Retro for the little ones - how to start 'em out?

[molotovwars]

Sonic 2 on the Sega Genesis. Some people will say to start on Sonic 1, but I think Sonic 2 is more fun and can be enjoyed quickly, more easily.

[Anapan]

One of my first memories is playing Frogger on Atari. I loved making the frog go nuts before getting run-over. Start the kid with an arcade controller and something that doesn't need to be completed to enjoy. My niece loves Pacman CE and Tetris.

[MrPopo]

He is playing loz oot a lot lately. I will say he has no interest in sega dreamcast??? He says "it's crap dad"

My solution to make kids like classic games is to lock them in a room with battletoads. You don't want to know what my solution to a kid not liking the dreamcast is.

Lock them in a room with a Dreamcast and a single disc that contains an NES emulator with Battletoads?

[Lokkenjawnz]

Gameboy. OG model. Those things are damn near impossible to break, and there's plenty of classic, and more importantly simple, games on the system. It sips batteries too, so it'll last plenty of time between battery changes. My first real videogame system was an OG gameboy when I was 5 or 6, I only had one cart and it was Missile Command/Asteroids. Left one hell of a mark on me.

For the kid's earlier years, I strongly recommend some of the older educational games on the computer. That way it becomes a bonding experience as you help your kid out, and it'll help them learn to use computers and games and such, while teaching them logic, reading, math, etc. Those are my earliest computer/videogaming memories, and some of my fondest memories of anything in my life.

The biggest thing to keep in mind is to make it an experience for both of you. Games are fun and all, but they're way more fun when you play with someone else, especially someone close, like a parent. Good luck with the kid(s)!

[Anapan]

As far as edutainment goes, Oregon trail kept My niece occupied for a bit and she loves The Manhole.

[SpaceBooger]

It depends on how young you start them.
At about age 1 many kids have decent hand eye coordination, not enough to play but enough to point and push buttons - and this makes Sonic a great choice.
My son at about 1 year, got a kick out of pushing the button to make Sonic jump. First he was enthralled by the sound and then after a while (about 16months) he started to relate the button to Sonic jumping.
He is now a year and a half and still doesn't quite get the mechanics of the d-pad, but he loves to make Sonic jump all around the screen.

So, if you ask the me the best game to start out with I say Sonic (any of them for the Genesis), because only one button is needed and all buttons do the same action which is easy for young children.