The internet is rife with thousands, if not millions of possible game codes to choose from. The software companies and app makers don’t have enough time to churn out as many options and types of games to constantly fill the void for more and more excitement.
One of the biggest issues with online gaming is its addictive quality, and also the fact that games have a shelf life; these shelf lives are based on a trend, newly marketed games, personal favorites, and upgraded technologies that allow for new and improved audiovisual performance.
Essentially there are 12 types of online games for kids. Here is a basic definition for these 12 game types that kids will interact with from the ages of 3 and up.
1. Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO)
These are internet-based games, due to their core natures. They require the integration of multiple players to make the game scenario active and popular. Players will play against computer-generated problems and scenarios as well as against other players. This game allows for teaming up, as well as for creating special scenarios.
In general, MMO’s are only successful when they become engaging in their rewards when players can collect resources and trade for them. Once teamwork is added, whole cultures can emerge, for instance, Dungeons & Dragons that has become a cult leading to the development of many other similar cult-like games.
Children can get lost in these environments, and it is not healthy to let them play for too many hours in a row.
2. Simulations
Simulators have been around since software was first developed. They are constantly evolving, and the best simulators will give you a real-to-life experience where you can take the controls from any vehicle, where it is real, like a Boeing 707, or fantasy, as a Star Wars Tie-Fighter.
Simulators are considered to be educational since they give the child or user access to learning how to operate a real vehicle with real simulated results. Essentially, anyone that starts out learning how to use a flight simulator will find it easier to learn actual flying since the controls will be familiar. Also, in-flight simulators, the user has to learn all the actual basics of communications and understand the abbreviations and professional syntax.
3. Adventure
In general, adventure games are solo games, where the child will strive towards a goal against the clock, or against computer-generated opponents and hardships. In most adventure games there is a combination of swift action requiring great eye-hand coordination skills and the ability to solve sometimes complex logical and observational problems including memory sets and complicated formulae.
These games tend to be addictive too and will take children for hours, so you have to learn how to limit these games as well.
4. Real-Time Strategy (RTS)
These are like MMO’s but with a smaller environment and require quick on-the-spot judgments. The actions are happening in real-time measurements, and it is a multiple-player game, where two or more players can play at the same time.
A lot of RTS create resources that are collected and traded; they can be used or stored for further use and like MMO’s can be played in teams or singularly. However, unlike MMO’s these games can be played in solo too without an active internet connection.
5. Puzzle
One of the most common games, usually solo, but come with multiple player modes are puzzles. Puzzles are anything from numbers, letters, to shapes and even building a scenario that requires logical engineering thought processes.
Puzzle games are great for kids of all ages since they enhance the child’s thinking and logical thought process. However, they are addictive too and require you to set time limitations.
6. Action
The action is for the fast eye-hand coordination player. What Space Invaders and Donkey Kong started off evolved into a thousand variations. These are the most frustrating of all games since they demand fast coordination. When the controller is not responsive, or if the game is not designed for all controller types, children can get extremely frustrated and angry.
On the upside, these games teach children eye-hand coordination and will teach them (or not) both perseverance and how to deal with failure.
You can plenty of action games on the PS4. If you own an old PS, it is recommended to check the PS4 and backwards compatibility with old action games.
7. Stealth Shooter
These games are spy/thief type games where you have to get around a scenario without being detected. Most probably picking up resources and weapons along the way. In most cases, they are single-player games, but some come with two-player options.
8. Combat
These are the original classic one-on-one combat games. In the ninja kick-ass category where the child has to learn coordinating punches and kicks using different combinations of keystrokes. Like action games, these are fast-paced and require good eye-hand coordination as well as remembering different keystroke combinations.
9. First Person Shooters (FPS)
The original 3D FPS was Wolfenstein, and ever since then, they have developed in technique and quality. The current definition is so high that you can feel truly immersed in a virtual environment. These games require you to find weapons, collect resources, and constantly kill whatever gets in your way. In some games, you will be required to learn how to jump, climb, crawl and roll all over the screen.
10. Sports
Sports games (simulators0 started off with football and eventually panned out to cover every sport known and played today. Golf, Tennis, Hockey, Baseball and, well everything is played online. These come ins a number of formats, starting from the very basic bowling type, line ‘em up and shoot ‘em games, to the more complex 3D fully simulated Football or Basketball games that require you know how to run, dribble, pass an jump, etc…. You get the idea. You need to learn a load of key stork combinations and be prepared to play against real opponents too.
11. Role-Playing (RPG)
RPG’s are for fantasy lovers, remember the Dungeon and Dragons, well this is another variant of that. In these games, you immerse yourself into another reality. You play out as another being (like the new film Ready Player One). RPG’s come in a number of flavors and can be harmless, or totally downright vicious. We always suggest that you triple check your child when he or she plays RPS’s to see what alternate identity they pick and with whom they are interacting. RPG’s are notorious for black web players.
12. Educational
These are considered to be the cream of the crop. They come in many variations, ranging from the most basic mathematics and language games to the more complex science and engineering games. Educational games also resemble other types, such as RPG, Action, and Puzzles, since they all aim to engage the child and retain the child’s attention to increase the educational success.
