Some good PC games to give to/play with a 7-10 year old? Single and multiplayer

[hoorah]

So I have a nephew thats 7 now. He obviously likes video games, but (my opinion), he's playing violent stuff too early. This is coming from someone that played games like wolfenstein 3D and doom probably before they should have, but (again, my opinion) 7 is a bit too early. What he plays on his own stuff is the realm of his parents, but when he visits our house, or when I'm at my in-laws, he sometimes asks to play computer games on my stuff. I'd love to get him some fun games, maybe even some competitive multiplayer stuff, but things more suitable for a 7 year old.

Last time I saw him I hooked up my laptop to the TV and brought out an old joystick and let him play Flightsim2004. He thought it was neat but I think it was a little too advanced for him.

My next go-to was portal I think I'm still way too ahead of the curve.

Lee Carvallos putting challenge? Or should I just pick up some more games for the Wii?

 

[Albatross]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L5Cg9j-y8U

 

[werepossum]

My youngest grandson is 7 and for him, the list now starts and ends with the new Plants vs Zombies games - especially the new shooter. Before that, I had very good luck with the various LEGO games - LEGO Batman, LEGO Harry Potter, etc. Mario is also a perennial favorite, both regular and racing.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Torchlight 1 will run on IGP graphics and is only fantasy violence where you're bashing chopping or blasting cartoony critters.

 

[darkewaffle]

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2359350

 

[spaceman]

minecraft

 

[SpunkyJones]

My 8 year old loved playing portal with me, he got better at thinking about the solutions as we went along.

 

[Patre]

I also have an 8yr old that loves Portal 2......I like to promote more of the puzzle based games to get the mind involved, but also have these for the no-brainer moments.

Bastion
Fez
Dungeon Defenders
Trine2

 

[hoorah]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

Minecraft - I had forgotten about this. I've been hearing a lot of kids are playing this now, which I thought was odd since very few people tend to be into PC games these days. As it turns out they're apparently playing it on phones and tablets - news to me. Anyway, I think I remember his mother saying something about minecraft so if he already plays it maybe thats something he could do on the PC.

As for all the other suggestions, I now definitely have a good list to pull up on youtube and see if I can find some good ones. Thanks!

 

[rivethead]

My 9 year olds favorite Steam account games:

Trine
Trine 2
Giana Sisters
Torchlight
Terreria

 

[NickelPlate]

http://games.disney.com/winnie-the-pooh-honey-harvest

 

[It's Not Lupus]

portal
maybe bastion

 

[BurnItDwn]

Minecraft (its been said multiple times, yes, but, its really going to be his favorite by far.)

 

[Texashiker]

Left 4 dead.

Kids love zombies. I have been playing left 4 dead with my grandkids. It scares the crap out of them.

Titan quest
Diablo II - not on steam
Warcraft II - not on steam
Serious sam

 

[BSim500]

At that age, I'd probably get a Wii as a lot of the "Sports Resort" games are actually quite fun. For PC games, it depends on the genre. FPS games may be a bit violent. RTS are often too complex at such an early age. At that age, I loved a lot of the older amusing "point and click" adventure games (Sam & Max Hit The Road, Day of the Tentacle) and puzzle games (Lemmings, etc). Some suggestions for light gaming:-

CLARC
Contrast (may need discrete GFX card)
Home Sheep Home 2
Machinarium
Mousecraft
QUBE (If you like Portal)
Rocketbowl
The Inner World
Unmechanical

As others have said, Torchlight 1 & 2 are fairly easy going introduction to RPG's. And Portal 1 & 2 are definitely recommended (if not now then in a couple of years time). QUBE is a Portal like game that I thought was going to be a cheap knock-off but turned out far better than that & really makes you think. All the rest should run on a laptop's iGPU easily.

 

[Sable]

GTA Vice City was what I played with my niece when she was that age. Once she figured out the controls she played it herself.

OBVIOUSLY not the missions, just the general driving around. Played it again with her today, she's now 11. Still knows the map AND hasn't tried to kill anybody in real life.

 

[Sable]

Other favourites include Trine/2, Stanley Parable, Goat Simulator, Portal/2, American McGees Alice/2, Left 4 Dead/2. (these are all current and previously played).

Multiplayer Quake 3 and Unreal Tournament were also great fun as I've always had two computers. Once she could cope with mouse in right hand, wasd in left it was always gonna be deathmatch time.

 

[Cappuccino]

Scribblenaunt. I play it 24/7.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Ohh yes, good one, Goat Simulator will certainly get them laughing. Especially goat on bike or every time the goat climbs ladders.

 

[Dumac]

Something simple but open ended.

Minecraft
Terraria
Goat Simulator
Lego Marvel/Harry Potter/Lord of the Rings

Diablo 3 maybe...although I don't know if that is too complicated. I enjoyed D1 and D2 as a kid...

 

[Martimus]

My daughter and I play Terraria together. She also likes all the Telltale Games adventure games (avoid the Waking Dead and The Wolf Among Us as they aren't appropriate for kids). We also played Beyond Good and Evil, and Star Bound.

She is now addicted to the Sims though. I don't play that game with her.

 

[frozentundra123456]

I would suggest the lego games as well. Not too boring for adults and great for kids. Also maybe some of the old RTS games like Age of Empires or Rise of Nations. Seven is a bit young for those, but when he was 10 my grandson was quite good at galactic battlegrounds.

I would not let anyone that age play on-line without close supervision, even something like minecraft, since some of the fan generated content can be quite violent or other wise inappropriate. Torchlight, yea, it is all fantasy, but it seems pretty bloody for a seven year old. Actually it all depends on the child. My grandson played pretty much anything after the age of 10 and grew up to be one of the least violent people I know, but it might affect someone else differently. Also there are a lot of children's games like Curious George, Pajama Sam series, Jump Start series, etc. that he might enjoy.

 

[hoorah]

I am NOT giving this kid Left 4 Dead. This is the whole problem. Every two seconds he's excited about shooting someone or blowing their head off. He straight up asks me to get him games where he can shoot people. On the spectrum, he pegs the end where kids can't handle the violence. Grand Theft Auto? Seriously?

I have to admit for quite some time I thought 'Goat Simulator' was a running joke relating to all the incredibly boring truck driving/farming/knitting simulators. Its actually a real game? I looked at some youtube videos though and it actually looks like something he might have fun with. Goat Simulator....who comes up with this stuff?

I already have a Wii that he plays when he is at our house. When I'm at my in-laws I let him play PC games on one of my old laptops.

 

[runzwithsizorz]

As was already suggested. Lego games are great. My grandsons loved them when they were that age.

 

[bakalu]

I played Max Payne (with mod) several times.