PC Video Game Ideas for My Mom
December 5, 2016 5:58 PM Subscribe
I'm looking for suggestions for a new video game for my mom as a Christmas gift. This would be for Windows PC, as she doesn't have any gaming systems.
She is in her upper 70s but physically/mentally in her 50s, aside from the usual minor memory issues. Games she currently likes are JewelQuest, Sudoku, and jigsaw puzzles. In the past she had and liked Hoyle Card Games but it seems like they haven't come out with a new version in years. I don't think she'd be much into a role-playing type game, she seems to prefer puzzle games where she can drop in, play a level or solve a puzzle, and go do something else. She doesn't mind timed levels but they shouldn't be geared toward teenagers with crazy fast hand-eye coordination. ( I did browse in the AskMe archives but didn't see anything that seemed relevant)
She is in her upper 70s but physically/mentally in her 50s, aside from the usual minor memory issues. Games she currently likes are JewelQuest, Sudoku, and jigsaw puzzles. In the past she had and liked Hoyle Card Games but it seems like they haven't come out with a new version in years. I don't think she'd be much into a role-playing type game, she seems to prefer puzzle games where she can drop in, play a level or solve a puzzle, and go do something else. She doesn't mind timed levels but they shouldn't be geared toward teenagers with crazy fast hand-eye coordination. ( I did browse in the AskMe archives but didn't see anything that seemed relevant)
You can check out Big Fish Games, they're a store built around casual PC games like match games, hidden object games, puzzles, etc. They've got a huge catalog, so you should be able to find something.
posted by tau_ceti at 6:54 PM on December 5, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by tau_ceti at 6:54 PM on December 5, 2016 [4 favorites]
For card solitaire I recommend Solsuite, I've been playing it for about 15 years.
You can choose your card sizes, customize a lot of the look and feel, etc. My father has hand control issues and vision issues and found this the most playable of all card apps he's tried.
There are hundreds of variations and even though I only play a handful myself I've bought a new version every time I've upgraded computers over the years. It's great to be able to go through the different games by luck vs skill, % change of unwinnable shuffles, etc.
They also have MahJong and Sudoku packages, though I am not able to say anything about those.
posted by buildmyworld at 7:13 PM on December 5, 2016
You can choose your card sizes, customize a lot of the look and feel, etc. My father has hand control issues and vision issues and found this the most playable of all card apps he's tried.
There are hundreds of variations and even though I only play a handful myself I've bought a new version every time I've upgraded computers over the years. It's great to be able to go through the different games by luck vs skill, % change of unwinnable shuffles, etc.
They also have MahJong and Sudoku packages, though I am not able to say anything about those.
posted by buildmyworld at 7:13 PM on December 5, 2016
Does she like logic puzzles? My two favorites:
Everday Genius:Squarelogic This is an online version of KenKen puzzles - they look like sort of like Sudoku, but they contain groups of squares with math problems in the group. Range from very simple to very complex with hundreds of puzzles.
Sherlock by Everett Kaser This is a very old game whose website and game graphics are still in the 90's. It's one of those puzzles that show a grid and you have to guess what picture goes where using clues like "the green house is to the left of the grapes" and "the father is below the 3". It used to be shareware - now it has a Demo download so you can see if you like it before you spend 20 bucks to get all the levels.
posted by CathyG at 7:47 PM on December 5, 2016
Everday Genius:Squarelogic This is an online version of KenKen puzzles - they look like sort of like Sudoku, but they contain groups of squares with math problems in the group. Range from very simple to very complex with hundreds of puzzles.
Sherlock by Everett Kaser This is a very old game whose website and game graphics are still in the 90's. It's one of those puzzles that show a grid and you have to guess what picture goes where using clues like "the green house is to the left of the grapes" and "the father is below the 3". It used to be shareware - now it has a Demo download so you can see if you like it before you spend 20 bucks to get all the levels.
posted by CathyG at 7:47 PM on December 5, 2016
Also recommending Big Fish games. They have lots of games like the ones you describe (check out the card and board and the match 3 categories), but they also specialize in Hidden Object Adventure Games, which are basically point and click puzzle games, great for casual gamers.
posted by katyggls at 7:54 PM on December 5, 2016
posted by katyggls at 7:54 PM on December 5, 2016
Big Fish games are exactly this demographic and for the most part are very nice quality for the price, especially if you pay attention to sales and use coupon codes. I've gotten the most playtime out of their match 3 games, but a lot of them combine different aspects of their genres so your mom can get a taste of different game styles and explore more of them as she likes. She might enjoy the strategy genre, which would be a change from card games and sudoku but still use forethought and underlying system understanding in rewarding ways.
posted by Mizu at 9:31 PM on December 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Mizu at 9:31 PM on December 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
Regency Solitaire (either on or off Steam)
Dead Man's Draw (either on or off Steam)
posted by dgeiser13 at 9:35 PM on December 5, 2016
Dead Man's Draw (either on or off Steam)
posted by dgeiser13 at 9:35 PM on December 5, 2016
Would it be totally crazy to get your mom into Hearthstone?
It would, right?
posted by Iteki at 10:58 PM on December 5, 2016
It would, right?
posted by Iteki at 10:58 PM on December 5, 2016
The Witness is my favorite puzzle game and close to the top overall. It's in the first person, but it's not really a role playing game, given there are no characters and/or plot. Really beautiful, and figuring out the rules is a joy.
posted by rocketbadger at 2:24 AM on December 6, 2016
posted by rocketbadger at 2:24 AM on December 6, 2016
Would she like something like Gone Home, a storied mystery game?
posted by LKWorking at 11:23 AM on December 6, 2016
posted by LKWorking at 11:23 AM on December 6, 2016
I've been enjoying KAMI, recommended in an earlier question on phone games. It looks like they have it for PC too. Challenging after the first few and very pretty. You can download the first 6 puzzles free in your phone's app store if you'd like to try it.
KAMI demo.
Ignore the warrior stuff in the background, it won't be there. This is just the best youtube for showing what the game is really like.
posted by BoscosMom at 12:29 PM on December 6, 2016
KAMI demo.
Ignore the warrior stuff in the background, it won't be there. This is just the best youtube for showing what the game is really like.
posted by BoscosMom at 12:29 PM on December 6, 2016
Response by poster: Thanks so much for the suggestions so far! Although I've gotten into a major time suck "testing" some of those games, so no thanks for that ;)
@buildmyworld, I think she used to have SolSuite a couple of computers ago...I'll have to go look up the latest version.
@Iteki...yeah, I think it would be :) Harry Potter is more her speed.
posted by Preserver at 6:25 PM on December 6, 2016
@buildmyworld, I think she used to have SolSuite a couple of computers ago...I'll have to go look up the latest version.
@Iteki...yeah, I think it would be :) Harry Potter is more her speed.
posted by Preserver at 6:25 PM on December 6, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by elmay at 6:52 PM on December 5, 2016 [1 favorite]