Hi all!

I am trying to find information for a friend, on video games that are geared towards seniors. She heard they have them to help with hand-eye coordination and such. So, I was wondering if any of you fine games people could point me in the right direction for information on them.

Thanks in advance for any possible assistance!

--Ryan (three_ster)

I would look toward casual games such as puzzles like Tetris, Hexic or Zuma. It is a huge business and they are available for nearly every platform. And they tend to be cheaper as well.

http://www.igda.org/online/quarterly/1_2/casual.php

Ikaruga. Just kidding. Nothing beats good old Super Mario Brothers.

Puzzle games might be good, but I think giving them something larger might be more up their alley. I remember back when I was standing in line to get my PlayStation 2, I was next to an elderly woman who was maybe in her 60s or possibly her 70s. She said she was a grandmother who picked up a Nintendo 64 for her grandson the year before. But then she said she got into playing the system, and on that day she was buying The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask for her grandson and also herself. I'd pick up a variety of game types to see what she's interested in, though. If you don't think their hearts could handle violent games (in which case horror titles could feasibly cause heart attacks), go with a range of more kid friendly titles like the Zelda games as mentioned, or Mario titles, or maybe some Teen rated First Person Shooters like the Medal of Honor series (for that hand and eye coordination dealie). Some racing games could work (Mario Kart, Midnight Club, Gran Turismo, Need For Speed, etc.), some strategy types (StarCraft, WarCraft, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance...one I'm playing now), and some RPGs maybe (anything Final Fantasy or even the newest Dragon Quest, any of the Mario RPGs would be great I think, etc.). There's just too many games out there to reccomend all at once. Just try different things and see what happens.

Check out Yahoo! Games. It's free and they have familiar stuff like card games, board games, etc.

I guess it depends on whether you're just talking about senior citizens or whether you're talking about people with mild disabilities.

Considering that things like arthritis or diabetes can severely limit what someone with disabilities can do with a typical video game set up (specifically, ocntrollers with a zillion buttons), I wouldn't even suggest puzzle games or any game that uses a traditional controller for someone with a disability.

One possibility is Sony's Eyetoy device for the PS2. it's like a webcam, and it has a few game packs and individual games specifically designed for it. It takes real-time images of the the person standing in front of it and actually projects them into the game, where they interact with objects on screen.

This seems ideal to me for several reasons: there is no confusing interface, everything is actually on the screen and the player doesn't have to manage a controller while they're trying to keep track of what's on screen; it empahsizes gross motor skills over fine motor skills, with most of the games involving touching or otherwise interacting with relatively large objects on the screen instead of pressing small buttons on a controller; it can suit seniors with a wide range of physical ability, as many of the games use the upper body so they can even be played while sitting down or standing with the assitance of a chair or walker; the games are more like mini-games and don't require a large investment of time to enjoy; and since the player directly interacts with the game elements, it emphasizes hand-eye coordination.

PS2 consoles can be found around $100 now, and the Eyetoy itself with a game bundle should be availble for $20-$30. Additional games or game bundles are around the same price. It might be a bit expensive initially but I can imagine a group of seniors enjoying taking turns and watching each other play.

For those who have no or less limiting disabilites, a huge range of games open up. I would still suggest games with simple interfaces, like Katamari Damacy which uses two analog control sticks to roll a ball around. Basically, I'm thinking that if you're talking about a person who ahs never picked up a controller in their life, you don't want a game that has complicated button combinations. Games that use specialized peripherals for control may be good too; Dance Dance Revolution is not only fun but it maintains healthy activity. Okay, so you see teenagers jumping and flipping all over the place, but there are slower, simpler songs for those who don't have the same dexterity. There's a music game for the Gamecube that uses a pair of bongos, and there are even Karaoke games where players sing into a microphone. Those might all be good choices.

You bring up a good point about controllers. Additionally, many seniors (disabled or not) will probably shy away from consoles simply because the controller is unfamiliar. For fear of making a rash generalization, the elderly tend to fear trying new things. So shoving them in front of a PS2 with a controller they've never seen, will cause you to lose probably 50% of your audience.

I'd stick with a PC because it is probably far more familiar to them (or at least not as daunting since they've no doubt seen them many times). And there are plenty of games on the web. In Addition to Yahoo games, you can also try zone.com, home of Bejewelled and Hexic.

Popcap.com also hosts some great games. Albeit the site is glitchy and most of the games are just samples that prompt a buyer to purchase them, they have multiplayer games (Psychobabble,Big Money, etc), as well as some innovative games (Bookworm, Bonnie's Bookstore, Alchemy); the site as well has favorites Zuma, Mahjong, and Bejeweled. Though, the site is not nearly as great as Yahoo Games (Sorry, I am obsessed with pool (even though I can't play the game worth anything)), but Popcap hosts 22 games that are at least worth a try. The site does have potential; it's a shame the website has to be so buggy (though the single player games run excellent). But yeah, Popcap is definitely worth a try.

Oh yeah...I wasn't even thinking of games like Eyetoy and Donkey Konga. Those are definitely good choices for some less complex gameplay mechanics and plenty of hand/eye coordination. Is Guitar Hero similar to Dance Dance Revolution where you have to stomp around a mat to play, or does that one just have you hold up a guitar with buttons to press?

Another good idea might be to get Nintendo's upcoming Revolution console. That system will utilize a TV remote-like controller, which basically acts as a handheld receptor between you and the actions on TV. If you tilt the controller sideways, let's say a car in a racing game will feasibly be able to drive on two wheels straight through a narrow alley. If you tug on the controller backwards, you'll be able to reel in a fish (which is something Nintendo has talked about doing with a theorized Zelda game they've used in an example). This unique controller technology is easy to understand and wondrous, I think. The problem might be some difficulty adapting to the controller's unconventional methods, as it's held with one hand instead of two (and also the speculated lack of third-party titles for the system). Although, if you've seen the footage of the Revolution controller straight from the Tokyo Game Show last year, people of all ages (even the elderly) were seen using the controller. That's the direction Nintendo's heading in with the Revolution: a system that appeals to (and can be used by) all ages.