What Made you Smile/What Ticked you off Today?

[marurun]

I'm pretty sure that for it to be "forcing" I'd have to drag them out to the living room, put the controller in their hand and threaten them with violence if they put the controller down. Just like I'm pretty sure "forcing" is NOT just giving them a game console and showing them what's on it.

As for movies, I don't MAKE them watch the DVDs I get them for Christmas every year. Nor can I make them.

The point is, you are clearly not bothering to learn about and respect their interests and are instead simply trying to foist your interests on them. You're not the cool uncle, you're the weird selfish uncle who isn't interested in learning about their interest. You're totally willing to throw away money and hours to try and get them into stuff you like, but you seem to be willing to expend no energy or time at all on anything they like that you don't already love. Way to show someone you care, bro.

[PartridgeSenpai]

I'm pretty sure that for it to be "forcing" I'd have to drag them out to the living room, put the controller in their hand and threaten them with violence if they put the controller down. Just like I'm pretty sure "forcing" is NOT just giving them a game console and showing them what's on it.

As for movies, I don't MAKE them watch the DVDs I get them for Christmas every year. Nor can I make them.

The point is, you are clearly not bothering to learn about and respect their interests and are instead simply trying to foist your interests on them. You're not the cool uncle, you're the weird selfish uncle who isn't interested in learning about their interest. You're totally willing to throw away money and hours to try and get them into stuff you like, but you seem to be willing to expend no energy or time at all on anything they like that you don't already love. Way to show someone you care, bro.

Maru's right on the money. You're giving them the video game equivalent of a framed photo of yourself.

[REPO Man]

Erm... in this analogy, Digimon would make more sense.

Shooting NERF guns >> Doom and Metal Slug (but not Duke Nukem 3D, for obvious reasons)

Pokemon >> Other monster battling IPs

Aside from Digimon, there's the MegaTen series. Depending on his maturity level, I'd start with Demikids for GBA if he's still in elementary school, Persona if he's in middle school and the main line games (1, 2, if..., 3, Strange Journey, 4, 4: Apocalypse, 5) if he's in high school. There's also the Devil Survivor games on DS, along with their 3DS remakes.

And then there's Game Freak's other IPs. I personally enjoy Tembo the Bad Ass Elephant.

But back to Pokemon, despite Nintendo's C&D fetish, one can find a host of great hacks and fan games. Given one of my niece's love for Sonic the Hedgehog, I tossed in a ton of ROM hacks and similar platformers (Socket, High Seas Havoc, Rocket Knight Adventures). And the kids all love Disney, so naturally I threw in all the excellent Disney games made by Capcom, along with Goin' Quackers and the European-only PS1 port of Mickey Mania (some time ago someone made a patch so it can run on NTSC consoles).

I've also used their love of Disney as a stepping stone to introducing the kids to musicals.

[marurun]

Well, since I don't know their exact tastes I'm literally just throwing in damn near everything.

I know the boys like NERF guns so I figure a crapton of shmups and FPS games would be up their alley. And one of my nieces DID say she liked Sonic the Hedgehog and iirc she is also into horror (she went as Slenderman for Halloween), so I've tossed in tons of Sonic games (including ROM hacks) and if she's developing a taste for horror maybe she'll enjoy the likes of Resident Evil.

I'm quoting you here. You don't know their exact tastes. I mean, this is better than nothing, certainly, but you're still working on a thin basis. This entire idea still speaks to you trying to mold them to your interests instead of trying to adapt yourself to their interests.

[REPO Man]

No one's twisting their arm to accept my gift and use it. It's more like when your boss orders pizza for the employees. If it's there you might be like "why not" and snag a slice or two.

[opa]

Man, some of y'all must have the patience of a saint. This is like the fifth time this exact conversation has been had this year.

[SamuraiMegas]

I can't believe it, but I'm going to defend REPO a little here. If the kids actually DO enjoy playing video games, then I could see little emulator boxes as actually being a decent present.

I'm the youngest dude on the forums I think (22) and that's basically how I got into old games, on top of being given a Sega Genesis. I had a little plug and play from a flea market with 100+ NES games I'd play. Having free access to hundreds of games would be sick. I don't know how old the kids are, but if they are 7+ they can figure out the menus fine. I was playing Jet Set Radio Future and Gitaroo Man around that age- if it's there and they have a chance to try it and enjoy it they might.


edit: I would probably still include only good games on the roms though, not full sets like I'd for 10+ yr olds

[Golgo 14]

If they're really into old games, sure, that enthusiasm will inspire them to figure out the emulators. If they just said they liked Sonic the Hedgehog once, nah.

[SamuraiMegas]

Dude, when I was in 4th grade we were passing around emulators with Gameboy and Super Nintendo games on them for our school laptops, ~2009ish. Kids these days have grown up being tech literate for the most part. Games are games, if they're fun they're fun. Again, IF they like playing video games, I think it's OK. Definitely could have been planned better though...

[Golgo 14]

Dude, when I was in 4th grade we were passing around emulators with Gameboy and Super Nintendo games on them for our school laptops, ~2009ish. Kids these days have grown up being tech literate for the most part.

I mean, I said if they have the interest they can figure it out. Do you think that's likely here? Or is it more likely that they played Sonic the Hedgehog for ten minutes one time and thought it was okay?

Games are games, if they're fun they're fun.

I believe this, and most of the people on this retro gaming site believe this, but I wouldn't blame a kid for balking at fugly PS1 graphics.