-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
Help me find a great replacement for Portal 2 - for my 4 year old son!
- Thread starter RichyDevil
- Start date
RichyDevil
Member
Ha! Trust me, I did too. And several others. I have to take over for him later in the game. And then figure it out all over again. A couple of those Cave Johnson-era puzzles still get me every time.
TheChewyWaffles
Member
There's something on Steam I played that was a FP puzzle solving game where you had to manipulate blocks. Sorry, can't recall the name of it at the moment. Very playable with a 360 controller.
Ah yes an earlier poster got it ...Q.U.B.E.
Ah yes an earlier poster got it ...Q.U.B.E.
dragonlife
Member
I also recommend Zack and Wiki. From what I recall, the motions aren't too wild, and you will always have a guide for them. He'll definitely need your help, though--the game is quite fiendish at points, like any good puzzle game. I'm sure he'd appreciate the art style as well. It's cute.
RichyDevil
Member
Yep, but having never played it I don't really have a clue about it. Was thinking of getting it on XBLA but wanted to start this thread first and see what GAF recommends.
Looking like lots of great options. Funny how I consider myself a 'with-it' gamer Dad and really have no clue what the best games for him would be. I lucked into it with Portal 2.
This is what I was going to say. It seems very similar to Portal, except it's just a puzzle game, none of the story or humor from Portal.
Here's the giantbomb quicklook if you're interested in what it's like.
http://www.giantbomb.com/quick-look-qube/17-5504/
Also, this is the obvious answer, but have you played Portal 2's coop with him already?
toddhunter
Member
My 4 year old is currently loving plants v zombies. She is struggling now in the pool/backyard levels but seeing her develop strategies is quite rewarding and I am proud she has got so far.
She also doesn't quite associate the eating brains thing yet either, just that they are stealing lawn mowers. So all good for now.
Has also taught her some maths and finance handling thd sun
She also doesn't quite associate the eating brains thing yet either, just that they are stealing lawn mowers. So all good for now.
Has also taught her some maths and finance handling thd sun
That's QUBE. The aesthetic is pretty Portal-ish and it could help with reasoning skills.
Some of the puzzles require some pretty quick management of blocks though, but then again Portal 2 has some of that as well.
RichyDevil
Member
We did a little bit, but the split-screen on the relatively small TV kind of confused him, and it wasn't so easy for the two of us to work together. I'm thinking that will work a lot better in a year or two. But I may try that again.
The Wheel of Fortune
Member
Heh, great video.
I recommend, as many have in this thread, Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure. It's worth it to get the Wii out of the closet, trust us!
Also, there's Quantum Conundrum coming this summer IIRC, which is by the lead designer of Portal who quit Valve.
You pretty much just build stuff, kind of like legos. There is a survivor mode, and there is also a creative mode. The survivor mode has you collecting blocks to build with, and has hunger play a role as well. There are also monsters that attack you on occasion. You also need to build tools so it takes less time to break away at stuff like trees and the ground. Than there is creative mode, where you have unlimited amount of blocks, breaking away does not require tools and it takes only one hit to break away at stuff, and there is no hunger or monsters.
Seconded, great for kids and easy to fit one event + a vehicle design into 15 minutes
guitarhero
Member
This! A bazillion times this! Just think of the possibilities! Being able to connect up to four 360 pads with one receiver is great! And they work as regular PC controllers, so you can play anything that has regular controller support, like emulators.
I also recommend this.
Jake Tower
Banned
It might be ok but it could be hard for a four year old to understand that the game he's playing second happens before the other game.
DragonGirl
Banned
Pull out the Wii and in addition to Zack and Wiki, download World of Goo. Also try:
A Boy and His Blob - puzzle adventure game
Little King's Story - strategy game lite, but definitely has some hard/frustrating moments.
Kororinpa Marble Mania is a possibility, it combines solving puzzles with coordination since it's a tilt maze game. Mercury Meltdown Revolution is another like this that adds color based puzzles to the tilt maze.
Kirby's Epic Yarn - gives you the Mario-esque platformer action but you can't die. Probably more welcoming to little kids.
A Boy and His Blob - puzzle adventure game
Little King's Story - strategy game lite, but definitely has some hard/frustrating moments.
Kororinpa Marble Mania is a possibility, it combines solving puzzles with coordination since it's a tilt maze game. Mercury Meltdown Revolution is another like this that adds color based puzzles to the tilt maze.
Kirby's Epic Yarn - gives you the Mario-esque platformer action but you can't die. Probably more welcoming to little kids.
Jive Turkey
Unconfirmed Member
Ignore everybody suggesting Zack & Wiki. That game is so terrible a 4 year old might even notice.
NaturalHigh
Member
My supervisor's kid (7 years old) is addicted to Minecraft. I mean it is virtual Legos, good for the imagination.
+1
Dude said no blood.
Lord Error
Insane For Sony
LittleBigPlanet 1 & 2. You won't need a different game for a while, and you can play it together - and then create levels and stuff.
mdtauk
Member
I seem to remember there being an option to turn off the blood. Or am I mistaken??
Eh, even without blood the death animations of the dudes you shoot is kind of unsettling. Actually, funny when I think of it that the scientists and shit slowly dying in agony is worse in Goldeneye and PD than most shit nowadays.
Sheee-it.
First of all... congratulations for your son as being capable of finishing Portal 2. It is really an achievement for a 4 years old kid. I'm using that game to train my 32 years old to play, hahaha.
Second. Wow at those plushies!!! they're great :-D
Third: But poor boy. I imagine it must be sad that in his birthdays the cake is a lie (u_u)
I don't see if you mention coop in the OP. But that is a good start.
Minecraft looks like a good game too and you can play together (if you have an HDTV set). Is FPS-like and is a bit relaxing. You can make a new world together.
Peggle may be a good option. Is like a puzzle and is a little bit unpredictable. No violence but not dumb.
Or maybe you should wait for the new Mickey Mouse game.
On Wii I could recommend Mario Galaxy 1 or 2. It is really fun, not that difficult and you can use the second controller to help him.
Second. Wow at those plushies!!! they're great :-D
Third: But poor boy. I imagine it must be sad that in his birthdays the cake is a lie (u_u)
I don't see if you mention coop in the OP. But that is a good start.
Minecraft looks like a good game too and you can play together (if you have an HDTV set). Is FPS-like and is a bit relaxing. You can make a new world together.
Peggle may be a good option. Is like a puzzle and is a little bit unpredictable. No violence but not dumb.
Or maybe you should wait for the new Mickey Mouse game.
On Wii I could recommend Mario Galaxy 1 or 2. It is really fun, not that difficult and you can use the second controller to help him.
Byronic Hero
Member
Lies. Every word. It's gloriously hard, like Dark Souls.
SteveWinwood
Member
The Incredible Machine, for every kid who loves puzzles.
It is on PC though, but still....
F yeah this.
SteveWinwood
Member
He's 4. Any amount of blood is the wrong amount of blood.
I guess. But then Portal 2 deals with even darker themes than Portal does. So I don't know. If he's mature enough to handle/sorta understand Portal 2... It's a good thing they left that "rape-ish" Caroline scene out...
NaturalHigh
Member
If we are going old school: Widget Workshop. I fucking loved that game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc9F_QayL5s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc9F_QayL5s
EatinOlives
Member
The "dark" stuff is pretty much only in the dialogue, which is going to go WAAAY over the head of a 4 year old.
Jive Turkey
Unconfirmed Member
What? The only thing difficult about Zack & Wiki is getting the terrible controls to do what you want when you want. The puzzles themselves are stupidly easy requiring essentially no puzzle solving skill outside of brute force trial and error.
I guess if one has never played an adventure game before and has suffered some sort of massive brain trauma then one might make the mistake of thinking Zack & Wiki is hard. Sure it might provide a bit of challenge and entertainment to a 4 year old who doesn't know any better but I think RichyDevil is a better father than that.
SuperEpicMan
Banned
Your kid sounds like he will be super smart when he's older. I would recommend either Rayman Origins or Little Big Planet 2
Dion Blaster
Member
I know you said the Wii is packed up but I would imagine Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 would be perfect for him. Every kid deserves to play a great Mario game growing up anyways. It would probably be worth it to break the Wii out seeing as he's getting into games already, it's a great console for a youngster (Zack & Wiki! Epic Yarn!).
I would say Braid but that was a way bigger mind fuck for me than Portal, plus the presentation is much heavier.
P.S. your son is amazing. My little cousin (5) basically had no idea what he was doing in Mario Galaxy 2, and the other cousin (7) got the concept but still struggled mightily. Loves 2D mario though. Enough to spend my Wii points on SMB3 when I wasn't in the room. His parents wanted me to act mad at him but I couldn't help feeling a little proud. Was gonna buy it anyways lol
I would say Braid but that was a way bigger mind fuck for me than Portal, plus the presentation is much heavier.
P.S. your son is amazing. My little cousin (5) basically had no idea what he was doing in Mario Galaxy 2, and the other cousin (7) got the concept but still struggled mightily. Loves 2D mario though. Enough to spend my Wii points on SMB3 when I wasn't in the room. His parents wanted me to act mad at him but I couldn't help feeling a little proud. Was gonna buy it anyways lol