• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Recommendation-Age: PSP games for kids?

Jinfash

Jinfash

needs 2 extra inches
I've been assigned to buy 3 PSP games for my 8 7 y/o niece, something I realized I've never done before, so I really need some game recommendations. The most important thing is for the games to be as decent and as playable as possible while still retaining the colorful and childish charm. Games for kids are (of course) always easy to spot, but what's really hard is to distinguish between the good games and the shovelware.

Oh, and if there's a Hannah Montana, High School Musical, or Zack & Cody game for the PSP, please recommend it. She's a huge fan of those shows, and it won't hurt for one of the purchased games to be based on them, even if it was a shovelware.

GAF parents, I have faith in you.

Edit:

I've forgot to mention something: My niece can't read can't read or speak English fluently, so there's a language barrier to consider :\

Edit2: Games I've decided to buy (so far):

- Loco Roco 2
-
-
 
Loco Roco 1 & 2 and Everybody's Golf 2.

I'm guessing that kids would like these. I am a parent but my son is only 7 months so he's not quite able to use a PSP yet. :D
 
KevinCow said:
Daxter or the Ratchet games?
Click to expand...
Crackers said:
Loco Roco 1 & 2 and Everybody's Golf 2.

I'm guessing that kids would like these. I am a parent but my son is only 7 months so he's not quite able to use a PSP yet. :D
Click to expand...

Those games (which I've personally tried and enjoyed) have crossed my mind, but I wasn't sure if a kid would enjoy them just as much or whether she'd be frustrated by how some of their controls are laid out.

:lol It's clear that I have no idea how smart kids are these days.

Either way thanks, I'll consider those.
 
Bearillusion said:
Crash games on PSN.
Click to expand...
The PS1 games? hmmmm, not a bad idea. She enjoyed the PS2 games, so maybe if there's a dumbed-down-for-kids Crash game for the PSP she'll like it as well. Is there?

I'm seriously underestimating her intelligence now :'(
 
Jinfash said:
It's clear that I have no idea how smart kids are these days.
Click to expand...
I've known 7year olds that already played stuff like SimCity - but I'd think the biggest factor is the kids attention span.

Parappa The Rapper could be a nice choice.
Worms and Lemmings could be ok too - the latter less so if she lacks the patience for puzzle solving though.
 
Fafalada said:
I've known 7year olds that already played stuff like SimCity - but I'd think the biggest factor is the kids attention span.

Parappa The Rapper could be a nice choice.
Worms and Lemmings could be ok too - the latter less so if she lacks the patience for puzzle solving though.
Click to expand...

The problem is that she hardly plays games (and just as you guessed a bit impatient too), that's why I'm a but cautious about my picks.

I think I'm gonna pick Loco Roco 2.

How's Parappa's remake?
 
Patapon was my PSP's '08 GOTY, but do people really think a 7 y/o girl would be able to play it?
 
Jinfash said:
Patapon was my PSP's '08 GOTY, but do people really think a 7 y/o girl would be able to play it?
Click to expand...
Yeah, I was going to say that. Locoroco, however, is perfect for kids.
 
I've forgot to mention something: My niece can't read can't read or speak English fluently, so there's a language barrier to consider :\
 
I heard there was a Hanna Montana PSP bundle coming soon. Has a game, movie or something...ah here is the article:
http://tinyurl.com/ap3djm

SCEA is showing a new initiative to cater to young girls at its Destination Playstation event today. The company has announced a new PSP bundle to be released in July, containing a PSP system in a new Lilac color. The bundle comes with a Hannah Montana rhythm game, a UMD of episodes from the series, a 2 GB Memory Stick PRO Duo, and some stickers!
Click to expand...

020311b.jpg


However the article mentions a July release, but looking on online shops, it seems to have been pushed back to August 4th(PSP-4000?). Not sure if you have the option to wait, but that would make a great present I'm sure since you mention she's a fan of hers. If not, I echo the recommendations of Loco Roco 1 & 2. What language does she speak. Perhaps GAF can find multi-lingual games or something.

Edit: According to Gamestop, the game will be out July 1st, so there's that option too.
 
Somnid said:
I'm curious as to why a 7 year old girl has a PSP.
Click to expand...

Her father mistook it for the "new GBA" two years three years ago when he was in Japan :lol

Ramune said:
I heard there was a Hanna Montana PSP bundle coming soon. Has a game, movie or something...ah here is the article:
http://tinyurl.com/ap3djm



020311b.jpg


However the article mentions a July release, but looking on online shops, it seems to have been pushed back to August 4th(PSP-4000?). Not sure if you have the option to wait, but that would make a great present I'm sure since you mention she's a fan of hers. If not, I echo the recommendations of Loco Roco 1 & 2. What language does she speak. Perhaps GAF can find multi-lingual games or something.

Edit: According to Gamestop, the game will be out July 1st, so there's that option too.
Click to expand...

Ah too bad it's not out yet, but it's definitely something she'd be looking forward to.

carvasd said:
Ben 10: Alien Force

my nephew loves it...
Click to expand...

She loves that show. I'll check the game's info, thanks.
 
Jinfash said:
Her father mistook it for the "new GBA" two years three years ago when he was in Japan :lol
Click to expand...

That explains a lot. Well for what it's worth for 4 PSP games you can get a DSLite but other than that I'm useless.
 
LocoRoco 2 is freekin' perfect, but it looks like you already got it.

Crash or Spyro (PSone on PSN) are great.

Patapon would be way too difficult for a youngster, especially with the attention span it requires.

Burnout Legends is great fun and pretty to watch.

Ape Quest (PSN) might be decent for that age?
 
Was there a Bubble Bobble game for the PSP?

Somnid said:
That explains a lot. Well for what it's worth for 4 PSP games you can get a DSLite but other than that I'm useless.
Click to expand...

She used to have one, went the way of the dodo. I think she won't be allowed to buy a new for while. Major drama, I know.

AwRy108 said:
LocoRoco 2 is freekin' perfect, but it looks like you already got it.

Crash or Spyro (PSone on PSN) are great.

Patapon would be way too difficult for a youngster, especially with the attention span it requires.

Burnout Legends is great fun and pretty to watch.

Ape Quest (PSN) might be decent for that age?
Click to expand...

How big are those games? She only has a 1 GB memory, and I'm not sure if it's worth buying a new one.
 
Patapon? Ape Quest?

WOW. Some of you haven't been around a 7 year old in a long time!

... anyways Locoroco is obvious, as well as Spyro and Crash on PSN. My nephew really liked playing Daxter. He wasn't good at the game and probably would never be able to complete it but he had a lot of fun moving him around and jumping and such. Same could be said for Ratchet and Clank or Secret Agent Clank. Kids will have a lot fun just moving the character around, jumping, shooting.

Also Wall-E is on PSP as well, Ben 10 is a good recommendation.

EDIT: Spyro and Crash are under 1GB for sure. You might be able to get both of them on the memory card at once provided you have nothing else on there.
 
Besides Cars (which should be your number 2 in my opinion) there is:

Everyday Shooter - This depends on how much she likes _______ music (whatever the genre is called, help me out gaf). The controls are simple and no matter how bad you are you're always unlocking points that can be used to unlock stuff (like levels and extra lives and modes). I think you needed to beat a level before you can unlock it though and the game can get pretty hard. The file is tiny, smaller then spyro I believe

Ape Escape - Remake of psone game, load times are a little long but everything else is fine. UI (saving, level select, equiping, etc) is still 90s era psone

Ratatoullie - A very good looking game. It played fine but I didn't get too far mainly because I wasn't interested and my daughter didn't care for the movie too much. Takes place after the movie

Do not get Spongebob: the yellow avenger (in case you were thinking about it) its not voiced and has lots of reading. Its more of an adventure game then a platformer

Theres also a lot of "casual" games like luxor, pipe mania, diner dash, and some cake game. I have no idea if they are good or not but I'm sure what they play (or some other site) has a review of them.

The Lego games are on the PSP as well, Lego Batman has a demo (which is my daughters second most played game, ended up getting on the PC instead for the co-op)
 
Jinfash said:
Ben 10: Alien Force
She loves that show. I'll check the game's info, thanks.
Click to expand...
np!

If she likes the show she will definitely enjoy the game... plus the game is not bad at all... my 5 y.o. nephew and I had fun finishing it (I would help him out whevener he got stuck)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Recommendations for Brutally Fast Games
2
81
708
MooMilk2929 replied
Does anyone else remember schools sending PlayStation consoles home for kids to use for educational games?
19
426
UltimaKilo replied
Switch games recommendation
2
62
5K
Poppinfresh replied
Best-selling games of 1993
Sales-Age  2 3
112
2K
Team Andromeda replied
US best-selling NES games of 1986
Sales-Age 
15
699
Nocty replied
Top Bottom