Understanding the Genres of Modern Video Games
Helpful Tips for Panicked Parents Raising a Child or Teenage Gamer
Nov 17, 2008
With the video game industry growing by leaps and bounds it is certain that many baby-boomers and even a few older Generation X'ers will be looking at a Playstation 3, Xbox 360, or Nintendo Wii with a blank stare come Christmas, a child's birthday, or even asked for as a grading present.
The enormity of the industry has expanded to cover almost every demographic – from Sudoku for the soccer moms to Petz Horses for the younger girls in the family. Learning about the Entertainment Software Ratings Board ratings system would be an excellent start, but one must also consider the genre of the games that your child or teen (or oneself!) might be likely to play.
- To learn more about the ESRB rating system for video games, please click here.
The Basic Genres
- Adventure Games : Adventure titles take a wide variety of roles, from three-dimensional fare such as the Legend of Zelda series and also including platformers such as the much-loved Mario Bros. for the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Adventure games vary greatly in content and it should be very apparent from their box art and rating whether or not they will be age appropriate. Many are great for youngsters, others – not so much!
- Roleplaying Games (RPG's) : Roleplaying games are very complex, often with multilayered plotlines and long cinematic features. Of the many genres available, roleplaying games often seek to be the most immersive and cerebral. The player often creates their own protagonist or avatar and ventures forth into a fictional universe to save, or ruin, the day. Roleplaying games range in age appropriateness from child to adult, making the rating very important to note for these titles. Fallout 3, a gritty and bleak post-apocalyptic RPG – would not be appropriate for most children, for example.
- Fighting Games : Most fighting games are very simple with regards to plot, sometimes the plot is nonexistent! Commonly, the player chooses a fighter he wishes to use and squares off against another player or a computer controlled opponent. The large majority of fighting games are rated T, or higher due to the obvious violent content.
- Shooters (3rd or 1st Person) : One of the most popular genres currently being released, the shooter is quite likely the simplest title to understand. Usually placed in a horror or military themed universe, the player navigates their character through several conflicts – armed with guns, swords, or even bare hands. 3rd person shooters take the perspective behind the player's character, 1st person shooters refer to games that place the camera view as if seeing through the eyes of the player's character. Most shooters are typically rated T, or older.
- Puzzle / Strategy Games : The most educational and appealing games to a casual audience – puzzle and strategy games can range from those as simple as Bejeweled to as complex as Starcraft or Command & Conquer. Most strategy and puzzle games are appropriate for teenagers, though younger grade schoolers may not possess the patience required for some of the most complex titles. Puzzle and strategy games often boast great replay value as well – as two games are rarely, if ever, the same.
- Rhythm Music Games : One of the newest trends for sure – the rhythm music game is often a party game that is played with either a controller or a specific peripheral such as a guitar, microphone, drumset or dance pad. Rock Band, Guitar Hero, and Dance Dance Revolution constitute the most modern and popular incarnations of this genre. Most of these games bear little to no violent content, although the lyrics may be somewhat questionable in some cases.
- Educational / Edutainment : Educational games that are still entertaining – or the concent of edutainment – is not a new genre. Recent interest in such titles is growing, specifically as seen in such offerings as the Brain Age titles for the DS and Big Brain Academy for the Nintendo Wii. These games are often very approachable and very rarely contain any controversial content. The most recent trend in this genre has been with the advent of Wii Fit, a fitness aide that measures your BMI and instructs one in how to perform basic yoga moves as well as how to correct and improve their balance and motor skills.
What Games Are Suitable For My Family?
Certainly, this boils down to individual choice. All games have the potential for entertainment – whether they be rated Mature or for Everybody. Determining the maturity level of your children as well as their interest in certain subjects will be crucial in determining their tastes when it comes to gaming. Whether they choose to do battle with flame-breathing dragons in the newest RPG or to scratch their heads in puzzlement over a particularly challenging puzzle – games can be constructive, inspiring, and very creative endeavours provided with a guiding hand and the correct context.
Explaining a certain scene that may have been troubling, or taking part in your children's interests directly by playing yourself is the best route – you might even learn a few things!
