Comments on: Mom needs a Gamecube game

Question: Mom needs a Gamecube game

tirade — Thu, 13 May 2004 15:36:37 -0800

I'm looking for recommendations for a good Gamecube game for my mother - definitely a non-gamer. She's still working on using a controller, so I'm figuring something simple and fun may be best. Any thoughts?

By: sugarfish

sugarfish — Thu, 13 May 2004 15:50:20 -0800

animal crossing! totally addictive and fun

By: geoff.

geoff. — Thu, 13 May 2004 15:50:36 -0800

My mom is also definitely not a gamer. I got my Gamecube for the express purpose of becoming a master at Super Smash Bros. so I could beat my cocky friend. Mission succesful.

Anyway my mom loves it, got a Gamecube. Her and my brother (occasionally my dad) would play. My brother being in high school became better then my mom in about an hour, at which point my mom got frusterated and quit playing. Then I introduced her to Mario Kart and then she quit playing.

That's one of the great things about Gamecube games I like, anyone can pick up and play basically, but better plays can learn all the special moves and stuff. For non-gamers it is easier to penetrate without having a 5 hour learning curve.

Also get Bomberman Generations, another game my mom loves. I haven't tried that paticular Bomberman game but Bomberman gameplay is exceedingly simple and enjoyable.

Ok so in summary. If she can play against someone her own skill level, get Super Smash, followed by Mario Kart. If she doesn't like those type of games then definitely Bomberman. The Bomberman franchise coming highly recommended in the mom genre.

By: snowgoon

snowgoon — Thu, 13 May 2004 15:57:44 -0800

Not sure what is available for GameCube but I'd suggest something in the puzzle genre (think Tetris).

My Mum is addicted to these things, my Dad has to kick her off the PC just to check his email!

By: jerseygirl

jerseygirl — Thu, 13 May 2004 16:12:21 -0800

i'll second animal crossing.

i havent been to my little animal crossing town in like 6 months. the denizens are going to be pissed at me.

By: malphigian

malphigian — Thu, 13 May 2004 16:15:35 -0800

I've had lots of success with Mario Kart Double Dash and non-gamers. Pretty forgiving difficulty and easy to learn.

I personally think super smash brothers is way too complicated (in terms of the number of game modes and the play) for new gamers.

By: seanyboy

seanyboy — Thu, 13 May 2004 16:34:48 -0800

what's that game which involves lots of little games that you play against each other... "Mario..." something.

By: Danelope

Danelope — Thu, 13 May 2004 16:38:53 -0800

Do they have anything "Dr. Mario"-like for the 'Cube? My mother still plays that game on the original NES for hours on end.

By: caddis

caddis — Thu, 13 May 2004 17:04:46 -0800

One more vote for Animal Crossing - one of the few games that parents keep liking long after their children become bored. I cannot profess to be a fan myself, but I know many adults, mostly women, who love this game. I am kind of partial to Mario Kart Double Dash, even if my six year old beats me with weapons (I can still out drive him).

By: Stynxno

Stynxno — Thu, 13 May 2004 17:10:42 -0800

pikmin. my dad and mom loved that game and they are both non-gamers (no matter how much they try to convince me otherwise).

By: Hackworth

Hackworth — Thu, 13 May 2004 17:11:57 -0800

do they make simcity for gamecube?

By: ODiV

ODiV — Thu, 13 May 2004 17:24:32 -0800

Wario Ware is the game seanyboy is thinking of. Based on the GBA game which I have and love. It's cheap and really damn fun/crazy.

By: ferociouskitty

ferociouskitty — Thu, 13 May 2004 17:36:11 -0800

Another vote for Animal Crossing. If she likes that, try Harvest Moon as well. Also, my 60-year-old completely uncoordinated mom loved Super Monkey Ball.

By: ferociouskitty

ferociouskitty — Thu, 13 May 2004 17:40:56 -0800

what's that game which involves lots of little games that you play against each other... "Mario..." something.

The Mario Party series - that's a good suggestion too. It's good for playing in short spurts - no huge time committment necessary.

By: cCranium

cCranium — Thu, 13 May 2004 19:40:30 -0800

Animal Crossing is great, the Super Monkey Ball series is good for learning coordination and is the closest thing I've found to a quality puzzle game on the system, and include a variety of minigames that explore different controller options.

Pikmin is also great and has strong puzzle elements, but is more strategy than puzzle.

The Mario Party games don't require a great deal of coordination, and the many minigames will introduce new players to the controller fairly well.

Luigi's Mansion, though often derided, is a great way to introduce people to the controllers. It uses both analog sticks and the analog shoulder buttons, but introduces things in a largely gradual and gentle game. Because it was included with every system originally, it should be easy to find used for extremely cheap.

Another vote for Harvest Moon. Games specifically geared towards younger kids like Disney's Magic Mirror game, the first Harry Potter game (the second was more complex) may be worthwhile too, there's a lot of popular characters licensed in ways that are awfully boring to us regular gamers.

Zelda: Wind Waker may be fairly advanced, but the strong characters and highly enjoyable animation may lure older gamers into it.

The Mario Golf series can be fun and is playable without much controller experience.

It may be worthwhile to rent a couple of the games suggested in the thread first to see which sorts catch your mother's eye.

By: NortonDC

NortonDC — Thu, 13 May 2004 20:51:49 -0800

Super Monkey Ball.

Dead simple (one stick and nothing else for the in-game control in the central game variety). Bright. Colorful. Instantly grasped. Cute. Unthreatening. Lots of second chances. Very approachable difficulty ramp.

SMB and SMB2 are available.

Also, look into the Gamecube Wario Ware. Never played it, but I've heard good stuff about it. It's a ton of short duration minigames.

By: Slimemonster

Slimemonster — Thu, 13 May 2004 20:54:46 -0800

Definitely Smash Bros. and Wario Ware can get addicting. Also, look for the sequel to Pikmin coming out soon.

By: milovoo

milovoo — Thu, 13 May 2004 21:06:27 -0800

My mom loves Snood (on a GBA) and from what I can tell they make it for the gamecube as well. It's like upside-down tetris.

By: deborah

deborah — Thu, 13 May 2004 21:20:35 -0800

I don't play the console version of The Sims (I play the pc version and all its expansion packs), but I've heard good things about it. The Sims is available for Gamecube as is the next version, Bustin' Out. A third title, The Urbz, is supposed to be released soon.

By: gen

gen — Thu, 13 May 2004 23:53:41 -0800

Mario Kart. Everyone loves Mario Kart!

By: ugf

ugf — Fri, 14 May 2004 03:52:42 -0800

Another recommendation for Mario Party - if she like board games, it's an easy game for a non- gamer to pick up. I've had several non-gamers play it and really enjoy it. It should be played with at least one other person though because the computer cheats pretty badly on its own.

By: Capn

Capn — Fri, 14 May 2004 08:32:04 -0800

Third the recommendation for Super Monkey Ball. Lots of different game options (monkey target and monkey golf are my favourites). Good fun for 1 to 4 players of all ages.

True story: Saw an interview with one of the developers of SMB, and he was talking about how they came up with the concept, and he said something like "Well, you've this cool game with ball physics, how do you make it more fun? Well, you put a monkey in the ball" and I'm like "well... yeah, duh!"

By: Jairus

Jairus — Fri, 14 May 2004 10:17:19 -0800

I think Super Monkey Ball might get frustrating to a non-gamer. Rent it first.

Animal Crossing, though, is nigh-impossible to hate. Brilliant little game.