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Family Game Awards 2010

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The Family Gamer Awards FGA suggests ideal games for different family age-groups: Infants, Juniors, Students, Workers, Parents and Seniors.

These awards complement PEGI's age-appropriate ratings by suggesting games each age group will enjoy. Rather than warning families about which games are inappropriate, we suggest which games each age group will get the most out of.

The games awarded for infants for example, not only contain appropriate content for 3 year olds but are also easy enough for them to play and enjoy.

Four times a year we pick the best games in each of our family age groups:

Games for Infants (3 to 6 yrs)
The best games for toddlers, very-young children and pre-school kids from 3 to 6 years old. These games work with the basics of play and should easily engage the super young players in our families. Simple and easy controls and bright colours engage young players in some educational and informative games.

Bonsai Barber
Buy:
UK US
2010 Spring Bonsai Barber: The friendly plants and steady progression make this great for really young players. Provided the pointing doesn't frustrate this is the best makeover game on the Wii to date.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Spring 2010
- Platform: Wii version(s)

Peggle
Buy:
UK US
2010 Summer Peggle: The simplicity of shooting metal balls at pegs combined with unicorns and rainbows make this ideal for tiny fingers.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Summer 2010
- Platform: DS 360 PS3 PSN XBLA version(s)

Wii-Party
Buy:
UK US
2010 Autumn Wii-Party: Wii-Party is an instant classic, intelligently designed for very young players and grownups alike. The matching animal noises to Wii-motes is ideal for toddlers and pre-school kids. The board games are great fun for infants and early-years children.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Game of the Year
- Date: Autumn 2010
- Platform: Wii MotionPlus version(s)

Diego's Build and Rescue
Buy:
UK US
2010 Summer Diego's Build and Rescue: Diego's Build and Rescue finally brings the DS games up to par with the Wii Diego and Dora games. Simple platform controls and Mega Blok building made this ideal for the Junior gamers in our family.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Summer 2010
- Platform: DS version(s)
Games for Juniors (7 to 11 yrs)
The best games for primary school, junior and young children aged from 7 to 11 years old. These games provide experiences that connect with a basic joy of discovery and play. Although still simplistic they engage with a wide range of basic principles.

Modnation Racers
Buy:
UK US
2010 Spring Modnation Racers: The kart racing looks and drives wonderfully well. But it's the dressup and create side of this that makes it ideal for junior players. They can even create and share their own tracks with ease.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Spring 2010
- Platform: PS3 PSN version(s)

Pop Island Paperfield
Buy:
UK US
2010 Summer Pop Island Paperfield: A bright and colourful 3D capture the flag game on the DS. Being able to play with 8 players from one copy of the game makes this ideal for the playground or after school fun.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Summer 2010
- Platform: DS version(s)

Pinball Pulse
Buy:
UK US
2010 Autumn Pinball Pulse: The best original realistic pinball game on any portable platform we've experienced. Intelligent table layout with the sort of insight and innovation usually reserved for physical tables. A great introduction to the classic pastime for juniors.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Autumn 2010
- Platform: DS version(s)

Kinect Sports
Buy:
UK US
2010 Winter Kinect Sports: Kinect Sports establishes a high bar for the 360 motion controlled games. Although limb tracking best fits the exuberance of Football, Running and Boxing, Kinect's unexpected detection of bodily location and orientation means that it also offers enough control fidelity for games like Table Tennis.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Winter 2010
- Platform: 360 Kinect version(s)
Games for Teens (12 to 15 yrs)
The best games for secondary, high-school, teenagers, adolescent kids and young-adults aged from 12 to 17 years old. These games provide thrilling experiences that major on brash, loud protagonists and aim to connect with the teens in our families.

New Super Mario Brothers
Buy:
UK US
2010 Spring New Super Mario Brothers: While others may balk at another 2D Mario platformer, gamers and students will rise to the multiplayer challenge that offers some of the best secrets to discover and expert techniques to perfect. For them it's perfection.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Spring 2010
- Platform: Wii version(s)

Split/Second
Buy:
UK US
2010 Summer Split/Second: Exuberant high octane racing where the track is as much an enemy as the other drivers. A single minded return to arcade racing is ideal for students singleplayer or split screen.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Summer 2010
- Platform: 360 PS3 PC version(s)

Just Dance 2
Buy:
UK US
2010 Autumn Just Dance 2: A dance game this well executed is no fluke - detailed understanding of the audience and perfect technical execution make this a stand out experience the students (and the whole family) on the Wii.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Autumn 2010
- Platform: Wii version(s)

Gran Turismo 5
Buy:
UK US
2010 Winter Gran Turismo 5: It took a while to arrive, but the sheer adrenalin of the experience makes it something that students will love. You need all that spare time if you are going to even scratch the surface of this monstrous racing experience.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Winter 2010
- Platform: PS3 version(s)
Games for Students (16 to 17 yrs)
The best games for students, studying, college, school and young-adults aged from 16 to 17 years old. These games provide experiences that are great to share in halls, offer multiplayer thrills, or demand commitment and dedication to progress.

Super Mario Galaxy 2
Buy:
UK US
2010 Spring Super Mario Galaxy 2: Builds on the classic Mario platforming, and the first Galaxy game, to offer an almost endless supply of bite-sized platforming nuggets. Perfect for students with evenings to kill, add in MotionPlus for more intuitive controls. Very nearly perfect.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Spring 2010
- Platform: Wii MotionPlus version(s)

Infinite Space
Buy:
UK US
2010 Summer Infinite Space: A genuinely in depth space exploration game for the DS. Perfect to play between lectures or longer evening sessions. The sheer amount of content stands this head and shoulders above other DS games.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Summer 2010
- Platform: DS version(s)

Monster Hunter Tri
Buy:
UK US
2010 Autumn Monster Hunter Tri: The classic exploration and loot collecting game comes to the Wii. Perfect for Students with time to invest in an awe inspiring world filled with creatures to track, attack and kill. MotionPlus adds some optional accuracy to all this and is well worth using.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Autumn 2010
- Platform: Wii MotionPlus version(s)

Sports Champions
Buy:
UK US
2010 Winter Sports Champions: The PlayStation 3's Wii-Sports type game. But with the Move control's accuracy and depth perception this is one for student gamers. Table tennis and archery stand out in multiplayer contests, but it's honing skills in the single player that offers the best value here.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Winter 2010
- Platform: PS3 Move version(s)
Games for Workers (18 and over)
The best games for those with full time jobs, workers, 9-to-5-ers, employed hard-core gamers 18 years and over. These games provide more of a challenge in both dexterity and problem solving. They are often more about strong single player experiences that hard working hard core gamers. Although these are often longer experiences that are also ideal to switch off and chill out after a long day at the office.

Mass Effect 2
Buy:
UK US
2010 Spring Mass Effect 2: This epic space opera offers those with time too plumb its depths an experience unequalled elsewhere. Branching, diverse yet focused and compelling. This second chapter in the trilogy is ideal to ease those work-a-day blues.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Spring 2010
- Platform: 360 PS3 PC version(s)

Demon's Souls
Buy:
UK US
2010 Summer Demon's Souls: A masterpiece of a game that is also a tough master. Invest time in it after work and you'll find a compelling experience that transports you far away from office life.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Summer 2010
- Platform: PS3 version(s)

Halo Reach
Buy:
UK US
2010 Autumn Halo Reach: A triumphant final chapter, with so much content and variety it has something for everyone. This definitive Halo experience will keep weekends and workday evenings full of competitive fun.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Autumn 2010
- Platform: 360 version(s)

Fable III
Buy:
UK US
2010 Winter Fable III: Fable III pulsates with life beneath its action adventure facade. For those with time to invest this is an experience with the ability to create a hundred joyful game play moments.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Winter 2010
- Platform: 360 version(s)
Games for Parents
The best games for parents, mums, dads, carers, aunties and uncles. These games connect with the gamer on a more mature level. Story driven and often open ended, the experiences here provide space to play with complex issues and engage in moral dilemmas. Either that or to escape the grind of the work/home balance.

Heavy Rain
Buy:
UK US
2010 Spring Heavy Rain: For parents wanting to engage in something a little more emotionally taxing this is perfect. A branching story that generates real moments of emotion and decision. At only nine hours long it's also ideal for time strapped mums and dads. Move controls add novelty if you have them, but are by no means essential.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Spring 2010
- Platform: PS3 Move version(s)

Alan Wake
Buy:
UK US
2010 Summer Alan Wake: A substantial thriller for parents to unwind with. An intelligent plot and years of development have made this an ideal game for anyone looking to forget the troubles of the day.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Summer 2010
- Platform: 360 version(s)

Limbo
Buy:
UK US
2010 Autumn Limbo: A ethereal brooding platform game with filmic atmosphere and unnerving depth throughout. Something a little more meaningful for parent gamers to enjoy.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Autumn 2010
- Platform: 360 version(s)

Red Dead Redemption
Buy:
UK US
2010 Winter Red Dead Redemption: Red Dead Redemption wants to be about shocks and controversy, but underneath there's a story we can all relate to - a father wanting the best for his family at any price.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Winter 2010
- Platform: 360 PS3 PC version(s)
Games for Grandparents
The best games for grandparents, older, senior, grown-up, mature, retired and wiser people. These games provide a slightly slower, although no less challenging experience. Time and consideration are of the essence as our most senior gamers enjoy interacting with other players and perfecting their approach.

Starship Patrol
Buy:
UK US
2010 Spring Starship Patrol: The steady tutorial and progression on the tower defence game makes it a great introduction for this kind of strategy for senior players. The simple visuals and Star Wars theme also look great on the new DSi XL.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Spring 2010
- Platform: DS version(s)

Last Window
Buy:
UK US
2010 Summer Last Window: Following on from Hotel Dusk and similar to Heavy Rain, this offers an unfolding mystery story that grandparents will enjoy. They play the detective in a steadily branching story that is never the same twice.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Summer 2010
- Platform: DS version(s)

Tiger Woods 11
Buy:
UK US
2010 Autumn Tiger Woods 11: We tried to avoid this, looking to the PS3 Move version or John Daly for competition, but the Wii is still the definitive golf game. With MotionPlus support and a first person view this year, it is about as realistic (and as difficult) a golf game as you could want.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Autumn 2010
- Platform: Wii MotionPlus PS3 Move version(s)

Pictionary
Buy:
UK US
2010 Winter Pictionary: Pictionary DS took its time to arrive on the hardware that seemed purpose built for it, but the wait was worth it. It now takes full advantage of every aspect of the DS - stylus, touch screen and even DSi camera if you have one. It's perfect to play with grandchildren of all ages.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Winter 2010
- Platform: DS version(s)

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