Somehow managed to reach 51 without ever owning a games console or really being into computer games at all. Figured it was depriving my children of an important aspect of modern culture so got a Nintendo Switch and am now struggling like the old people of my youth struggled with video recorders. - ThreadSky

alomshaha.bsky.social • 56 days ago

Somehow managed to reach 51 without ever owning a games console or really being into computer games at all. Figured it was depriving my children of an important aspect of modern culture so got a Nintendo Switch and am now struggling like the old people of my youth struggled with video recorders.

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arborealtechie.bsky.social•56 days ago

I wonder if I'm depriving mine the same way. Or, given their ages, have deprived. Mine you, with the time they spend on their phones, I fail to see when they would use one!
We do have an old Wii - not sure if that counts?

alomshaha.bsky.social•56 days ago

The Wii is a console! The Switch has many of the same features in terms of motion detection being part of the game play

arborealtechie.bsky.social•56 days ago

They used it a bit when they were younger, but the kids at school had much better, more modern (and powerful) consoles. So I felt they might be missing out on popular culture by not being able to play the games their peers talked about.

alomshaha.bsky.social•56 days ago

Mine still at primary school and lots of their friends have the Switch. I’m hoping this will be sufficient for a number of years…

arborealtechie.bsky.social•56 days ago

I think it will. I've seen kids with them. 👍
Gives you time to practice before you need an upgrade, or your kids become more critical of your performance!

alomshaha.bsky.social•56 days ago

Ha! They’ve already surpassed me in terms of skill

mazza66.bsky.social•55 days ago

I couldn't even get control of controller to make Mario run & jump🤣 More Tetris, solitaire & Wordle 😉😴

alomshaha.bsky.social•56 days ago

Whether one or two of the joy cons works seems entirely random. I hate that I just have to *hope* the bloody thing does what I want it to do half the time. No instructions with anything apparently so you’re just supposed to guess what buttons to smash together

mariannedoherty.bsky.social•56 days ago

My boys have been teaching me to play Animal Crossing on the switch over Christmas. It’s very gentle and about as much complexity as I can cope with. I still manage to press the wrong button about a quarter of the time though. The boys get very frustrated at my incompetence.

alomshaha.bsky.social•56 days ago

My girls are learning how to use the bloody thing and already more competent than me. They love animal crossing but we can’t always seem to access the two player mode

alomshaha.bsky.social•56 days ago

The experience is rather frustrating, but definitely worth it to see my children dancing to afrobeats on one of those dance games

mattlibrarian.bsky.social•56 days ago

I am so so bad at console games (I hit 50 later this year) but my wife and kids love them

alomshaha.bsky.social•56 days ago

I am going to try to learn to love them. But fucking hell they’re expensive!

mattlibrarian.bsky.social•56 days ago

Check with your local library, many do carry switch games

alomshaha.bsky.social•56 days ago

No way! Will definitely check, thanks :)

khalsir.bsky.social•56 days ago

Modern day games are far too much these days, bit like the bombastic TV shows that they keep churning out. Preferred the old days. Better gameplay and playability if not graphics.

kellyekins.bsky.social•56 days ago

I was 44 when I had a huge op and was sofa bound for weeks - my brother bought me a switch to keep me busy, with Zelda. I became instantly hooked. My heart rate was being monitored and would drop while I played, it was the weirdest thing, there are bits of excitement in the game but even so!

oscarfranklin.bsky.social•55 days ago

Zelda is wonderful though, 11 has just bought a second-hand copy of Breath of the Wild and I (M56) have been delighted watching her delight with it. It's great.

alomshaha.bsky.social•55 days ago

Is it appropriate / playable for a 6 / 7 year old?

oscarfranklin.bsky.social•55 days ago

Up to a point but perhaps not fully, there is a LOT of gathering resources, figuring stuff out and trying things over and over. Needs quite a bit of resilience.

alomshaha.bsky.social•55 days ago

Cheers. Might wait a year or two then.

kellyekins.bsky.social•55 days ago

Yes, I’d agree with the above. There is lots to work out which I think a younger child would struggle with. To be fair I often did!

draustphd.bsky.social•56 days ago

10 (+) yrs older, and ditto that re consoles & gaming (original Space Invaders machines in pubs in the 70s aside). Luckily elder kid wasn't a gamer, & younger one has worked it all out for themself. Phone & computer roleplay/scenario games only, is v. disdainful of all console shooter type stuff.

alomshaha.bsky.social•56 days ago

Haven’t bought any “fighting” games and will try to avoid. Got a dancing one, a car racing one and a something called Animal Crossing which they seem to love. Also a cheap game called “Pico Park” which involves collaborating to solve problems.

drwilkinsonsci.bsky.social•56 days ago

Buy Mariokart 8. It’s all you need. Game play is so simple and it’s so addictive. You and your kids will be hooked forever.

alomshaha.bsky.social•56 days ago

I think we’ve got that or at least one of the mariokart games. And yes, I can see how it might be addictive…

teachingofsci.bsky.social•56 days ago

I'm enjoying playing _Worms_ in the switch with my youngest. MarioKart was an exercise in humility.

alomshaha.bsky.social•56 days ago

Is worms suitable for 6/7 year olds?

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