[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"sanity-nRkE1XWINIZmbvfNZKHMnlxyoGkZ1ONYhM_gtm6Cslo":3,"sanity-7uzMs2YzXFZQ_JS5ESQbQYd7AIThodSo7b8-m27Pby4":16,"sanity-WS_pvt88fkpnwKSTfAt89Qvtm5dRx5cs_XEr_Qi7xD8":740,"sanity-Otw8QAEBScC8blg5swz00gISdsNuPXwO5jsAQvk7cgY":973},{"data":4,"sourceMap":-1},{"commentsEditWindowMinutes":5,"commentsGloballyEnabled":6,"cursorMode":7,"defaultOgImageUrl":7,"footerText":7,"interactionMode":7,"missionPrompt":7,"navLinks":7,"organizationName":8,"personAuthorSlug":9,"personName":10,"reviewFaqIntro":7,"reviewUpdateLogIntro":7,"siteDescription":11,"siteTagline":12,"siteTitle":8,"socialHandles":13},10,true,null,"Mom Player Character","shannon-mpc","Shannon","Game reviews, parent guides, and notes from the desk on the digital world your kid already lives in.","For parents in the digital deep end",{"instagram":14,"twitch":15},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.instagram.com\u002Fmomplayercharacter","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.twitch.tv\u002Fmomplayercharacter",{"data":17,"sourceMap":-1},{"_id":18,"affiliateLinks":7,"answerFallback":19,"authorName":20,"authorSlug":9,"body":21,"bodyWordCount":592,"build":593,"commentsEnabled":7,"excerpt":710,"faqItems":711,"featured":724,"featuredImageAlt":7,"featuredImageUrl":7,"gamePlacement":7,"gameTypes":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":724,"keyTakeaways":7,"kind":725,"lastReviewedAt":726,"mediaSources":7,"nextInGroup":7,"parentBottomLine":7,"parentDecision":7,"partnerLinks":7,"platforms":7,"primaryGame":7,"publishedAt":726,"quickAnswer":727,"relatedGames":7,"seo":735,"slug":738,"timeToDo":7,"title":739,"topics":7,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},"pzsG0jkw9smmfHT1ez0HnE","A small kid-proof box next to your TV. The kids turn it on, pick a game from a menu of consoles you've set up, and play. Works for everything from NES through PlayStation, all on a single wireless controller.","Shannon @ MPC",[22,33,41,49,58,66,74,82,88,96,104,112,120,128,136,144,152,160,168,176,184,192,200,208,216,224,232,237,245,253,256,264,272,280,283,291,294,302,305,313,316,324,332,335,343,351,359,367,371,379,387,395,403,411,419,427,435,443,451,459,467,475,480,488,496,504,512,520,528,536,544,552,560,568,576,584],{"_key":23,"_type":24,"children":25,"markDefs":31,"style":32},"k001","block",[26],{"_key":27,"_type":28,"marks":29,"text":30},"s001","span",[],"I've been sitting on a box of old game cartridges for years. NES, Super Nintendo, Game Boy, PlayStation. Over 500 of them, collected across decades of garage sales and \"I should really get rid of these\" moments that never quite landed. They've moved with me three times. My kids have never touched them, because there's nothing to plug them into anymore.",[],"normal",{"_key":34,"_type":24,"children":35,"markDefs":40,"style":32},"k002",[36],{"_key":37,"_type":28,"marks":38,"text":39},"s002",[],"So I decided to do something about it. I built a small, quiet, kid-proof system that plays all of them: every console, one box, one controller, hooked up to the TV in the living room. It cost less than a new video game and a weekend of tinkering. The whole thing runs on a Raspberry Pi, which is a tiny computer about the size of a deck of cards. The kids don't really know any of that. They turn it on, pick a game, play it.",[],{"_key":42,"_type":24,"children":43,"markDefs":48,"style":32},"k003",[44],{"_key":45,"_type":28,"marks":46,"text":47},"s003",[],"This is the full walkthrough. I'm going to write it the way I wish someone had written it for me, assuming you know nothing about Linux or Raspberry Pi or any of this, because I didn't either.",[],{"_key":50,"_type":24,"children":51,"markDefs":56,"style":57},"k004",[52],{"_key":53,"_type":28,"marks":54,"text":55},"s004",[],"What you're building",[],"h2",{"_key":59,"_type":24,"children":60,"markDefs":65,"style":32},"k005",[61],{"_key":62,"_type":28,"marks":63,"text":64},"s005",[],"The finished product is a small box that sits next to your TV. You turn it on, a menu appears with all your old consoles listed (Nintendo, Super Nintendo, PlayStation, whatever you set up). You pick a console, pick a game, and it plays. The kids navigate with a wireless controller. There are no complicated menus, no settings to accidentally break, no way to get into trouble. It works like an appliance.",[],{"_key":67,"_type":24,"children":68,"markDefs":73,"style":32},"k006",[69],{"_key":70,"_type":28,"marks":71,"text":72},"s006",[],"The software is called RetroPie. It's free and open-source, and it turns a Raspberry Pi into a dedicated retro gaming machine. The interface (called EmulationStation) is the menu system your kids will actually see and use. Underneath, individual emulators handle each console, but nobody needs to know that. To the kids, it's just \"the game thing.\"",[],{"_key":75,"_type":24,"children":76,"markDefs":81,"style":57},"k007",[77],{"_key":78,"_type":28,"marks":79,"text":80},"s007",[],"The legal stuff (let's just get this out of the way)",[],{"_key":83,"_type":84,"children":7,"heading":85,"markDefs":7,"style":86,"text":87},"k008","calloutBox","The short version","legalNote","The emulation software is legal. The game files aren't, unless you dumped them from cartridges you own. This guide walks you through the system; how you get your game files onto it is your call.",{"_key":89,"_type":24,"children":90,"markDefs":95,"style":32},"k009",[91],{"_key":92,"_type":28,"marks":93,"text":94},"s009",[],"This is the part of every retro gaming guide that either gets skipped entirely or treated like a joke, and I think both approaches are a disservice. So here's the honest version.",[],{"_key":97,"_type":24,"children":98,"markDefs":103,"style":32},"k010",[99],{"_key":100,"_type":28,"marks":101,"text":102},"s010",[],"The emulation software (RetroPie, RetroArch, all the individual emulators) is completely legal. It's open-source software that people have built and maintained for free. Nobody is breaking any laws by installing it.",[],{"_key":105,"_type":24,"children":106,"markDefs":111,"style":32},"k011",[107],{"_key":108,"_type":28,"marks":109,"text":110},"s011",[],"The game files are where it gets complicated. In the emulation world, these are called ROMs (for cartridge-based games) or disc images (for CD-based systems like PlayStation). To play a game on your Pi, you need a digital copy of that game.",[],{"_key":113,"_type":24,"children":114,"markDefs":119,"style":32},"k012",[115],{"_key":116,"_type":28,"marks":117,"text":118},"s012",[],"Downloading game files from the internet is piracy, full stop, even if you own the physical cartridge. I know that feels absurd when you're holding the actual cartridge in your hand, but that's where the law currently sits. The legally defensible path is to \"dump\" your own cartridges, meaning you use a special piece of hardware to read the data off your physical cartridge and create your own digital copy. It's the digital equivalent of ripping a CD you bought. Whether even that constitutes fair use is genuinely unsettled law that nobody has tested definitively, but it's the approach that puts you on the most solid ground.",[],{"_key":121,"_type":24,"children":122,"markDefs":127,"style":32},"k013",[123],{"_key":124,"_type":28,"marks":125,"text":126},"s013",[],"I'm not going to tell you what to do here. I'll show you the hardware that lets you dump your own cartridges (it's in the hardware list), and the guide will walk you through everything else. How you get your game files onto the system is between you and your conscience and your understanding of copyright law.",[],{"_key":129,"_type":24,"children":130,"markDefs":135,"style":32},"k014",[131],{"_key":132,"_type":28,"marks":133,"text":134},"s014",[],"What I will say is this: if you've got a box of cartridges in the closet, there's something satisfying about actually using them again instead of letting them collect dust. That's the whole point.",[],{"_key":137,"_type":24,"children":138,"markDefs":143,"style":57},"k015",[139],{"_key":140,"_type":28,"marks":141,"text":142},"s015",[],"Step 1: Flash the operating system onto the SD card",[],{"_key":145,"_type":24,"children":146,"markDefs":151,"style":32},"k016",[147],{"_key":148,"_type":28,"marks":149,"text":150},"s016",[],"This is where you write the Pi's operating system onto the microSD card so the Pi has something to boot from. It takes about ten minutes.",[],{"_key":153,"_type":24,"children":154,"markDefs":159,"style":32},"k017",[155],{"_key":156,"_type":28,"marks":157,"text":158},"s017",[],"On your regular computer, download and install the Raspberry Pi Imager from raspberrypi.com. It's a small, free app available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.",[],{"_key":161,"_type":24,"children":162,"markDefs":167,"style":32},"k018",[163],{"_key":164,"_type":28,"marks":165,"text":166},"s018",[],"Open the Imager and click \"Choose OS.\" Select Raspberry Pi OS (64-bit). Don't pick the Lite version. You want the full one.",[],{"_key":169,"_type":24,"children":170,"markDefs":175,"style":32},"k019",[171],{"_key":172,"_type":28,"marks":173,"text":174},"s019",[],"Click \"Choose Storage\" and select your microSD card. Make sure you pick the right drive, since this will erase everything on it.",[],{"_key":177,"_type":24,"children":178,"markDefs":183,"style":32},"k020",[179],{"_key":180,"_type":28,"marks":181,"text":182},"s020",[],"Before you click Write, click the gear icon (or press Ctrl+Shift+X). This is the important part. In the settings, set a hostname (I used \"raspberrypi\" but you can use anything). This is how you'll find the Pi on your network later. Enable SSH so you can control the Pi from your regular computer without needing a separate keyboard and monitor plugged into it. Pick \"Use password authentication.\" Set a username and password, and write them down, because you'll need them in a few minutes. Then configure your Wi-Fi by entering your network name and password, and make sure the country is set correctly.",[],{"_key":185,"_type":24,"children":186,"markDefs":191,"style":32},"k021",[187],{"_key":188,"_type":28,"marks":189,"text":190},"s021",[],"Click Save, then Write. It'll take a few minutes to flash and verify. When it's done, pull the SD card out and put it in the Pi.",[],{"_key":193,"_type":24,"children":194,"markDefs":199,"style":57},"k022",[195],{"_key":196,"_type":28,"marks":197,"text":198},"s022",[],"Step 2: Boot the Pi and connect to it",[],{"_key":201,"_type":24,"children":202,"markDefs":207,"style":32},"k023",[203],{"_key":204,"_type":28,"marks":205,"text":206},"s023",[],"Put the microSD card into the slot on the underside of the Pi. Plug in the HDMI cable to your TV (use the micro-HDMI port closest to the USB-C power port). Plug in the power supply.",[],{"_key":209,"_type":24,"children":210,"markDefs":215,"style":32},"k024",[211],{"_key":212,"_type":28,"marks":213,"text":214},"s024",[],"You should see a solid red light and a blinking green light on the board. Red means power, blinking green means it's reading the SD card and booting. Give it about a minute.",[],{"_key":217,"_type":24,"children":218,"markDefs":223,"style":32},"k025",[219],{"_key":220,"_type":28,"marks":221,"text":222},"s025",[],"Now, on your regular computer, open a terminal. On Windows, that's PowerShell (search for it in the Start menu). On Mac, it's Terminal.",[],{"_key":225,"_type":24,"children":226,"markDefs":231,"style":32},"k026",[227],{"_key":228,"_type":28,"marks":229,"text":230},"s026",[],"Type:",[],{"_key":233,"_type":234,"children":7,"code":235,"language":236,"markDefs":7},"k027","codeBlock","ping raspberrypi.local","bash",{"_key":238,"_type":24,"children":239,"markDefs":244,"style":32},"k028",[240],{"_key":241,"_type":28,"marks":242,"text":243},"s028",[],"(Replace \"raspberrypi\" with whatever hostname you set.) If you get replies back, the Pi is on your network and you're good. If it doesn't work, double-check your Wi-Fi settings. The most common issue is the network name or password being slightly wrong.",[],{"_key":246,"_type":24,"children":247,"markDefs":252,"style":32},"k029",[248],{"_key":249,"_type":28,"marks":250,"text":251},"s029",[],"Now connect to the Pi:",[],{"_key":254,"_type":234,"children":7,"code":255,"language":236,"markDefs":7},"k030","ssh yourusername@raspberrypi.local",{"_key":257,"_type":24,"children":258,"markDefs":263,"style":32},"k031",[259],{"_key":260,"_type":28,"marks":261,"text":262},"s031",[],"It'll ask you to accept a security fingerprint the first time. Type \"yes.\" Then enter the password you set in the Imager. You're now controlling the Pi remotely from your regular computer. Everything you type from here on is running on the Pi.",[],{"_key":265,"_type":24,"children":266,"markDefs":271,"style":57},"k032",[267],{"_key":268,"_type":28,"marks":269,"text":270},"s032",[],"Step 3: Install RetroPie",[],{"_key":273,"_type":24,"children":274,"markDefs":279,"style":32},"k033",[275],{"_key":276,"_type":28,"marks":277,"text":278},"s033",[],"This part is mostly waiting. Run these commands one at a time:",[],{"_key":281,"_type":234,"children":7,"code":282,"language":236,"markDefs":7},"k034","sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y",{"_key":284,"_type":24,"children":285,"markDefs":290,"style":32},"k035",[286],{"_key":287,"_type":28,"marks":288,"text":289},"s035",[],"This updates the Pi's existing software. Takes a few minutes.",[],{"_key":292,"_type":234,"children":7,"code":293,"language":236,"markDefs":7},"k036","sudo apt install git -y",{"_key":295,"_type":24,"children":296,"markDefs":301,"style":32},"k037",[297],{"_key":298,"_type":28,"marks":299,"text":300},"s037",[],"This installs a tool needed to download RetroPie.",[],{"_key":303,"_type":234,"children":7,"code":304,"language":236,"markDefs":7},"k038","git clone --depth=1 https:\u002F\u002Fgithub.com\u002FRetroPie\u002FRetroPie-Setup.git",{"_key":306,"_type":24,"children":307,"markDefs":312,"style":32},"k039",[308],{"_key":309,"_type":28,"marks":310,"text":311},"s039",[],"This downloads the RetroPie installer.",[],{"_key":314,"_type":234,"children":7,"code":315,"language":236,"markDefs":7},"k040","cd RetroPie-Setup\nsudo .\u002Fretropie_setup.sh",{"_key":317,"_type":24,"children":318,"markDefs":323,"style":32},"k041",[319],{"_key":320,"_type":28,"marks":321,"text":322},"s041",[],"This opens the RetroPie setup menu. Choose \"Basic Install\" and go make a coffee. On a Raspberry Pi 4, the install takes roughly 30 to 60 minutes. You'll know it's done when the menu comes back.",[],{"_key":325,"_type":24,"children":326,"markDefs":331,"style":32},"k042",[327],{"_key":328,"_type":28,"marks":329,"text":330},"s042",[],"When it finishes, back out of the menu and reboot:",[],{"_key":333,"_type":234,"children":7,"code":334,"language":236,"markDefs":7},"k043","sudo reboot",{"_key":336,"_type":24,"children":337,"markDefs":342,"style":32},"k044",[338],{"_key":339,"_type":28,"marks":340,"text":341},"s044",[],"After it reboots, the Pi should boot directly into EmulationStation, which is the visual menu system. If you have a controller plugged in or paired via Bluetooth, it'll ask you to configure it. Hold any button and then map each button as it asks.",[],{"_key":344,"_type":24,"children":345,"markDefs":350,"style":57},"k045",[346],{"_key":347,"_type":28,"marks":348,"text":349},"s045",[],"Step 4: Get your game files onto the Pi",[],{"_key":352,"_type":24,"children":353,"markDefs":358,"style":32},"k046",[354],{"_key":355,"_type":28,"marks":356,"text":357},"s046",[],"Once RetroPie is running, you need to get your game files onto it. The easiest way is over your network using a built-in feature called Samba sharing.",[],{"_key":360,"_type":24,"children":361,"markDefs":366,"style":32},"k047",[362],{"_key":363,"_type":28,"marks":364,"text":365},"s047",[],"On your Windows computer, open File Explorer and type this in the address bar:",[],{"_key":368,"_type":234,"children":7,"code":369,"language":370,"markDefs":7},"k048","\\\\raspberrypi.local","plain",{"_key":372,"_type":24,"children":373,"markDefs":378,"style":32},"k049",[374],{"_key":375,"_type":28,"marks":376,"text":377},"s049",[],"You should see a shared folder called \"roms.\" Inside it, there are subfolders for each console: nes, snes, gba, psx, mastersystem, and so on. Drop your game files into the matching folder. NES games go in the nes folder, Super Nintendo games go in snes, and so on.",[],{"_key":380,"_type":24,"children":381,"markDefs":386,"style":32},"k050",[382],{"_key":383,"_type":28,"marks":384,"text":385},"s050",[],"After transferring files, restart EmulationStation (press Start, choose Quit, choose Restart EmulationStation) and your games should appear.",[],{"_key":388,"_type":24,"children":389,"markDefs":394,"style":32},"k051",[390],{"_key":391,"_type":28,"marks":392,"text":393},"s051",[],"For PlayStation games specifically, they're usually in .bin and .cue file pairs, or .iso format. Both go in the psx folder. PlayStation files are much larger than cartridge-based games. A single game can be 300 to 700 MB, which is where that bigger SD card pays off.",[],{"_key":396,"_type":24,"children":397,"markDefs":402,"style":57},"k052",[398],{"_key":399,"_type":28,"marks":400,"text":401},"s052",[],"Step 5: Make it pretty (scraping artwork)",[],{"_key":404,"_type":24,"children":405,"markDefs":410,"style":32},"k053",[406],{"_key":407,"_type":28,"marks":408,"text":409},"s053",[],"Right now your game list is just a list of filenames. It works, but it looks boring. Scraping automatically downloads box art, screenshots, descriptions, and genre information for every game and displays it in the menu. It turns a plain text list into something that looks like a polished game library.",[],{"_key":412,"_type":24,"children":413,"markDefs":418,"style":32},"k054",[414],{"_key":415,"_type":28,"marks":416,"text":417},"s054",[],"In EmulationStation, press Start to open the main menu. Go to \"Scraper.\" Select \"ScreenScraper\" as the source (it tends to have the best coverage). Then choose \"Scrape Now\" and pick which systems to scrape.",[],{"_key":420,"_type":24,"children":421,"markDefs":426,"style":32},"k055",[422],{"_key":423,"_type":28,"marks":424,"text":425},"s055",[],"This takes a while if you have a lot of games. Let it run. When it's done, your game list will have artwork next to every title, and the whole thing will look dramatically more polished.",[],{"_key":428,"_type":24,"children":429,"markDefs":434,"style":57},"k056",[430],{"_key":431,"_type":28,"marks":432,"text":433},"s056",[],"Step 6: Kid-proof it",[],{"_key":436,"_type":24,"children":437,"markDefs":442,"style":32},"k057",[438],{"_key":439,"_type":28,"marks":440,"text":441},"s057",[],"This is the part that turns a hobby project into something you can actually hand to a child and walk away from.",[],{"_key":444,"_type":24,"children":445,"markDefs":450,"style":32},"k058",[446],{"_key":447,"_type":28,"marks":448,"text":449},"s058",[],"The first thing is Kiosk Mode. Press Start, go to UI Settings, and change UI Mode from \"Full\" to \"Kiosk.\" This hides all the system settings, emulator configurations, and anything else a kid could accidentally break. They can browse games and play, and that's it. If you need to get back into the settings, enter the Konami code on the controller: up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A. The kids won't stumble into that by accident.",[],{"_key":452,"_type":24,"children":453,"markDefs":458,"style":32},"k059",[454],{"_key":455,"_type":28,"marks":456,"text":457},"s059",[],"The next thing is the Runcommand menu. By default, a technical menu pops up briefly before each game launches, showing emulator options. Kids don't need to see this. Go to the RetroPie menu, then Configuration, then Runcommand, and set \"Launch Menu\" to Disabled.",[],{"_key":460,"_type":24,"children":461,"markDefs":466,"style":32},"k060",[462],{"_key":463,"_type":28,"marks":464,"text":465},"s060",[],"The last thing isn't really about the Pi. It's about your TV. Modern TVs do a lot of image processing that adds input lag, meaning there's a delay between pressing a button and seeing it happen on screen. Game Mode on your TV disables that processing. For retro games where timing matters, this is the single biggest improvement you can make. Check your TV's picture settings.",[],{"_key":468,"_type":24,"children":469,"markDefs":474,"style":57},"k061",[470],{"_key":471,"_type":28,"marks":472,"text":473},"s061",[],"Step 7: Audio (the thing that will probably trip you up)",[],{"_key":476,"_type":84,"children":7,"heading":477,"markDefs":7,"style":478,"text":479},"k062","Skip if your audio works","tip","If your games sound fine, skip this whole section. The audio path on the Pi 4 is a known annoyance, but plenty of people don't hit it on first boot.",{"_key":481,"_type":24,"children":482,"markDefs":487,"style":32},"k063",[483],{"_key":484,"_type":28,"marks":485,"text":486},"s063",[],"I'm including this section because it tripped me up and I've seen it trip up other people. If audio sounds crackly, or games seem to run at the wrong speed, or things feel slightly off, the problem is almost certainly the audio configuration, not the emulators.",[],{"_key":489,"_type":24,"children":490,"markDefs":495,"style":32},"k064",[491],{"_key":492,"_type":28,"marks":493,"text":494},"s064",[],"The Raspberry Pi 4 has a specific audio path for HDMI that needs to be configured at the hardware level. Generic audio settings don't cut it. Here's what worked for me. In the file \u002Fboot\u002Fconfig.txt, make sure HDMI audio is explicitly enabled for the correct output. Then in RetroArch's audio settings, use the \"alsathread\" driver and point it at the specific HDMI audio device rather than the default. The combination of hardware-level HDMI configuration and the right RetroArch driver is what finally made everything run smoothly: correct speed, clean audio, no crackling.",[],{"_key":497,"_type":24,"children":498,"markDefs":503,"style":32},"k065",[499],{"_key":500,"_type":28,"marks":501,"text":502},"s065",[],"If you're hitting this issue and the details above don't mean much to you, the RetroPie forums are genuinely helpful for audio troubleshooting. Search for \"Pi 4 HDMI audio RetroArch\" and you'll find people who've solved the same thing.",[],{"_key":505,"_type":24,"children":506,"markDefs":511,"style":57},"k066",[507],{"_key":508,"_type":28,"marks":509,"text":510},"s066",[],"Step 8: Organize your collection (optional)",[],{"_key":513,"_type":24,"children":514,"markDefs":519,"style":32},"k067",[515],{"_key":516,"_type":28,"marks":517,"text":518},"s067",[],"If you have more than a handful of games, keeping your ROM files organized makes a real difference. There's a tool called CLRMamePro that compares your game files against verified databases (called DAT files) from a group called No-Intro. It checks that your files are correct, complete, and consistently named. It sounds fussy, but when you have hundreds of games, being able to find \"Super Mario Bros. 3\" instead of \"smb3 (U) [!].nes\" is worth the twenty minutes it takes to set up.",[],{"_key":521,"_type":24,"children":522,"markDefs":527,"style":32},"k068",[523],{"_key":524,"_type":28,"marks":525,"text":526},"s068",[],"This runs on your Windows PC before you transfer files to the Pi. Dump or acquire your games, run them through CLRMamePro with the appropriate No-Intro DAT file, and then move the cleaned-up collection to the Pi.",[],{"_key":529,"_type":24,"children":530,"markDefs":535,"style":57},"k069",[531],{"_key":532,"_type":28,"marks":533,"text":534},"s069",[],"What it actually costs",[],{"_key":537,"_type":24,"children":538,"markDefs":543,"style":32},"k070",[539],{"_key":540,"_type":28,"marks":541,"text":542},"s070",[],"The Pi itself is the most expensive piece, around $55 to $75 depending on where you buy it and which model. The power supply is about $10. MicroSD card, maybe $10 to $15 for a 32GB. HDMI cable, $8 to $10. A case, if you want one, $15 to $20. A controller, anywhere from $25 for a basic 8BitDo to $0 if you already have a PlayStation or Xbox controller in a drawer.",[],{"_key":545,"_type":24,"children":546,"markDefs":551,"style":32},"k071",[547],{"_key":548,"_type":28,"marks":549,"text":550},"s071",[],"All in: somewhere between $80 and $130, depending on what you already have. A cartridge dumper adds another $30 to $75, depending on which consoles you need to support.",[],{"_key":553,"_type":24,"children":554,"markDefs":559,"style":57},"k072",[555],{"_key":556,"_type":28,"marks":557,"text":558},"s072",[],"What surprised me",[],{"_key":561,"_type":24,"children":562,"markDefs":567,"style":32},"k073",[563],{"_key":564,"_type":28,"marks":565,"text":566},"s073",[],"The setup takes a weekend, maybe two evenings if you're doing it in chunks after the kids go to bed. The first hour feels overwhelming if you've never used a command line before, but every step is just typing a command and waiting for it to finish. Nothing here requires you to understand what's happening underneath. You're following a recipe, not learning to cook.",[],{"_key":569,"_type":24,"children":570,"markDefs":575,"style":32},"k074",[571],{"_key":572,"_type":28,"marks":573,"text":574},"s074",[],"What I didn't expect is how little my kids care about the technical parts. They don't know it's a Raspberry Pi. They don't know what an emulator is. They turned it on, saw a menu of games with pictures, picked one, and played it. My oldest asked if we could \"put more games on the Nintendo thing,\" which I'm taking as a success.",[],{"_key":577,"_type":24,"children":578,"markDefs":583,"style":32},"k075",[579],{"_key":580,"_type":28,"marks":581,"text":582},"s075",[],"What I also didn't expect is watching them get stuck on the same Mega Man boss that destroyed me in 1990. That's a very specific kind of parenting moment. The cartridges sat in a box for years because there was nothing to plug them into. Now there is, and the kids are playing them, which is more or less what I'd hoped would happen, with a few more \"Dad, why does this one not have shoulder buttons?\" questions than I'd planned for.",[],{"_key":585,"_type":24,"children":586,"markDefs":591,"style":32},"k076",[587],{"_key":588,"_type":28,"marks":589,"text":590},"s076",[],"If you get stuck somewhere or something isn't working, drop a comment. I've probably already broken and fixed whatever you're hitting.",[],2276,{"costRange":594,"difficulty":598,"hardwareList":599,"outcome":19,"prerequisites":700,"testedWith":705,"timeRequired":709},{"currency":595,"high":596,"low":597},"USD",130,80,"beginner",[600,615,626,638,647,657,669,679,690],{"affiliateLinks":601,"category":608,"description":609,"name":610,"notes":611,"partnerLinks":7,"priceEstimate":612},[602],{"label":603,"note":7,"placements":604,"region":606,"url":607},"Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 4GB",[605],"inline","us","https:\u002F\u002Fplaceholder.mpc.com\u002Faff\u002Fraspberry-pi-4-4gb-us","essential","The actual computer. This is what runs everything. The 4GB version handles every console up through PlayStation without breaking a sweat. The 2GB version works too, but the extra RAM gives you more breathing room and costs only a few dollars more.","Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (4GB)","The 4GB version is worth the small upgrade.",{"currency":595,"high":613,"low":614},75,55,{"affiliateLinks":616,"category":608,"description":621,"name":622,"notes":623,"partnerLinks":7,"priceEstimate":624},[617],{"label":618,"note":7,"placements":619,"region":606,"url":620},"SanDisk 32GB microSD",[605],"https:\u002F\u002Fplaceholder.mpc.com\u002Faff\u002Fsandisk-32gb-microsd-us","The Pi's hard drive. 32GB is plenty for the operating system and a solid library of cartridge games. If you're planning to add PlayStation or other CD-based games, go 64GB or 128GB, since those files are much bigger.","MicroSD Card (32GB or larger)","SanDisk and Samsung are both reliable. Avoid no-name brands.",{"currency":595,"high":625,"low":5},25,{"affiliateLinks":627,"category":608,"description":632,"name":633,"notes":634,"partnerLinks":7,"priceEstimate":635},[628],{"label":629,"note":7,"placements":630,"region":606,"url":631},"Official Raspberry Pi USB-C Power Supply",[605],"https:\u002F\u002Fplaceholder.mpc.com\u002Faff\u002Fpi-usb-c-power-us","The Pi is picky about power. A standard phone charger usually won't cut it. You need one rated for 5 volts at 3 amps, or you'll get a little lightning bolt warning on screen and weird performance issues at random moments.","USB-C Power Supply (5V 3A)","The official Raspberry Pi power supply is worth the few extra dollars.",{"currency":595,"high":636,"low":637},12,8,{"affiliateLinks":639,"category":608,"description":644,"name":641,"notes":645,"partnerLinks":7,"priceEstimate":646},[640],{"label":641,"note":7,"placements":642,"region":606,"url":643},"Micro-HDMI to HDMI Cable",[605],"https:\u002F\u002Fplaceholder.mpc.com\u002Faff\u002Fmicro-hdmi-cable-us","The Pi 4 uses micro-HDMI, not regular HDMI, which catches everyone off guard the first time. You need a cable or an adapter to connect it to your TV. Either approach works fine.","Six feet is enough for most TV setups.",{"currency":595,"high":636,"low":637},{"affiliateLinks":648,"category":608,"description":653,"name":650,"notes":654,"partnerLinks":7,"priceEstimate":655},[649],{"label":650,"note":7,"placements":651,"region":606,"url":652},"8BitDo SN30 Pro Bluetooth Controller",[605],"https:\u002F\u002Fplaceholder.mpc.com\u002Faff\u002F8bitdo-sn30-pro-us","Any Bluetooth controller works, but the 8BitDo SN30 Pro is a good fit if you want that retro feel. A PlayStation or Xbox controller you already own works just as well. Pick something that fits your kids' hands, since they're the ones who will use it most.","Wired USB controllers also work if you'd rather skip Bluetooth pairing.",{"currency":595,"high":656,"low":625},50,{"affiliateLinks":658,"category":663,"description":664,"name":660,"notes":665,"partnerLinks":7,"priceEstimate":666},[659],{"label":660,"note":7,"placements":661,"region":606,"url":662},"Flirc Raspberry Pi 4 Case",[605],"https:\u002F\u002Fplaceholder.mpc.com\u002Faff\u002Fflirc-pi-4-case-us","accessory","The bare circuit board works fine, but a case keeps little fingers off the electronics and looks cleaner next to the TV. The Flirc case doubles as a heat sink, which helps the Pi stay cool under load during longer play sessions.","Optional, but recommended once you decide to keep the project around.",{"currency":595,"high":667,"low":668},20,15,{"affiliateLinks":670,"category":663,"description":675,"name":676,"notes":677,"partnerLinks":7,"priceEstimate":678},[671],{"label":672,"note":7,"placements":673,"region":606,"url":674},"Second Bluetooth Controller",[605],"https:\u002F\u002Fplaceholder.mpc.com\u002Faff\u002Fsecond-controller-us","For two-player games. Obvious to mention but easy to forget when you're ordering parts. Match the brand of your primary controller, or mix and match. RetroPie handles either fine.","Second Wireless Controller","Skip this if your kids will only play solo for the first while.",{"currency":595,"high":656,"low":625},{"affiliateLinks":680,"category":685,"description":686,"name":682,"notes":687,"partnerLinks":7,"priceEstimate":688},[681],{"label":682,"note":7,"placements":683,"region":606,"url":684},"INLretro Dumper-Programmer",[605],"https:\u002F\u002Fplaceholder.mpc.com\u002Faff\u002Finlretro-dumper-us","tool","A hardware dumper for NES and SNES cartridges. Plugs into your computer via USB and reads the data off your physical cartridge so you can create your own digital copy. The legally defensible path to a ROM library you actually own.","Works on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Requires a one-time setup.",{"currency":595,"high":689,"low":613},100,{"affiliateLinks":691,"category":685,"description":696,"name":693,"notes":697,"partnerLinks":7,"priceEstimate":698},[692],{"label":693,"note":7,"placements":694,"region":606,"url":695},"GBxCart RW",[605],"https:\u002F\u002Fplaceholder.mpc.com\u002Faff\u002Fgbxcart-rw-us","A Game Boy cartridge dumper. Reads original Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges. Same idea as the INLretro dumper, just for portable cartridges. Cheaper and more portable.","Pairs well with the INLretro for full coverage of older Nintendo systems.",{"currency":595,"high":656,"low":699},30,[701,702,703,704],"A Wi-Fi network","A TV with an HDMI port","A computer (Windows, Mac, or Linux) for initial setup","Comfort following step-by-step instructions",[706,707,610,708],"RetroPie 4.8.9","Raspberry Pi OS Bookworm (64-bit)","EmulationStation 2.11","A weekend","Build a kid-proof retro gaming console with a Raspberry Pi and your old cartridges. Plays NES through PlayStation. Around $80 to $130 in parts, a weekend of setup, no Linux experience required.",[712,715,718,721],{"answer":713,"featured":7,"intent":7,"keyTakeaways":7,"question":714},"The emulation software is completely legal. The game files (called ROMs) are where it gets complicated. Downloading them is piracy, even if you own the cartridge. The legally defensible path is to dump your own cartridges using a hardware reader.","Is emulation legal?",{"answer":716,"featured":7,"intent":7,"keyTakeaways":7,"question":717},"Around $80 to $130 for the full setup, depending on what you already have lying around. A cartridge dumper, if you want the legal path to your own ROMs, adds another $30 to $75 depending on which consoles you need to support.","How much does this cost?",{"answer":719,"featured":7,"intent":7,"keyTakeaways":7,"question":720},"A weekend if you do it in one go, or two evenings broken up. The first hour feels overwhelming if you've never used a command line before, but every step is just typing a command and waiting.","How long does the setup take?",{"answer":722,"featured":7,"intent":7,"keyTakeaways":7,"question":723},"No. The whole guide assumes you've never used a Raspberry Pi or Linux. You're following a recipe, not learning to cook. Every step is a copy-paste command that runs and finishes before you move to the next.","Do I need to know Linux to do this?",false,"build","2026-05-07T00:00:00Z",{"headline":728,"keyPoints":729,"summary":734},"A weekend project to play your old game cartridges on a Raspberry Pi",[730,731,732,733],"Total cost: $80 to $130, depending on what you have lying around","Plays everything up through PlayStation","Setup takes a weekend; no Linux experience required","Kiosk mode keeps kids out of system settings","Build a small kid-proof retro gaming console using a Raspberry Pi and RetroPie. Works for everything up through PlayStation. Total cost: $80 to $130 depending on what you already own.",{"canonicalUrl":7,"metaDescription":736,"metaTitle":737,"metaTitlePrefix":7,"noIndex":7,"ogDescription":7,"ogImageUrl":7,"ogTitle":7},"Build a kid-proof retro console with a Raspberry Pi and RetroPie. Works through PlayStation. Total cost: $80 to $130 depending on what you own.","Build a kid-proof retro Pi console for $80–$130 | MPC","retro-gaming-pi-build","Bringing Your Nostalgia Home: Building an Affordable  Retro Gaming System Your Kids Will Love to Use",{"data":741,"sourceMap":-1},[742,767,779,815,834,864,875,898,924,945,970],{"_id":743,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":20,"authorSlug":9,"bodyWordCount":744,"excerpt":745,"featured":724,"featuredImageAlt":746,"featuredImageUrl":7,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":724,"kind":747,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":748,"primaryGame":7,"publishedAt":7,"quickAnswer":753,"slug":762,"timeToDo":7,"title":763,"topics":7,"updateNotes":764,"updatedAt":7},"pzsG0jkw9smmfHT1ez0HFg",330,"Typing in a fake birthday isn't age verification — it's just a question. Here’s what real, working age-gating would need to look like, and what parents can do right now.","Illustration of a sign-up screen with an age checkbox, overlaid with icons for ID cards, credit cards, and device settings.","guide",{"ifYourKidIsAskingBecause":749,"settingsThatMatter":750,"shouldWorry":751,"whatToDoNow":752},"If your child says, “It just asked if I’m 13, can I click yes?” they’re telling you the system is easy to bypass. Use that moment to explain why the rule exists (content, data collection, contact with strangers), and decide together whether this app is appropriate now or later. If they say “Everyone in my class has it,” acknowledge the social pressure, but still base your decision on your child’s maturity, the app’s features, and the tools you have to supervise or limit use.","Focus on device and account settings you control: require approval for new app installs, restrict app store ratings by age, use kid or teen profiles where possible, and lock down browser access for younger kids. Inside individual apps, look for: private-by-default profiles, limits on DMs and friend requests, content filters, and purchase\u002Fcredit card controls. These do more for safety than any single age checkbox.","Be cautious, not panicked. Assume most age-gates your child sees are easy to bypass. The real risk is that you may think a space is age-limited and safer than it actually is.","Treat age-gates as a weak signal, not a safety guarantee. Check the app or site yourself, set your own minimum ages, and use device-level tools (family accounts, Screen Time, Google Family Link, etc.) to control what your child can install and when. Talk openly with your child about why age limits exist and make it clear that lying about age is a family rule issue, not just a ‘hack.’",{"headline":754,"keyPoints":755,"summary":761},"Real age-gating needs proof, not just a birthday box.",[756,757,758,759,760],"Birthday fields and “I’m over 13” checkboxes are not real age verification.","Stronger systems use ID, payment methods, third-party verification, or device-level controls.","Better age-gating always adds friction and can slow growth, so companies are reluctant to adopt it.","Platforms benefit from underage users even when policies say they’re not allowed, which reduces urgency to fix the gap.","Parents should not rely on app age-gates alone—use device settings, family accounts, and clear house rules together.","Most age checks on apps and websites are basically meaningless—kids can bypass them in seconds. Systems that actually work use some form of verified proof (ID, payment method, device-level controls, or a trusted third-party) and accept that sign-up will be a bit slower and more “frictiony.” As a parent, your best move is to combine device\u002FOS controls, family accounts, and your own rules, instead of trusting a single checkbox on a sign-up screen.","age-gating-that-actually-works","Age-Gating That Actually Works (Not Just a Checkbox)",[765],{"date":7,"note":766},"Initial guide created to help parents understand why most age-gates are weak and how to build stronger protections at home.",{"_id":768,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":20,"authorSlug":9,"bodyWordCount":769,"excerpt":770,"featured":6,"featuredImageAlt":771,"featuredImageUrl":772,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":724,"kind":747,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":7,"primaryGame":7,"publishedAt":773,"quickAnswer":774,"slug":777,"timeToDo":7,"title":778,"topics":7,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},"8aI8S9xlkRICgxHcEveXqz",310,"Yes. Star Fox now supports four-player split-screen Battle Mode on one Switch 2. Here is what to update, which controllers work, and how it differs from campaign co-op.","Four split-screen views of Star Fox Battle Mode above a sunlit ocean and rocky islands.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fb89976e552bfa85a239d489774f0be8b31588e43-1080x603.webp","2026-10-10T18:31:00.000Z",{"headline":775,"keyPoints":7,"summary":776},"Four players in Battle Mode; two in campaign co-op.","Update Star Fox, then choose Battle Mode > Local Battle. You need one controller per player; a single sideways Joy-Con 2 or original Joy-Con works for split-screen Battle Mode.","star-fox-four-player-split-screen","Can four people play Star Fox on one Switch 2?",{"_id":780,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":20,"authorSlug":9,"bodyWordCount":781,"excerpt":782,"featured":7,"featuredImageAlt":783,"featuredImageUrl":784,"gamePlacement":785,"group":787,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"kind":788,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":7,"primaryGame":789,"publishedAt":812,"quickAnswer":7,"slug":813,"timeToDo":7,"title":814,"topics":7,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},"BM1x6eCNlY51NBLMjhD1xB",254,"Already own Minecraft digitally on Switch? Check the limited-time Switch 2 upgrade before paying again, and know what it means for split-screen play.","Two black original Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers resting on a pale surface.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fef6192d51a34051774d15252bfdf7b16627c5c35-1600x1067.jpg",{"groupKey":786,"order":7},"group-1","Getting started","explainer",{"_id":790,"ageGuidance":791,"excerpt":792,"featuredImageUrl":793,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasPage":6,"hasReview":6,"maximumAge":7,"minimumAge":795,"multiplayerOptions":796,"name":802,"parentBottomLine":803,"parentSafetyFacts":7,"platforms":804,"slug":811,"title":802},"game-minecraft","Single-player and family Realms are comfortable from 7+, younger with parent co-play. Public servers are the part where age fit depends on the server. Some of the largest (Hypixel, Mineplex) are heavily moderated; smaller ones vary.","The closest a modern, online-enabled game gets to default-safe. The risk surface is almost entirely in multiplayer, which is the part most under a parent's control.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fc82049962f769a74addd5d6f86a42ad216828f0f-1600x800.png","green-light",7,[797,798,799,800,801],"solo","couch-coop","local-multi","online-coop","cross-platform","Minecraft","Green light for single-player and family Realms. Public servers are the variable, so vet them before saying yes.",[805,806,807,808,809,810],"pc-mac","ios","android","xbox","playstation","nintendo-switch","minecraft","2026-10-10T15:34:00.000Z","minecraft-switch-2-free-upgrade","Do you need to buy Minecraft again for Switch 2?",{"_id":816,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":20,"authorSlug":9,"bodyWordCount":817,"excerpt":818,"featured":7,"featuredImageAlt":7,"featuredImageUrl":7,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":724,"kind":747,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":819,"primaryGame":7,"publishedAt":824,"quickAnswer":825,"slug":832,"timeToDo":7,"title":833,"topics":7,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},"BM1x6eCNlY51NBLMjhD3JB",503,"Instagram changed substantially: under-18s now default into Teen Accounts (PG-13, private for under-16) they can't opt out of, and under-16s need permission to loosen them. The feed's pull stays a conversation.",{"ifYourKidIsAskingBecause":820,"settingsThatMatter":821,"shouldWorry":822,"whatToDoNow":823},"their friends are on it: the defaults make it more defensible than before, if the age is real and supervision is on.","The age on file (it sets Teen Account defaults) and parental supervision, which keeps approval for looser settings in your hands.","Less than its reputation now, on the contact and content side, which the defaults handle. The part that's unchanged is the feed's effect on attention and comparison.","Confirm the real age is on the account, then turn on parental supervision through Family Center so the protections can't be quietly loosened.","2026-06-08T09:00:00Z",{"headline":826,"keyPoints":827,"summary":831},"More locked down by default than its reputation",[828,829,830],"Under-18s default into Teen Accounts they can't opt out of","Under-16: private, strict messaging, sensitive content limited","Loosening settings needs a parent's permission via supervision","Instagram now places under-18s into Teen Accounts by default (PG-13, private for under-16, strict messaging) they can't opt out of, with under-16s needing a parent's permission to loosen them.","is-instagram-safe-for-kids","Is Instagram safe for kids?",{"_id":835,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":20,"authorSlug":9,"bodyWordCount":836,"excerpt":837,"featured":724,"featuredImageAlt":7,"featuredImageUrl":7,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"kind":838,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":7,"primaryGame":839,"publishedAt":861,"quickAnswer":7,"slug":862,"timeToDo":7,"title":863,"topics":7,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},"BM1x6eCNlY51NBLMjhD281",892,"The hard part of keeping a kid off Roblox was never the blocking. It's the conversation, because saying no to the game is also saying no to where a chunk of their friendships currently live.","essay",{"_id":840,"ageGuidance":841,"excerpt":842,"featuredImageUrl":843,"finalRecommendation":844,"hasPage":6,"hasReview":6,"maximumAge":668,"minimumAge":845,"multiplayerOptions":846,"name":848,"parentBottomLine":849,"parentSafetyFacts":850,"platforms":858,"slug":860,"title":848},"game-roblox","Use Roblox Kids for 5 to 8, Roblox Select for 9 to 15. For older kids on regular accounts, keep voice chat off and text chat at the most restrictive level until you've decided otherwise for this specific kid.","Roblox is unavoidable if you have a kid in the 6 to 12 range, and I no longer recommend it. The 2026 reforms are real, and they all operate inside Roblox while the pattern that keeps showing up runs outside it. Here's the reasoning, plus the setup that matters if it's staying anyway.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F7d6b2bc4ff3ba8011cc2a8656c691c47840f8ba3-1200x675.png","not-recommended",5,[797,800,847,801],"online-competitive","Roblox","Not recommended, and this started as a cautious yes. The 2026 safety reforms are real improvements that all operate inside Roblox, while the documented harm pattern moves off it. Talking to parents who'd done the reading, I couldn't find one who had landed on yes.",{"canPause":851,"checkedAt":852,"inAppPurchases":853,"lootBoxes":851,"parentalControls":854,"readingLoad":851,"recurringPass":851,"saveFriction":851,"spendModel":856,"strangerContact":851,"textChat":851,"userGeneratedContent":857,"voiceChat":851},"unknown","2026-09-01","yes",{"coverage":851,"inGame":851,"platformLevel":851,"url":855},"https:\u002F\u002Fabout.roblox.com\u002Fparental-controls","in-app","open",[805,806,807,808,809,859],"vr","roblox","2026-06-02T12:00:00Z","saying-no-to-roblox","Saying No to Roblox When Everyone Else Says Yes",{"_id":865,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":20,"authorSlug":9,"bodyWordCount":866,"excerpt":867,"featured":724,"featuredImageAlt":7,"featuredImageUrl":7,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"kind":838,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":7,"primaryGame":868,"publishedAt":861,"quickAnswer":7,"slug":873,"timeToDo":7,"title":874,"topics":7,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},"pzsG0jkw9smmfHT1ez0HWS",1428,"It's easy to file each Roblox horror story under awful but rare. Read a stack of them together and the same pattern keeps showing up, which is a lot harder to wave off.",{"_id":840,"ageGuidance":841,"excerpt":842,"featuredImageUrl":843,"finalRecommendation":844,"hasPage":6,"hasReview":6,"maximumAge":668,"minimumAge":845,"multiplayerOptions":869,"name":848,"parentBottomLine":849,"parentSafetyFacts":870,"platforms":872,"slug":860,"title":848},[797,800,847,801],{"canPause":851,"checkedAt":852,"inAppPurchases":853,"lootBoxes":851,"parentalControls":871,"readingLoad":851,"recurringPass":851,"saveFriction":851,"spendModel":856,"strangerContact":851,"textChat":851,"userGeneratedContent":857,"voiceChat":851},{"coverage":851,"inGame":851,"platformLevel":851,"url":855},[805,806,807,808,809,859],"roblox-stories-arent-one-offs","The Roblox Stories Aren't One-Offs Anymore",{"_id":876,"answerFallback":877,"authorName":20,"authorSlug":9,"bodyWordCount":878,"excerpt":879,"featured":724,"featuredImageAlt":880,"featuredImageUrl":881,"gamePlacement":882,"group":787,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"kind":747,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":7,"primaryGame":883,"publishedAt":886,"quickAnswer":887,"slug":896,"timeToDo":7,"title":897,"topics":7,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},"8aI8S9xlkRICgxHcEveTRz","Start in Creative mode on Bedrock Edition, sit next to them, and add Survival, Realms, and chat one at a time as they ask. The defaults are wrong for a young kid in roughly the same ways everywhere.",1175,"Most Minecraft setup advice for parents is a long checklist. The patterns underneath the checklist matter more: which edition, which mode, when to add monsters, when to add a Realm.","Kids playing avatars going to school in minecraft","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fe1f0ba2a99d23b6d768e73832bc0b55058858d79-866x487.png",{"groupKey":786,"order":7},{"_id":790,"ageGuidance":791,"excerpt":792,"featuredImageUrl":793,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasPage":6,"hasReview":6,"maximumAge":7,"minimumAge":795,"multiplayerOptions":884,"name":802,"parentBottomLine":803,"parentSafetyFacts":7,"platforms":885,"slug":811,"title":802},[797,798,799,800,801],[805,806,807,808,809,810],"2026-05-26T00:00:00.000Z",{"headline":888,"keyPoints":889,"summary":895},"The defaults are wrong for a young kid. Here is what to flip and in what order.",[890,891,892,893,894],"Bedrock Edition for almost every family; Java only for PC-only households that want mods","Creative mode first, Survival when they ask (usually six to seven)","Multiplayer off, chat off, Marketplace purchases gated at the platform level","Add a Realm once more than one person in the house plays","Time limits matter earlier because Minecraft has no end credits","Start on Bedrock in Creative mode with multiplayer and chat off. Add Survival around six or seven, add a Realm when more than one person plays, and revisit chat when they want to play with people outside the family.","setting-up-minecraft-for-young-kids","How to actually set up Minecraft for a young kid",{"_id":899,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":20,"authorSlug":9,"bodyWordCount":900,"excerpt":901,"featured":724,"featuredImageAlt":902,"featuredImageUrl":903,"gamePlacement":904,"group":787,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"kind":747,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":906,"primaryGame":911,"publishedAt":886,"quickAnswer":914,"slug":922,"timeToDo":7,"title":923,"topics":7,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},"pzsG0jkw9smmfHT1ez0Ds0",1596,"Most Minecraft advice for parents jumps to settings and editions. The thing that actually matters comes earlier: this is one of the few games where you should plan to be in there with them too.","An official image of Minecraft Characters from Mojang","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Ff941b86023dd1a1402681aa4295baea2ff310763-1024x500.png",{"groupKey":786,"order":905},1,{"ifYourKidIsAskingBecause":907,"settingsThatMatter":908,"shouldWorry":909,"whatToDoNow":910},"Their friends play it, this is the right time. If they want to play on a shared server with strangers, that is a separate conversation worth having before you say yes.","Chat off until you know who they are playing with. Multiplayer turned off until they ask. Marketplace purchases require approval. Difficulty on Peaceful or Creative until they are ready for monsters and hunger.","No. Minecraft is one of the rare games designed in a way that genuinely rewards a parent being in the world with the kid, and it scales from age four through teenager without becoming a different game.","Pick a platform you already have, install Bedrock Edition, start them in Creative mode, and sit next to them for the first session.",{"_id":790,"ageGuidance":791,"excerpt":792,"featuredImageUrl":793,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasPage":6,"hasReview":6,"maximumAge":7,"minimumAge":795,"multiplayerOptions":912,"name":802,"parentBottomLine":803,"parentSafetyFacts":7,"platforms":913,"slug":811,"title":802},[797,798,799,800,801],[805,806,807,808,809,810],{"headline":915,"keyPoints":916,"summary":921},"One of the few games worth starting young, but only if you plan to play it with them.",[917,918,919,920],"Start in Creative mode; switch to Survival around six or seven if they ask","Bedrock Edition for cross-platform; Java for PC-only households that want mods","Small light tasks (build a hut, plant three trees, count the floor) beat open instruction","Co-play matters more than any specific setting, and that part has no checkbox","Start in Creative mode, pick Bedrock Edition, and treat the first sessions as exploration not instruction. Most of what makes Minecraft good for a young kid is the parent showing up in the world too.","introducing-your-kids-to-minecraft","Introducing your kids to Minecraft (hint: you'll play too)",{"_id":925,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":20,"authorSlug":9,"bodyWordCount":926,"excerpt":927,"featured":7,"featuredImageAlt":7,"featuredImageUrl":7,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":724,"kind":747,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":928,"primaryGame":7,"publishedAt":933,"quickAnswer":934,"slug":943,"timeToDo":7,"title":944,"topics":7,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},"BM1x6eCNlY51NBLMjhDChl",1145,"The idea is older than it sounds and the setup takes about ten minutes. The hard part is keeping the account alive long enough for it to matter, and not overthinking what to put in it.",{"ifYourKidIsAskingBecause":929,"settingsThatMatter":930,"shouldWorry":931,"whatToDoNow":932},"If a friend mentioned theirs and your kid wants their own email, that's a different conversation about supervised accounts and parental controls. This guide is for the version you run quietly, for them, not with them.","Two settings carry the whole thing: a recovery email pointed at your personal account, so inactivity warnings actually reach you, and the provider's beneficiary or inactive-account option if it has one. Gmail's Inactive Account Manager lets you set who gets access if you stop logging in, which is the closest thing to a backstop.","Not really. The worst case is a forgotten inbox, which is roughly what happens to most baby books too. It's more about whether the format will mean something to you than whether it's a risk worth managing.","Open any free account, set the recovery address to your own email, and send one thing today. The earlier you start the more it accumulates. The first email is the only one that's awkward.","2026-05-25T12:00:00.000Z",{"headline":935,"keyPoints":936,"summary":942},"Open a free email account, send things to it over the years, hand it over later.",[937,938,939,940,941],"The username barely matters; nobody else will ever see it","Log in once or twice a year or you risk losing the account to inactivity","Set your own email as the recovery address so warning notices reach you","Don't put videos in the inbox; use the provider's cloud drive or your own backup","Treat it as a supplement to a physical record, not a replacement","Pick any provider. Send photos, voice notes, and the small stuff that won't survive a phone upgrade. Log in once or twice a year so the account isn't deleted, and back up the important pieces somewhere you control.","email-address-for-your-newborn","Why I made an email address for each of my kids when they were born",{"_id":946,"answerFallback":7,"authorName":20,"authorSlug":9,"bodyWordCount":947,"excerpt":948,"featured":724,"featuredImageAlt":7,"featuredImageUrl":7,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":724,"kind":747,"lastReviewedAt":7,"parentDecision":949,"primaryGame":7,"publishedAt":954,"quickAnswer":955,"slug":964,"timeToDo":7,"title":965,"topics":7,"updateNotes":966,"updatedAt":7},"RT5gHQWRhYDhfTp0YGrgbo",689,"Most screen-time advice is written for parents preventing a problem. This is for the rest of us. The families already in it, who need a real plan for walking it back without burning the house down.",{"ifYourKidIsAskingBecause":950,"settingsThatMatter":951,"shouldWorry":952,"whatToDoNow":953},"Meltdowns about losing screen time are the predictable middle of the curve, not a sign you broke something. Ride it out without giving back what you cut. The protest phase usually settles in a few days to two weeks.","Charging station outside bedrooms. Notifications off on every app that isn't human-to-human. Family account so app installs need approval. Bedtime mode set to actually shut things down. Architecture before policing.","Not in the way the rest of the internet wants. You didn't fail, you adapted. The conditions made it necessary. If they've changed, the screen time can too.","Do two things in the next 48 hours. Move device charging out of any bedroom to a central spot. Turn off notifications on everything that isn't a person talking to your kid. Don't cut screen time yet. That comes later.","2026-05-13T16:53:00.000Z",{"headline":956,"keyPoints":957,"summary":963},"Climbing down from a lot of screen time is a recalibration, not a rescue mission.",[958,959,960,961,962],"You didn't fail. You adapted. The necessity period was correct at the time, even if you want a different shape now.","Start with environmental changes (where the device lives, notifications off) before reducing any time.","Taper roughly 30 minutes per week rather than going cold turkey. The slow climb-down sticks in fragile households.","Don't aim for zero unless you want zero. Most families land around an hour a day with shape, and that's fine.","Genuine-need screen hours (work crunch, sick parent, no childcare) are the last hours to touch, not the first.","You didn't fail. You adapted. The move from a lot of screen time back to a little is a recalibration, not a rescue mission. Environmental changes first, slow taper second, no judgment about how you got here.","climbing-down-from-a-lot-of-screen-time","Climbing Down From a Lot of Screen Time",[967],{"date":968,"note":969},"2026-05-13T17:31:00.000Z","Initial draft. Written for parents climbing down from a heavy screen-time period (COVID, career, caregiving) without judgment about how they got there.",{"_id":18,"answerFallback":19,"authorName":20,"authorSlug":9,"bodyWordCount":592,"excerpt":710,"featured":724,"featuredImageAlt":7,"featuredImageUrl":7,"gamePlacement":7,"group":7,"hasPrimaryGame":724,"kind":725,"lastReviewedAt":726,"parentDecision":7,"primaryGame":7,"publishedAt":726,"quickAnswer":971,"slug":738,"timeToDo":7,"title":739,"topics":7,"updateNotes":7,"updatedAt":7},{"headline":728,"keyPoints":972,"summary":734},[730,731,732,733],{"data":974,"sourceMap":-1},{"articles":975,"authors":987,"games":992,"lists":1186},[976,977,978,979,980,981,982,983,984,985,986],{"_id":876,"excerpt":879,"gameSlug":811,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"imageAlt":880,"imageUrl":881,"kind":747,"publishedAt":886,"slug":896,"title":897,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":768,"excerpt":770,"gameSlug":7,"hasPrimaryGame":724,"imageAlt":771,"imageUrl":772,"kind":747,"publishedAt":773,"slug":777,"title":778,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":780,"excerpt":782,"gameSlug":811,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"imageAlt":783,"imageUrl":784,"kind":788,"publishedAt":812,"slug":813,"title":814,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":835,"excerpt":837,"gameSlug":860,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"imageAlt":7,"imageUrl":7,"kind":838,"publishedAt":861,"slug":862,"title":863,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":816,"excerpt":818,"gameSlug":7,"hasPrimaryGame":724,"imageAlt":7,"imageUrl":7,"kind":747,"publishedAt":824,"slug":832,"title":833,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":925,"excerpt":927,"gameSlug":7,"hasPrimaryGame":724,"imageAlt":7,"imageUrl":7,"kind":747,"publishedAt":933,"slug":943,"title":944,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":946,"excerpt":948,"gameSlug":7,"hasPrimaryGame":724,"imageAlt":7,"imageUrl":7,"kind":747,"publishedAt":954,"slug":964,"title":965,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":899,"excerpt":901,"gameSlug":811,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"imageAlt":902,"imageUrl":903,"kind":747,"publishedAt":886,"slug":922,"title":923,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":743,"excerpt":745,"gameSlug":7,"hasPrimaryGame":724,"imageAlt":746,"imageUrl":7,"kind":747,"publishedAt":7,"slug":762,"title":763,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":865,"excerpt":867,"gameSlug":860,"hasPrimaryGame":6,"imageAlt":7,"imageUrl":7,"kind":838,"publishedAt":861,"slug":873,"title":874,"updatedAt":7},{"_id":18,"excerpt":710,"gameSlug":7,"hasPrimaryGame":724,"imageAlt":7,"imageUrl":7,"kind":725,"publishedAt":726,"slug":738,"title":739,"updatedAt":7},[988],{"_id":989,"credentials":7,"creditCount":990,"imageUrl":991,"name":20,"role":7,"sameAs":7,"slug":9},"bda9c6d1-b71c-4038-8f63-ad1641a55152",40,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fb3149ab50bd82f2fc9bbca6533a22f7b46efa8bc-502x508.png",[993,1002,1012,1020,1028,1036,1043,1050,1057,1066,1073,1081,1088,1095,1102,1109,1116,1119,1126,1133,1140,1144,1151,1158,1165,1172,1179],{"_id":994,"excerpt":995,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":996,"imageUrl":997,"menuLabel":998,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":7,"publishedAt":1000,"showInNav":7,"slug":1001,"title":998,"updatedAt":7},"21e5d368-ebb7-401e-a906-d43478150866","A lovely first game for young children and Sesame Street fans. My four-year-old loved Tango's guidance and Grover's puzzles, with very little help from me.","A pink player character stands beside Tango on Sesame Street, with Find the Keys displayed at the top right.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F77886956181c808c0ff65ac2b7f710a99a78b62a-2560x1440.png","Sesame Street: Friends & Fun",0,"2026-10-13T18:55:11Z","sesame-street-friends-and-fun",{"_id":1003,"excerpt":1004,"finalRecommendation":1005,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1006,"imageUrl":1007,"menuLabel":1008,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1009,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1011,"title":1008,"updatedAt":1010},"game-among-us","Among Us looks innocent but chat is the entire game. A kid in public lobbies will be in chat with strangers, and Innersloth's under-13 parent-permission flow is the safety surface most families never set up.","cautious-yes","Among Us crewmate characters in a meeting voting on who the impostor is.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fdfd663dee7aee63d3a5af569452fe1ceece593c1-2400x1350.png","Among Us","breakout-hit","2026-05-14T00:00:00.000Z","among-us",{"_id":1013,"excerpt":1014,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1015,"imageUrl":1016,"menuLabel":1017,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1018,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1019,"title":1017,"updatedAt":1010},"game-animal-crossing-new-horizons","Animal Crossing: New Horizons is often called the holy grail of safe multiplayer for younger kids. You only visit islands of people you have exchanged friend codes with. That's why it earns the reputation.","Animal Crossing: New Horizons player customizing their cozy island, with cartoon animal villagers in the background.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fdf5cb2a6685ec164d89e59c2be6774d9da8e2d1b-1920x1080.png","Animal Crossing: New Horizons","mainstream","animal-crossing-new-horizons",{"_id":1021,"excerpt":1022,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1023,"imageUrl":1024,"menuLabel":1025,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1009,"publishedAt":1026,"showInNav":7,"slug":1027,"title":1025,"updatedAt":1010},"game-astro-bot","The full standalone follow-up to Astro's Playroom. Same studio, same gentle posture, much more content. Still single-player, still no online stuff to manage, still safe for a three-year-old with help.","Astro Bot Cover Art","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F86f70a980bdcae0e652163723347096ee55d5bfb-1920x1080.png","Astro Bot","2026-05-13T00:00:00.000Z","astro-bot",{"_id":1029,"excerpt":1030,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1031,"imageUrl":1032,"menuLabel":1033,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1034,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1035,"title":1033,"updatedAt":1010},"game-astroneer","Astroneer is the Minecraft-but-calmer recommendation. Cooperative sandbox on procedurally generated planets. No combat, no enemies, just exploration and base-building.","Astroneer scene with a colorful astronaut character exploring a procedurally generated alien planet.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F44eb9c249a0d13347e16a0f1ce9530afcccd492b-616x353.png","Astroneer","niche","astroneer",{"_id":1037,"excerpt":1038,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1039,"imageUrl":1040,"menuLabel":1041,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1018,"publishedAt":1026,"showInNav":7,"slug":1042,"title":1041,"updatedAt":1010},"game-astros-playroom","The PS5 ships with Astro's Playroom already installed. We've used it as the on-ramp for our kids, including the three-year-old. Single-player, offline, no purchases, no chat.","Astro's playroom cover art from Playstation.com","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F29ba61cfe4ca81a8e13cba5e9e22d71ded0ef289-3840x2160.png","Astro's Playroom","astros-playroom",{"_id":1044,"excerpt":1045,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1046,"imageUrl":1047,"menuLabel":1048,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1018,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1049,"title":1048,"updatedAt":1010},"game-bluey-the-videogame","Bluey: The Videogame is a calm, character-led mini-game collection for ages 4 to 7. No chat, no online play, no purchases. The kind of first-game pick that doesn't demand anything of a parent.","Bluey and Bingo from the Bluey TV show in the Heeler family frontyard, the setting of Bluey: The Videogame.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F307c8a57f091ab9c409e7aae6d8a069c4ff73880-1920x1080.png","Bluey: The Videogame","bluey-the-videogame",{"_id":1051,"excerpt":1052,"finalRecommendation":1005,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1053,"imageUrl":1054,"menuLabel":1055,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1018,"publishedAt":1026,"showInNav":7,"slug":1056,"title":1055,"updatedAt":1010},"game-clash-royale","Rated E10+, App Store 9+, but the economic shape of the game in 2026 feels closer to 12+. The question isn't whether the game is appropriate, but whether the kid is ready to play a game with this monetization model.","Clash Royale characters","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F5b9746f1addf2e699403544ee239d16d319a01e4-1152x648.png","Clash Royale","clash-royale",{"_id":1058,"excerpt":1059,"finalRecommendation":1060,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1061,"imageUrl":1062,"menuLabel":1063,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1018,"publishedAt":1064,"showInNav":7,"slug":1065,"title":1063,"updatedAt":7},"game-disney-dreamlight-valley","A Disney game with plenty of appeal for older kids and adults: outfits to collect, a character to customise and some moderately challenging puzzles. My provisional fit is around 10+ for independent reading.","under-review","My character in Dreamlight Valley beside Disney characters, with the village and game interface visible.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F776b0eaa52878bfe0db57b7e534c898cae03917b-2560x1440.png","Disney Dreamlight Valley","2026-10-13T00:00:00Z","disney-dreamlight-valley",{"_id":1067,"excerpt":1068,"finalRecommendation":1005,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1069,"imageUrl":1070,"menuLabel":1071,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1018,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1072,"title":1071,"updatedAt":1010},"game-fall-guys","Fall Guys reads like a low-stakes party game and that's mostly accurate, but it shares the Epic ecosystem with Fortnite. Account setup, cosmetic pressure, and event tie-ins surprise families.","Fall Guys Game, dozens of colorful blob characters racing through an obstacle course.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fdc335fa006efa27f6195eeb107a14781bba6bf82-1920x1080.png","Fall Guys","fall-guys",{"_id":1074,"excerpt":1075,"finalRecommendation":1005,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1076,"imageUrl":1077,"menuLabel":1078,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1079,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1080,"title":1078,"updatedAt":1010},"game-fortnite","Fortnite in 2026 is a launcher with a battle royale, a music game, a racing mode, and a Lego survival mode all behind one icon. The age question matters less than the account-setup question.","Fortnite Battle Royale match in progress, characters in colorful skins on a cartoon island.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fe7b9e128ea2e9bec4a9af698022a5428a68b5342-1000x1500.png","Fortnite","mega-hit","fortnite",{"_id":1082,"excerpt":1083,"finalRecommendation":1005,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1084,"imageUrl":1085,"menuLabel":1086,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1018,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1087,"title":1086,"updatedAt":1010},"game-it-takes-two","It Takes Two is the two-player parent-and-kid story everyone recommends, and the divorce framing is the conversation. Rated T. Wrenching moments parents should know about before the first scene plays.","It Takes Two co-op scene with the two parent-doll characters in a fantasy world setting.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F138602ec21aba7e6f91889a01b4cb06c5ce0d8b6-2400x1350.png","It Takes Two","it-takes-two",{"_id":1089,"excerpt":1090,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1091,"imageUrl":1092,"menuLabel":1093,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1018,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1094,"title":1093,"updatedAt":1010},"game-kirby-and-the-forgotten-land","Kirby and the Forgotten Land is the entry-level 3D platformer for kids who can't yet handle Mario Odyssey. Two-player mode lets a parent jump in as Bandana Waddle Dee for support.","Kirby and the Forgotten Land scene with Kirby exploring an abandoned cityscape with Bandana Waddle Dee.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F02a69fe855232049350df6c3d546ab59a0760f29-1920x1080.png","Kirby and the Forgotten Land","kirby-and-the-forgotten-land",{"_id":1096,"excerpt":1097,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1098,"imageUrl":1099,"menuLabel":1100,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1018,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1101,"title":1100,"updatedAt":1010},"game-lego-games-series","The LEGO games series is the reliable family co-op catalog. Drop-in\u002Fdrop-out couch co-op, forgiving checkpoints, and a generation of kids who learned 'collect everything' here.","LEGO Batman","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fcc4a2bad83002beb75bc54e782a73be6ce2bf41a-1600x700.png","LEGO Games (Series)","lego-games-series",{"_id":1103,"excerpt":1104,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1105,"imageUrl":1106,"menuLabel":1107,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1034,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1108,"title":1107,"updatedAt":1010},"game-lil-gator-game","Lil Gator Game is the open-world game without open-world problems. No combat, no fail state, just a gator with cardboard armor doing quests for friends.","Lil Gator Game scene with the gator protagonist wearing cardboard armor exploring a small island with animal friends.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fd72cb138b44e5dd5eee0a2529a6142a7b808e745-1920x1080.png","Lil Gator Game","lil-gator-game",{"_id":1110,"excerpt":1111,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1112,"imageUrl":1113,"menuLabel":1114,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1079,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1115,"title":1114,"updatedAt":1010},"game-mario-kart-8-deluxe","Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the default Switch family game. Everyone names it. Worth a review anyway because parents ask about online lobbies, smart-steering options, and whether five-year-olds can keep up.","Mario Kart 8 Deluxe race in progress, four karts driving on a Rainbow Road circuit.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Ff4f3bf28a7de97d539b2e08cbe0dcca0995576c0-1240x698.png","Mario Kart 8 Deluxe","mario-kart-8-deluxe",{"_id":790,"excerpt":792,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":6,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1117,"imageUrl":793,"menuLabel":802,"pageCount":1118,"popularityTier":1079,"publishedAt":1026,"showInNav":6,"slug":811,"title":802,"updatedAt":1010},"Minecraft Cover Art",3,{"_id":1120,"excerpt":1121,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1122,"imageUrl":1123,"menuLabel":1124,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1018,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1125,"title":1124,"updatedAt":1010},"game-nintendo-switch-sports","Nintendo Switch Sports is the grandparent-visit default. Motion controls let preschoolers join in without learning a controller. Multi-generational family gaming.","Nintendo Switch Sports characters in a tennis match, Sportsmate avatars on a colorful court.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F8ff1de7dc81656c329a1b2f7f7b9867fe22b77f0-1920x1080.png","Nintendo Switch Sports","nintendo-switch-sports",{"_id":1127,"excerpt":1128,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1129,"imageUrl":1130,"menuLabel":1131,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1018,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1132,"title":1131,"updatedAt":1010},"game-overcooked-2","Overcooked 2 is the co-op cooking game everyone recommends as the parent-and-kid pick. Realistically, it can frustrate younger kids and parents need to know which levels actually work for mixed ability.","Overcooked 2 Official Cover Art","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fa338d062128e95a5a07d7d37ef957d68fc607561-2400x1350.png","Overcooked 2","overcooked-2",{"_id":1134,"excerpt":1135,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1136,"imageUrl":1137,"menuLabel":1138,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1079,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1139,"title":1138,"updatedAt":1010},"game-pokemon-scarlet-violet","Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is the current Pokemon generation. The single-player core is the appeal. Tera Raids and Union Circle pull kids into casual online play with strangers, which parents rarely notice.","Pokemon Scarlet and Violet open-world scene with a trainer and starter Pokemon exploring the Paldea region.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F5971b4f0d4231128d9dbdbfb90e7f83947a98610-500x430.png","Pokemon Scarlet & Violet","pokemon-scarlet-violet",{"_id":840,"excerpt":842,"finalRecommendation":844,"hasGuide":6,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1141,"imageUrl":843,"menuLabel":848,"pageCount":1142,"popularityTier":1079,"publishedAt":1026,"showInNav":6,"slug":860,"title":848,"updatedAt":1143},"Roblox Cover Art",2,"2026-07-14T12:00:00Z",{"_id":1145,"excerpt":1146,"finalRecommendation":1005,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1147,"imageUrl":1148,"menuLabel":1149,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1009,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1150,"title":1149,"updatedAt":1010},"game-rocket-league","Rocket League is cars playing soccer. Often dismissed as 'fine' because there's no shooting. Now an Epic title with cabined accounts, voice chat tiers, and Quick Chat that some lobbies abuse.","Rocket League video game, two rocket-powered cars chasing a giant soccer ball on a stadium pitch.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F234c229eeca507a626da8c9a7a8a54680a4e1911-1536x1024.png","Rocket League","rocket-league",{"_id":1152,"excerpt":1153,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1154,"imageUrl":1155,"menuLabel":1156,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1018,"publishedAt":1026,"showInNav":7,"slug":1157,"title":1156,"updatedAt":1010},"game-sackboy-a-big-adventure","A 3D platformer with up to four-player local co-op. The one to reach for when the whole family is in the room at the same time. Cute, no violence, very forgiving when you turn the assist on.","Sackboy a Big Adventure","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fa01a9bd95055deded54d1eb6ce2e325726f4a8fd-2560x1440.png","Sackboy: A Big Adventure","sackboy-a-big-adventure",{"_id":1159,"excerpt":1160,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1161,"imageUrl":1162,"menuLabel":1163,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1034,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1164,"title":1163,"updatedAt":1010},"game-snipperclips","Snipperclips is the quietly perfect co-op puzzle game. Two players cut paper characters into shapes to solve problems together. No reading required. No fail state.","Snipperclips characters as paper cutouts working together to solve a shape puzzle.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F8ac0e396d236b910c05d3384177377cc58c2a23d-1280x720.png","Snipperclips","snipperclips",{"_id":1166,"excerpt":1167,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1168,"imageUrl":1169,"menuLabel":1170,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1018,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1171,"title":1170,"updatedAt":1010},"game-splatoon-3","Splatoon 3 is the rare kid-facing online shooter built without in-game voice chat. The chat surface is two preset phrases. Most parents dismiss it for the wrong reason.","Splatoon 3 Turf War match in progress, four squid-kid players covering the map in opposing-team ink.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F821cd9c20be43a72c2d26cc120d3a06c85b76238-2400x1350.png","Splatoon 3","splatoon-3",{"_id":1173,"excerpt":1174,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1175,"imageUrl":1176,"menuLabel":1177,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1009,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1178,"title":1177,"updatedAt":1010},"game-stardew-valley","Stardew Valley is the cozy farming sim parents love and underestimate the reading load on. For a fluent-reader kid who likes routine, it's a long, calm hit. For younger kids, it's a wall of menus.","Stardew Valley farm scene with crops, fences, and the player character watering plants in the early morning.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F7afc7f30d6a0acb1c8fe968e771214f1a9aeb014-1917x1078.png","Stardew Valley","stardew-valley",{"_id":1180,"excerpt":1181,"finalRecommendation":794,"hasGuide":724,"hasReview":6,"imageAlt":1182,"imageUrl":1183,"menuLabel":1184,"pageCount":999,"popularityTier":1079,"publishedAt":1010,"showInNav":7,"slug":1185,"title":1184,"updatedAt":1010},"game-super-mario-bros-wonder","Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the current 2D Mario. The badge system and difficulty options scale to mixed-ability play; four-player local co-op chaos is the family default.","Super Mario Bros. Wonder scene with Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Daisy in a colorful 2D platformer level.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002Fda6fbf18e5c69cb2c764623b87f7cf5070bb9aeb-2000x1000.png","Super Mario Bros. Wonder","super-mario-bros-wonder",[1187,1209],{"_id":1188,"_type":1189,"ageBandMax":795,"ageBandMin":1190,"authorName":20,"authorSlug":9,"axis":1191,"entryCount":1192,"excerpt":1193,"featured":724,"featuredImageAlt":1194,"featuredImageUrl":1195,"forWhom":1196,"gameTypes":1197,"introText":1203,"lastReviewedAt":1204,"platforms":1205,"publishedAt":886,"slug":1206,"title":1207,"updatedAt":1208},"2e14a885-41f6-4200-8bd8-b696a9f431ac","gameList",4,"age",16,"A tiered first-games list for the four-to-seven stretch: what each game actually asks of a kid, and which one to hand them depending on where they are.","Astro's Playroom is Free with every PS5","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.sanity.io\u002Fimages\u002Fduim1jr2\u002Fproduction\u002F5ea80572204a807bea980f62eee17c83242d0fa6-1000x563.png","Parents of kids roughly four to seven, looking for a first real video game on a Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, or PC. Not a phone, not a tablet. Less useful if you want an exhaustive directory of every kids' game ever made.",[1198,1199,1200,1201,1202],"platformer","party-family","creative-sandbox","cozy-life-sim","adventure","A four-year-old picking up a controller for the first time is learning two things at once: the game in front of them, and what gaming itself feels like. The second one is what lingers. A first game that fights them, or that is obviously cheap, teaches a lesson about the whole medium that takes a while to undo.\n\nMost of what comes up when you search for games for young kids has one of two problems. A lot of it is licensed shovelware tied to whatever cartoon is currently in rotation, and the rest is games built for older kids, recommended on the theory that a four-year-old will grow into them. What both versions miss is that four-to-seven is not one age. A four-year-old needs assist modes, soft fail states, and a game where mashing every button at once cannot break anything that matters. A seven-year-old can read, can lose without the evening ending, and can carry a save file across weeks. Those are different players.","2026-10-13T19:04:00.000Z",[810,809,808,805],"best-games-to-introduce-kids-ages-4-7","The best video games to introduce your kid to gaming (ages 4-7)","2026-10-13T19:03:00.000Z",{"_id":1210,"_type":1189,"ageBandMax":636,"ageBandMin":845,"authorName":20,"authorSlug":9,"axis":1211,"entryCount":5,"excerpt":1212,"featured":724,"featuredImageAlt":1213,"featuredImageUrl":1176,"forWhom":1214,"gameTypes":7,"introText":1215,"lastReviewedAt":7,"platforms":7,"publishedAt":1216,"slug":1217,"title":1218,"updatedAt":7},"dd35299d-db2b-411d-998d-cfe3f0535841","coop","A r\u002Fgaming thread asked parents which game they like playing with their kid. Almost three hundred answers later, the same handful of games keep coming up, often with the same warnings attached.","A screenshot of Stardew Valley","If you have a kid roughly five to twelve and you want a parent-tested list of co-op games to play together. Less useful if you came in looking for picks for teenagers, because most of the answers in this thread are about younger kids, which is its own interesting signal.","The thread was straightforward. A parent looking for games to play with his friend's teenage boys, ages thirteen and fifteen, both with a PS5 and an Xbox Series X. What came back was almost three hundred replies, most of them about playing games with much younger kids.\n\nThat gap is worth pausing on. The Reddit hive mind on co-op with your kid lives somewhere around ages five through ten. The games that get named over and over are not the obvious teen-leaning shooters. They are chaos co-op, builder games, and a small group of titles by one studio that have basically become a genre of their own. The fifteen-year-old gaming PC adjacent multi-platform demographic the original poster asked about is largely absent from this thread, which is its own answer.","2026-05-22T16:00:00.000Z","reddit-co-op-games-parents-play-with-kids","The games parents on Reddit actually play with their kids"]