Super Mario and the back-seat gamers

I have two young sons aged 4 and 2 who are both obsessed with video games, but although they want to hold the controller, neither actually likes playing the games. Instead they love to watch me play and are happy to shout advice, and the instructions get louder and shoutier if I'm not doing quite as instructed. To all intents and purposes, they are back-seat gamers.

This might seem like a perfect situation, letting me play video games and spend time with the kids at the same time, but there is a massive downside. I got Super Mario Galaxy for the Wii in early December. There is a great two-player option where one person controls Mario while the second collects stars and stuns enemies and the like. My eldest son loves doing this as long as I control Mario.

The problem arose when we finished the game. He didn't think that finishing was a good enough reason to stop playing, so we have had to replay lots of the levels. It's now mid-February and several times a week I’m still having to play the levels where Mario wears a bee suit. I've played these levels so many times it must be approaching triple figures and I'm starting to hate the game.

I once heard a story in which a man who loved fishing dies and wakes up on a river bank with fishing rod in hand. He believes he must be in heaven and, casting his line into the water, he immediately catches a fish. He keeps repeating this and the same thing happens each time, until he realises that he is actually in hell and is doomed to catch fish repeatedly for ever more.

That's how I feel about Super Mario Galaxy. To combat this, I thought that getting a game the boys can play on their own would be the ticket, so I picked up Big Brain Academy, a game that tests children with various problem-solving activities. Fantastic. I thought that they could get on with playing a game on their own and I could feel slightly smug in the probably misdirected knowledge they were being educated by a game. In retrospect, it was a mistake to I mention that it was a "learning" game – my eldest son cried and proceeded to tell me he that didn't want to learn and wouldn’t play it.

In a desperate bid to avoid starting up Mario again I discovered that if I left my son with the controller and put the Wii on the starting screen of the original Sonic The Hedgehog, downloaded from Nintendo's online game shop, it loops through several game level demos. My son thinks it's him playing and will happily 'play' Sonic for long enough for me to get some breakfast and have a shower on a Saturday morning. I can't help but think that a learning game really might be in order for the little fellow.

Comments

[Seekew]

You sir are a bad father. Trying to push an educational game. It takes me back to 'fraction feaver' on the C64. I shudder when I think about the desperate bid my parents made to edutain me. Besides, what's wrong with a little reverse psycology? "No son, this one is too hard for you. It's only for daddies."

Yes, I am not a father!

[zigglew]

Why does it all have to be on the Wii? I have one too and yes, it's very fun but have you considered trying to encourage your child to develop other,more active, less addictive, pursuits.

I'd hate to see another little boy become a pale-faced podgy gaming nut.

[Rob]

What you want to do is use this to your advantage. In 2 years time your son will be able to wipe the floor with you at just about any game you care to mention, so your expertise with one particular game will enable you to retain some vestige of respect.

I well remember doing this with Mario Kart on the N64. I only ever used Toad in Bowser's Castle, thus ensuring that my name was proudly at the top of the time trials for that track and enabling me to be spoken of in terms other than derision.

[Brantburz]

I believe your kids are n00bs, sir!

[Mike]

My son who is 4 has now completed (with limited help) all 60 stars to finish the game. Its great for teaching determination and counting. Despite what people may say some video games are great at teaching kids and providing there is parent involvement, praise and time limits on how long they play then Super Mario really is grate for teaching kids to explore their horizons.
Don't play watched by the kids. Watch the kids play and encourage them to explore!

[Mirko Kamann]

My 3 year old just beat his parents at bowling the other day.

If you think the Wii is making him an apathic 'pale-faced podgy gaming nut' you should see him bouncing with joy and excitement in front of the telly, high-fiving his dad for every strike or spare...

[Rob Mortimer]

My wife loves doing the same thing on Mario Galaxy.

There are few better ways for kids to improve spatial awareness and reaction times. Get them started!

My nephew likes to steer trucks around on Excitetruck even though he doesn't actually take part in the races!

[StumpWeasel]

It comes down to all things in moderation. My older son loves video games and they've developed his reasoning skills and his spatial awareness. Sadly for my ego, he's better than me at some games and has on occasion got me out of a tricky spot or two. I don't want my children to see games as forbidden fruit and I want them to be aware of the downside of turning into lardy beasts.

[!]

Seekew:

Feaver? Maybe they should have Dictionary Fever at your house.

[Seekew]

Apologies to the poster who commented on my misspelling 'fever'.

Should I refer to you as "Exclamation Mark" or simply "Symbol"? Perhaps you'd prefer "The pedant formally known for off topic"?

Yes, there may well be errors in this post too. Please enjoy pointing them out. Then why not jump over to YouTube and join in the famously witty banter. You'll fit right in.

[Javier]

Get Wii fit in a months time!
See how well you both do on that.
Not only will it help keep you both active but it wont require the use of controllers as such.