Kids and classic games/arcade cabinets

[ahofle]

I'm just curious of those of you out there with kids, how many of them are actually interested in old arcade/console games from the 80s?  I have a two year old and I'm hoping some day he'll be into them like I am and that we can enjoy a few games of gauntlet or something similar.  But I'm wondering if he'll think they are all crap and instead only want the latest Playstation 6 version of Street Fighter vs Aliens vs Predator Turbo Deluxe Extreme Fatality Edition 9.

[Demon-Seed]

Hey
I made my 7/5 year old nephews a mini standup firefighter themed cabinet last year....all consoles and mame on it..they loved it! They thougth the custom artwork etc..was exciting and specially made for them! (it was) they still play it...they like the games..cause they are simple..not like xbox where you need to know 8 buttons..just my 2 cents.... a

Jim

[pmc]

My daughter recently turned 7 and has become a big Donkey Kong fan.

There's lots there for a kid to love. The way that DK grunts; the melodic music; the broken heart when you get to the top followed by DK grabbing the pink princess and climbing higher; "How high can you go?"; On the rivet stage when DK falls on his head he does a screw-ball face and bares his teeth. The little ball of fire that comes out of the oil can and then chases you while dancing.... it goes on and on.

All those cliched details are magic to a kid. Hey... isn't that what got many of us into this stuff too? Ah, the innocence of childhood. How long before she'd rather play GTA?

-pmc

[MaximRecoil]

My 9 year old nephew loves Mario Bros., especially two player. It depends on the game I guess. Some games are timeless entertainment, others, not so much. I haven't seen a kid yet that liked Space Invaders (can't say that I blame them). Actually, I don't see the fascination with a lot of the "A-list" classics; Ms. Pac-Man and Centipede in particular. I guess I'm not wooed by "pretty" colors.

[brophog]

I used to be a Pac-Man skeptic myself. But once I started to really play it, I started to get suckered in.

[JCL]

My 3 yo son frequently asks to play arcade games on my mame desktop CP. He seems to like driving games the most, and likes to crash.

He also likes Tetris backwards -- He wins when he creates a column that hits the top first.

[tommy]

He will enjoy whatever you play with him.

[erictrumpet]

I got into MAME at about the exact same time my daughter was born. She is now 2-1/2 and she LOVES the games! She doesn't really play them, but ever since she could sit up she would sit on my lap and watch me play (the non-violent games of course). Her favorites are Galaga '88 (can't get her interested in regular Galaga for some reason), Circus Charlie (a TERRIFIC game for kids!) and Mr Do!

Eric.

[Nailz]

I think it depends on the age...  My 15 year old stepson, thinks they all suck because the graphics are bad and don't match todays standard.  He's been spoiled by X-Box, and Playstation, and PC games.

My 2 year old on the other hand, thinks Qbert is about the coolest and funniest guy ever, he thinks it's hysterical to watch him bounce around.

Maybe I have a shot with one in the family.   

[missioncontrol]

My boy He's 8 keeps bugging me to install MAME on his computer. He loves playing my NES and Atari his favorite NES game right now is Double Dragon. He loves Atari's Adventure and Combat.

[yalborap]

I think it depends on the age...  My 15 year old stepson, thinks they all suck because the graphics are bad and don't match todays standard.  He's been spoiled by X-Box, and Playstation, and PC games.

Get rid of him. He's broken.

While I don't have children of my own, I can say that I love oldschool games and am only thirteen. Although for some reason, I can't really get into NES stuff. It's the SNES games(as well as genesis and other games of that general timeframe) that really suck me in. Probably because that's what I grew up with(didn't get an N64 until that 99 dollar one with the purple controller was released).

[Xiaou2]

 Im 32 now, and I have a friend that is 26.   Ive tried to get him into classics, and for the most part failed.  Hes more into the new consoles and 1st person shooter crud.   

 However, I made him play Robotron (free credits from my pocket!)  with me at a local shop that has many classics.  At first, he was upset cause he was so terrible at it... and of course, he thought the graphics were crap.   Yet next time we were there... I gave him some more credits to play with me again.. but this time, I could see him getting into it.    He started to get much better, and started to like it.   

 After another visit, he was hooked.   He eventaully got up to arround level 30 (on easy dip setting - which is still hard as hell to do),  beating me. 

 Ive also managed to get him into the game  'Two Tigers'.   

 Other than that, he too stubborn.  He just cant get past the older graphics look.

 Also,  the difficulty in the games pisses him off.

 Todays younger gamers seem to want games that are like controllable movies.   You can do anything you want, and hardly get a scratch.   Many games, they play on a 'god mode'  so theres no challenge at all period.   

 

[brophog]

Also,  the difficulty in the games pisses him off.

That's the very reason I play classic games!

[missioncontrol]

No there's this 18 year old kid I work with who scoffed at the idea of playing pacman and such until I brought my laptop in and started playng.

He realized it was cooler than he thought 

[Demon-Seed]

Hey
Really its kinda like those cell phone games..they are low bit games but many play them....they are quick/easy to play and friggin addictive!

[More Cowbell]

My boys are 10 and 7 and they love playing on the arcade machine. Even though they have had a Playstation 2 since it came out, they still love to play anything that is simultaneous 2-person. Especially, 1941 and games like that where they can keep continuing. They're ruining all of the high scores on those games but hey, they're having a good time and that's what matters. The older one isn't in to the classics, he likes the fighters. My younger one likes almost everything that I have shown him once he plays it a few times. My daughter is just over 2 and she likes to sit in my lap and mash buttons. You'll find that they get into it because you're into it.

[Sinner]

I was at CostCo on the weekend, and found that they have an Ultracade 25" Arcade Legends upright...this is the first time I've seen one in a Costco in Canada...
Anyway, I played with it for a bit, then while I was looking at some books, I noticed a kid about 7 or 8 years old go up to it...it was obvious that he had never seen and upright cab before...he push a couple of buttons, and a game started...some shooter game, looked like an army guy running on a screen that scrolled up (kinda like commando, but not that title)...the kid was using both joysticks and just moving them around, until he figured out that pressing the buttons made the character fire...once that happened, you couldn't tear him away from it...his parents came along and eventually made him leave, but he really wasn't happy about it...
I think it may just come down to the individual...even when arcades were in their prime, there were some people who didn't like games...weirdos...

[mccoy178]

I've noticed that a ton of my family(younger cousins, nieces and nephews), scoffed at the idea initially, but once they started playing, there is no replicating real controls.

[RetroACTIVE]

My 18yr Stepson loves Aerofighters, 1942, Metal Slug, MK not too much into real classics like PacMan, Asteroids, Space Invaders etc...

14yr Daugher loves the oldies DK, SuperMario Bros. and especially Phoenix

13yr Stepdaugher loves Ms. PacMan + Frogger

[Frosty]

...the kid was using both joysticks and just moving them around, until he figured out that pressing the buttons made the character fire...once that happened, you couldn't tear him away from it...

No doubt...

It's almost a universal experience.  I think it's the interactivity and the 'mystique' of an arcade cabinet that makes it so cool.  It doesn't matter if it's 1982 or now, cabinets will always be fun to play.

Besides, you have start with the classics to appreciate just how amazing a game like Resident Evil 4 is.

[nipsmg]

 Im 32 now, and I have a friend that is 26.   Ive tried to get him into classics, and for the most part failed.  Hes more into the new consoles and 1st person shooter crud.   
 

This surprises the crap out of me.

I'm 26, and I LIVED in an arcade as a kid.  I used to love playing Pac-Man & donkey kong and all the classics on my Commodore 64, and I hit an arcade every chance I got.  Now I wouldn't have been brought up on a lot of the classics, but I mean, come on.  26?  That kid should be into the double dragon, POW, Arch Rivals, Pigskin 421AD, APB, Final Fight, and anything later than that at the very least.

I think people forget how much fun playing in arcades was until they start playing on the machine.  Then they get addicted.

[ahofle]

Wow, this is sounding very promising! 

Thx for all the replies.

[eccs19]

2 boys. One is 5, and the other is seven.  They have a PS1, and a Nintendo 64.  I have a PC set of for them, and they use the PC the most.  I have mame32 on it, and I think that's what they play the most.  They prefer 2 player games so they can both play together. (mostly TMNT)

[MYX]

My son, 4 calls my defender the pow pow game and loves it. He really can't play it but I think that he likes the big explosions. He like my Ms. Pac game as well. My Daughter (teen) plays the Ms. Pac and only rarely plays the Defender. I wanna get my hands on a QIX.

I migrated through the years as the consoles got better and faster. My last purchase was the xbox. I hate to say it, but I get motion sick when playing a lot of the games. HALO just about killed me. I am finding that I am much more drawn to the classics. Perhaps it is what I grew up with. They seem more like "Games" not just killing simulators.

[pmc]

Your 4-year old plays Defender? Man, that games takes some skill. It's harder for me to play now than in the day. I know few people who play that game well. Of course, a young-un watching it played (well) must be somefin!

And whoever up there said that Robotron's graphics are crap needs their head examined.  I still find that game to be a significantly absorbing experience and the graphics are no small part of that experience.

- pmc

[NanoMonkey]

My twelve year old cousins aren't hardcore gamers, but they enjoy playing PacMan, Galaga, Galaxian, and many other popular "old" games. There's something about playing on an arcade cabinet that makes it a special experience. They have an Xbox, but they still enjoy classic arcade gaming...
As long as kids are exposed to classic gaming in a positive manner they will usually enjoy it. After all, there are reasons other than age that games are considered "classics". As long as their friends at school aren't bad-mouthing Donkey Kong, they'll give it a shot and most will enjoy it.

[quarterback]

Your 4-year old plays Defender? Man, that games takes some skill. It's harder for me to play now than in the day. I know few people who play that game well.

I don't know why, but somehow I'm 10x better at Defender than I ever used to be. 

I remember when it first came out and I freakin' loved the graphics and the sounds, but I couldn't play for crap.    Because I've always sucked at it (and because of my CP layout) I hadn't even played it on my cab until a few weeks ago.  I still suck at it, but I'm much less sucky at it than I used to be

[erictrumpet]

I couldn't last through Wave 1 in Defender back in the day. When I finally built my own controller with proper button placement, I immediately blew through about 20 "quarters" in MAME getting the hang of the game. I was never able or willing to invest the few dollars it would have taken back in the 80s to just figure the dang thing out. Now I can play the game and not die on Wave 1. I am not great yet (after two years now lol), but I at least can handle the reverse-button concept without bursting a vein in my head.

Eric.

[wrench]

I'm just curious of those of you out there with kids, how many of them are actually interested in old arcade/console games from the 80s

Build it.I've got a 12 and 7 yr old and they love it.And this in a house with 3 computers a laptop and an xbox.

[pmc]

Your 4-year old plays Defender? Man, that games takes some skill. It's harder for me to play now than in the day. I know few people who play that game well.

I don't know why, but somehow I'm 10x better at Defender than I ever used to be. 

I remember when it first came out and I freakin' loved the graphics and the sounds, but I couldn't play for crap.    Because I've always sucked at it (and because of my CP layout) I hadn't even played it on my cab until a few weeks ago.  I still suck at it, but I'm much less sucky at it than I used to be

That's why I'm going to build a replica CP. I'm sure I'll play way better than I used too. But it's too hard to play without a 2-way stick and the thumb button in exactly the right place (my button #4 is just a wee bit a stretch to get to with my thumb and then the 4-way stick pulls to the right too far and messes up the groove).

Defender is all about rhythm. True controls are critical. In the end, that's really why I built a cabinet. Well, and Tempest. 

-pmc

[quarterback]

That's why I'm going to build a replica CP. I'm sure I'll play way better than I used too. But it's too hard to play without a 2-way stick and the thumb button in exactly the right place (my button #4 is just a wee bit a stretch to get to with my thumb and then the 4-way stick pulls to the right too far and messes up the groove).

Defender is all about rhythm. True controls are critical.

The odd thing is that my controls aren't laid out correctly, but I'm still better at it.  Maybe that's just a testament to how POORLY I used to play

But yeah, at first I was playing without a "smart bomb" button at all.  After 3 or 4 games, I mapped my Player2 joystick to the smart bomb, so I have to hit it with my right hand to activate the bomb.  Not the best solution, but workable.   I just find that I'm actually better at aiming and controlling the ship than I used to be.  Who knows.

[siropa]

I have to pry my near 4 year old from my cab. he is an ace at 1944. starting him early. I found some games that are flashy enough and I like the continuation like 1944 does it. early on that kept him interested by keeping going by just plugging in more tokens.

[Dervacumen]

My girl's only <almost> two but has great hand eye coordination (so I heard, 'cause she's my first and I have no clue) so I'll have to let you know.  But I will say she's into this.  See the furry cab post.
On the other hand, friends bring over their 14 and 8 year olds, and the first thing they want to do is check out the games.
Man, it makes me smile :-)

[Kremmit]

What kids who grew up with Playstation think of the classics:

http://egm.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3109674&did=2
http://egm.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=0&cId=3137498

[quarterback]

What kids who grew up with Playstation think of the classics:

http://egm.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3109674&did=2
http://egm.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=0&cId=3137498

LOL  That's some funny stuff   

[code]Brian: It takes this whole console just to do Pong?

Kirk: What is this? [Picks up and twists the paddle controller] Am I controlling the volume?

John: I'm just going to do this [twists the paddle controller as rapidly as possible].

Tim: John, don't do that. You'll die.

Andrew: This is a lot like that game. Um, whatchamacallit

[J-Rod]

My boy is just about to turn 3. He's not very good with the joy controls, but he loves Hamsterball. He can only do a couple of the levels, but I talked with Raptisoft and they told me a level editor is in the works. Yay! Now if I could only get him to learn how to navigate the menus to select the levels himself. 

[markrvp]

My favorite exchange:

- They're going to sue you for using the Space Invader Logo . . .
- No, I'm sure everybody who made that game is dead by now.

[markrvp]

I like this one too talking about Galaga:

EGM: Now imagine you've reached the 10th stage, and you're on your last life. Once you die and you put another quarter in, you don't just continue from there-you start all over.

Parker (10 year old): Are you serious?

EGM: Yup. When you lose all your lives, you have to start over. You don't keep going.

Parker (10 year old): And you guys back then were OK with this?

[RayB]

It's a humourous article, but some of the statements were leading, and the kids seem to purposely try and be smart-mouthed (that age you know).

In different conditions they might still enjoy the games they were bad-mouthing.

[SithMaster]

Im only 18 and im into the old games.  When i was 4 and up till when i turned 8 i hant heard of nintendo or sega.  i was preoccupied with my computer and games like commander keen.  when i did start getting into console games i rented snes and genesis from blockbuster and then i would stay up late and wake up early taking breaks that were few, small and far between.  But i did used to play games at chuck e cheese all the time and at my local amusement park bowcraft.

i wish i had known better but dont let my mistakes happen to anyone you know.  they still have a chance.  i still play arcade games on my pc and havent touched my xbox in months.  and i have started buying nes games like mad crazy as well as n64 and dreamcast and im going to buy an snes off a friend.  besides the older stuff is cheaper so u can buy them instead of the newer ones.  i dont see mario 64 costing 70 usd like the new 360 games.