My mom and step dad just called me asking for some nerdly videogame related advice.
They had a DVD VCR combo unit and the DVD player on is crapping out on them. When I visited them in the past I took my PS2 with me to keep me entertained in the boring richland suburbia. They thought it was pretty slick and instead of just buying a normal DVD player they want to get a Playstation2
So I told them about why the needed to get a memory card and how the DVD remote control is optional but can be nice to have. I told them that 180 is the new price and it will not be replaced until late 2005 / early 2006 with the Playstation3. I suggested that Costco might be a good place to get a PS2 Bundle ( also they are almost religious with their loyalty to Costco ).
So my mom and step-dad are both baby boomers in their late 50s and I was thinking about what games would be good for them. They have not owned a game system since the Colecovision and the Apple ||.
After explaining how the video game content rating system works and telling them about the Playstation2 Greatest Hits line of games I suggested some games that they might enjoy.
These are the following games that I suggested to them.
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Star Wars: Starfighter
SSX Tricky
Ace Combat 4
Half Life
Mad Maestro
Namco Museum
So can you think of any games that two American baby boomers in their 50s and are new to games would like?
Hot Shots Golf 3... Addictive fun for gamers of all ages and genders!
I'm not a baby boomer. Your Mother is a baby boomer. I am a pre-baby boomer war baby and just remember that in a couple of years I will be spending YOUR social security taxes. Thank you very much.
eb
Tetris.
My parents are in the similar age bracket and they like it a lot.
I got my Mum to play Mario Advance, but she didn't understand it.
I am married and the only games i can get my wife to play are the ones that have to do with racing and stuff that isnt too violent. I think these games might be a good start. They can all be purchased here....used and cheap!
http://www.psreporter.com/used_ps2_games_cheap.php
NASCAR 2001
4X4 Evolution
Aggressive Inline
All-Star Baseball 2004
Antz Extreme Racing (cute game)
ATV Offroad Fury
Bass Strike (fishing game...very cool for couples)
By the way when people are in thier 50s they are not "old" they are considered middle aged. Nowadays people live to be an average of 85. Women commenly live to thier 90s....
Mr. Mosquito, and the Seaman sequel if it ever comes out. Also Crazy Taxi. If your parents are anything like mine, you might want to aim for games that don't require a lot of rapid button-pushing or complicated controls. Those control pads can be difficult for beginners to figure out, no matter what age they are.
Two words: Activision Anthology
How could you forget the hit japanese game that all middle-aged people seem to love once they try it? DDR! I would suggest letting them try DDR on an easy level and watch them get addicted. (You have DDR, don't you Jake?)
I did show them DDR. I dont want them to break a hip or something. They went to Costco and got a bundle of a PS2, Memory card, Gran Tourismo 3 and Jak and Daxter.
Since everyone is different, I don't know that there is any one formula for choosing video games they would like. I do know that many of my parents and their friends tend to like the Zelda games (I know, it's Nintendo) and Mario (again, Nintendo) so maybe anything along the lines of platformers (Jak & Daxter, Ratchet & Clank, Vexx, Sly Cooper) and racing games of all kinds tend to work too. My current racing game of choice is Burnout 2. Where else do you get points for crashing?
In Burnout 1. :)
Alright, smart aleck. Besides the obvious?
Carmageddon2 for PC also!
Carmageddon rocks! WOOT! Hey do you guys remember that game in the eighties called car wars??
(it was a roleplaying game)