Choose the experience before the title
Begin with who will play, what they enjoy doing and how a session will fit into the day. Building a world, solving a puzzle and competing in a race ask different things of a player. Familiar characters may attract attention, but the reading, controls and pace determine whether the game is comfortable to use.
This guide covers software and play. Use Game Hardware to check the equipment. The archive below preserves earlier game coverage; a historical title is not evidence that the same edition is still sold or that its online services still operate.
Compare ways to play
| Experience | What to look for | Useful question |
|---|---|---|
| Puzzles and exploration | Readable clues, adjustable challenge and hints. | Can the player progress without repeated outside help? |
| Building and creating | Clear tools, saving and ways to revisit work. | Can creations stay private, and is sharing optional? |
| Racing and action | Comfortable controls, camera movement and practice options. | Can speed or difficulty be adjusted? |
| Playing together | Cooperation or competition suited to the group. | Is this local play on one system or online play on separate systems? |
Watch representative gameplay for the exact edition, preferably including menus and an ordinary early session. A cinematic trailer can leave out reading demands and routine play. Look for subtitles, control remapping or other access options that matter to the player, then confirm them in the publisher’s documentation.
Read the rating and the interaction details
The ESRB ratings guide distinguishes the age category, content descriptors and interactive elements. Use all three. Interactive notices such as user communication and purchases provide information that is separate from the content rating. Where available, read the rating summary for more context about the actual content.
A rating does not establish reading difficulty, ease of control or whether a particular child will enjoy the game. Consider those separately. For an online game, review communication, friend invitations, public sharing and spending settings before the first session. The ESRB parental-controls directory links to platform-specific guidance; available controls differ by system and account.
Check the exact edition and total cost
- Platform: match the game to the precise device and operating requirements.
- Format: check whether it is a disc, cartridge, download code, subscription access or another arrangement.
- Players: confirm local and online player counts separately, along with controller and account requirements.
- Access: find out what needs a connection, updates or a continuing subscription.
- Spending: include required accessories and recurring charges; distinguish included content from optional purchases.
- Stopping: check pause, saving and how progress carries between sessions.
Write down the edition and storefront before comparing prices. A bundle name can hide differences in included content. For older games, check current publisher support rather than assuming that a server, code or companion app still works.
Try the first session together
Install and update in advance where needed. Start with one short task: finish a tutorial, build a small scene or complete a practice round. Let the player handle the controls while someone else reads instructions if helpful. Notice whether difficulty comes from the game itself, the reading or the controller.
Before stopping, practice saving and returning to the same place. Agree on a stopping point the game can support, and revisit settings after seeing how play actually works. If a shared-screen game turns into waiting rather than participation, reconsider the player count or try a cooperative activity.
For games around a table, explore Board Games and Party Games. For choosing a suitable device or an extra controller, continue with Game Hardware.
From the Toysit archive
Earlier coverage, with original titles and descriptions preserved as historical material. These descriptions include the promotional wording and claims of their time; they are not current operating instructions, safety assurances or product recommendations. Availability, pricing and app support have not been reverified. Identify the exact model and consult its current instructions and recall information.
- Animal Crossing - Interact with a virtual village of animals. The game world runs on a real-time 24-hour clock.
- Auto Assault massively multiplayer role playing genre with post-apocalyptic challenge, veteran rewards, and flat leveling to the max.
- Bakugan Defenders of the Core - Video game for multiple platforms and strategy gameplay.
- Barbie Horse Adventures - Blue Ribbon Race
- Battle for Bikini Bottom - SpongeBob SquarePants The Battle for Bikini Bottom
- Bay Blade Arcade Challenge - Bay Blade action from Tiger Electronics
- Video Game Cheats selected sources of cheats, hints, and walk-throughs for Playstation 2, PC, Dreamcast, XBox, and GameCube games.
- City of Heroes massively multiplayer online RPG game based on a comic book has a large and growing subscription user base.
- Earth 2160 state of the art visuals and lighting, multiplayer capabilities, and customization features comprising over 100 hours of gameplay.
- Guild Wars Factions multiplayer online game with roleplaying and competitive player-versus-player scored challenge strategic missions.
- Imagine Fashion Designer World Tour - Learn fashion marketing by designing your own designer label on Nintendo DS.
- Frag Dolls female gamers group sponsored by Ubisoft searches for new team member with nationwide audition call for candidates.
- Jimmy Neutron - Based on the Nickelodeon movie of the same name, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius follows the adventures of a whiz kid and his robot dog, Goddard.
- Kidz Bop Dance Party Video Game - Interactive kids music dancing game for the Wii.
- Goofy Speedway Kart Racing Game Toontown massively multiplayer online community can customize karts for virtual raceway.
- Kirby Air Ride - Kirby Racing Game
- Kirby's Epic Yarn - Side=scrolling 2D game for the Wii.
- LA Rush over-the-top, arcade-style racing game thriller ships for PlayStation2 and Xbox with multi-million-dollar marketing campaign.
- Mario Cart Double Dash - Mario Kart Double Dash
- Mario Party 5 - Mini games and courses
- Mario Power Tennis dynamic sports action video game for GameCube takes classic characters to an exciting skill-building tournament.
- Metroid Prime 2 Echoes Nintendo GameCube system and two free discs: the complete original game and a playable sequel demo.
- Getting Up Mobile Graffiti Game action-adventure game features fluid movement through twenty-seven levels in three environments.
- My Sims Sky Heroes - Video game for multiple platforms.
- Chronicles of Narnia Video Game use skills to overcome obstacles in the epic adventure of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.
- Nerf N-Strike Elite - Nerf video game for the Wii.
- Kirby Superstar Ultra - Video game for Nintendo DS starring the super amazing pink puffball from dreamland.
- Nintendogs puppy simulator for Nintendo DS lets owners name, train, and play with realistic dogs who respond to voices through a microphone.
- Backyard Sports Rookie Rush - Fun sports video game for Nintendo Wii.
- Pikmin 2 mass strategy game sequel release for Nintendo GameCube has puzzle-solving action options in a world of plant-like creatures.
- Video Game Rentals - Thousands of video games for rental, from the top new releases to vintage classics
- Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 gives players complete control of views around the park and allows players to ride the roller coasters
- NHL 2K3 Playstation - The Most Accurate Hockey Simulation Delivers Exclusive Features, ESPN Telecast-Style Presentation and Lifelike Realism Never Before Seen in Hockey Video Games
- Sesame Street Video Games - Entertaining and educational.
- Shadow Hearts 2 Covenant role-playing game sequel for Playstation 2 requires RPG combat strategy planning and timing skill.
- Sonic Mega Collection - Sonic The Hedgehog Returns to the Nintendo GameCube in Sonic Mega Collection; Value-Priced Compilation Features More than Seven Classic Sonic Games
- Sonic Heroes is Sonic's most exciting adventure yet, in which you maneuver a team of three Sonic characters through massive levels to overcome the ultimate evil
- Super Mario Strikers classic Nintendo characters compete in aggressive five-on-five soccer matches in this sports video game.
- Super Mario Brothers 3 - Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Brothers 3
- Super Mario Sunshine - Great new Mario game for Gamecube
- Super Monkey Ball - Super Monkey Ball Two Video Game
- Tony Hawk Underground 2 Leeza Gibbons and her son enjoy skateboard video game at event to support the building of skate parks.
- Viva Pinata engaging cast of colorful 3D animated wild-roaming pinata animals brings a vibrant world to the Xbox 360 and television.
- Wario Land - Starring the familiar money-mad rascal.
- Who Are You? Nintendo - Question asked of video game players
- De Blob - Take back color city and launch a color revolution with da blob video game for Nintendo Wii.
- Sim City Creator - Create, enjoy, destroy with special building codes in this construction video game for Nintendo Wii.
A guide to evaluating toys, not a hands-on product test. Read our editorial approach.