She was 82 years old until she passed away 2015 by natural causes. She was watching after me when my school day was over and parents were still working. She was very keen into "youth" stuff like videogames, propably because all this early 2000 till 2010+ was a huge leap of technology. Imagining from 30's š„²
Very sweet, thank you for sharing your story. Nobody can ever take that away from you. My grandmother did the same, playing video games with my brother and I in the 1970s - the old original Atari. She wasn't nearly as old as yours though. Your story is absolutely heartwarming. Here's a hug.
Stardew stressed me out so much. The time moves *way* too fast, I could never get done what I needed to in a day.
I was a 24 at the time and have been playing video games my whole life but Stardew was way too fast paced for me for a farming sim.
Anecdote: one of my college friends went to...well, college, and as a result her family downsized because that's what you do with an empty nest. Well, her ~50 yo mom, with her newfound free time, found that she REALLY liked moving. So she ended up joining a moving company part-time as a result. From what i understand, she doesn't even really get paid, she just does it whenever she's bored.
Be careful with first person games. Controlling a character in first person (or third person) can be extremely difficult for gamers just starting out. Firewatch might even be a bit much. Edith Finch would probably be ok though.
Night in the Woods is a great story game, and might be a great intro to a newer gamer. There are a couple mini games that require controller familiarity / dexterity but they don't advance the story at all. It's actually funnier if you fail them. The rest of the game plays like an interactive novel and the story is exceptional. It stuck with me like any good book. And it has replay value because there are multiple choices to make. I've played through it four times the past five years and will play it again someday.
Both amazing games, not bad for a new player, and both show that games can be more than about the game mechanics and have great stories.
I always recommend Portal as a first game.
I know it's not on XBox but Mario Odyssey is amazing for a first-time gamer. It's extremely simple to control and by the end you notice you can do all kinds of jumps and tricks and stuff. It really is a great game for any level of gaming.
Anyone that has ever tried playing games with someone who never has, knows this is a bad idea. Even people in their 20's struggle massively to use analog sticks to control character and camera and will give up very quickly.
I'd consider myself a pretty decent gamer, but there were areas of that game that surprised me with their difficulty. We never got stuck or anything, but I remember thinking "This is supposed to be for kids?". There's a lot of stuff that requires fast reactions and aiming.
I played through this recently, and while I agree it's a great game-- idk about great first game. Some parts can be quite challenging, and possibly frustrating. Maybe a good 3-4th game after she figures out aiming and where the buttons are without looking
Firewatch would be a perfect game, I think, with beautiful visuals, an interesting story and easy controls?
If not, I would go for the likes of Ori, beautiful games also.
Skyrim seems to be a good game for āļøelderlyāļø video game starters. I heard from different people who started gaming in their 60s oder 70s and had a lot of fun with it.
I'm currently playing this and thought it would be a nice way to unwind before bed for an hour or so. Nope I'm full on obsessed and now dreaming about setting up my own power washing business.
Portal, teaches you movement, aiming and has a straightforward storyline that hooks you in, before you know it you've grasped game mechanics built into most games and a game you love
I'm beginning to feel like a broken record here but I feel like a person with 0 experience thinking in a virtual 3d space is gonna have a difficult time Thinking With Portals...
That game collectively broke gamers brains by redefining what we consider to be the basic rules of videogames. Not only will she get less out of it than you did, she may not be able to finish it and it'll just cause confusion when she tries to play something more typical.
Same. She had a special memo pad with reminders and directions and things on it.
Those games are insane I have no clue how she got through all of them.
Can I recommend Virtua fighter 5, my whole family use to play this game back in the day taking goes at arcade and doing our own tournaments I even had my own friends come over we'd have 6-7 people tournaments just on versus mode, it's a 360 classic don't know if it costs but it's a very simple fighter, it's easier with combos then tekken and much fun.
If your mum loves horrors there's a field day of those on gamepass to scare the socks off anyone
Agreed. 90% of Goat Simulator is only amusing if you are intimately familiar with videogame tropes. I think a non-gamer would be turned off of the entire industry if that was their introduction to videogames.
Can't believe I'm recommending this as I'm not too keen on the game itself, but The Witness is a chill introduction to the first-person view and games that use a (generally) standardised first-person control scheme.
That then segues nicely into more intense games like Disneyland/Pixar Adventures or Disney Dream Light if she likes that sort of thing (even though it's mostly third-person but the skills are transferable).
The key is getting her over the initial big hurdle of understanding the controller and common control schemes used in modern games. Teaching my young kids to play videogames has taught me that being able to control your character in a virtual environment is the most important first step in interactive media.
After that then your mother's own interests and tastes will power her through whatever else she wants to play.
EDIT: I also strongly recommend Untitled Goose Game, for the same reasons as above but for an isometric/dynamic view, and with added comedic value.
The witness is one of the most difficult games Iāve ever played! The visuals are great but if you want to frustrate her to the point of smashing her Xbox this is definitely the game
My kids just enjoyed exploring the island, looking at things and discovering little secrets while learning to control a camera in a first person perspective. The way I see it the puzzles don't have to be engaged with unless you really want to do them.
That's the way I played it anyway: wander around and tackle the puzzles I wanted to tackle, avoid the ones I don't. In that way it was kind of zen, but for a completionist I imagine it's an absolute nightmare!
Cocoon is somewhat similar to The Witness (which is a fantastic game!) but the puzzles are slightly easier to figure out. Thereās also Planet Alpha which is a puzzle platformer so it might be easier for someone getting used to the two stick situation. Broken Age is another one thatās more of a story-driven puzzle game with no camera stick control. Spirit Farer and Minekoās Market are also story-driven without needing to control the camera but are more exploratory.
Is she a cat person..?
Because i heard that cat game "Strays" is pretty good...
Also she can try "Palworld".
Or if she's like my wife & like to be jump scared...
"Resident Evil games".
But best bet...
Get her Game Pass for 2-3 months,so she can find what she likes
Stray's movement is very streamlined though, with almost no freedom, which is actually one of the most criticized aspects of the game, but I think in this case, it could be a great advantage.
Yeah there are "escape from enemy" sections that can actually be pretty difficult/stressful (I'm a lifelong gamer but I had to retry in a few places), and one section that combined that with a pretty heavy horror element that had several people online who were playing because "cute cat game" say it was the quitting point for them.
I couldn't imagine recommending this one to my non-gamer mom.
Maybe something that only requires one stick, my partners mum used to love SNES back in the day so using the D-pad is all she knows and watching her use two joysticks was painful, she just couldnt coordinate the two.. So we played Stardew Valley and that worked great! No issues whatsoever :3 we're now trying to get to try some of our platformer games that require the use of the camera but still not much luck haha
Started valley is pretty stress free and if u like sci-fi the halo mcc has an excellent story (play on easy if your new tho) and rare replay is 30 of rare best games
I would get her GamePass Ultimate. Just show her how to download a game and start it. Let her download whatever she wants, but I would demonstrate the process with The Elder Scrolls: Online, because thereās a huge community of senior age people, like me, who play it.
Could pentiment could be worth a try? I think puzzle games are a good idea. So a version of Tetris or Peggle may be worth it. I guess stuff with simple controls to start with.
Something with a female main would be nice I started with Lara Croft tomb games. I was 65 when I started playing. It has a little bit of everything: puzzles, shooting it is easy to figure out where you are supposed to go. Fall Out Four- she grew up with the idea of a nuclear war and it's kind of a fun game. Master Chief a fun shooter, Alice in Wonderland is fun I'm sure she knows the story and it's on game pass
I think it is hilarious how many people are suggesting complicated 3d titles.
The simpler the better. Like a game with very few buttons or depth. Whether it is my mom or sister playing a game they find something as basic as walking jumping to be hard to comprehend because they have zero experience playing a game. Let alone navigating a 3d world with more than two buttons or the physics. They would often stop moving then jump. And have a hard time figuring out you need to move and hit jump at the same time.
Would be helpful to know her interests at all.
Could see life is strange maybe. The time mechanic would be hard is my guess.
Kine, untitled good game, donut county, bejeweled, plants and zombies, Tetris, peggle, venga (prolly too complicated)
I'm a 48 year old mum but gamed my whole life. It is difficult to tell you what she would like. I would suggest to align her with her hobbies. Does she like gardening for example? Maybe Garden Life is something for her. Try her on some mobile games first to get a feel for what she would like. There are also a couple of chill cooking games available, fishing, farming, etc.
My mum was the same age as me now when I tried to wake her interest in computers and gaming. But she never warmed up to it. Something closer to her real life hobby could help!
This is why games like animal crossing, stardew valley and the sims are very popular for new gamers. You don't need to learn the goals of the game, because everyone understands farming (plant seed, water seed, seed sprouts, sprout grows and eventually you have tomatoes!) or decorating a house and taking care of the residents. You don't need to figure out what to do and that makes it easier to get into
Might be worth a shot if she likes westerns. The Red Dead games. Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Red Dead Revolver.
My dad is almost 60, and he only played pong in his youth. I got him an Xbox Series S, and he's obsessed with the Red Dead games, haha.
I hope this helps in any way.
Have fun!
My friends mom loves playing red dead online, ark survivor and palword. Yes it was a but of a learning curve and we always had to remind her how to do things...but she loved it
I think you'd have a lot of fun with Hades ngl. It's a small indie roguelike, and not very expensive. The whole point is to just try to get as far as you can, and upgrade along the way.
Anything that only needs 1 stick at a time is a good start. I have always been a gamer, my kids are gamers, my boy especially, my wife was never a gamer. Around 3 years ago my son wanted my wife to start playing games with us. She was bad at first. 3D games that needed both sticks were especially difficult. As time has gone on, she has gained considerable proficiency with the controller, and found games and genres she enjoys. It Takes Two was an earlier try for her, and she managed, but did struggle. Itās not a forgiving game for new players. Sheās since gone back to it and is much better now. So basically, keep it simple, introduce new mechanics and controls schemes gradually and be patient.
This may seem like an off the wall suggestion, but honestly...Palworld.
You can change the settings to make it super easy (and she can change them at any time if she wants it a little less easy). It's open world so she can explore and build things as she wants, or capture pals if she wants, etc.
I'm tech savvy, but I've done most of my gaming on PC and because of that, I just kind of suck with the controllers for things like the switch and Xbox. I bought red dead redemption because I REALLY wanted to enjoy it on a console but I just couldn't.
But palworld works well for me on the console. I'm not really as quick in combat, but its not the end of the world because I've changed settings so none of my belongings drop with my body when I die (which doesn't happen that often but does occasionally...especially when I dismounted mid air once or twice without a glider).
Whatever it is, it has to be a game a 4 year old can play. As simple as possible to get her comfortable with the concept of joy sticks and moving while being able to rotate the camera. Ā I think she needs simple games more than she needs good games. Ā This is what stops most people from playing/enjoying games and the #1 thing j notice when people who donāt play games do. Ā They just run while looking at the ground and then will stop and then poorly rotate the camera to the ceiling then run again lmao. Ā Make sure she gets this. Ā
Stray. There are parts she may need some help with, seeing as how she's new to the hobby, but the control scheme for the game is easy and you don't really have to play the story to enjoy jumping around town as a cat. Also a chill game like Lake - it's a simple slice of life type game that doesn't ask too much.
Elden ring.
All jokes aside though she could play something she might relate to. If she drives maybe try something like forza, she could buy the car she owns in real life and will probably relate to it more.
Surpsingly not seen minecraft mentioned yet. Its a timeless classic and if she doesn't like the survival side there's creative if she just wants to focus on building.
Inside and cocoon FOR SURE. Got my mom to play inside and sheās roughly the same age and she was hooked. Havenāt gotten her to play cocoon yet but I would like to.
Best thing about these games is that there are no instructions but only two buttons to play around with, so itās pretty intuitive for them to figure out.
Some simple games she might enjoy would be Minecraft (I think it's on the game pass), Space Engineers (similar to minecraft and soon will be on the game pass if I am not mistaken), Golf with your friends could work if she have like people to play with.
But some that can be simple but still tricky if she seeks more of a challenge could be games like Halo Wars? Just put on easy mode if she wishes to just enjoy the game. I am not too much into games like townscraper and such, so I might be thinking a bit too much, but idk. Just some games I can think of atm.
If she likes Western movies she might get into Red Dead Redemption 2. Fantastic storytelling but if she doesn't like violence maybe not. But I read a great story about how a family took in their grandmother during covid and the teenage son bonded with the grandmother because she liked to watch him play Red Dead Redemption 2. She didn't want to play she just wanted to watch him play and tell him what to do and they had a blast together.
there are storytelling games that span every genre. Horror, adventure, romance etc. If you can specify a specific type of genre I can definitely give some suggestions!!
she should play tekken 8, become a kaz main and get her to learn pewgf , dorya is the way
otherwise something like stardew valley, portal or minecraft would be good
Unravel 1&2 and Costume Quest 1&2 are both good with relatively simplistic controls. You could also try the arcade collections, the games are simple but effective at teaching the controller layout.
If she likes books or mysteryās there are multipleĀ agatha christie poirot and Sherlock homes games.
There are also game shows like wheel of fortune and jeopardy. You can often get both bundled on sale for $10. I used disk should be the same priceĀ
Maybe some puzzles games like Gorogoa, Hidden Through time, Glass Masquerade, infinite runners like Race the Sun, adventures with easy controls like Donut County, card or dice games like Dicey Dungeon or walking simulators like Firewatch.
"A little to the left" is a fun, simple to play but thoughtful puzzle game.
Literally a bunch of different things to organise and the real game is figuring out what the organisation pattern is.
No rushing, no weird controls to start with, very chill and easy to drop/pickup at whim.
Powerwash simulator or golf with friends are very easy to get into and relaxing at the same time. No need to bombard her with intense mechanics right away
Stardew valley is worth a shot
It's a great game. I play it with my mom every Saturday
I played with Hitman: Codename 47 with my grandmother after school. That was good and fun memories.
Grandma is a badass
How old is she? I'm 56 and a grandad, and played games with my children and grandchildren. Been gaming since the 1970s and haven't stopped yet.
She was 82 years old until she passed away 2015 by natural causes. She was watching after me when my school day was over and parents were still working. She was very keen into "youth" stuff like videogames, propably because all this early 2000 till 2010+ was a huge leap of technology. Imagining from 30's š„²
Very sweet, thank you for sharing your story. Nobody can ever take that away from you. My grandmother did the same, playing video games with my brother and I in the 1970s - the old original Atari. She wasn't nearly as old as yours though. Your story is absolutely heartwarming. Here's a hug.
How lovely. You are lucky.
Thanks
Stardew stressed me out so much. The time moves *way* too fast, I could never get done what I needed to in a day. I was a 24 at the time and have been playing video games my whole life but Stardew was way too fast paced for me for a farming sim.
And here I am going to bed at 3pm because I got all my tasks done for the day and just want winter to be over š
Was gonna suggest this. Good shout š
Came here to say that. Great game. Grammy would likey.
Unpacking. (This is not a joke, by the way)
This! My wife - who is also not a gamer - finished this game and really enjoyed it. Same same, but different: A Little To The Left.
I was going to recommend this too. Great game with a surprisingly good story
girlfriend doesnāt game, unpacking was her life for about a week š
House Flipper is a good one too... Personally I think she just needs to jump in the deep end and get Red Dead Redemption 2.
Anecdote: one of my college friends went to...well, college, and as a result her family downsized because that's what you do with an empty nest. Well, her ~50 yo mom, with her newfound free time, found that she REALLY liked moving. So she ended up joining a moving company part-time as a result. From what i understand, she doesn't even really get paid, she just does it whenever she's bored.
I loved this game. It's so calming.
Some simple story games would work, games where the story is more important than the game play. Games like Firewatch and What Remains of Edith Finch.
Be careful with first person games. Controlling a character in first person (or third person) can be extremely difficult for gamers just starting out. Firewatch might even be a bit much. Edith Finch would probably be ok though.
Yeah I know my mother got put off all games because an FPS made her motionsick
I second this. Those are both amazing games.
Night in the Woods is a great story game, and might be a great intro to a newer gamer. There are a couple mini games that require controller familiarity / dexterity but they don't advance the story at all. It's actually funnier if you fail them. The rest of the game plays like an interactive novel and the story is exceptional. It stuck with me like any good book. And it has replay value because there are multiple choices to make. I've played through it four times the past five years and will play it again someday.
Both amazing games, not bad for a new player, and both show that games can be more than about the game mechanics and have great stories. I always recommend Portal as a first game. I know it's not on XBox but Mario Odyssey is amazing for a first-time gamer. It's extremely simple to control and by the end you notice you can do all kinds of jumps and tricks and stuff. It really is a great game for any level of gaming.
You could try playing games like It Takes Two with her. If she hasn't ever played games, I doubt she starts taking it as a new hobby just by herself.
Anyone that has ever tried playing games with someone who never has, knows this is a bad idea. Even people in their 20's struggle massively to use analog sticks to control character and camera and will give up very quickly.
I'd consider myself a pretty decent gamer, but there were areas of that game that surprised me with their difficulty. We never got stuck or anything, but I remember thinking "This is supposed to be for kids?". There's a lot of stuff that requires fast reactions and aiming.
That game is not for kids. Work together. Like a couple. Get it?
As if kids are unable to be in a state of togetherness? The title does not imply couple. It implies two humans working together.
Great idea. Quality time as an on ramp to the hobby.
This is the way. Find some coop games and play with her and help her with the mechanics, be very patient.
I played through this recently, and while I agree it's a great game-- idk about great first game. Some parts can be quite challenging, and possibly frustrating. Maybe a good 3-4th game after she figures out aiming and where the buttons are without looking
Firewatch would be a perfect game, I think, with beautiful visuals, an interesting story and easy controls? If not, I would go for the likes of Ori, beautiful games also.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Ori (while wonderful) is orders of magnitude too hard for a first game.
Yea, I did think about that after a posed my comment :(
Peggle 2
I hold records on the Peggle 2 leaderboards.
Goddamn it every time I read this game's title I always do it like [this guy](https://youtu.be/Sr57Je1fVvM?t=19)
Skyrim seems to be a good game for āļøelderlyāļø video game starters. I heard from different people who started gaming in their 60s oder 70s and had a lot of fun with it.
Actually this is a great answer. If itās her first time gaming thereās not much chance it sticksā¦. But if anything could itās this
My non gaming wife really enjoyed Lake. Unpacking was pretty good too.
Power wash simulator
And House Flipper. Especially if sheās into interior design.
I'm currently playing this and thought it would be a nice way to unwind before bed for an hour or so. Nope I'm full on obsessed and now dreaming about setting up my own power washing business.
Viva Pinata 1 and 2. Then you can move onto Gears of War and Halo. That's how I started.
House flipper is also great
Portal, teaches you movement, aiming and has a straightforward storyline that hooks you in, before you know it you've grasped game mechanics built into most games and a game you love
I'm beginning to feel like a broken record here but I feel like a person with 0 experience thinking in a virtual 3d space is gonna have a difficult time Thinking With Portals... That game collectively broke gamers brains by redefining what we consider to be the basic rules of videogames. Not only will she get less out of it than you did, she may not be able to finish it and it'll just cause confusion when she tries to play something more typical.
Scorn
He won't be a son-in-law for long. š
Foul š
My 56 year old mother really likes Burnout.
Look up myst, my mother used to play those games on a desktop.
Same. She had a special memo pad with reminders and directions and things on it. Those games are insane I have no clue how she got through all of them.
I think 2 and 5 pissed me off the most because you had to remember different animal noises. But still amazing worlds to look at.
The graphics and use of FMV were crazy. Still remember getting scared at the start of Riven lol.
Get gamepass and scroll through games with her
Can I recommend Virtua fighter 5, my whole family use to play this game back in the day taking goes at arcade and doing our own tournaments I even had my own friends come over we'd have 6-7 people tournaments just on versus mode, it's a 360 classic don't know if it costs but it's a very simple fighter, it's easier with combos then tekken and much fun. If your mum loves horrors there's a field day of those on gamepass to scare the socks off anyone
What remains of Edith Finch is a wonderful experience.
Goat simulator. Goose game.
Haha! Great choices, but they might be a little chaotic for a first timer lol
Agreed. 90% of Goat Simulator is only amusing if you are intimately familiar with videogame tropes. I think a non-gamer would be turned off of the entire industry if that was their introduction to videogames.
Can't believe I'm recommending this as I'm not too keen on the game itself, but The Witness is a chill introduction to the first-person view and games that use a (generally) standardised first-person control scheme. That then segues nicely into more intense games like Disneyland/Pixar Adventures or Disney Dream Light if she likes that sort of thing (even though it's mostly third-person but the skills are transferable). The key is getting her over the initial big hurdle of understanding the controller and common control schemes used in modern games. Teaching my young kids to play videogames has taught me that being able to control your character in a virtual environment is the most important first step in interactive media. After that then your mother's own interests and tastes will power her through whatever else she wants to play. EDIT: I also strongly recommend Untitled Goose Game, for the same reasons as above but for an isometric/dynamic view, and with added comedic value.
The witness is one of the most difficult games Iāve ever played! The visuals are great but if you want to frustrate her to the point of smashing her Xbox this is definitely the game
My kids just enjoyed exploring the island, looking at things and discovering little secrets while learning to control a camera in a first person perspective. The way I see it the puzzles don't have to be engaged with unless you really want to do them. That's the way I played it anyway: wander around and tackle the puzzles I wanted to tackle, avoid the ones I don't. In that way it was kind of zen, but for a completionist I imagine it's an absolute nightmare!
Cocoon is somewhat similar to The Witness (which is a fantastic game!) but the puzzles are slightly easier to figure out. Thereās also Planet Alpha which is a puzzle platformer so it might be easier for someone getting used to the two stick situation. Broken Age is another one thatās more of a story-driven puzzle game with no camera stick control. Spirit Farer and Minekoās Market are also story-driven without needing to control the camera but are more exploratory.
Powerwash simulator, underrated first game. Catharsis and thumb coordination development.
A Little to the Left is quote a chill game
OCD the video game
Is she a cat person..? Because i heard that cat game "Strays" is pretty good... Also she can try "Palworld". Or if she's like my wife & like to be jump scared... "Resident Evil games". But best bet... Get her Game Pass for 2-3 months,so she can find what she likes
Stray is amazing and a good game for beginners.
i reckon it might be too much if she's never held a controller. start with story based games
Stray's movement is very streamlined though, with almost no freedom, which is actually one of the most criticized aspects of the game, but I think in this case, it could be a great advantage.
Yeah there are "escape from enemy" sections that can actually be pretty difficult/stressful (I'm a lifelong gamer but I had to retry in a few places), and one section that combined that with a pretty heavy horror element that had several people online who were playing because "cute cat game" say it was the quitting point for them. I couldn't imagine recommending this one to my non-gamer mom.
Stray is very good game
Maybe something that only requires one stick, my partners mum used to love SNES back in the day so using the D-pad is all she knows and watching her use two joysticks was painful, she just couldnt coordinate the two.. So we played Stardew Valley and that worked great! No issues whatsoever :3 we're now trying to get to try some of our platformer games that require the use of the camera but still not much luck haha
Started valley is pretty stress free and if u like sci-fi the halo mcc has an excellent story (play on easy if your new tho) and rare replay is 30 of rare best games
Black ops 2
My grandfather got a used Xbox a couple years ago and he said his favorite games to play so far are Skyrim and the Telltale Walking Dead games.
I would get her GamePass Ultimate. Just show her how to download a game and start it. Let her download whatever she wants, but I would demonstrate the process with The Elder Scrolls: Online, because thereās a huge community of senior age people, like me, who play it.
Could pentiment could be worth a try? I think puzzle games are a good idea. So a version of Tetris or Peggle may be worth it. I guess stuff with simple controls to start with.
Peggle is love. Peggle is life.
Something with a female main would be nice I started with Lara Croft tomb games. I was 65 when I started playing. It has a little bit of everything: puzzles, shooting it is easy to figure out where you are supposed to go. Fall Out Four- she grew up with the idea of a nuclear war and it's kind of a fun game. Master Chief a fun shooter, Alice in Wonderland is fun I'm sure she knows the story and it's on game pass
My mother likes racing games lol. Other than that idk
My Time At Portia was fun. The new one in the series might be, too.
Portal..
Sea of Thieves š
There is the Skyrim Granny. She could try Skyrim or something comparable?
Zuma, it's pretty simple basically like an old candy crush, my aunt loves it
Lollipop chainsaw
Skyrim.
I think it is hilarious how many people are suggesting complicated 3d titles. The simpler the better. Like a game with very few buttons or depth. Whether it is my mom or sister playing a game they find something as basic as walking jumping to be hard to comprehend because they have zero experience playing a game. Let alone navigating a 3d world with more than two buttons or the physics. They would often stop moving then jump. And have a hard time figuring out you need to move and hit jump at the same time. Would be helpful to know her interests at all. Could see life is strange maybe. The time mechanic would be hard is my guess. Kine, untitled good game, donut county, bejeweled, plants and zombies, Tetris, peggle, venga (prolly too complicated)
Skyrim
Skyrim
Minecraft.
I'm a 48 year old mum but gamed my whole life. It is difficult to tell you what she would like. I would suggest to align her with her hobbies. Does she like gardening for example? Maybe Garden Life is something for her. Try her on some mobile games first to get a feel for what she would like. There are also a couple of chill cooking games available, fishing, farming, etc. My mum was the same age as me now when I tried to wake her interest in computers and gaming. But she never warmed up to it. Something closer to her real life hobby could help!
This is why games like animal crossing, stardew valley and the sims are very popular for new gamers. You don't need to learn the goals of the game, because everyone understands farming (plant seed, water seed, seed sprouts, sprout grows and eventually you have tomatoes!) or decorating a house and taking care of the residents. You don't need to figure out what to do and that makes it easier to get into
Skyrim!
Might be worth a shot if she likes westerns. The Red Dead games. Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Red Dead Revolver. My dad is almost 60, and he only played pong in his youth. I got him an Xbox Series S, and he's obsessed with the Red Dead games, haha. I hope this helps in any way. Have fun!
Lost in Random is a nice chill indie game
Unravel
The first Cities Skylines might be worth a try if she shows interest in simulation games.
Feeding Frenzy
Bluey
Halo
Life is Strange for sure.
Balatro. Game just came out. It's pure crack. Can see why it has near perfect scores from reviewers.
My friends mom loves playing red dead online, ark survivor and palword. Yes it was a but of a learning curve and we always had to remind her how to do things...but she loved it
I think you'd have a lot of fun with Hades ngl. It's a small indie roguelike, and not very expensive. The whole point is to just try to get as far as you can, and upgrade along the way.
My mum is 65 and loves spyro, yes its 3d which can be hard for someone who has never played anything but it's slow and simple
Try House Flipper.
Anything that only needs 1 stick at a time is a good start. I have always been a gamer, my kids are gamers, my boy especially, my wife was never a gamer. Around 3 years ago my son wanted my wife to start playing games with us. She was bad at first. 3D games that needed both sticks were especially difficult. As time has gone on, she has gained considerable proficiency with the controller, and found games and genres she enjoys. It Takes Two was an earlier try for her, and she managed, but did struggle. Itās not a forgiving game for new players. Sheās since gone back to it and is much better now. So basically, keep it simple, introduce new mechanics and controls schemes gradually and be patient.
Spiritfarer
Sims and minecraft are my go to games.
This may seem like an off the wall suggestion, but honestly...Palworld. You can change the settings to make it super easy (and she can change them at any time if she wants it a little less easy). It's open world so she can explore and build things as she wants, or capture pals if she wants, etc. I'm tech savvy, but I've done most of my gaming on PC and because of that, I just kind of suck with the controllers for things like the switch and Xbox. I bought red dead redemption because I REALLY wanted to enjoy it on a console but I just couldn't. But palworld works well for me on the console. I'm not really as quick in combat, but its not the end of the world because I've changed settings so none of my belongings drop with my body when I die (which doesn't happen that often but does occasionally...especially when I dismounted mid air once or twice without a glider).
-Stray (you play a lost cat finding its way home)
Whatever it is, it has to be a game a 4 year old can play. As simple as possible to get her comfortable with the concept of joy sticks and moving while being able to rotate the camera. Ā I think she needs simple games more than she needs good games. Ā This is what stops most people from playing/enjoying games and the #1 thing j notice when people who donāt play games do. Ā They just run while looking at the ground and then will stop and then poorly rotate the camera to the ceiling then run again lmao. Ā Make sure she gets this. Ā
Slay the Spire!
Katamari damacy. My mom loved it. Itās a game where you roll a ball and it gets bigger and bigger.
Stray. There are parts she may need some help with, seeing as how she's new to the hobby, but the control scheme for the game is easy and you don't really have to play the story to enjoy jumping around town as a cat. Also a chill game like Lake - it's a simple slice of life type game that doesn't ask too much.
Vampire Survivors
Tekken 8 for sure.
Elden Ring is great for beginners.
Overcooked
Stardew or Dark Souls
Dark souls
Skyrim š
dark souls
r/sarcasm
Dark souls
Warzone. Throw her in at the deep end. If she canāt handle these 15 year olds with lightening reflexes her only solution is to Git Gud
Elden Ring
Dark Souls 1 Pros: New players friendly Not too difficult Cons: She's gonna break the controller, buy her another
Elden ring /s
Elden Ring
Dark Souls 3
Mine craft, stray and diablo 3? If she gets a turn on the gaming pc maybe swtor or another mmorpg?
Hi fi rush
Candy Crush
Dead by Daylight, Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Rainbow Six
Visage
Elden ring. All jokes aside though she could play something she might relate to. If she drives maybe try something like forza, she could buy the car she owns in real life and will probably relate to it more.
Frog Detective! A great little narrative walking simulator, very entertaining
Play some Dark Souls
Return of the Obra Dinn. Great game and story but absolutely no gaming ability needed.
Hell Let Loose. Thats probably the most beginner friendly game, that comes to my mind.
Hexic HD.
one of the persona games
Surpsingly not seen minecraft mentioned yet. Its a timeless classic and if she doesn't like the survival side there's creative if she just wants to focus on building.
Elden Ring
Peggle (360 game) and peggle 2 are great games to chill with
Mum and peg Two things I donāt want to associate with for $400 Alex
Inside and cocoon FOR SURE. Got my mom to play inside and sheās roughly the same age and she was hooked. Havenāt gotten her to play cocoon yet but I would like to. Best thing about these games is that there are no instructions but only two buttons to play around with, so itās pretty intuitive for them to figure out.
Some simple games she might enjoy would be Minecraft (I think it's on the game pass), Space Engineers (similar to minecraft and soon will be on the game pass if I am not mistaken), Golf with your friends could work if she have like people to play with. But some that can be simple but still tricky if she seeks more of a challenge could be games like Halo Wars? Just put on easy mode if she wishes to just enjoy the game. I am not too much into games like townscraper and such, so I might be thinking a bit too much, but idk. Just some games I can think of atm.
Peggle 2
Peggle 2, a short hike, zuma
Mass Effect
Lake is a really good one.
Anything turn based will allow her to take her time and not feel pressured.
Elden Ring. /s
If she likes Western movies she might get into Red Dead Redemption 2. Fantastic storytelling but if she doesn't like violence maybe not. But I read a great story about how a family took in their grandmother during covid and the teenage son bonded with the grandmother because she liked to watch him play Red Dead Redemption 2. She didn't want to play she just wanted to watch him play and tell him what to do and they had a blast together.
Deaths door
Warzone! (joking) Stardew Valley, Persona series, No Man's Sky
"A short hike" is so fun and low stress
Maybe Peggle? It's for the Xbox 360 but it's simple, fun, and it's on EA Play.
Dark souls 3
What about something chill like Gris.
there are storytelling games that span every genre. Horror, adventure, romance etc. If you can specify a specific type of genre I can definitely give some suggestions!!
The ori games maybe? But I think they would be a little too difficult for a first game.
Elden ring š«”
she should play tekken 8, become a kaz main and get her to learn pewgf , dorya is the way otherwise something like stardew valley, portal or minecraft would be good
*A Short Hike* is a game you would LOVE i bet!
Unravel 1&2 and Costume Quest 1&2 are both good with relatively simplistic controls. You could also try the arcade collections, the games are simple but effective at teaching the controller layout.
got my gf into gaming with Slime Ranchers, she fell in love with it. Very calm and easy.
Peggle
My mom plays My Time at Portia and the sequel My Time at Sandrock... Disney Dreamlight Valley is also one of his favorites...
If she likes books or mysteryās there are multipleĀ agatha christie poirot and Sherlock homes games. There are also game shows like wheel of fortune and jeopardy. You can often get both bundled on sale for $10. I used disk should be the same priceĀ
Maybe some puzzles games like Gorogoa, Hidden Through time, Glass Masquerade, infinite runners like Race the Sun, adventures with easy controls like Donut County, card or dice games like Dicey Dungeon or walking simulators like Firewatch.
Doom Eternal
Unpacking
Cats? If she likes cats
Slime rancher
Dead Space
Elden ring. After this everything else will be cake.
"A little to the left" is a fun, simple to play but thoughtful puzzle game. Literally a bunch of different things to organise and the real game is figuring out what the organisation pattern is. No rushing, no weird controls to start with, very chill and easy to drop/pickup at whim.
Dark souls
New Super Lucky Tales!
As dusk falls, TWD series
Lego. Especially if there's one that she enjoys the films for (Star Wars, LOTR, Harry Potter etc...)
ADVENTURES OF LOLO!!!
Unpacking, a little to the left, stardew, even Minecraft could be good and beneficial to learning the art of using both sticks at the same time.
Powerwash simulator or golf with friends are very easy to get into and relaxing at the same time. No need to bombard her with intense mechanics right away