Gaming For GIrls

Nintendo’s, Super Mario Galaxy, for the Nintendo Wii, is rated E for everyone and is a blast to play. If you love anything with the Super Mario Brothers, then you are in for a treat with this game. I bet you are probably wondering who isn’t a fan of the Super Mario Brothers, as it seems like most of us grew up with Mario and Luigi, like our parents grew up with Pac Man and Donkey Kong. You can probably still remember the first Super Mario Brothers game you played. You probably stood excitedly in front of the television, jumped when Mario jumped and stretched your arms to make him jump longer or farther. Like most kids, you probably felt that your body movements actually influenced the way Mario or Luigi moved on the screen. Well, with the Nintendo Wii, some of that actually happens. Super Mario Galaxy begins with the kidnapping of Princess Peach, by Bowser and his evil minions. When Princess Peach is taken from the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario is warped into space, hence the name of the game. It all starts off on a tiny little planet, which helps you get familiar with the Wii remote by chasing bunnies. Once you have a good idea of how the Wii remote works, you will find that the controls for this game are perfect. The only thing you might find a little weird, is that you will be running upside down and all around, because you are, of course, in space. After completing the first level successfully, you are blasted off through space, to the Comet Observatory. It is there that you meet Toads, Lumas and Rosalina (Mama), who all help Mario get to where Princess Peach is being held captive; the centre of the universe. However, before being able to get to the princess, Super Mario Galaxy offers up many challenges. Your first task is to make the Comet Observatory mobile again. The Comet Observatory is so much fun all by itself. You need to collect Grand Stars and Power Stars to move ahead and there are so many of them that a lot are actually hidden and you need to find them. The more stars, of any kind, you collect, the further you will go. As you progress, the music and the worlds will change and in a throwback to the original Mario games, after collecting fifty stars, you get an extra life. The only problem with Super Mario Galaxy might just be the water worlds, where Mario is slowed down and every move of the Wii controller affects his movement. Other than that, the overall feel of the game is of lots of fun, adventure and excitement. It is a good game for just about anyone, so go ahead and invite your best girlfriends over to play this one, you won’t be let down. The game is charming, loveable and totally cute. The music is also a lot of fun to listen to and it’s got a new twist from all the old Mario games.

It is quite tiring hearing about how all the video games, these days, are aimed at boys, isn?t it? However, Nintendo has been making changes in its video game designs to appeal to more and more people, like old folks and girls. If you haven?t already noticed this trend, take a look the next time you hit your local video game store to check out the latest releases. This really is great news, because so many girls really do like playing video games. Nintendo, with the help of Ubisoft, a video game publisher, is starting to introduce more and more games that us girls like, mostly on the Nintendo DS and the Nintendo Wii. Ubisoft has recently put out its Imagine series, which allows girls to try out different fantasy careers. The Imagine series is not likely to appeal to many boys, but if they do like it, great. Some of the fantasy careers girls can try; include wedding planning, acting, fashion, design and more. The series is meant for tweens, six to fourteen years old. Ubisoft also offer the Ener-G series of games, which allows girls to play virtual sports. While there are still the typical sports that most boys out there enjoy playing, like baseball, football and boxing, this series will actually appeal more to girls. There are games such as Dance Squad, Gym Rockets and Horse Riders, which will give girls the chance to play some of the sports they are interested in. It is great news that at least some video game companies are thinking about what the girls want.

Out of all the video gaming consoles, the Microsoft Xbox 360 has the fewest games that appeal to girls, whatever their age. Yes, it is true that many girls like the role-playing, action-adventure games that the Xbox 360 has to offer, but most of them appeal mainly to boys. However, there are a few, mostly classic games that appeal to the growing female population of the gaming community. Remember, girls of all ages actually do like to play video games. The Xbox 360 isn’t really putting out too many new games these days, since it was discontinued recently. However, there are still some out there that are worth checking out. One of the best for girls is Viva Pinata, which is suitable for ages seven and up. This is a charming virtual world game in which you raise and take care of living piñatas. It will appeal to kids and grown-ups alike, One of the other really popular Xbox 360 games for girls is Dance Dance Revolution, which is also known as DDR. This is a globally popular game, in which you have to follow the dance steps on the screen that match the music you hear. It’s a challenge and can get the blood flowing, just like exercise. There is rarely a girl who doesn’t like to dance, so this game is perfect. If you still have an Xbox 360 and need some games that will appeal to girls, there are actually a bunch of online sources you can check out.

Haven’t you always known that girls like to make and create things, while boys like to destroy them? Yes, it’s probably true that many girls like to build a city or a house out of Lego, while their brothers or pals come around and demolish their hard work. This is why games like Halo 3 are so popular among boys. Most video games are about fighting and destroying things. Halo 3 is a perfect example, as there is plenty of destruction and things are always getting blown-up. There are not a whole lot of video games that have little or no fighting or blowing things up in them. The video game industry seems to forget that a large percentage of their potential customers are girls. While boys are still in the majority of those who love to play video games, there are still large numbers of girls who also love technology, virtual worlds and video games. It seems that those in charge of making video games don’t really care about what girls want to play. However, even though the big companies in the industry think more about boys than girls, there are still some games that girls can play, without having to blow up a town or shoot someone. The popular Sims games are always good for the girls. They involve nurturing and taking care of your character instead of making her fight. Other video games that involve singing, dancing, sports and music, like Guitar Hero and Wii Sports are also growing in popularity among young girls and even women.

It is very clear to every girl interested in video games that most of them are designed for boys and this makes it very hard to find ones that actually appeal to them. In most cases, girls are not interested in war games, shooting games or those with a lot of violence. However, in general, the games that are actually made for girls are so stereotypical, that they just revolve around makeup and fashion. Didn’t the people who make video games learn about stereotypes in school? Girls are really good at problem solving and strategy and need video games to compliment these skills. They also prefer games that have some interaction and team play. Making more games that truly interest girls, of all ages, might even encourage them to become more active in technology as they are growing up. Maybe then we will see more girl computer programmers. Parents should try to get their daughters to feel more comfortable with video games, so that they are more relaxed about using technical gadgets later on. A good way to do this is to buy video games that appeal to their daughters’ individual personality and interests, not just what they think a ‘girl’ would like. It is also a good idea to buy gender-neutral products like puzzles and problem-solving games. The more video games on the market that appeal to girls, the more it will help them develop an interest in technology. Almost everything in today’s world is dependant on technology in some form, so it really is in every girl’s best interest to get involved.

Do you know what e-play toys are? Lots of people don’t really know what the word ‘e-play’ means, but that will all change today. Any toy that you can buy that comes with access to a virtual world is an e-play toy and there are lots of them out there these days. It is really as simple as buying a normal toy, doll or game, except that it comes with a special code, USB device or website that will allow you to join an online community, within a virtual world. Many of these toys are geared toward kids, girls especially, between the ages of five and sixteen. One of the more popular e-play toys is the Bratz series of dolls, which are sold with a special USB device necklace. When you load it into your computer, you gain access into the really cool world of Be-Bratz. Barbie Girls MP3 is another e-play toy that gives you access to a special virtual world. The USB device that comes in the package, unlocks special content on the BarbieGirls.com website and can also be used as a portable MP3 player. Webkinz is a very popular e-play toy, suitable for both girls and boys. Each one comes with a special code on its label, which will let you into the Webkinz World website. You can then adopt, raise and train a virtual ‘living’ version of the pet you just bought. Most parents have no idea they are actually buying an e-play toy when they go to the store. They usually think it’s just a cute stuffed animal or doll. Little do they know that there is an entire fun and exciting virtual world out there.

Dora the Explorer: Journey to the Purple Planet, is intended for kids aged from five and up and is a fun game for the Sony PlayStation 2.If you like to combine fun and learning, then this is definitely the game for you. The game takes you on an exciting journey with Dora and her pal, Boots, to other planets, mainly the Purple Planet. You will meet plenty of new and exciting characters, including a group of aliens who have got themselves lost and need help getting home. The game introduces five new characters that you will absolutely love. When Dora and Boots meet the little lost aliens, they decide to help them find their way back to their home planet, which is, of course, the Purple Planet. If you ever wondered what is up in the stars, Dora the Explorer: Journey to the Purple Planet will let you explore a small piece of space, right from comfort of your own home. If you love the television show, Dora the Explorer, this game will not disappoint you. In fact, it is based on an episode of the TV series, so you might even know the story of the aliens already. If so, go ahead and jump in and help them get home as quickly as you can. Dora the Explorer: Journey to the Purple Planet is packed with simple puzzles that you will have to solve to get your new alien friends home.

Released in October 2007, Dogs & Cats is a game that lets you look after, care for, guide and train virtual dogs and cats. You will get to raise your dogs and cats from tiny puppies and kittens to full grown animals. You will play with them and learn together, but you also need to make sure that your special friends get plenty of exercise, playtime and food, not to mention plenty of love, if you are to make it through the game. Dogs & Cats features a wide variety of cat and dog breeds for you to choose from. They include Siamese, European house cats, Maine Coons, Dalmatians, Huskies and many more. You will need to raise your puppy or kitten by ensuring that you feed, groom, cuddle and play with your little fur-ball. Make sure that your dog has plenty of time outside and that you smother your cat with love. You get to play fun and exciting games, like Frisbee, fetch and hunt for the hidden toy with your cat or dog. Also, you will be able to pet your kitty, give your puppy a bath, train your dog and even take him for a walk. Always be sure to monitor health, cleanliness, performance, mood and obedience. While Dogs & Cats may appeal to younger girls mostly, it is a good investment for an older sister or for mum to spend time with the baby girl of the family. Dogs & Cats is available in almost every technology store and typically sells for £10.99.

Whether you knew this or not, the popular video game Dance Dance Revolution, also known in the gaming world as DDR, has been used in the United States to encourage kids and teens to get more physical activity into their lives. Everyone, yes everyone including girls, loves video games, but not everyone loves exercise. With Dance Dance Revolution, you can get the best of both worlds. Dance Dance Revolution was originally released in Japanese arcades, in 1998. There are now more than ninety official versions on sale, all over the world and it has become one of the most popular video games ever. When you play, you must move your feet to the pattern of steps on the screen, which match the rhythm of the song. The game is available for just about any gaming console except for the Nintendo Wii. In 2006, Konami, the originator of Dance Dance Revolution, teamed up with the state of West Virginia, to put the video game into schools for a three year trial period. This is a test to see if the game will improve kids’ physical fitness. They have found that most children maintain the same weight while playing the game for just thirty minutes a day, five days a week. Now they know that exercise really will help kids stay healthy. It looks like this test in West Virginia will lead doctors and school administrators to figure out a way to make physical fitness education even more appealing to children in schools. This is probably even more of a challenge than playing a game of Dance Dance Revolution.

Cooking Mama: Cook Off, for the Nintendo Wii, is a great game for little chefs, starting around the age of six. This is also a great family game that can be played with two players. The plot is very similar to the TV show, Iron Chef, where teams of chefs are pitted against each other to wow the judges. In Cooking Mama: Cook Off, Mama organises the competition where chefs must compete by cooking international dishes and recipes from about ten different countries. What is so cool about this game is that the realistic looking food, thanks to some pretty awesome graphics, will actually change in appearance depending on what you decide to do to it. Don’t worry; there is a practice mode so that you won’t always be judged while cooking. Once you do jump into the competition, the recipes start off pretty easy, but get more and more difficult. You will chop, boil, cut, stir, mix, combine and cook all sorts of things. Cooking Mama: Cook Off is a great way to expose yourself and maybe even your little sister, to the kitchen. It is a great game to change the way girls and even boys, think about cooking and might even give your parents a break some nights. Just remember, Cooking Mama: Cook Off will not actually teach you to cook, but it will inspire you to learn a little more around the kitchen. The game generally sells for about £25, which may seem steep, but the fun is worth it.