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[Cytezan]

don't introduce him to videogames yet, please.

Explain why?

 

[Liquidsnake]

Math Blaster.

Jesus Christ I haven't heard this name since 1987

 

[Ninhead]

Peek-a-boo.

 

[Blargonaut]

Not video games.

I have a 4 year old and after a lot of thought, no video games was also my conclusion. I grew up playing far too many video games and I'd rather not let that genie out of the bottle yet.

don't introduce him to videogames yet, please.

I tell you, fandom, you will deny games thrice before the rooster crows? GAF?

What is this treachery

I know I'm going to get shit for this but isn't 4 still a bit too young for video games of any kind?
Let em get out and experience life, everything is a wonder at that age. Run around, play.

but games are a part of life tho

If the kid wants to play a game, get a ball and point to the door.

"If you can dodge the 21st century, you can dodge a ball"




These daggers Et tu me

 

[Retromelon]

Kirbys epic yarn has almost no punishment for poor play. I was talking to some guy in another topic awhile ago and he said his kids play fire emblem, lol

 

[Vincent Alexander]

Super Mario 3D Land would probs be your best bet. No text reading necessary, the controls are simple, and it's very fun. It's also got a ton of content.

Yep. My son got great a video games by starting with Mario. He was messing around with it at 3, and is a champ now at 5.

 

[quesalupa]

Final Fantasy VII

 

[The Orz]

don't introduce him to videogames yet, please.

What an odd thing to say. It's all about moderation and, dare I say it, parenting. It's not like we boot up Grand Theft Auto V and let the kids beat up hookers for 12 hours a day. You play an appropriate game together for a few minutes and huzzah! Onto coloring, practicing writing names, whatever!

 

[Buzzman]

Enjoy.

 

[RK128]

If you own a 3DS OP, I recommend Kirby Triple Deluxe. Its such a colorful game, it has simple controls that can be deeper if you want them to be (similar to Smash Bros, you have multiple attacks with the B button after Kirby gets an ability), and its level design naturally grows along as you get better at the game.

I highly recommend the game .

Smash Bros, Mario Kart 7 and 3D Land are other fantastic picks as well. If you own a Wii U OP, then you have even more options to chose from. Mario Kart 8, 3D World and Smash Wii U are all better versions of the 3DS titles and you get lots of original games to play on Wii U too (Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, Splatoon, Yoshi's Woolly World).

 

[Basketball]

Smash Bros

he can try out for evo next year

 

[Evilisk]

OP, GET HUMONGOUS, STEAM HAS IT ALL

DROP THAT HANDHELD

FREDDI FISH IS A TALKING FISH THAT SOLVES MYSTERIES AND TAKES NO PRISONERS

SHE HAS BUBBLES FOR POCKETS

Haven't ever thought about these in ages. I think this might be a good answer


Other than that, yeah probably Minecraft.

 

[ElDuderino]

My daughter just turned 5 and she loves smash bros. she also loves mario kart but sucks at controls and gives up in frustration.

I set my daughter up to run time trials until she got the hang of it. Shes runnin like a champ now.

 

[Trojan X]

Math Blaster.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X_Ot0k4XJc

 

[StrangeTaco]

I DEFINITELY agree with the Humongous Games collection being suggested, wonderful kid friendly games. Some simple platformers may be good too.

 

[RMI]

Enjoy.

Worked for me when I was 4.

 

[themagicalkitsune]

Senran Kagura Burst.

 

[Tezzeractor]

It's what I played at that age.

 

[Khaos_Knight]

Terraria too.

I forgot about that one, that's also a good one.

 

[Enter the Dragon Punch]

Nintendogs

 

[NoKisum]

Super Mario 3D Land, 3D Sonic The Hedgehog, Kirby Triple Deluxe would be my best bets out of my personal collection.

Spoiler

Or start him off right with Bravely Default.

 

[Shin Kojima]

My friends 4yo completed Ocarina of Time on 3DS by himself. They're having him tested though.

 

[Tizoc]

You have a 3DS?
Get Mario and Nintendo games.
On iPhone there's the Sonic 1 and 2 remasters, Heroki, Monument Valley to name a few.

 

[damien1928]

Rayman.

 

[grmlin]

I can't wait to play some Mario with my son (4) in the future, but for now it's Lego, playmobil and other toys... Every now and then (weeks) he reads one of these nice books for ipad, or plays some kids games (Panda... Etc), but fully blown video games? No.

 

[Green Yoshi]

Not video games.

This.

Yesterday I read an article that says that even Two-years olds can get addicted to an iPad.

Doing sports is the much better alternative.

 

[sackninja]

Am, why can't you play sports and play video games? I mean like you can't go out play for 12 hours at a time... Especially if it's raining most of the time like it is here.

 

[Footos22]

My 4 year old finished Mario 3d world she still plays it now. Mario kart as well she doesn't drift though obviously.

 

[grmlin]

My 4 year old finished Mario 3d world she still plays it now. Mario kart as well she doesn't drift though obviously.

How much time does your kid play a day? Just curious

 

[Footos22]

A few times a week for about an hour. Then her attention goes elsewhere.

She was the first person in her class to get a platinum award at school for enthusiasm for learning so I got no worries.

 

[Tiberius]

My 4 years old nephew love angry bird and sonic dash on the iphone

 

[John Kowalski]

Europa Universalis.

 

[Jindrax]

Bloodborne.

You teach them 2 get gud and learn about space!

Came looking for this.

 

[Black Mantis]

This.

Yesterday I read an article that says that even Two-years olds can get addicted to an iPad.

Doing sports is the much better alternative.

Of course, if you let them. However, just blanket saying "do sports instead", is a rubbish cop-out and not helpful. My daughter turns 4 next month and in the process of looking for primary schools, it turns out the one I went to as a child, use Minecraft as teaching tool. There is room for games, learning, sports in a young child's life, it's just the duty of the parents to moderate the gaming part and not just use it as a tool to keep them quiet.

I received a Wii U for Xmas and my daughter now loves and can play Mario games especially well, but if she sees the sun breakout or I suggest going to the park/swimming pool, she'll drop the joypad in a second if playing.

As for suggestions, I'd also throw Banjo Kazooie: N&B into the mix. The hub worlds lend themselves well to being tackled by a child's imagination.

 

[Dynasty]

My 4 year old cousin goes on my PS4, he always plays super stardust ultra and is actually pretty good, he can get past the 1st phase on logi on easy.

 

[Recall]

This.

Yesterday I read an article that says that even Two-years olds can get addicted to an iPad.

Doing sports is the much better alternative.

Why not both?

For the question at hand I feel Minecraft is the game of choice.

 

[Mr E.]

Play a board game with them instead. Have face to face interactive experiences rather than zone em out on a mobile device. There's a lot of people walking into lampposts whilst on there phones devices etc lol. Plenty of time for that.

 

[grmlin]

I think parents know best when their kids are ready for something like Minecraft. For me the important thing is not to use media like games and tv to get rid of the kid. I could park it easily for hours in front of the TV, but I don't.

Furthermore, my wife does not play games at all, so she is very skeptical about all this (even though her husband showed her what a gamers life is like for the last decade )

 

[Lady Siara]

Here comes parenting advice GAF, oh boy. Happens almost every time there's a thread involving children. It'd be different if OP was forcing it but the child sounds genuinely curious and wants to learn more.

The gaming side of GAF is one of the last places I'd ask for (or want) advice in interacting with/raising children.

Referring to stuff like this:

don't introduce him to videogames yet, please.

 

[Black Mantis]

Play a board game with them instead. Have face to face interactive experiences rather than zone em out on a mobile device. There's a lot of people walking into lampposts whilst on there phones devices etc lol. Plenty of time for that.

Not much of a difference if you're playing co-op Mario or sat next to them and talking about the game in hand, is it? It really comes down to choosing the games wisely and making sure you're involved.

 

[RazielCuts]

Boohbah Zone. Dan Ryckert is hosting a mirror of it - http://danryckert.eu/. Tap on stuff and watch things happen.

 

[Juice]

A few thoughts:

1. A lot of you have pretty optimistic expectations of what a tiny 4 year old is capable of

2. I agree with a lot of the posters suggesting gaming for 4 year olds should be moderated by actual tangible experience. This was asked mostly to help pass the time (for example, when in line at USJ) or to calm him down when the language barrier frustrates him.

3. I mentioned it's a Japanese family in the OP. I should have been more clear that means I wanted to avoid games which required or focused on English language.

So far he's really into Crossy Road, Fruit Ninja, and watching me play Animal Crossing.

 

[NowhereFaded]

A good game for a 4 year old... Anything that doesn't include a screen. Do the kid a favor and play with them. They we'll get more than enough screen time when they become our age. IMO, of coarse .