Any fighting/shooting Wii games appropriate for 8 year old? (teaching, activity, play)
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Kids have been playing cowboys and indians/cops and robbers for a very long time. I think some amount of gun play is to be expected...
I don't know that there is a huge difference between playing a game like Call of Duty and shooting up friends with nerf guns or paintballs or going to laser tag.
The Lego games are popular and less graphic (more parent approved) than games like Call of Duty or MW3. But all of these games do involve "shooting".
Wii sports and some of the Nascar games are fun and don't involve shooting.
Yes, but the main premise of the game is not to kill people. They are legos, therefore when they "die" they just fall apart into lego pieces not spray realistic blood and body parts all over.
Yes, but the main premise of the game is not to kill people. They are legos, therefore when they "die" they just fall apart into lego pieces not spray realistic blood and body parts all over.
Kids have seen Star Wars and Indiana Jones - they know that the Lego figures they are "shooting" at represent human characters from those movies...
I suppose that the argument could be made that the Lego game "sanitizes" the act of shooting - the way the characters come apart is just a bit too neat and too clean.
In my opinion, it is best not to over think it. We have talked to our kids about special effects in movies, games in general and the difference between reality and fantasy.
Kids have seen Star Wars and Indiana Jones - they know that the Lego figures they are "shooting" at represent human characters from those movies...
I suppose that the argument could be made that the Lego game "sanitizes" the act of shooting - the way the characters come apart is just a bit too neat and too clean.
In my opinion, it is best not to over think it. We have talked to our kids about special effects in movies, games in general and the difference between reality and fantasy.
I don't want to start a debate over this, but when you're watching a movie you're just sitting there passively watching what happens. When you're playing call of duty, you'reactivelydoing the shooting/killing. The problem I have with those kind of games is that they are very realistic looking unlike the nintendo and atari games I played as a child.
I don't want to start a debate over this, but when you're watching a movie you're just sitting there passively watching what happens. When you're playing call of duty, you'reactivelydoing the shooting/killing. The problem I have with those kind of games is that they are very realistic looking unlike the nintendo and atari games I played as a child.
Yep. Pac Man, Donkey Kong...those were the days. Some of the games nowadays have just gotten a bit too realistic for my tastes.
I'm not really disagreeing with you or debating you but:
Paintball, laser tag and nerf involve actively stalking and shooting real, live human beings - although (hopefully) no blood/body parts! Games like Call of Duty are very gross but they seem less realistic and more movie like/special effect to me.
Last edited by springfieldva; 12-09-2011 at 02:32 PM..
I had no problem with my son playing Call of Duty since the age to 13, but I think 8 is too young.
First he had to watch actual war footage from WWII and Vietnam. Then he had to study the history of those wars and the current wars being fought against terrorism. After he had a full understanding of war and the injuries and death that goes along with it.
I also feel that if he grows up and becomes an elite member of the military as portrayed by Call of Duty no problem. As for the bad language we already had that talk years ago, and unfortunately he started hearing plenty of bad language at school well before the age of 13.
First he had to watch actual war footage from WWII and Vietnam. Then he had to study the history of those wars and the current wars being fought against terrorism. After he had a full understanding of war and the injuries and death that goes along with it.
What a great idea! I am stealing this one from you!
I think my feelings on this issue have changed a bit over the years. My 11 year-old recently came home from a play-date and told me he had been playing Call of Duty. Where I once would have been horrified, I am now more interested in his opinion of it. We talked about the game a bit, and he said it was alright, but a bit boring. We do watch a lot of documentaries already, and talk about the realities of war, so I don't believe he confuses games with reality. He hasn't asked for the game, or asked to go over and play the game again.
I agree with the above poster who said if you are drawing a line, where should it be? For me it's about encouraging those things that have positive attributes, and not encouraging those that I perceive to be negative. For example nerf wars are very popular here, and there is the added social interraction. My son loves to set up huge neighborhood nerf wars which include 30 children. Is there a difference? I don't know.
I don't want to start a debate over this, but when you're watching a movie you're just sitting there passively watching what happens. When you're playing call of duty, you'reactivelydoing the shooting/killing. The problem I have with those kind of games is that they are very realistic looking unlike the nintendo and atari games I played as a child.
But no one is actively shooting or killing; you are pushing buttons on a controller, which affects the actions of pixels on a screen. Kids understand this, it's usually adults who can't seem to make that distinction. Realistic looking is still not real. It's a different experience for me, because I have a different relationship with TV viewing and screens, because of the time I was raised in. I used to scream when Sonic was grinding on a rail thousands of feet in the air! It took time watching (and playing) for me to get: There's nothing scary about it. He falls, you restart. Kids understand the differences between games and real life.
My oldest didn't play overtly violent games until he was around 13 or 14 - but his younger brother, because he was around those games, played them younger (more like 10). My oldest has warned the youngest against certain games, if he thinks they're too gory or disturbing.
It really depends on the kids. AND it makes a HUGE difference if you can play *with* them! You can get a feel for the characters and story, and understand what they're talking about when they want to gush about beating a particularly tough boss.
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