That’s right, today we’re going straight from the deep and painful questions of life – hopefully – and playing with some neat and shiny toys. This list is bringing us back to the good old days. Back when T.Vs were giant space portals and your parents were a lot taller. Here is a top five games list for titles that bring you back the childhood you remember.
Little Big Planet 3
I’ll tell you what, this game in particular makes my childhood’s hard work setting up a swashbuckling scene filled with a secret plot where a DRAGON swoops down and…and a mermaid SAVES THE DAY. Okay well, either way the very first moment you pop open this game, you start wanting to giggle with glee. The entire thing is great for kids and even gives you a toy box to play in. By that I mean a multiverse of blank crevices where you are an omnipotent being able to create life and deal death with the flick of your Popit . But yeah, even still it brings me back and makes me smile. Heck, the story (which was built in the game’s creative mode) has some pretty fun moments here and there mixing up the traditional platformer experience. For anyone who wants to take the creative aspect seriously power to you. I just end up flying to the top of the map with a sponge and filling the bottom part with water. Also, do not try the sponge thing at home.
Burnout: Paradise City
Oh my good golly gracious this game is so fun. A bit older on the list but wow, this game brings back memories. If you’re not familiar with it or it’s series here’s the rundown. You are a racer. Your job is to win. You can veer your opponents to their fiery doom by running them off the road. The crashes make me happy. Paradise City, however, is free roam. Go play it now if you haven’t.
So, what really makes me put it on this list is it really speaks to the destructive side of my childhood. Just loving that fun urge to watch something be messy, torn, or generally out of whack. If I had to say anything bad about the game it’s probably the limited number of cars. But, none the less, I still love driving them into a quarry during road rage and laughing as the A.I fell to it’s knees. Hmm, maybe I went a little too far there. None the less go and re-live your little arsonist/demolition-ness child in you again.
Minecraft
I still think that this is one of the best video games of all time. Of course, it’s not for everybody, but those who do play it can’t deny that feeling of excitement when they see the vast vistas stretching in front of them. That completely untouched world which can be reshaped by a single mind – you. In the day, you frolic in flowers and admire the nature around you. At night, it’s a desperate struggle to fight off the demons that lay siege to the once great plains and mountains. This is the literal definition of that fictional playground you stayed in whenever you sat in a room alone with nothing but a couple toys and your imagination. If Burnout is the destructive child, this would be the constructive one. Try it out. Build a house, find some secrets, and get some…diamonds!!!
Journey
Now, I know that this game is just simply a beautiful walking simulator and some children could better easily fall asleep than play this game. But as far as my sister (who is eight) is concerned. It needed to be on this list. Her exact quote was “I think this game is pretty, I love it so much because I can fly.”
Fair enough. As for me, this game just pulls smiles and tears from me almost simultaneously. I can’t stop that look of wonderment that creeps on my face when I play this game. Personally, I think this is because it brings out that urge to explore and discover. There is no need to fend off the dark spirits or to gather more resources. It lets you listen to a more/less primitive side of you, depending on how you look at it.
Honorable mention: Sly Cooper
Yeah, I have a bit of a childhood with Sly Cooper so in a way this counts, but I felt it unfair to put on the list because of the ties to myself. While these are all in my opinion, this one is too close to my actual childhood. With that being said, this one is truly closest to my heart when I think “video games” and “childhood.” You have to play this if you are going to look at younger audience video games. It’s bright, colorful, and truly good fun to play over and over again. Play the third or second entry for the best result of a great Sly Cooper game.
Honorable mention: Every. Lego game. Ever.
Come on, this was kinda obvious isn’t it? I’d imagine so. Either way, this was not only the series to capture most of what is above, but to also sadly have a logo recognizable from about 1000 miles away. I mean, what gamer hasn’t tried at least one Lego game? And whether or not you liked it, the first thing that popped into your head was some childhood memory, from those Lego Star Wars games all the way to the more recent Marvel one. I don’t know, maybe that’s just me.
For now I’ll say this: whether you’re sitting under your blankets, or with sand beneath your feet, or taking a sip of juice at the dinner table one way or another, we are reminded of our childhoods. I think some of the best games of our time do that exact same thing. Hope you can agree on some of these and if not…well, I hope I’ll get to hear your opinion. Until then, what are the games that unlock your childhood fun times?
