I'd pick up Galaxy as she hasn't played it yet, but Nintendo still wants $50 for it. Metroid Prime was $50, and that was going to be my only gift, but both Okami and Muramasa are cheap ($20 and $30 respectively). Surprised at the responses though, I may just give her Prime...Boy & His Blob is $20...
Only you know what your niece is into, for example with boys, some 11 year old boys like Ben 10. Others like Mortal Kombat. Others still love nothing more than screaming obscenities at people on xbox live.
Out out of the two though, I'd say Okami. (Unless she's big on demons and swords and stuff, of course!)
Out of those two, Okami. Muramasa is quasi violent and involves swords and stuff. Considering it's an 11 year old I would go with the cel shaded zelda style puzzle game. It's also the superior game out of the two. Not to bash Muramasa, that game is great.... just Okami is superior.
I figured she's ready for something a bit more challenging. She has Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros, Endless Ocean, and Boom Blox. Okami reminds me of Zelda and has a good cutesy but not ghey art style to it. Muramasa looks like a cartoon, but does look to be a bit more violent.
@simian: Like I said in an earlier post, it depends on the girl... If I were to get a Wii game when I was eleven years old, I would've loved the style of something like MadWorld, although I think it's a little bit too hard to get into for someone that age. I still think it's a little too... not very compelling? Something like that.
Anyway, what I'm trying to say, is that at twelve I was totally loving Catwoman comics about drug dealing kids, and criminals defending prostitutes from both attackers as well as the police. Never judge someone by their age alone, because if you only ever buy them games like All Star Cheerleader, they'd jump to the conclusion that 'video games are boring'.
@scarycrayons: I'm going to say that MadWorld isn't suitable for anyone under 14-15. It's a generalization but the violence is pretty excessive and not at all appropriate for that age group.
@simian: I disagree, as a parent I choose to educate my kids and they are well aware of the fantasy of gaming and movies. The ignorance is the people who think that kids are not exposed to the R rated and M rated world. They are. If you choose to sit back and pretend you are protecting your kids by not exposing them I think that is ignorant (not directed at you just a statement). I would rather introduce my kids to all those things before anyone else does. If you give your kids the tools to understand then they use them. If you choose to turn a blind eye and pretend it isn't there, that is when they get there information from people you most likely don't want them to get it from.
Neither of those are games suitable for a girl of her age really. Muramasa because it is really difficult and Okami because it is a really dense game that sometimes is a bit confusing.
If she enjoyed Boomb Blox you might consider getting her Boom Blox Bash Party. De Blob is also a game that might interest her.
@jrbl1: Looking for appropriate context is not the same as sheltering (you're statement is pretty general). In you're argument it would be acceptable to have a child watch torture porn provided that it was you doing it. I'd allow my kid to watch something graphic provided that there was at least some reason or purpose for it. E.g Band of Brothers / Saving Private Ryan / Heat ... I mean provided that the kid actually wants to watch those. At 11 most kids barely have a grasp on narrative structure let alone satire (which is basically what most of the violence in Madworld is).
At 11 most kids barely have a grasp on narrative structure let alone satire (which is basically what most of the violence in Madworld is). "
I think you severely underestimate eleven year olds! Keep in mind that this the age when they're just about to start learning subjects like physics, foreign languages, and analysing Shakespeare.
Out of curiosity, what kinda gaming stuff were you into when you were eleven? Most people I know online say they played things like Quake (or Doom (or Wolfenstein)) around that age...
@simian: I feel I explained myself right. If you want to go down the ignorant argument route then be my guest but it is pretty lame. like scarycrayons says you are severely underestimating eleven year olds. That kind of shows me that you have a disconnect from your kids or kids in general. Of course I wouldn't let my child watch torture porn. I won't even watch torture porn. That is like the argument against gay marriage saying people are going to start marrying animals. There is a line of course for age appropriate but I feel most parents draw that line and don't understand what their child's classmates understand. I want to be the one to first talk about drugs, sex, violence, fantasy, psychology, bullying, child molesters. I want my child to understand the realities of the world and not tuck them under my wing and hope they don't see it for what it is. I don't feel a game like Okami is inappropriate, I have a son in first grade and I know for a fact that some of his classmates play Teen rated games and talk about it. I explained that stuff to my son first so I know he sees it for what it is and comprehends it for what it is. My first grader is aware of child molesters and the strategies they use to manipulate kids. You are a superb parent I am sure and in a perfect world tucking your kid under your wing is a great thing to do. Unfortunately, many parents out there suck and your children are exposed to them everyday. My son has a kid in his class that regularly talks violent images and talks about killing himself regularly. My son was fully aware that that is inappropriate and unrealistic. He was exposed to this child for 8 months before I knew anything about it. I volunteer at the school so I heard it. I am very happy that I have educated my son on many of those topics before hand. My son was 6 when exposed to this. So imagine what an 11 year old is exposed to.
Neither of those are games suitable for a girl of her age really.
Nonsense. 11year old are very clever people who can handle a lot more than you might think. What did you play, watch and read at age 11? This always depends on the person, of course, but both Muramasa and Okami are excellent choices for gamers that age.
@Meowayne: I don't remember actually, that is a long time ago. It would not surprise me if my estimation of what a 11 year old is like is really off like you mentioned.
" I'd pick up Galaxy as she hasn't played it yet, but Nintendo still wants $50 for it. Metroid Prime was $50, and that was going to be my only gift, but both Okami and Muramasa are cheap ($20 and $30 respectively). Surprised at the responses though, I may just give her Prime...Boy & His Blob is $20... "
The question is, why is the OP being such a cheapskate and why is he buying game that seems intended for himself than say his niece? I say you return Metroid Prime and get her New Super Mario Bros. If you really need to get her something else, get a Wii Points Card, and maybe a Classic controller.
I would estimate that many, many gamers ploughed through their first Zelda or Final Fantasy at around that age, and it is also a popular age for your first go at, say, Lord of the Rings. So why not Okami?
I myself was writing my own little games in QBasic and designing levels in WorldCraft when I was 11. Not to say there aren't totally a lot of 11 year olds who should stay the fuck away from Muramasa, but just to remind everyone that media competency (in books, music, internet, pc, etc.) can and does advance extremely rapidly even before puberty. And if it is something new and challenging containing layers and themes that are not formfitted to be readily and easily digestible by the "average" kid, then its even better.
As for the TC: You should also consider A Boy And His Blob, Rune Factory or the Trauma series.
" I'd pick up Galaxy as she hasn't played it yet, but Nintendo still wants $50 for it. Metroid Prime was $50, and that was going to be my only gift, but both Okami and Muramasa are cheap ($20 and $30 respectively). Surprised at the responses though, I may just give her Prime...Boy & His Blob is $20... "
The question is, why is the OP being such a cheapskate and why is he buying game that seems intended for himself than say his niece? I say you return Metroid Prime and get her New Super Mario Bros. If you really need to get her something else, get a Wii Points Card, and maybe a Classic controller. "
Bought Metroid Prime Trilogy 3 months ago (can't return) after asking her if she ever played Metroid. Said she'd played the demo on the DS and liked it, as well as the original game on the Gamecube.
I've played a great deal of Okami on the PS2, still need to beat it but feel like it's age appropriate for her. She likes all kinds of games, and feel that an action side-scroller will give her a challenge. My concern about Muramasa is that it might have like, I don't know, thigh-high kimono action and too much blood. The animation looks very appealing though, and I think she'd dig it.
I ended up picking up Okami off Amazon Prime for $20. So with MP:T, for $70 she gets 4 games.
" I figured she's ready for something a bit more challenging. She has Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros, Endless Ocean, and Boom Blox. Okami reminds me of Zelda and has a good cutesy but not ghey art style to it. Muramasa looks like a cartoon, but does look to be a bit more violent. "
Muramasa is one of the best games on the console, but I worry it'd be too hard for her.
Sent the Grandmother the Metacritic score for SMG 2. She ended up getting a voucher for the game so that the niece could pick it up on Sunday. I got her Okami after all. So she ended up with SMG 2, Metroid Trilogy and Okami. I'd say she's set till Christmas.
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