Ever had your boundless enthusiasm for gaming completely misunderstood by your family?. Whilst your mum insists your eyes will go square, your dad thinks you just need to get out more. But your grandparents? Well, your grandparents can’t fathom what you’re achieving by waving that Playstation Move controller Didn’t your parents learn anything from their upbringing?! Kids just keep getting worse!
It’s high time you changed their perceptions. Perhaps now would be a great time to get your non-gaming family members in on the fun? Perhaps your previous attempts have failed. Choosing the right game is important: whilst mascot characters like Mario seem family friendly, they’re just a bit too cutesy for anyone who didn’t grow up with them. Still, don’t jump straight into the deepend and show your mother a first-person shooter game (and yes, tip-toe around the subject of World at War’s unflinching portrayal of World War II with your veteran Grandpa). A happy medium? Plenty of older male gamers could be created with the release of Gran Turismo 5 and other sports titles.
Consider other issues, not just the important matter of what you should play. It’s easy to forget that the computer game controller is a bizarre device, overloaded with buttons and visual prompts. How do you get round this? Easy enough. Cut out the controller completely with Xbox Kinect. Motion controlled games are a tried and tested way of bringing many sports into the homes of people who get around less, yet wouldn’t ordinarily play many video games. But please, please look out for your older family members! Whilst motion-controlled games are a great way for seniors to keep fit, be wary of falls, strains and general over-exertion. You’ll be surprised how over-competitive even the most frail family members can be! Don’t be a total killjoy, just let them watch you play so they know what to expect, and encourage them to treat it like any other exercise session.
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