GDC Recap: Games

Here are some of the kid-friendly games that caught my eye at GDC 2006.

Some seemed more promising, and others less so.

Some seemed very derivative of other games, and others completely and utterly original.

Some are as big-bidness as it gets (e.g. Nintendo & Sony), but most of the games on this list are independent games that were featured in the 2006 Independent Games Festival. Some were created by students, which is, to quote co-host (with Shiny's David Perry) Tommy Tallarico at said festival (which immediately preceded the 2006 Game Developer's Choice Awards) "cool!".

So far, my kids and I have played a few of them, and we have a bunch more to go, but they definitely already have a few early faves. For my next Dad's Take column for GameDAILY Family, I'll review the games in better detail (though not as much as a regular review, what with me having to write about all the games in one column).

For now, here's the list, in alphabetical order (the ones we've played so far are bolded):

• Ballistic
• Balloon Express ***
  
• Braid
• Brain Age
• Cloud
• Crazyball
  
• Dodge That Anvil!
• Fish Tycoon*
  
• Glow Worm
• HamsterBash
  
• Josh's World
  
• Loco Roco (PSP) **
  
• Mystery Case Files: Huntsville
• New Super Mario Bros. (DS) **
  
• Ocular Ink
• Palette
  
• Professor Fizzwizzle
• Putt Nutz
• Rumble Box
• Tube Twist
  

I think I got all of 'em that were on my list, but if I left one out, I can just shoehorn it in.

* For the sake of accuracy, I actually got a copy of Fish Tycoon at the Game Marketing Conference a few weeks ago. FYI.

** Since Loco Roco & New Super Mario Brothers haven't been released yet, my kids obviously can't play them yet, but I played 'em at GDC.

*** Balloon Express wasn't from GDC, but it fits into the general indie/casual game genre to which most of these games belong.