Games for kids around 3

KN4THX

If she likes pinball, try Sonic Spinball out.

I was also remembering back in the day we would go roller skating at the RollerDome and on certain nights they would make arcade games free for a couple of hours by opening each machine and flipping the dip switches. If you wanted to give a fun nonstop experience you might be able to use MAME to flip some virtual dip switches or add extra lives or unlimited continues for her.

On the same principle, NES games like Gauntlet and Wizards and Warriors had unlimited continues/lives. I can't remember what else does off the top of my head.

Parabolaralus

@KN4THX Sonic Spinball? Its fun for a little bit, but could never as a kid get very far so its now just as aggravating to play now as it was then!

Any Mario game would be good for a kid including Mario All stars and Yoshis Island on the SNES. I could see a kid getting a kick out of the crying baby...

Bubble Bobble!!!!

BJRetro

My three year old who just turned four likes these (they all basically started with him just learning how to move his character in the right direction to keep up or hit while I moved the character but now he is a full fledged participant in the action moving his character and effectively hitting the button - amazing how fast they learn):

-Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade Game (mame version)
-TMNT Turtles in Time (mame)
-TMNT Hyperstone Heist (Genesis)
-Rampage world tour (mame)
-19xx (mame)
-Destruction derby 2 (psx - destruction derby mode where you just crash into the other cars on purpose)
-Bubble bobble 2 (but only plays this for under 5 minutes right now, still a bit hard for him)

I note that I found it was important to use the “digital to analog” option in retropie so he could use the analog stick like a joystick on a controller as the normal dpad layout is too hard (now he plays mostly on there bartop I put together which is even better for him).

Good luck!

IsabelleXL

Galaga or Atari games

MetalManTN

Got my daughter started gaming just before she turned 3 with Sesame Street Counting Cafe for Sega Genesis. Mr. Johnson's reaction when you bring the wrong order is pretty hilarious. I highly recommend it for the little ones, and the music is pretty sweet too.

GtBFilms

Golden Axe.

My son started off not being able to control the characted, but liked being in charge of the MAGIC button (mainly pressing it at inopportune moments and laughing).

By the time he was about 4 and a half he could move his character about and fight the other characters.

It's a reasonably easy game to beat on 2 player as well, as long as you have an unlimited supply of credits. And the final sequence is decent enough to make all the effort worth it.

Protocultor

My nephew at 4 discovered Circus Charlie (arcade version) and fell in love.

He also likes Kirby's Dream Land on Game Boy. Putting the emulator in Game Boy Color mode draws every sprite in the game in pink.

Todilo

Hijacking the thread. Any suggestions for controller? Also anyone tried the SNES case which has buttons for start/restart? My kid is 4 and all newer consoles have so much text and buttons to press in the correct order just to start a game that's it's too hard for her and I'm looking towards old school gameboy/snes/NES games.

BobHarris

@gmkeros As a young one I always love The Lion King (snes). Maybe not the later levels, but the first level is perfect..very easy and of course that soundtrack.

Barcrest

@Todilo said in Games for kids around 3:

Hijacking the thread. Any suggestions for controller? Also anyone tried the SNES case which has buttons for start/restart? My kid is 4 and all newer consoles have so much text and buttons to press in the correct order just to start a game that's it's too hard for her and I'm looking towards old school gameboy/snes/NES games.

We use XBOX 360 pads, I like the fact they are wireless but the D-Pad is horrible.

BJRetro

@Todilo use either an arcade joystick or a controller with an analog pad (I have a PS1 dual shock cheap knock off usb pad) and use Retroarch’s “digital to left analog” option in the retroarch control menu so that the little one can use the analog stick like a joy stick which is much easier for them than pressing independent digital dpad buttons. Also most arcade games are good for not having to press many buttons to get up and running since arcade games are built to just start playing without a bunch of options menus. Little one just has to get used to putting in “credits” which takes some time or you just load it up with like 10 credits and then they take over.

tpo1990

Can not say much about games for boys, since i have 2 daughters. My oldest is 4 and she likes to play these games:

Crystal's Pony Tale (MegaDrive) = Easy controls to steer the pony. Not too difficult. This game might need some help from parents.
Ariel the Little Mermaid (MegaDrive) = Easy controls. Fun to swim around as Ariel or as King Triton.
Barney's Hide & Seek Game (MegaDrive) = Easy controls. Fun to find barneys friends and gifts. This games does not require the parent to help with controls.
Spyro the Dragon (PSX) = Easy controls with analog. Fun game. Enemies is easy to defeat. The game does not require help from the parent. Recommended.
Disney's 102 Dalmatians: Puppies to the Rescue (PSX): Same style like Spyro the Dragon.

As a young one my self, i really liked The Lions King(PC), Disneys Hercules(PC), Rayman(PC), Golden Axe(PC), Road Rash(PC), Crash Bandicoot (PSX), Crash Team Racing(PSX), Mario kart (N64), Spyro the Dragon(PSX). Most of the games i played was on PC or at a friend who had a PSX.

The one game i can recommend the most is Spyro the Dragon on the PSX. That game is always fun. Easy to control, not too difficult and you don't end up dying easily.

Edit: One arcade game (MAME) which my nephews and nieces likes to play on my RetroPie setup is Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa. This game is 4 player Sunset riders styled with Cows and really fun and you can insert many "credits" so they can hit the start button to join in the game at any moment.

GtBFilms

@Todilo

I made one!

Plastic fusebox from Ebay, USB zero-delay controller and a selection of buttons/joystick from Ebay/Arcade World.