10 games kids shouldn’t play

Common Sense Media is an organization whose goal it is to “improve the media and entertainment lives of kids and families”. They aim to help parents make informed decisions regarding the effects which age inappropriate media can have on their children.

They have just published a list entitled “10 Cool Games That Are Uncool for Kids (and 10 Alternatives)”.

The list is meant to help parents decide what recently released games they should avoid for their kids, and what games they can safely choose instead.

The idea is that parents can compare the games their kids ask for for Christmas, and get them the alternative options instead. So, little Timmy asked for Dragon Age: Origins? Get him Braid instead. Wait, what?

While the intentions are praiseworthy and not many people will disagree with the list of games deemed “uncool” for kids, the replacement games they suggest are surprisingly mature themselves, or in some cases, just bizzare comparisons.

Common Sense Media’s “Cool Games That Are Uncool for Kids (and 10 Alternatives)”

All the options listed at least carry lower age ratings, but that does not mean they are suitable replacements for their respective “uncool games”. Despite featuring less graphic violence, inFamous is seeded in dark gritty undertones, and the freedom to choose the evil or good path makes the game a contentious choice for kids.

Similarly, Overlord 2 lets players step into the shoes of an evil demon-like overlord, and any kid expecting to take on the role of a 16th century assassin (Assassin’s Creed 2) will be sorely disappointed to receive a game which requires a patient and mature taste (Mirror’s Edge) with almost no violence.

Similarly, it remains a mystery how they matched Bioware’s recent dark fantasy RPG (Dragon Age) with the independently developed time warping puzzler Braid.

Discuss “ten uncool for kids” games in the forums