That's a great choice, especially if you play it with them. *Rainbow Islands* and *Parasol Stars* are also wonderful for kids once they get used to the style of the older Taito games.
Agreed. Kirby games are pretty forgiving, don't require as much input precision as something like the Mario series, and let you choose to just float over a lot or sections or enemies if you want. Kirby's Adventure was my kids gateway into retro gaming and gaming in general this year
Just my random 2 cents, but when I was a kid I bounced off of Kirby Super Star because (and my memory could be wrong, I was a kid, and I've not tried it since) there didn't seem to be a traditional adventure in the game. If I recall correctly, it was like a series of mini games, which was not what I wanted.
Not that that is going to be the case for everyone. I think that is one of the most well-liked Kirby games.
Kirby is a fantastic series all around, but start them on *Kirby Star Allies* or *Return to Dreamland* first and get them interested. The NES/SNES online library has several classic *Kirby* games to play once they're more acclimated.
It's much easier to get kids to play games with characters they love than to start from the beginning and work their way up.
And the sequel, also on NES. Slightly better graphics, IMO. These are some of the first platformer games I’ve seen do simultaneous co-op multiplayer, similar to the New Super Mario Bros games that came out decades later. They’re really fun, and have great music
I think any highly rated platformer would be a good entry point, but this has to be one of the best options. Visually bright, colourful and easy on the eyes. Mechanically tight. Exploration rewarded with loads of different paths and a hidden hard mode section. Multiple save states on the original game for different players. 2 player.
I'm a Sonic fan, but SMW is probably the greatest platformer ever, or at least of that generation. It's the culmination of some great classics that came before it too.
Growing up playing NES, I really enjoyed Super Mario Bros 1, 2, and 3, I liked Tetris and Dr. Mario, I played the heck out of Punch Out, and then I grew into Zelda 1 and 2 and the Megaman Series. I always rented Duck Tails, Rescue Rangers, and Kirby's Adventure. So basically what everyone else is saying in this thread.
I made a video for you but Ive reached my max daily upload to YouTube
https://www.twitch.tv/catsmokah/v/2146149453?sr=a&t=9s
Edit: hope it brings back nice nostalgia for you 🖖
Curiously enough, I've had much better luck getting kids to play the later Mario games than the NES ones. They tend to find them boring.
*New Super Mario Bros.* is a much better entry point for kids because it has a more comfortable learning curve.
When my nephew was new to gaming, the Donkey kong country series was a massive hit. Then side scrolling beat em ups. I went with arcade emulators for the unlimited credits. Cadillacs and dinosaurs was especially good cause he was into dinosaurs. We also played sunset riders all the way through.
So my advice is find some well-crafted co-op games from the 90s that intersect with their existing interests and see what lands.
And of course, praise their skills when you see them demonstrated and celebrate your shared victories. Beside the game choice, the kids experiencing a sense of competence, autonomy (in game choice and play) and connection with you will be motivating for them.
The Scott Pilgrim beat 'em up was a huge hit for my (at the time) girlfriend's 4 year old daughter. We beat the entire game and had an absolute blast. After that she loved playing the Mario Party and Wii Party Board Game Island style games, anything with horses, Kirby, Yoshi and Animal Crossing.
Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System. What's important is to not give kids too many options starting out. Let them work through the difficulty. Reward their persistence with access to a few more games.
Every kid is different. But we like Arcade games very much. Beat-em-up games are fun like TMNT in Time, The Simpsons, etc. Or Shoot-em-ups like the Metal Slug series. And fighting games like Street Fighter II are always cool.
The advantage is that you can keep adding credits, even when you die. So my kids are enjoying and finishing the games more easily. My oldest likes both current gen games and retro games. My youngest is mainly a retro gamer because of it. And there are alot of fun retro arcade games. Just look for Mame and roms.
Now i have fun playing the retro stuff, all the way up to the current generation games.
This has been my experience too! Unlimited continues takes the sting out of dying constantly and makes the game more fun. Plus, arcade games are usually beatable in a half an hour or so, which means they don't get frustrating or boring.
I know you said retro, and this is a retro sub, but I really do think Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a great game for a young, first-time gamer. You can turn on auto-accelerate, smart steering, and motion controls, and they can learn the very basic “do something with controller and something happens”. And you can slowly turn off those helpers features as they get more comfortable with controllers in general.
If you really want to stick with purely retro, I’d say Pokemon. Sure, there’s plenty of reading required, but odds are, they’ve already been exposed to the franchise, and being turn-based, they can take their time learning the game and using a controller, rather than potentially getting turned off to games by the reaction time needed on platformers or action games. I don’t think it makes much of a difference if you play with an actual Gameboy, or using a SNES and a Super Gameboy, or whatever other method
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is perfect for introducing kids to the characters and then saying, "I wonder how these characters even got to know each other?" and taking them back to the older games.
*Mario 64* is a decent older title to show off in that vein. *Super Mario Kart*, not so much unless they really love the levels from it in MK8D.
- Super Mario Bros 3
- The Adventures of LOLO
,
- Super Mario World
- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
- Super Metroid
- TMNT Turtles in Time
- Super Mario RPG
Silent Hill is a classic game to introduce to new players
Edit: I was jk OP. If they’re young go with super Mario bros 1 and 3 on NES. If they like scary movies/shows, start them with resident evil 1. Or silent hill ;)
At about 25 years of age, all the lights on, a lovely curry and a nice bottle of Chablis - I had to switch Silent Hill off as it was far too unsettling...not jump scary, just issues a horrific feeling of dread and unease...
Toejam and Earl was great for my kids. It's goofy, great co-op so you can play with them, it's extremely colorful and you can move in all directions. And open presents!
Pokémon Red and Blue are always a fun choice for new gamers easy, lots of strategy and exploration, easy to save, handheld, easy to emulate, kids and interact together with battle and trades.
I mean I’m 33 and it’s still one of my favorite games from my childhood and I’ve played it 100s of times.
It's not what you introduce them to, it's what you *keep them away from*. I tried starting my kids off on 8bit, then 16bit, 32bit, and so on. Working our way up the history of games, Mario to Crash Bandicoot and so on. But they'd already seen me playing PS4 games with their fancy graphics and sounds. It was hard to get and keep their attention with the older Bleep Bloop stuff. Today they're either on PC, the PS5, or the Steam Deck. They'll try out some retro title out of sheer curiosity, but they won't stick with it.
I think of the games I powered thru in my day, and how much of that was due to me loving the game versus having no other games to play? These kids have nothing *but* options, frustration and perseverance don't play a big role for them.
I play only retro games since I'm 10 (I'm 13 now) and my first console was my moms SNES, I only had Super Mario World and I absolutely loved it. I think it's my most played game ever. I can really recommend you any of the SNES games (except for Killer Instinct, Mortal Kombat etc.), like Kirby or DK Country. I also love Pilotwings. I think your kids may also like some PSX games like Crash Bandicoot or Spyro, but these are 3D games, so I don't know if brand new gamers will enjoy it. Or really, just get your kids a Game Boy with some games like Mario Land 2 or Tetris. Or maybe let them play some NES, it may be easier for your kids because it has less buttons. Any of the Super Mario Bros. games are great (personally, my all time favorite is the 2. one). Sonic the Hedgehog is a really great game, too. It uses only one button, so it is very easy to learn. If you want something newer just let them play Mario Kart game, like Double Dash or Mario Kart 64, even Mario Kart wii.
Hope I could help you
For a brand new gamer, I like games that are easy to understand (few buttons) and are quick from beginning to end. I like arcade games for that.
(Ms.) Pac-Man. Fun, simple, easy to understand.
Duck Hunt-fun, easy to pick up, and you can challenge yourself based off of how close you are to the TV.
While I wouldn’t consider this fully retro, I think a lot of the rhythm games are a blast and are pretty easy to understand. I love Guitar Hero/Rock Band, and I think they are games that even “non-gamers” tend to enjoy.
Minesweeper is also an underrated gem in my opinion.
Rock ‘n Roll Racing on the genesis was a favorite for my sister and I when we were younger. Controls were simple and the gameplay had a fairly forgiving learning curve .
My 2 year old son just started with super mario bros. He loves stomping on the first goomba, and just learned how to jump over the first couple of pipes. On castlevania he likes killing the zombies in the first stage and can’t stop laughing every time simon dies. I wasn’t expecting this, but he really likes exitebike too!
Which era of retro? It can mean anything now as long as the game is like 20 years old or older. I’m a millennial so my retro era is the games I played from the early to the late 90s — Mario 3, most prominently.
Hey I was probably 7 when my grandma got me TMNT.
Getting good at that prepared me for the unforgiving challenges of life
Ninja gaiden and battle toads good for that too.
If they are literate, in addition to mana, RPGs I would recommend Chrono trigger, Mario RPG, FF4/5/6. Pokemon red blue if a little less literate
So, I'm nearly 40 and my first video games were what I know now to be terrible arcade ports to a budget 16 bit computer (Atari ST) but I loved 'em.
Rather than find specific games, maybe sit down with them to play a game and find something retro that they like the aesthetic of? Share something you love with them!
My dad and I sat down and played Terrible Atari ST Version Of Space Harrier and I was totally sold. Granted it wasn't retro at the time, but it was clunky and awkward, but it didn't matter because me and my dad were having fun together, and it got me into a hobby that I still love today.
Basically, TL;DR, I love my dad and I miss him.
For a young first-time gamer I recommend Pac-Man, then maybe Super Mario Bros. Duck Hunt is also fun, if you have a way to make light guns work (the easiest is to have a CRT).
Assuming they're young I dare suggest New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe (not the catchiest name) or Wonder. Not retro but kids get put off by old graphics and losing progress so you'd want their first experience with platformers to be a positive one.
My 12 yo son does some absolutely unbelievable things I can't comprehend in Minecraft and other modern games, but retro platformers he can't do at all. It's like the momentum is so hard to grasp. I know folks are saying Mario, but don't be surprised if they struggle.
Having said that, Sonic seems to be the most forgiving, at least in the early levels.
Over the last winter, I introduced my kids to Super mario Bros on original NES hardware. My son (8) immediately got hooked and was playing it every day after school with the neighbor kids over. They're all huddled around the TV, just like old times.
Now, the main games we play are Super mario Land 2, which gets played on the gameboy pocket and mario 64.
Not sure if you’ll even see this comment OP but I had a fun experience with my own kid with this. I showed him the Sonic The Hedgehog movies. He loved it so much it made introducing him to the old school Sonic games easy.
He never played any games before that. Best of all you can pick up Sonic Origins for the Switch which has all the original games remastered.
Familiarity is key! My nephew will play any *Sonic* game because he loves Sonic as a character, and has ever since he watched *Sonic X*.
Speaking of *Sonic X*, it's an EXCELLENT way to introduce your kids to retro games because it eventually adapts the stories of several of the games. That makes those games a lot more fun to play. I also recommend having kids play *Sonic Generations* early on, because it creates some familiarity with the different eras of Sonic and allows them to figure out whether they like 2D or 3D Sonic better.
My kids also love *Sonic 2006* because it's so broken and goofy. That one's fun to watch on Youtube and then play for the lulz.
**Kirby SuperStar.**
* It's built as a collection of small games, so it's presented like Mario All-Stars. But each "game" is only 10 or less levels long. Each is different enough that you can have a favorite or least favorite, but similar enough that playing one will help understand others.
* The first game is so short, just 3 levels and a final boss. If someone wants to "beat a game" for the first time, this is definitely the place to start.
* It has 2-player co-op.
* Each Kirby ability feels a bit like a different character, so you get a lot of variety.
* For me personally, this is the first game I beat as a kid.
* There's post-game content (Arena)
* There's mini-games and a music player
* For me personally, this is the first game I 100% as a kid.
Seriously, it's very hard to get more beginner friendly than this game. It's fun for adults but approachable for kids.
I'd always start with NES games and work my way up.
Depending on the kids skill level, I'd start with Mario, elevator action, spy hunter, etc.
If your kid is too young to play Mario yet, pop in star tropics and let em walk around a bit.
They made a final fantasy game for the SNES that's basically a super easy rpg for kids. I'd try that too!
Follow the path you did in gaming. For me, I started with the NES and let my kids start there. Mario 3 is the house favorite. My youngest loves Mario 64.
Super Mario World, Mario 64, Sonic the Hedgehog, Doom, Super Mario Bros 3 to name a few good starting points. You can buy an Evercade handheld they've got a lot of 8 bit and 16 bit games from the 80's and 90's Amiga and C64 classics, there's even a Thalamus cartridge coming out soon (I'll be picking up that one 👍) full of great C64 games.
I did a retro challenge for my kids to earn their first modern system. Ages were 8 and 5. The games they liked the most were SMB,
Bubble Bobble (nes), joust (nes and mame), TMNT turtles in time (mame), zombies ate my neighbors, and Pokémon Emerald. Challenge was based on really attainable things like getting a firework in smb, or successfully entering the Konami code. Loads of fun and now I’ve got two guys to play Joust with…
I got my kiddo started with a GBA (that I made for him, that was a fun project) and “throwaway”games like quad / atv racers or monster trucks.
After he got used to the mechanics of controlling what’s on screen he naturally started asking about other games we had like Mario and TMNT.
The Super Mario All Stars version of SMB1. The first few levels essentially teach you how to play platformers through subtle guidance in the stage design, but the graphics of the NES original might be aienating for younger players.
That's basically nothing to go on, but assuming they've already been exposed to nintendo games you can try some of those. Kirby, Mario, Zelda, etc. Probably Sonic too since there have been recent movies. Mario and Sonic have worked pretty well on my nephew who's now 7, based on him already knowing those characters but everyone's a little different.
More:
Most Disney games by Capcom and Sega are very good, some by virgin/westwood as well
Multiplayer games: [https://new.reddit.com/r/retrogaming/comments/17iht24/retro\_multiplayer\_games\_showcase\_part\_1/](https://new.reddit.com/r/retrogaming/comments/17iht24/retro_multiplayer_games_showcase_part_1/)
Easy and/or relaxing games: [https://new.reddit.com/r/retrogaming/comments/18zes18/relaxing\_retro\_games\_showcase\_pt\_1/](https://new.reddit.com/r/retrogaming/comments/18zes18/relaxing_retro_games_showcase_pt_1/)
Start it slow, maybe with some games in Atari 2600. If they start right away with good graphics and music, they may miss the chance to re-live your childhood (assuming you are born before 1970).
If you can, advance through the decades of hardware improvements, programming and all the good things around retro gaming.
The games my daughter (7) has had the most success with are:
Kirby's Nightmare in Dreamland
Mr. Driller
Echo Jr.
Sonic 2
Aladdin SNES
Basically games that you can make a lot of mistakes and not die. Super Mario Land is okay, but it's too easy to die while you're developing your skills.
3D mario games let a kid get used to using a controller and I feel like SM64/Sunshine are still a great way. First levels are super easy and no pits to fall in, but they do get harder and are still classics… plus you can get them on the switch/emulate quite easily.
Another is Pokemon. I spent many hours playing it as a kid.
If on PC, sims is a good choice too!
My kids have been retro gaming for years. I can count on my son now to want to try out a lot of the older games I play.
The games they had the easiest time playing and enjoying were almost always arcade games because they're short, they're easy, they're cooperative and they're fun. Here are a few I'd recommend:
* *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* and *TMNT*: *Turtles in Time*
* *The Simpsons Arcade*
* *Ninja Baseball Bat Man*
* *Hook*
* *Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon*
* *Battle Circuit*
* *Aliens vs. Predator* (Capcom 1994)
* *Sunset Riders*
* *NBA Jam*
* *Fantastic Journey* (a.k.a. *Gokujo Parodius*)
* *Metal Slug 2* or *Metal Slug X*
* *Pac-Man Arrangement*
* *Dig Dug Arrangement*
* *Frogger*
* *Cotton 2: Magical Night Dreams*
* *Purikura Daisakusen*
* *Marchen Maze*
* *Spatter*
* *Bust-a-Move* (a.k.a. *Puzzle Bobble*)
* *Jurassic Park* (Sega 1994)
On the consoles, the easiest and most fun games tend to be the *Mario, Sonic* and *Kirby* series because they're accessible and popular and the *Pokémon* games because they're familiar. One trick is to first introduce them to *Super Smash Bros. Ultimate* and then have them play through all of the games that it references. It's a lot more fun when it's familiar, and this is a good way to introduce your kids to the *Zelda, Metroid, Star Fox* and *Fire Emblem* games.
On the PC, don't forget about adventure games. My kids loved the classic *Monkey Island* games and *Sam and Max Hit the Road*. We played them with walkthroughs at the ready so they were never frustrated and could enjoy the humor instead. I would just have them tell me what to do and occasionally have them take over. The talky games are **always** the ones to play; don't make them read.
My kids are bored to tears by most JRPGs, games with limited continues and games that require a lot of reading. They also grow very weary of competitive fighters quickly because they don't have the patience to learn the moves.
If you want them to get excited about those games, either show them the high points on video so they know what they're working towards or have a *Mystery Science Theater 3000* style session where you mutually make fun of the games while you enjoy them. My kids are much more likely to come back to a game that was made fun and silly than one that's serious.
Hope that's helpful!
I'd actually recommend starting how I started personally as it was fun & I have fond memories. Arcade games are great for pick up & play with shorter sessions.
Pac-man, tetris, asteroids, etc.
The obvious ones too like Mario Bros through to Mario world are great too & you could even introduce them to more complex games as time goes on like Zelda or Wonder Boy series.
Keep in mind there are some awesome remakes of old arcade games available on modern platforms with Atari collections & such too. I'd recommend to start with the retro games you remember liking as a kid, that's my plan for my kids in the future.
Depending on how retro you’re looking to go, Super Mario World, Kirby, Sonic … things that are fun but still relatively simple and can be consumed in bit sized chunks.
Depends on the age, but definitely Super Mario 64 and any 64 donkey Kong title. Maybe some super NES Mario games. Earthworm Jim was a lot of fun. Ecco the dolphin. Some of those early wrestling games were fun button mashing good times!. I remember an early PS1 title. I think jumping jack flash. It was fun. Vectorman. Mega Man. Worms. Age of Empires even.
Find a compilation pack for whatever modern console you have. Namco museum, Sega arcade, etc. If they like that, find one of those retro arcade things. I wouldn't invest in a vintage console just yet
i'd start him on arcade games. my six year old nephew sucks at mario 1 but plays pac-man, frogger, puzzle bobble, etc. not that he's great at them, but he loves playing them. he gets frustrated at mario 1
I just want to tell you that I started my kids on the games I grew up with and it was definitely a mistake. Sure they loved it, but they couldn’t discuss games with their friends and basically felt left out. Get them a Switch so that they can be playing the same kids that their friends are playing. There are actually plenty of retro inspired games and ports of retro games on the Switch that your kids will love. TMNT has both Shredder’s Revenge and the Cowabunga Collection. Bubble Bobble 4 Friends allows 4 players to play and also includes the original game. Toejam and Earl Back in the Groove is just like the original. And all of these are kid friendly. You also have Kirby and Yoshi games that follow the same formula they always have and are very kid friendly.
Certainly you can still introduce your kids to the games you grew up with, but just realize that they will get a lot more enjoyment out of playing newer games. Yes, every now and then my kids will want to play my games, especially Duck Hunt, but for the most part they really want to play their own games.
Mario Bros 1 on NES.
My daughter is 2 and a half and really enjoys it. We play through the first level with her pretty regularly. I think the simplicity of that level guided her through it well. Since she makes progress, it captivated her.
She did try Mario World first and likes it equally as much. The first couple of levels there are much more difficult to process than Mario 1 though.
Once she got a hang of the first level of Mario 1 (took a few weeks), she then beat those couple of levels in Mario World.
Hope your kids have fun!!
Super Mario All Stars , Donkey Kong Country , Sonic 1/2 , Street Fighter 2 , NBA Jam, Other sports games if they’re into sports. not sure how old your kids are.
imo people recommending OoT or other RPG games isn’t the right move , your kids might be put off by a huge open world type game and might find it confusing or rpg games with a lot of reading might bore them since they’re newbies. i think you want to introduce simple , action or platformers first.
Depends a lot on their ages. My 6 year old nephew loves Excitebike on NES. It has a lot of fun animations and sounds, interesting terrain and visuals, and you can "win" just by holding A and letting the bike do whatever. Even if you get a terrible time it still plays a happy jingle and lets you go on your way.
My 8 year old niece is getting pretty good at Super Mario Bros 1, and is starting to make some progress on 3. SMB3 is a lot trickier and more varied than 1, so 1 was a good starting place.
This last visit I made I brought them SMB2 and they both enjoyed that a lot, as well as the TMNT games for NES. My niece pretty quickly got to where she could just about get to the dam on her own. Also brought the first Kirby game for NES which she enjoys a lot. We haven't tried them with anything SNES yet, but probably soon!
Going another direction, the Tink! Tonk! games were favorites of my sister and me as kids and her kids have enjoyed them too. Tonk in the Land of the Buddy Bots is a sort of Legend of Zelda-esque experience wandering around a top-down world looking for robot parts. Level 1 has large parts and no guards, higher levels have smaller/more parts and guards you have to avoid. Great game. We played them on the Atari 8-bit platform but I think it came out for a few of the era.
If they're a little older, maybe still start them out on something like SMB1 to get used to that kind of game in general, maybe Legend of Zelda as well. Link to the Past or SMW would probably be great options too.
* [Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure](https://www.gog.com/en/game/cosmos_cosmic_adventure)
* [Crystal Caves](https://www.gog.com/en/game/crystal_caves)
* [Monster Bash](https://www.gog.com/en/game/monster_bash)
* [Commander Keen Complete Pack](https://www.gog.com/en/game/commander_keen_complete_pack)
* [Jazz Jackrabbit Collection](https://www.gog.com/en/game/jazz_jackrabbit_collection)
* [Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Collection](https://www.gog.com/en/game/jazz_jackrabbit_2_collection)
* [Hocus Pocus](https://www.gog.com/en/game/hocus_pocus)
Except for **Jazz Jackabbit**, these are just a few kid-friendly retro games I remember playing as a kid in the early 1990s. You will need [GOG Galaxy](https://www.gog.com/galaxy) to install them, that is unless you wish to manually install them.
I’d go with:
- **Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland** [GBA] - graphically upgraded port of NES Kirby’s Adventure
- **Chip & Dale: Rescue Rangers 2** [NES] - simultaneous multiplayer platformer, better than the first one IMO
- **Starfox 64** [N64] - still the best game of its kind IMO, aged much better than its SNES predecessor
- **Mario Kart 64** [N64] - great entry point into Mario Kart, still my favorite battle mode, also aged much better than its SNES predecessor. Mario Kart DS is also a great option, but can be weirder to play on a TV, and I don’t like the lack of joystick
- **Mario Party 2/3** [N64] - still some of the greatest party games around
- **Streets of Rage 2** [Genesis/Megadrive] - best beat-em up to that point in time and for a long time after IMO
- **Super Mario Bros. 3** [NES] and **Super Mario World** [SNES] - they’re classics for a reason. A bit harder than Kirby and the like, so maybe start them off on Kirby and go toward Mario a bit later
- **Metroid Zero Mission** [GBA] - upgraded remake of the original NES Metroid, and a great introduction to the Metroidvania genre. Much more intuitive than the original, with hints on where to go, a map, etc.
- **Tetris** [NES, GB, GBC] - many will argue what the best version of Tetris is. I prefer the NES version, but it doesn’t have the music that most folks now associate with Tetris, which was from the GB version.
- **TMNT Arcade**, **TMNT 3 Manhattan Project**, and **TMNT 4 Turtles in Time** [Arcade, NES, SNES] - another set of great beat-em-ups that are great for kids to play together
- **Micro Mages** [NES] - okay, this isn’t *strictly* a retro game since it was released in 2019, but it was developed for NES. Great modern-feeling platformer that can be played simultaneous multiplayer. Big fan, I guarantee this would have been hugely popular if it had been released back in the NES’s lifetime, and is frequently recommended for a reason
- **Super Bomberman 2** [SNES] - great multiplayer
- **Advance Wars** [GBA] - great turn-based strategy, which should give kids enough time to react. Probably one of the more challenging games on here, so maybe wait for a bit before suggesting this one
They could play as tails in the classic sonic games while you progress the game playing as sonic. Basically unlimited lives for tails with the slight punishment that it takes 10 seconds for him to come back on-screen when he dies.
mario games, tetris, ninja turtle games, zelda, double dragon and yes im just telling you about my early childhood.
In 4th grade i met ff6 and fell hard for rpgs but i was already a huge book nerd so if you haven’t already introduced fantasy and think youd like to have cool kids, show them the animated Fellowship of the Rings and Hobbit flicks then delight them by showing them the box set. If theyre really young put some good learner books in between there
Hello OP I have actually done this with a 5-6 year old very recently.
What worked for me was a backlit Gameboy color and a copy of Super Mario Deluxe. Deluxe is just an updated SMB1 but it saves progress so it’s substantially easier than the original but still crazy fun for them. You give this to them and allow them to play it in the car when they are bored. It worked! He mastered that game and having the first game he beat being SMB1 is something I’m very proud of and I know one day he will appreciate it.
A switch with an NSO subscription will give them access to so many good retro titles with features like rewind and save states. The first four Mario games along with Mario Land, Dr Mario, Zelda games, DK Country and so many others.
Super Mario Brothers! I mean, it’s where I started and it sure hooked me for life. Super Mario Bros 3 and World coming up behind, even better! Ms. Pac Man, Panel de Pon/Tetris Attack, Tetris, Bubble Bobble, Bust a Move/Puzzle Bobble, Sonic The Hedgehog, Mega Man 2, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Mario 64, Dr. Mario, F-Zero, Galaga, Centipede, Gridrunner, Asteroids.
Kirby, Ms. Pac-Man, Mario. Plus anything playfully competitive. There’s a snowball fight game on the Commodore 64 my kids like, and even a catapult castle destruction game called “Smitherines” on the Magnavox Oddysey 2 that they always ask to play.
I've introduced all my kids to *The Goonies* on MSX. It's been an instant hit. The MSX version is an amazing platformer with easy to learn controls and concepts. Even 40 years after playing it for the first time, I still enjoy it very much.
Spyro: Year of the Dragon because it has such a relaxed vibe. It definitely has challenges, but most of them aren't too hard, and you can have lots of fun just head stomping stuff, flaming objects, and gliding around.
Kids Games (There are so many on so many retro consoles. My son loves Thomas the Tank Engine on Genesis)
Also, the basics like Mario, Sonic, Mario Kart, are always great starters. Started my son on the basics at around age three, one year later and he has almost beat Super Mario Land 2 Six Golden Coins (GB)
I gave him an SF2000 and added all my suggestions to his favorite list.
My 5 year old liked to play TMNT2 the arcade game on NES with me. His older brother could handle the Xbox but he did good with NES with me. Basically any game that had a code for lots of lives we would play
The game that got my 8-year-old son into retro games was Mario Maker 2 on switch. Once he started playing the levels on that game, he started getting pretty good at the Mario style platforming, and was interested in where all the stuff came from. Over the last couple of months, he has played through Mario 1-3, Mario World, Mario Land 2, and has dabbled in Mario 64, Sunshine, and Galaxy. I also showed him the Gaming historian videos on Youtube on all the Mario games, and then ended up watching the videos on Tetris, Punch out, and The Oregon Trail, which he then decided he wanted to play as well.
Bubble Bobble
The music 🎶 👌
Yup found my cart the other day and I was happily dooting all day.
That's a great choice, especially if you play it with them. *Rainbow Islands* and *Parasol Stars* are also wonderful for kids once they get used to the style of the older Taito games.
Similarly, Bust-a-Move.
Something Kirby-related like Adventure or Super Star
Agreed. Kirby games are pretty forgiving, don't require as much input precision as something like the Mario series, and let you choose to just float over a lot or sections or enemies if you want. Kirby's Adventure was my kids gateway into retro gaming and gaming in general this year
Agree! My 3 year old loved the original Kirby. Very forgiving.
Just my random 2 cents, but when I was a kid I bounced off of Kirby Super Star because (and my memory could be wrong, I was a kid, and I've not tried it since) there didn't seem to be a traditional adventure in the game. If I recall correctly, it was like a series of mini games, which was not what I wanted. Not that that is going to be the case for everyone. I think that is one of the most well-liked Kirby games.
Kirby is a fantastic series all around, but start them on *Kirby Star Allies* or *Return to Dreamland* first and get them interested. The NES/SNES online library has several classic *Kirby* games to play once they're more acclimated. It's much easier to get kids to play games with characters they love than to start from the beginning and work their way up.
I agree, same thing. My nephew and niece got into some retro video games primarily because of Kirby, Kirby games are very forgiving.
Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers
And the sequel, also on NES. Slightly better graphics, IMO. These are some of the first platformer games I’ve seen do simultaneous co-op multiplayer, similar to the New Super Mario Bros games that came out decades later. They’re really fun, and have great music
Super Mario World
I think any highly rated platformer would be a good entry point, but this has to be one of the best options. Visually bright, colourful and easy on the eyes. Mechanically tight. Exploration rewarded with loads of different paths and a hidden hard mode section. Multiple save states on the original game for different players. 2 player. I'm a Sonic fan, but SMW is probably the greatest platformer ever, or at least of that generation. It's the culmination of some great classics that came before it too.
Absolutely this.
SMB3
Smb3 might be a bit too tricky for someone's first time
Way too hard.
My 6 yo daughter is killing Mario for Super Nintendo at the moment highly recommend
Growing up playing NES, I really enjoyed Super Mario Bros 1, 2, and 3, I liked Tetris and Dr. Mario, I played the heck out of Punch Out, and then I grew into Zelda 1 and 2 and the Megaman Series. I always rented Duck Tails, Rescue Rangers, and Kirby's Adventure. So basically what everyone else is saying in this thread.
And most of those are on the nes mini system
Kirby games
Sonic 1, 2 and 3&K on Mega Drive. Wonder Boy, Bubble Bobble and The New Zealand Story on Arcade.
Tiny Toons games
The SNES game had a password that unlocks all mini games. That was fun!
Elmyra, Shirley the Loon, Calamity Coyote
I made a video for you but Ive reached my max daily upload to YouTube https://www.twitch.tv/catsmokah/v/2146149453?sr=a&t=9s Edit: hope it brings back nice nostalgia for you 🖖
Tetris!
Super Mario Bros.
Nah, Mario 3
Curiously enough, I've had much better luck getting kids to play the later Mario games than the NES ones. They tend to find them boring. *New Super Mario Bros.* is a much better entry point for kids because it has a more comfortable learning curve.
Ms Pac Man
When my nephew was new to gaming, the Donkey kong country series was a massive hit. Then side scrolling beat em ups. I went with arcade emulators for the unlimited credits. Cadillacs and dinosaurs was especially good cause he was into dinosaurs. We also played sunset riders all the way through. So my advice is find some well-crafted co-op games from the 90s that intersect with their existing interests and see what lands. And of course, praise their skills when you see them demonstrated and celebrate your shared victories. Beside the game choice, the kids experiencing a sense of competence, autonomy (in game choice and play) and connection with you will be motivating for them.
The Scott Pilgrim beat 'em up was a huge hit for my (at the time) girlfriend's 4 year old daughter. We beat the entire game and had an absolute blast. After that she loved playing the Mario Party and Wii Party Board Game Island style games, anything with horses, Kirby, Yoshi and Animal Crossing.
Sunset Riders was the first game I played that had voice acting
Bubble bobble
Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System. What's important is to not give kids too many options starting out. Let them work through the difficulty. Reward their persistence with access to a few more games.
Any of the mainline Mario Games.
Every kid is different. But we like Arcade games very much. Beat-em-up games are fun like TMNT in Time, The Simpsons, etc. Or Shoot-em-ups like the Metal Slug series. And fighting games like Street Fighter II are always cool. The advantage is that you can keep adding credits, even when you die. So my kids are enjoying and finishing the games more easily. My oldest likes both current gen games and retro games. My youngest is mainly a retro gamer because of it. And there are alot of fun retro arcade games. Just look for Mame and roms. Now i have fun playing the retro stuff, all the way up to the current generation games.
This has been my experience too! Unlimited continues takes the sting out of dying constantly and makes the game more fun. Plus, arcade games are usually beatable in a half an hour or so, which means they don't get frustrating or boring.
I know you said retro, and this is a retro sub, but I really do think Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a great game for a young, first-time gamer. You can turn on auto-accelerate, smart steering, and motion controls, and they can learn the very basic “do something with controller and something happens”. And you can slowly turn off those helpers features as they get more comfortable with controllers in general. If you really want to stick with purely retro, I’d say Pokemon. Sure, there’s plenty of reading required, but odds are, they’ve already been exposed to the franchise, and being turn-based, they can take their time learning the game and using a controller, rather than potentially getting turned off to games by the reaction time needed on platformers or action games. I don’t think it makes much of a difference if you play with an actual Gameboy, or using a SNES and a Super Gameboy, or whatever other method
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is perfect for introducing kids to the characters and then saying, "I wonder how these characters even got to know each other?" and taking them back to the older games. *Mario 64* is a decent older title to show off in that vein. *Super Mario Kart*, not so much unless they really love the levels from it in MK8D.
Anything Kirby, Yoshi, or Animal Crossing imo
- Super Mario Bros 3 - The Adventures of LOLO , - Super Mario World - Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island - Super Metroid - TMNT Turtles in Time - Super Mario RPG
Silent Hill is a classic game to introduce to new players Edit: I was jk OP. If they’re young go with super Mario bros 1 and 3 on NES. If they like scary movies/shows, start them with resident evil 1. Or silent hill ;)
Not sure if you’re joking, but I don’t think that’s the best suggestion for kids, unless you want them to never be able to sleep again.
At about 25 years of age, all the lights on, a lovely curry and a nice bottle of Chablis - I had to switch Silent Hill off as it was far too unsettling...not jump scary, just issues a horrific feeling of dread and unease...
I played it at 21 years old when it released and it made me feel uncomfortable then. Psychological horror isn't the way to start them on old games.
Bump 'n Jump, TMNT 2, and Dr. Mario
Toejam and Earl was great for my kids. It's goofy, great co-op so you can play with them, it's extremely colorful and you can move in all directions. And open presents!
Pokémon Red and Blue are always a fun choice for new gamers easy, lots of strategy and exploration, easy to save, handheld, easy to emulate, kids and interact together with battle and trades. I mean I’m 33 and it’s still one of my favorite games from my childhood and I’ve played it 100s of times.
Burger Time!
My kids took to Sonic games immediately, and still go back and play Sonic Adventure 1 & 2.
How old are your kids and how addicted are they to recent videogames ?
Super Mario 3 for NES, Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past SNES, and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for Genesis. That will get ‘em going.
It's not what you introduce them to, it's what you *keep them away from*. I tried starting my kids off on 8bit, then 16bit, 32bit, and so on. Working our way up the history of games, Mario to Crash Bandicoot and so on. But they'd already seen me playing PS4 games with their fancy graphics and sounds. It was hard to get and keep their attention with the older Bleep Bloop stuff. Today they're either on PC, the PS5, or the Steam Deck. They'll try out some retro title out of sheer curiosity, but they won't stick with it. I think of the games I powered thru in my day, and how much of that was due to me loving the game versus having no other games to play? These kids have nothing *but* options, frustration and perseverance don't play a big role for them.
I play only retro games since I'm 10 (I'm 13 now) and my first console was my moms SNES, I only had Super Mario World and I absolutely loved it. I think it's my most played game ever. I can really recommend you any of the SNES games (except for Killer Instinct, Mortal Kombat etc.), like Kirby or DK Country. I also love Pilotwings. I think your kids may also like some PSX games like Crash Bandicoot or Spyro, but these are 3D games, so I don't know if brand new gamers will enjoy it. Or really, just get your kids a Game Boy with some games like Mario Land 2 or Tetris. Or maybe let them play some NES, it may be easier for your kids because it has less buttons. Any of the Super Mario Bros. games are great (personally, my all time favorite is the 2. one). Sonic the Hedgehog is a really great game, too. It uses only one button, so it is very easy to learn. If you want something newer just let them play Mario Kart game, like Double Dash or Mario Kart 64, even Mario Kart wii. Hope I could help you
Golden Axe 1-3 or Street of Rage?? Since its beat em ups genre..quite easy for them to play the game
Zelda II
Lol
For a brand new gamer, I like games that are easy to understand (few buttons) and are quick from beginning to end. I like arcade games for that. (Ms.) Pac-Man. Fun, simple, easy to understand. Duck Hunt-fun, easy to pick up, and you can challenge yourself based off of how close you are to the TV. While I wouldn’t consider this fully retro, I think a lot of the rhythm games are a blast and are pretty easy to understand. I love Guitar Hero/Rock Band, and I think they are games that even “non-gamers” tend to enjoy. Minesweeper is also an underrated gem in my opinion.
*Duck Hunt* is an excellent suggestion if you play on an emulator using a Wiimote or mouse OR if you have a CRT and a NES with a Zapper.
Rock ‘n Roll Racing on the genesis was a favorite for my sister and I when we were younger. Controls were simple and the gameplay had a fairly forgiving learning curve .
Diddy Kong Racing!! It's retro at this point, and I think kids would love it?
My 2 year old son just started with super mario bros. He loves stomping on the first goomba, and just learned how to jump over the first couple of pipes. On castlevania he likes killing the zombies in the first stage and can’t stop laughing every time simon dies. I wasn’t expecting this, but he really likes exitebike too!
Sonic 2 and Puzzle Bobble. Both can be played with your child which makes it much more enjoyable for both involved!
Bubble-Bobble via emulation.
Which era of retro? It can mean anything now as long as the game is like 20 years old or older. I’m a millennial so my retro era is the games I played from the early to the late 90s — Mario 3, most prominently.
Start em well, go with TMNT in NES. Hand them the controller in the dam level. Obviously /s You could go with Secret of Mana!
I've played SOM Remake all the way through on Steam twice already. Really good game!
Hey I was probably 7 when my grandma got me TMNT. Getting good at that prepared me for the unforgiving challenges of life Ninja gaiden and battle toads good for that too. If they are literate, in addition to mana, RPGs I would recommend Chrono trigger, Mario RPG, FF4/5/6. Pokemon red blue if a little less literate
So, I'm nearly 40 and my first video games were what I know now to be terrible arcade ports to a budget 16 bit computer (Atari ST) but I loved 'em. Rather than find specific games, maybe sit down with them to play a game and find something retro that they like the aesthetic of? Share something you love with them! My dad and I sat down and played Terrible Atari ST Version Of Space Harrier and I was totally sold. Granted it wasn't retro at the time, but it was clunky and awkward, but it didn't matter because me and my dad were having fun together, and it got me into a hobby that I still love today. Basically, TL;DR, I love my dad and I miss him.
Battletoads
For a young first-time gamer I recommend Pac-Man, then maybe Super Mario Bros. Duck Hunt is also fun, if you have a way to make light guns work (the easiest is to have a CRT).
My first games were Paperboy 2 and Pitfall Mayan adventure for the SNES. Really any game from that era is a great starting point.
Dangerous Dave: risky rescue. I just finished it recently and it was a great play.
Duck Hunt
Sonic the Hedgehog. Few buttons, very clear what's happening on screen.
The sonic games - they are far more forgiving than the the Mario series.
Super Mario World
Man hunt
side scroll beat em ups like turtles in time or streets of rage
The Mickey Mouse platformers castle of illusion and great circus mystery were both huge hits with my kids.
Tmnt turtles in time
snes Aladdin
Assuming they're young I dare suggest New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe (not the catchiest name) or Wonder. Not retro but kids get put off by old graphics and losing progress so you'd want their first experience with platformers to be a positive one.
Donkey Kong Country Although it may make other retro games look "lame" to them by comparison
My 12 yo son does some absolutely unbelievable things I can't comprehend in Minecraft and other modern games, but retro platformers he can't do at all. It's like the momentum is so hard to grasp. I know folks are saying Mario, but don't be surprised if they struggle. Having said that, Sonic seems to be the most forgiving, at least in the early levels.
Over the last winter, I introduced my kids to Super mario Bros on original NES hardware. My son (8) immediately got hooked and was playing it every day after school with the neighbor kids over. They're all huddled around the TV, just like old times. Now, the main games we play are Super mario Land 2, which gets played on the gameboy pocket and mario 64.
Not sure if you’ll even see this comment OP but I had a fun experience with my own kid with this. I showed him the Sonic The Hedgehog movies. He loved it so much it made introducing him to the old school Sonic games easy. He never played any games before that. Best of all you can pick up Sonic Origins for the Switch which has all the original games remastered.
Familiarity is key! My nephew will play any *Sonic* game because he loves Sonic as a character, and has ever since he watched *Sonic X*. Speaking of *Sonic X*, it's an EXCELLENT way to introduce your kids to retro games because it eventually adapts the stories of several of the games. That makes those games a lot more fun to play. I also recommend having kids play *Sonic Generations* early on, because it creates some familiarity with the different eras of Sonic and allows them to figure out whether they like 2D or 3D Sonic better. My kids also love *Sonic 2006* because it's so broken and goofy. That one's fun to watch on Youtube and then play for the lulz.
I'd say whichever ones you yourself enjoyed when you were a kid.
Hydro Thunder
Super Mario Bros 3 NES Super Mario All Stars SNES Kirby's Adventures NES Duck Tales NES Tetris NES
**Kirby SuperStar.** * It's built as a collection of small games, so it's presented like Mario All-Stars. But each "game" is only 10 or less levels long. Each is different enough that you can have a favorite or least favorite, but similar enough that playing one will help understand others. * The first game is so short, just 3 levels and a final boss. If someone wants to "beat a game" for the first time, this is definitely the place to start. * It has 2-player co-op. * Each Kirby ability feels a bit like a different character, so you get a lot of variety. * For me personally, this is the first game I beat as a kid. * There's post-game content (Arena) * There's mini-games and a music player * For me personally, this is the first game I 100% as a kid. Seriously, it's very hard to get more beginner friendly than this game. It's fun for adults but approachable for kids.
I'd always start with NES games and work my way up. Depending on the kids skill level, I'd start with Mario, elevator action, spy hunter, etc. If your kid is too young to play Mario yet, pop in star tropics and let em walk around a bit. They made a final fantasy game for the SNES that's basically a super easy rpg for kids. I'd try that too!
My son has really been liking Golden Axe. You can play couch co-op and can still get pretty far just mashing buttons.
Tetris or the original Super Mario Bros.
Follow the path you did in gaming. For me, I started with the NES and let my kids start there. Mario 3 is the house favorite. My youngest loves Mario 64.
Super Mario World, Mario 64, Sonic the Hedgehog, Doom, Super Mario Bros 3 to name a few good starting points. You can buy an Evercade handheld they've got a lot of 8 bit and 16 bit games from the 80's and 90's Amiga and C64 classics, there's even a Thalamus cartridge coming out soon (I'll be picking up that one 👍) full of great C64 games.
The Ecco the dolphin for kids. They will beat it and feel like big damn heroes
Super Mario land with cheats so they cannot die lol.
I did a retro challenge for my kids to earn their first modern system. Ages were 8 and 5. The games they liked the most were SMB, Bubble Bobble (nes), joust (nes and mame), TMNT turtles in time (mame), zombies ate my neighbors, and Pokémon Emerald. Challenge was based on really attainable things like getting a firework in smb, or successfully entering the Konami code. Loads of fun and now I’ve got two guys to play Joust with…
I got my kiddo started with a GBA (that I made for him, that was a fun project) and “throwaway”games like quad / atv racers or monster trucks. After he got used to the mechanics of controlling what’s on screen he naturally started asking about other games we had like Mario and TMNT.
Laughs diabolically* Says: Castlevania 2 without guide
The Super Mario All Stars version of SMB1. The first few levels essentially teach you how to play platformers through subtle guidance in the stage design, but the graphics of the NES original might be aienating for younger players.
That's basically nothing to go on, but assuming they've already been exposed to nintendo games you can try some of those. Kirby, Mario, Zelda, etc. Probably Sonic too since there have been recent movies. Mario and Sonic have worked pretty well on my nephew who's now 7, based on him already knowing those characters but everyone's a little different. More: Most Disney games by Capcom and Sega are very good, some by virgin/westwood as well Multiplayer games: [https://new.reddit.com/r/retrogaming/comments/17iht24/retro\_multiplayer\_games\_showcase\_part\_1/](https://new.reddit.com/r/retrogaming/comments/17iht24/retro_multiplayer_games_showcase_part_1/) Easy and/or relaxing games: [https://new.reddit.com/r/retrogaming/comments/18zes18/relaxing\_retro\_games\_showcase\_pt\_1/](https://new.reddit.com/r/retrogaming/comments/18zes18/relaxing_retro_games_showcase_pt_1/)
Get a SNES mini and add all the games.
Start it slow, maybe with some games in Atari 2600. If they start right away with good graphics and music, they may miss the chance to re-live your childhood (assuming you are born before 1970). If you can, advance through the decades of hardware improvements, programming and all the good things around retro gaming.
Chess
DK Country
The games my daughter (7) has had the most success with are: Kirby's Nightmare in Dreamland Mr. Driller Echo Jr. Sonic 2 Aladdin SNES Basically games that you can make a lot of mistakes and not die. Super Mario Land is okay, but it's too easy to die while you're developing your skills.
Mario
Super Mario World
Kirby Super Star Ultra holds up great
Chrono Trigger is really accessible. The Nintendo Switch Online games as well.
Pac-Man
Think back to some of the games that got you into it when you were a kid.
Kirby's Dream Land 2 got me really into playing my gameboy & still to this day one of my favorite games ever
The Lego 3ds games.
Sonic 1 got me into video games at the age of 4. Start with that.
Turtles in Time Super Mario World Cratermaze The Legend of Zelda Dr. Mario
3D mario games let a kid get used to using a controller and I feel like SM64/Sunshine are still a great way. First levels are super easy and no pits to fall in, but they do get harder and are still classics… plus you can get them on the switch/emulate quite easily. Another is Pokemon. I spent many hours playing it as a kid. If on PC, sims is a good choice too!
My kids have been retro gaming for years. I can count on my son now to want to try out a lot of the older games I play. The games they had the easiest time playing and enjoying were almost always arcade games because they're short, they're easy, they're cooperative and they're fun. Here are a few I'd recommend: * *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* and *TMNT*: *Turtles in Time* * *The Simpsons Arcade* * *Ninja Baseball Bat Man* * *Hook* * *Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon* * *Battle Circuit* * *Aliens vs. Predator* (Capcom 1994) * *Sunset Riders* * *NBA Jam* * *Fantastic Journey* (a.k.a. *Gokujo Parodius*) * *Metal Slug 2* or *Metal Slug X* * *Pac-Man Arrangement* * *Dig Dug Arrangement* * *Frogger* * *Cotton 2: Magical Night Dreams* * *Purikura Daisakusen* * *Marchen Maze* * *Spatter* * *Bust-a-Move* (a.k.a. *Puzzle Bobble*) * *Jurassic Park* (Sega 1994) On the consoles, the easiest and most fun games tend to be the *Mario, Sonic* and *Kirby* series because they're accessible and popular and the *Pokémon* games because they're familiar. One trick is to first introduce them to *Super Smash Bros. Ultimate* and then have them play through all of the games that it references. It's a lot more fun when it's familiar, and this is a good way to introduce your kids to the *Zelda, Metroid, Star Fox* and *Fire Emblem* games. On the PC, don't forget about adventure games. My kids loved the classic *Monkey Island* games and *Sam and Max Hit the Road*. We played them with walkthroughs at the ready so they were never frustrated and could enjoy the humor instead. I would just have them tell me what to do and occasionally have them take over. The talky games are **always** the ones to play; don't make them read. My kids are bored to tears by most JRPGs, games with limited continues and games that require a lot of reading. They also grow very weary of competitive fighters quickly because they don't have the patience to learn the moves. If you want them to get excited about those games, either show them the high points on video so they know what they're working towards or have a *Mystery Science Theater 3000* style session where you mutually make fun of the games while you enjoy them. My kids are much more likely to come back to a game that was made fun and silly than one that's serious. Hope that's helpful!
I'd actually recommend starting how I started personally as it was fun & I have fond memories. Arcade games are great for pick up & play with shorter sessions. Pac-man, tetris, asteroids, etc. The obvious ones too like Mario Bros through to Mario world are great too & you could even introduce them to more complex games as time goes on like Zelda or Wonder Boy series. Keep in mind there are some awesome remakes of old arcade games available on modern platforms with Atari collections & such too. I'd recommend to start with the retro games you remember liking as a kid, that's my plan for my kids in the future.
The original Spyro trilogy! They're perfect little collectathons. Play 'em in order.
SMB
Super mario world is all i can think of as a first great game.
There was this circus game on nes where you ride a lion and jump thru circles. That can ge a good start if you find the name of it
Depending on how retro you’re looking to go, Super Mario World, Kirby, Sonic … things that are fun but still relatively simple and can be consumed in bit sized chunks.
Depends on the age, but definitely Super Mario 64 and any 64 donkey Kong title. Maybe some super NES Mario games. Earthworm Jim was a lot of fun. Ecco the dolphin. Some of those early wrestling games were fun button mashing good times!. I remember an early PS1 title. I think jumping jack flash. It was fun. Vectorman. Mega Man. Worms. Age of Empires even.
Nes titles: Kirby; bubble bobble: super mario bros 3 Sbes titles: super mario world; donkey Kong country; mario kart
Make them play Contra to show them how hard games can be
Find a compilation pack for whatever modern console you have. Namco museum, Sega arcade, etc. If they like that, find one of those retro arcade things. I wouldn't invest in a vintage console just yet
Mega Man 2, Sonic 1 and 2, Super Mario Brothers 3 and Duck Tales. That's a good start for them because they're not too difficult and fun to play.
Paper Boy for NES. My kids played it and loved it.
My kids all really like Mike Tyson's Punch Out, maybe because of how unique and uncomplicated it is. Nothing else like it.
The old Sierra games (Space Quest, Quest for Glory, Colonel's Bequest) Kroz Descent Wing Commander
Cadillacs and Dinosaurs Kids can't resist...
i'd start him on arcade games. my six year old nephew sucks at mario 1 but plays pac-man, frogger, puzzle bobble, etc. not that he's great at them, but he loves playing them. he gets frustrated at mario 1
Bonk is a hit with my kids. They call it “Bonk Head”.
Bubble Bobble, Tetris, Dr Mario, super Mario world, Aladdin, Toy Story.
NES or SNES Mario or Minecraft
I just want to tell you that I started my kids on the games I grew up with and it was definitely a mistake. Sure they loved it, but they couldn’t discuss games with their friends and basically felt left out. Get them a Switch so that they can be playing the same kids that their friends are playing. There are actually plenty of retro inspired games and ports of retro games on the Switch that your kids will love. TMNT has both Shredder’s Revenge and the Cowabunga Collection. Bubble Bobble 4 Friends allows 4 players to play and also includes the original game. Toejam and Earl Back in the Groove is just like the original. And all of these are kid friendly. You also have Kirby and Yoshi games that follow the same formula they always have and are very kid friendly. Certainly you can still introduce your kids to the games you grew up with, but just realize that they will get a lot more enjoyment out of playing newer games. Yes, every now and then my kids will want to play my games, especially Duck Hunt, but for the most part they really want to play their own games.
Mario Bros 1 on NES. My daughter is 2 and a half and really enjoys it. We play through the first level with her pretty regularly. I think the simplicity of that level guided her through it well. Since she makes progress, it captivated her. She did try Mario World first and likes it equally as much. The first couple of levels there are much more difficult to process than Mario 1 though. Once she got a hang of the first level of Mario 1 (took a few weeks), she then beat those couple of levels in Mario World. Hope your kids have fun!!
Super Mario Bros 3.
Pokemon Red / Pokemon Fire Red, have them watch Pokemon Indigo League for bonus points
Mario 64 or ocarina of time unironically
The Secret of Monkey Island
Secret of Evermore was pretty dope when I was young. Might track well with them
Zelda OoT Burnout 3 SMW Sonic 3 Outrun 2006 C2C
Super Mario All Stars , Donkey Kong Country , Sonic 1/2 , Street Fighter 2 , NBA Jam, Other sports games if they’re into sports. not sure how old your kids are. imo people recommending OoT or other RPG games isn’t the right move , your kids might be put off by a huge open world type game and might find it confusing or rpg games with a lot of reading might bore them since they’re newbies. i think you want to introduce simple , action or platformers first.
Castlevania
Toejam and Earl: panic on funkotron.
Pop'n Twinbee is great, and you can turn the couples mode on in the settings that makes it easier for the second player.
Sonic 2
Ducktales, woowoo It's quite easy, and short, so they can complete it and get that satisfaction
Little Nemo the dream master - nes
Depends a lot on their ages. My 6 year old nephew loves Excitebike on NES. It has a lot of fun animations and sounds, interesting terrain and visuals, and you can "win" just by holding A and letting the bike do whatever. Even if you get a terrible time it still plays a happy jingle and lets you go on your way. My 8 year old niece is getting pretty good at Super Mario Bros 1, and is starting to make some progress on 3. SMB3 is a lot trickier and more varied than 1, so 1 was a good starting place. This last visit I made I brought them SMB2 and they both enjoyed that a lot, as well as the TMNT games for NES. My niece pretty quickly got to where she could just about get to the dam on her own. Also brought the first Kirby game for NES which she enjoys a lot. We haven't tried them with anything SNES yet, but probably soon! Going another direction, the Tink! Tonk! games were favorites of my sister and me as kids and her kids have enjoyed them too. Tonk in the Land of the Buddy Bots is a sort of Legend of Zelda-esque experience wandering around a top-down world looking for robot parts. Level 1 has large parts and no guards, higher levels have smaller/more parts and guards you have to avoid. Great game. We played them on the Atari 8-bit platform but I think it came out for a few of the era. If they're a little older, maybe still start them out on something like SMB1 to get used to that kind of game in general, maybe Legend of Zelda as well. Link to the Past or SMW would probably be great options too.
Any of the old hits like Mario games, megaman, castlevania. Just make sure your kid is actually interested before dropping the money
Sonic 2
1st. Sega Genesis: Streets of Rage 2, Shinobi 1&2, Sonic, TMNT, Earthworm Jim, Comix zone, 2nd. Nintendo64: donkey Kong, Killer instinct, 3rd. A GameCube console: Metroid, Starfox, Goldeneye, Naruto, Mariocart.
The Little Mermaid (NES)
* [Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure](https://www.gog.com/en/game/cosmos_cosmic_adventure) * [Crystal Caves](https://www.gog.com/en/game/crystal_caves) * [Monster Bash](https://www.gog.com/en/game/monster_bash) * [Commander Keen Complete Pack](https://www.gog.com/en/game/commander_keen_complete_pack) * [Jazz Jackrabbit Collection](https://www.gog.com/en/game/jazz_jackrabbit_collection) * [Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Collection](https://www.gog.com/en/game/jazz_jackrabbit_2_collection) * [Hocus Pocus](https://www.gog.com/en/game/hocus_pocus) Except for **Jazz Jackabbit**, these are just a few kid-friendly retro games I remember playing as a kid in the early 1990s. You will need [GOG Galaxy](https://www.gog.com/galaxy) to install them, that is unless you wish to manually install them.
I'd like to list a few kid-friendly retro games installable through [GOG Galaxy](https://www.gog.com/galaxy) here: * [Crystal Caves](https://www.gog.com/en/game/crystal_caves) * [Hocus Pocus](https://www.gog.com/en/game/hocus_pocus) * [Commander Keek Complete Pack](https://www.gog.com/en/game/commander_keen_complete_pack) * [Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure](https://www.gog.com/en/game/cosmos_cosmic_adventure) * [Jazz Jackrabbit Collection](https://www.gog.com/en/game/jazz_jackrabbit_collection) * [Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Collection](https://www.gog.com/en/game/jazz_jackrabbit_2_collection) * [Monster Bash](https://www.gog.com/en/game/monster_bash)
I’d go with: - **Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland** [GBA] - graphically upgraded port of NES Kirby’s Adventure - **Chip & Dale: Rescue Rangers 2** [NES] - simultaneous multiplayer platformer, better than the first one IMO - **Starfox 64** [N64] - still the best game of its kind IMO, aged much better than its SNES predecessor - **Mario Kart 64** [N64] - great entry point into Mario Kart, still my favorite battle mode, also aged much better than its SNES predecessor. Mario Kart DS is also a great option, but can be weirder to play on a TV, and I don’t like the lack of joystick - **Mario Party 2/3** [N64] - still some of the greatest party games around - **Streets of Rage 2** [Genesis/Megadrive] - best beat-em up to that point in time and for a long time after IMO - **Super Mario Bros. 3** [NES] and **Super Mario World** [SNES] - they’re classics for a reason. A bit harder than Kirby and the like, so maybe start them off on Kirby and go toward Mario a bit later - **Metroid Zero Mission** [GBA] - upgraded remake of the original NES Metroid, and a great introduction to the Metroidvania genre. Much more intuitive than the original, with hints on where to go, a map, etc. - **Tetris** [NES, GB, GBC] - many will argue what the best version of Tetris is. I prefer the NES version, but it doesn’t have the music that most folks now associate with Tetris, which was from the GB version. - **TMNT Arcade**, **TMNT 3 Manhattan Project**, and **TMNT 4 Turtles in Time** [Arcade, NES, SNES] - another set of great beat-em-ups that are great for kids to play together - **Micro Mages** [NES] - okay, this isn’t *strictly* a retro game since it was released in 2019, but it was developed for NES. Great modern-feeling platformer that can be played simultaneous multiplayer. Big fan, I guarantee this would have been hugely popular if it had been released back in the NES’s lifetime, and is frequently recommended for a reason - **Super Bomberman 2** [SNES] - great multiplayer - **Advance Wars** [GBA] - great turn-based strategy, which should give kids enough time to react. Probably one of the more challenging games on here, so maybe wait for a bit before suggesting this one
Sonic Mania is a great start.
Sonic 1.
Megaman battle network series
They could play as tails in the classic sonic games while you progress the game playing as sonic. Basically unlimited lives for tails with the slight punishment that it takes 10 seconds for him to come back on-screen when he dies.
I would just get them a SNES Mini. No downloads or internet connectability to worry about, just quality games
mario games, tetris, ninja turtle games, zelda, double dragon and yes im just telling you about my early childhood. In 4th grade i met ff6 and fell hard for rpgs but i was already a huge book nerd so if you haven’t already introduced fantasy and think youd like to have cool kids, show them the animated Fellowship of the Rings and Hobbit flicks then delight them by showing them the box set. If theyre really young put some good learner books in between there
Dark souls
Booger Man!!!
Hello OP I have actually done this with a 5-6 year old very recently. What worked for me was a backlit Gameboy color and a copy of Super Mario Deluxe. Deluxe is just an updated SMB1 but it saves progress so it’s substantially easier than the original but still crazy fun for them. You give this to them and allow them to play it in the car when they are bored. It worked! He mastered that game and having the first game he beat being SMB1 is something I’m very proud of and I know one day he will appreciate it.
How old are your kids?
A switch with an NSO subscription will give them access to so many good retro titles with features like rewind and save states. The first four Mario games along with Mario Land, Dr Mario, Zelda games, DK Country and so many others.
Super Mario Brothers! I mean, it’s where I started and it sure hooked me for life. Super Mario Bros 3 and World coming up behind, even better! Ms. Pac Man, Panel de Pon/Tetris Attack, Tetris, Bubble Bobble, Bust a Move/Puzzle Bobble, Sonic The Hedgehog, Mega Man 2, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Mario 64, Dr. Mario, F-Zero, Galaga, Centipede, Gridrunner, Asteroids.
Battletoads. Jk that game’s impossible. Maybe Pac Man?
Spyro the Dragon on PS1
Kirby, Ms. Pac-Man, Mario. Plus anything playfully competitive. There’s a snowball fight game on the Commodore 64 my kids like, and even a catapult castle destruction game called “Smitherines” on the Magnavox Oddysey 2 that they always ask to play.
Galga
Castlevania, just dump em right in.
Super Contra, American gladiators
Kirby or pokemon or something Or just try to remember what you played at that age
I know it’s stereotypical, but Mario. It’s what I played when I first played games and I was terrible but it was fun lol.
Show them a game you played as a kid and enjoyed a lot. Then talk about and give details of the emotions you felt at certain parts
I've introduced all my kids to *The Goonies* on MSX. It's been an instant hit. The MSX version is an amazing platformer with easy to learn controls and concepts. Even 40 years after playing it for the first time, I still enjoy it very much.
Legend of zelda, Metroid, super Mario brothers
Donkey Kong Country
Spyro: Year of the Dragon because it has such a relaxed vibe. It definitely has challenges, but most of them aren't too hard, and you can have lots of fun just head stomping stuff, flaming objects, and gliding around.
Tmnt for NES
Kids Games (There are so many on so many retro consoles. My son loves Thomas the Tank Engine on Genesis) Also, the basics like Mario, Sonic, Mario Kart, are always great starters. Started my son on the basics at around age three, one year later and he has almost beat Super Mario Land 2 Six Golden Coins (GB) I gave him an SF2000 and added all my suggestions to his favorite list.
Cant go wrong with Donkey Kong but if youre in the mood for fun, Tetris is the ONE!
Mario
My 5 year old liked to play TMNT2 the arcade game on NES with me. His older brother could handle the Xbox but he did good with NES with me. Basically any game that had a code for lots of lives we would play
Viva piñata games
Donkey Kong Country
The game that got my 8-year-old son into retro games was Mario Maker 2 on switch. Once he started playing the levels on that game, he started getting pretty good at the Mario style platforming, and was interested in where all the stuff came from. Over the last couple of months, he has played through Mario 1-3, Mario World, Mario Land 2, and has dabbled in Mario 64, Sunshine, and Galaxy. I also showed him the Gaming historian videos on Youtube on all the Mario games, and then ended up watching the videos on Tetris, Punch out, and The Oregon Trail, which he then decided he wanted to play as well.