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[RetroGamingUK]

Been thinking about this having recently completed and loving Mario Wonder and following the hype surrounding the latest Astro Bot game. Microsoft just seem to have (apart from acquiring Mojang) completely neglected this area.

Nintendo - this is their bread and butter, they made a name for themselves in the 80s with the likes of Mario and Donkey Kong with Kirby and the Pokémon franchise joining them in the 80s. Many of these games and franchises are regarded as the greatest of all time.

This is now paying dividends with their games being enjoyed by kids, big kids and their parents alike resulting in theme park areas and hit movies.

Sony - I made a thread about how Sony changed gaming by targeting adults, but kids games have equally been important with hit franchises like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro and Ape Escape on PS1, Sly Cooper, Jak & Daxter and Ratchet & Clank on PS2, Little Big Planet on PS3 and their latest little hero; Astro Bot.

These franchises have all had multiple successful and critically acclaimed entries over the decades resulting in PlayStation having the widest diversity of players in the world.

Even SEGA had success in this area with Alex Kidd in the 80s and especially Sonic (despite peaking in the early 90s).

As for Microsoft, what do they have to show in this area? Conker and Blinx were fairly average on OG Xbox, same with Banjo Nuts & Bolts on 360. As for recent years, well they promoted that Lucky’s Tale quite a bit, again bang average.

 

[gothmog]

I wouldn't say they necessarily neglected this area as much as they just failed to gain any traction. The Kinect alone had many games targeted towards younger audiences.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

I wouldn't say they necessarily neglected this area as much as they just failed to gain any traction. The Kinect alone had many games targeted towards younger audiences.

You’re quite right there, I suppose this thread is largely criticising the lack of good-great platformers.

 

[Damigos]

I wouldn't say they necessarily neglected this area as much as they just failed to gain any traction. The Kinect alone had many games targeted towards younger audiences.

Kinect is probably the biggest hardware failure in history and one of the reasons xbox one had immense memory problems and high cost

 

[The Cockatrice]

kids play adult games and adults play kids games. Age isnt the issue, they just need to make good singleplayer games and more often. Thats it, but it seems outside of Nintendo, even Sony forgot that as well. Astrobot doesnt change things, it's just one game.

 

[Evil Calvin]

Been thinking about this having recently completed and loving Mario Wonder and following the hype surrounding the latest Astro Bot game. Microsoft just seem to have (apart from acquiring Mojang) completely neglected this area.

Nintendo - this is their bread and butter, they made a name for themselves in the 80s with the likes of Mario and Donkey Kong with Kirby and the Pokémon franchise joining them in the 80s. Many of these games and franchises are regarded as the greatest of all time.

This is now paying dividends with their games being enjoyed by kids, big kids and their parents alike resulting in theme park areas and hit movies.

Sony - I made a thread about how Sony changed gaming by targeting adults, but kids games have equally been important with hit franchises like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro and Ape Escape on PS1, Sly Cooper, Jak & Daxter and Ratchet & Clank on PS2, Little Big Planet on PS3 and their latest little hero; Astro Bot.

These franchises have all had multiple successful and critically acclaimed entries over the decades resulting in PlayStation having the widest diversity of players in the world.

Even SEGA had success in this area with Alex Kidd in the 80s and especially Sonic (despite peaking in the early 90s).

As for Microsoft, what do they have to show in this area? Conker and Blinx were fairly average on OG Xbox, same with Banjo Nuts & Bolts on 360. As for recent years, well they promoted that Lucky’s Tale quite a bit, again bang average.

They haven't release 'games' period!!
BTW, Conker was not for kids, and it was not 'fairly average'......it is a masterpiece.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

They haven't release 'games' period!!
BTW, Conker was not for kids, and it was not 'fairly average'......it is a masterpiece.

It was on N64, as for the Xbox version…

 

[ZehDon]

Kinect is probably the biggest hardware failure in history and one if the reasons xbox one had immense memory problems and high cost

Actually, Kinect was a great success. For a time, it held the record for the fastest selling consumer electronics device in history. I believe Microsoft sold around 35-40 million units. It hurt the Xbox One, sure, but Kinect itself? Massive success.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Psychonauts 2 is pretty good.

 

[MrRibeye]

Physical toys for young kids are designed to be appealing to the parents, and grab the parents' attention, since they have the wallet. Same with video games, if you can attract the parent with Resident Evil, they buy the console and then the kids get to play Sly Cooper.

 

[Magic Carpet]

Psychonauts 2 is pretty good.

I love P2 but not sure if it really a childrens only game.
Lucky's tale is probly a kids only game, but not sure if it's microsoft made or not.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Microsoft’s biggest failure… games

Indeed!

Just kidding, 2025 looks very promising for them.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

I love P2 but not sure if it really a childrens only game.
Lucky's tale is probly a kids only game, but not sure if it's microsoft made or not.

I think it will work for kids as well.

They will have different take away from it.

But the story, characters etc they will enjoy as well.

 

[Mownoc]

Well they own the crash and spyro IP now so let's hope we see more of them. Kinda trash it's been 6 years since the reignited trilogy and we've heard absolutely nothing about a new spyro game.

 

[Gaiff]

It was on N64, as for the Xbox version…

Got low scores because it did nothing better than the N64 version besides graphics. It also butchered the much better multiplayer mode on the N64.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

OP has forgotten about Minecraft though.

 

[tmlDan]

OP has forgotten about Minecraft though.

did MS make minecraft? pretty sure they bought it when it was already out for years and every spin-off has done miserably.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

Well they own the crash and spyro IP now so let's hope we see more of them. Kinda trash it's been 6 years since the reignited trilogy and we've heard absolutely nothing about a new spyro game.

Yes, and the first thing they apparently did was cancel Crash Bandicoot 5…

…in favour of a GAAS game

 

[Sethbacca]

Shame they let the Viva Pinata IP languish. I remember that one being pretty fun in the 360 days.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

OP has forgotten about Minecraft though.

No I mentioned the purchase of Mojang, which they’ve done practically nothing with.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

did MS make minecraft? pretty sure they bought it when it was already out for years and every spin-off has done miserably.

Most of their studios are purchased.

Are MS games now.

Only Nintendo has self made games.

Whatever self made kids games Sony has, they are insignificant.

 

[Mownoc]

did MS make minecraft? pretty sure they bought it when it was already out for years and every spin-off has done miserably.

Yes MS didn't create Minecraft lol. That'd be like saying Nintendo are great at making MMO's if they bought SQE/FFXIV.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

No I mentioned the purchase of Mojang, which they’ve done practically nothing with.

Whatever you want them to do, its not applicable to kids as well.

Making Minecraft 2 etc would be highly counterproductive. Its still a cultural phenomenon, what actually matters.

 

[Magic Carpet]

Shame they let the Viva Pinata IP languish. I remember that one being pretty fun in the 360 days.

Holy heck, Viva Pinata launguishd completely out of my memory until you posted it.

 

[Mownoc]

Whatever self made kids games Sony has, they are insignificant.

Imagine saying this hours before they release one of the highest rated platformers of all time.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

Ctrl+F “ravenlok”…

That is one fine game for a younger audience.

 

[soulbait]

I really wouldn't even say Sony has been super successful in this. Back in the N64 vs PS1 days, PS1 was viewed as for an older audience when compared to Nintendo. Nintendo seems to be the only one who has successfully been accepted as a family friendly gaming system, and I think that is because they take a similar approach as Disney does with many of the films: they try to make their product fun for the entire family, not just a targeted audience.

Third parties really are where it is at for truly kids focused games. Unfortunately, most of those are garbage games. Remember all those terrible THQ Nickelodeon games? The Lego based games have been great and once again are great for entire families to play together.

With that being said, you can see where Xbox has tried. For one, they purchased Minecraft. Rare games in general have been targeted towards all ages. From Grabbed by the Ghoulies, the Viva Pinata games, Nuts and Bolts, and their Kinect work. Grounded should not be slept on as well. Even though it is maybe a more challenging game, you can tell it was made to appeal to a younger audience. Sea of Thieves also seems approachable for preteens. Within GamePass they have brought in third-party games that are aimed towards children, like the Bluey game and a Paws Patrol game. Their major push was Kinect, and many families enjoyed it. However, it seemed limited overall and being included in the Xbox One launch actually killed its momentum due to the day one buyers, usually more hardcore gamers, rejecting its inclusion.

As I said, they have tried but has not had large success. It is very challenging, IMO, to reach that market while still serving the hardcore gaming community. Nintendo has managed to do it well, because we grew up with them and the community at large does not expect many mature games from them. Sony's latest attempt with Astro Bot seems like the right path for them, but will it equate to families looking at PlayStations for their younger children, rather than for their teenagers, is yet to be seen.

 

[StereoVsn]

Actually, Kinect was a great success. For a time, it held the record for the fastest selling consumer electronics device in history. I believe Microsoft sold around 35-40 million units. It hurt the Xbox One, sure, but Kinect itself? Massive success.

The main issue was that MS didn’t realize motion control fad stopped being mainstream and made Kinect Xbone requirement this raising console price.

I also think Kinect would have been fine if it was an add-on accessory vs mandatory bundle.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Imagine saying this hours before they release one of the highest rated platformers of all time.

And?

Doesn’t change much if it doesn’t become a popular ip. Let alone a cultural phenomenon.

 

[Mownoc]

And?

Doesn’t change much if it doesn’t become a popular ip. Let alone a cultural phenomenon.

When on earth did the bar become, has to be a cultural phenomenon, when we're talking about making games for children. Lmao

 

[Dr. Samuel Hayden]

Why do that when you can pour shitloads of money into another embarrassing 343 Halo project?

 

[Nonehxc]

Most of their studios are purchased.

Are MS games now.

Only Nintendo has self made games.

Whatever self made kids games Sony has, they are insignificant.

That's a hot take to make the day Sony releases a GOTY.

 

[Roberts]

I think it will work for kids as well.

They will have different take away from it.

But the story, characters etc they will enjoy as well.

My daughter was 5 or 6 when we played it together and she loved this shit out without understand all the more adult themes.

MS studios haven’t really made any other kids games in ages but I appreciate the fact that 1 or 2 kid games drop on GP every month so she has stuff to play other than Minecraft.

Edit: I totally forgot Grounded. It’s a bit too hard for kids to complete the story and is aimed more for teenagers because of its dark sense of humour, but it is a great tool to for them to fool around with building stuff and exploring together with the help of parents.

 

[Hookshot]

They own Banjo, let Nintendo use Banjo in a multi 10's of millions selling game, let them advertise it during the busiest time of year for game news and then did nothing with Banjo themselves to capitalize on any of that.

 

[RoboFu]

oohh Nintendo is KIddy again! so edgy.

 

[Highway Star]

Hey look another negative Microsoft XBOX thread

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

Doesn’t all their games have the child-like Fortnite aesthetic so it works on the Series S these days? I mean, look what they did to Avowed.

 

[possumarmada]

As a parent of a six-year-old, I entirely agree. I’d love everything about the Xbox except their games ecosystem, especially for kids.

 

[BizarroPete]

No I mentioned the purchase of Mojang, which they’ve done practically nothing with.

After the purchase they've put out
Minecraft Story Mode - 2015
Minecraft VR - 2016
Minecraft Education - 2016
Minecraft Earth - 2019
Minecraft Dungeons- 2020
Minecraft Legends - 2023

 

[Little Chicken]

Didn't Microsoft's child-friendly Sea of Thieves just sell 1 million on PS5

 

[RetroGamingUK]

oohh Nintendo is KIddy again! so edgy.

They are kiddy, and what’s wrong with that?

As mentioned in the OP I’ve just finished Mario Wonder and loved it. If a kid’s game/film is great then what’s wrong with an adult playing them.

 

[BlackTron]

Microsoft bought out children when they bought Minecraft.

 

[Diddy X]

tbf They own the biggest children IP.

 

[Little Mac]

Viva Piñata would be a fucking pillar for them had they not abandoned it.

 

[Hudo]

That'd be like saying Nintendo are great at making MMO's if they bought SQE/FFXIV.

Miiverse > FF14

 

[DenchDeckard]

Minecraft is yuuuuuge.

 

[Celine]

Steve is in Smash Bros Ultimate, not Astro Bot nor Ratchet and certainly not dead IPs like Ape Escape, Sly Cooper and Jak & Daxter which haven't seen a new game in several years.

 

[Success]

OP has forgotten about Minecraft though.

So true, RetroGamingUK you are drunk, go home.

Minecraft is THE kids game.

 

[SmokedMeat]

Kids are playing Fortnite, Minecraft, and Roblox.

They’re not buying Ratchet and Clank.

 

[CLW]

Not sure about BIGGEST but it’s certainly on THE list