it well with these games, additional money is forthcoming to run the park. The sub games are fun but it may take some time to figure out the controls. Players can choose their character from a range of teens or tweens. The game's variety and focus on teens makes it recommended for young adult collections.

Gr 5 Up—This is one of the most unusual games available. The King of the Cosmos needs to build his fan base. To do this, the king's son, Prince, and the prince's cousins roll around katamari (sticky balls) which catch items and grow to a specified size. The king then puts the katamari into the sky as a planet. As strange as this game may sound, it is incredibly interesting to play. Players must use strategy to collect the items to grow their katamari. There are different locations such as a house or underwater. Players can play by themselves, against a friend, or in cooperative mode with each other. The play is easy to pick up and there is a brief tutorial. Levels can be replayed an unlimited number of times. If players build enough katamari, they may also navigate the stars. This wacky, quirky game is highly recommended for all collections. Libraries unable to locate this game may also want to considered its predecessor, Katamari Damacy.

PreS-Gr 3—While it may not offer enough of a challenge for older players, this is a fantastic game for young gamers. Players take Pooh on five birthday-themed adventures. Gamers can play as Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore, and Winnie the Pooh. The controls are very simple in regular play, and in junior play mode the youngest family members can enjoy interacting with a video environment. (This portion was toddler-tested with great success.) Colorful graphics and non-obtrusive background music make this a pleasant option for families with younger children wanting to join in the fun. The only drawback is the number of load screens that interrupt the flow of the game. Highly recommended for the younger set.

Gr 9 Up—This game is based on the World Series of Poker Championship which is aired on TV and features high profile players such as Ben Affleck and Meg Tilly. It is unfortunate that the game fails to provide a high quality poker game. It contains a variety of poker games including Texas Hold-Em, 7 Card Stud, Omaha, Horse, and Razz, but that is the only plus. The tutorial is hosted by Chris "Jesus" Ferguson. He shows how to play the game but players can't play a hand. In the game play, the player assumes a male character role without the opportunity to change. The pickme up game tries for diversity of players but instead produces stereotypes. Game play in both the pickme up and the career section is slow. It's also disappointing that other players' hands are only shown when a complete round is played. The game is not recommended because of the stereotype characters, the lack of choice for the main player, and the slow game play.

Gr 8 Up—With the Xbox 360, individuals can play online and download games. Microsoft has released Live Arcade Unplugged for those who do not want to go online. It is a compilation of different games from Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved (reminiscent of Asteroids), Bejeweled 2 (a Tetris-like game), Hardwood Backgammon, Outpost Kaloki X (a simulator), Wik: The Fable of the Souls (a level action game), and Texas Holdem Poker. The games range in complexity and quality of graphics. Geometry Wars has simple graphics similar to early arcade games. Wik and Outpost Kaloki are similar to early console games. The games provide diversity but are less complex than full length games and can be completed easily. Recommended for large collections.