Wii is Nintendo’s latest offering in the video game console market. Here are ten Wii games that I think are perfect and safe for kids to play.
Smarty Pants
Here is a game that is perfect for everyone in the family! Whether it’s for the youngest member of the family or for the oldest one, there’s always a question from any one of the various categories that’s specifically tailored to a player’s age. This is truly ideal for those bonding moments because the whole family can play cooperatively or competitively. But your kids can also play this game on their own as there is a ‘Solo Mode’ which allows them to practice answering the questions before a big family game. However, when using this type of mode, players do not accumulate points.
Recommended for: All Ages (preschoolers can play the game with parents as their coaches)
Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree
This is another game that will help your kids practice their academic skills while having fun. Big Brain Academy has fifteen mini games that will test your kid’s skills in identifying, memorising, analyzing, computing and visualizing. Each game can either be played individually or on a multi player mode. There are four levels of difficulty and your kids can choose their own starting point. The funny thing about this game is that as players get better at playing the games, their ‘brains’ grow bigger. So you just have to explain to your younger kids that this isn’t true in real life because they might be scared of answering the questions correctly for fear that they will end up with a bigger head!
Recommended for: Primary kids and up
Cosmic Family
Finding a game like Cosmic Family actually made me smile. You know why? Well, I’m just glad that game developers remembered to create something for preschoolers. It’s just that there are very few games developed for Wii that are specifically created for the little ones. This is a fun and educational game for kids who are just starting to learn some of the most basic skills.
The Cosmic Family is comprised of Mom and Dad Cosmic, their three children, and a rocket ship that is filled with colorful and funny animals. Children can go on an adventure in space with this family while learning how to observe and memorize, as well as to use their reflexes and imagination. With the help of the Wii Remote, little kids can just point and click to play this game.
Recommended for: Preschoolers (older kids might tend to find the games too easy)
Animal Crossing
Animal Crossing is a perfect way to teach your kids to socialize with others! This game features a virtual world that is filled with human-like animals. Players can choose to do whatever they want at their own pace in their own little village. They can choose to do routine chores or something exciting. They can explore places in other countries, go on a shopping spree or watch fireworks with family and friends. The possibilities are endless when it comes to this game. There are no scores and game overs so the game will just keep going until your child decides to stop. The game has a ‘real time’ clock which means that there will be sunrises and sunsets, and changes in seasons.
Recommended for: Kids of all ages – those who love to play at a leisurely pace
Ultimate I-Spy
Ultimate I-Spy is a challenging and engaging seek-and-find game that your kids will love. The game starts by displaying a mysterious machine that has a handle that kids can turn using the Wii Remote. As soon as the lights turn on, players can click on an environment where they will have a riddle to solve and some objects to find. What’s interesting is that objects are creatively placed or meticulously hidden behind, on or between objects. It seems so hard to stop playing unless you finish a riddle. Each of the ten environments has four riddles in them, so there are forty riddles in all. Every time a player completes a riddle, a small part of the mysterious machine is revealed. The game ends by revealing the special surprise.
Recommended for: Preschoolers and Early Primary Years Students
Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Snow Princess
Little ones who love this bilingual explorer will definitely adore this game which puts players in the shoes of Dora herself. Your kids would have to use the Wii Remote to save the Snow Princess together with Boots and Pirate Piggy. You can join in as the fairy who accompanies Dora as she climbs ladders, shovels snow and dives into snowdrifts using the Wii Remote.
Recommended for: Preschoolers
Super Mario Galaxy
Parents who grew up playing Super Mario Bros. in a Nintendo family computer would understand why this game is in my list. In Super Mario Galaxy, controlling Mario’s movements is easier because kids can use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to control our hero as he jumps, kicks and flies in space. What’s nice about this game is that two kids can play cooperatively to win the game. The animations are amazing and the challenges are superb which really makes this game very interesting for kids.
Recommended for: Mario fans and soon-to-be fans
SIMCity Creator
Older kids will definitely enjoy exercising their power and authority in SIMCity Creator. The goal of this game is for players to build a city any way they want. But as the mayor of their city, they have to devise strategies to meet the demands of their constituents. To do this they have look after the city budget and make plans for new infrastructures to be built. I think this is good way to teach kids on how to be responsible with their resources.
The game features the Free Mode and the Mission Mode. In the Free Mode, players can build their city without any restrictions. But in the Mission Mode, players have to accomplish a goal within a specific time. For those who want more challenge, they can unleash a number of forces and creatures that can cause chaos in their city.
Recommended for: ages 9 and up, especially boys
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga
This game, which is based on the famous Star Wars movies, will encourage kids to think creatively as they play through the events of all six movies. They would have to solve puzzles and build structures as they go through each of the challenging levels. Players are highly encouraged to play cooperatively to finish each level successfully. With the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, your kids will surely have an exciting and fun time playing this game.
Recommended for: ages 10 and up, especially boys
High School Musical: Sing it Bundle with Microphone
There can only be two extreme reactions when it comes to this game – love or hate. Fans of High School Musical will definitely love this game but those who don’t like the movies, well, don’t bother letting them play this game. So, if you are one of those parents who have kids that just can’t get enough of Gabriella and Troy, then I suggest that you check out this game. This highly addictive game lets players choose a character from the movie and perform songs from any of the three movies. They could do this solo, as a duet or as a group. The game allows players to unlock new songs when they perform well.
Recommended for: ages 8 and up, especially girls
