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Best Junior Family Games

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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.

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.

New Style Boutique
Buy:
UK US
New Style Boutique: New Style Boutique follows up on the first game with better visuals and more nuanced interactions with the customers. The depth is considerable as players have to judge personality of each shopper and stock their shop with the right clothes. Ideal for junior gamers, girls or boys.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Spring 2012
- Platform: 3DS version(s)

Sifteo Game Cubes
Buy:
UK US
Sifteo Game Cubes: The Sifteo Gaming Cubes are a new approach to portable gaming, with a series of wireless touch-screen blocks which join together to modify the gaming experience. The series two cubes offer replaceable batteries and a new base station to play on the go, ideal for Junior gamers.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Summer 2012
- Platform: PC version(s)

Skylanders Giants
Buy:
UK US
Skylanders Giants: Skylanders Giants extends the first game's appeal by offering new Giant, Lightcore and Series 2 figures in a new adventure. Provided families realise they don't need to buy all the figures this is a great family game for younger players.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Autumn 2012
- Platform: Wii WiiU 360 PS3 version(s)

LittleBigPlanet Karting
Buy:
UK US
LittleBigPlanet Karting: This builds on ModNation Racers by injecting not only LittleBigPlanet's style and swagger but also its more open world of course creation and sharing. Although not quite as tight as MarioKart it will appeal to both junior and teen kart fans.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Winter 2012
- Platform: PS3 Move version(s)

Epic Mickey 2
Buy:
UK US
Epic Mickey 2: Although a PEGI 3 the layered story and platforming difficulty fits this better to a 7+ Junior and Teen audience. Similar to the Lego games and adding in co-operative play to the original, it's interesting that this works as well on PS3 Move, Wii, 360 or WiiU. More than novel controls, or beautifully drawn story scenes, it's the ability to choose to befriend or fight enemies that makes this particularly interesting for families to play.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Winter 2012
- Platform: PS3 Move WiiU Wii 360 version(s)

Nintendo Land
Buy:
UK US
Nintendo Land: Nintendo Land is the Wii U's Wii-Sports and offers a varied range of games that not only show off the Wii U console's new controls but are also a great match for younger family gamers.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Summer 2012
- Platform: WiiU version(s)

Wonderbook
Buy:
UK US
Wonderbook: A totally new way to read Harry Potter and to play PS3 games. The big book peripheral works incredibly well and offers families an unusual way to interact with and enjoy a pop-up story.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Winter 2012
- Platform: PS3 Move version(s)

Solatorobo
Buy:
UK US
Solatorobo: Another massive adventure game squeezed into the DS. But this time the focus is as much on the story and Dogtanian-like characters as the action. Simply exquisite on the DS, and full of intrigue. An engaging game for junior players on the DS, a rare gem.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Spring 2011
- Platform: DS version(s)

Kirby Mass Attack
Buy:
UK US
Kirby Mass Attack: This combines stylus controlled platforming action with great puzzles and surprisingly fleshed out minigames. Controlling a herd of little pink Kirbys is simply great fun.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Summer 2011
- Platform: DS version(s)

Skylanders Spyro's Adventure
Buy:
UK US
Skylanders Spyro's Adventure: The quality of the toys and simplicity of using them to save your progress in the videogame make this ideal for junior players. The gameplay itself is like a more action focused Lego game, and again, ideally suited for pre-teens.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Game of the Year
- Date: Autumn 2011
- Platform: Wii 3DS 360 PS3 version(s)

Disneyland Adventures
Buy:
UK US
Disneyland Adventures: Disneyland Adventures captivates junior players with its open world park exploration that ties together some simply magical retellings of classic Disney stories.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Winter 2011
- Platform: Kinect 360 version(s)

Modnation Racers
Buy:
UK US
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
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
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
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)

World of Goo
Buy:
UK US
World of Goo: The ingeniously simple premise of building with living blobs of goo, combine with the fiendish level design and excellent story telling to make this a truly magical experience for Junior gamers in particular.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Spring 2009
- Platform: Wii PC version(s)

Rolando 2
Buy:
UK US
Rolando 2: The combination of the portable device, tilt and touch controls make for a great game. This stands out though for more traditional reasons. Bright clean visuals and fiendish levels design. Perfect for tiny fingers.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Summer 2009
- Platform: iPhone iPad version(s)

Shaun White's Snowboarding World Stage
Buy:
UK US
Shaun White's Snowboarding World Stage: The simple controls and sense of speed make this accessible and fun. A strong cartoon feel and animated sequences make this well rounded entertainment.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Autumn 2009
- Platform: Wii MotionPlus version(s)

High School Musical 3: Dance!
Buy:
UK US
High School Musical 3: Dance!: Simply the best rhythm dance game released to date. A strong combination of music from the films and a range of gesture, jumps, poses and swings to get the blood pumping.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Winter 2009
- Platform: Wii version(s)

Boom Blox
Buy:
UK US
Boom Blox: The simple idea of throwing, pulling and shooting blocks has instant appeal. The family friendly Jenga style levels combine with the deft Wii-mote control and varied levels to create a great game for families with junior gamers.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Spring 2008
- Platform: Wii version(s)

Soul Bubbles
Buy:
UK US
Soul Bubbles: This game's simple bubble blowing controls and platforming puzzles make it ideally placed for junior players.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Summer 2008
- Platform: DS version(s)

Mario and Sonic at the Olympics
Buy:
UK US
Mario and Sonic at the Olympics: The sheer exuberance and variety here are great for juniors wanted to exercise their 'massive' motor skills. That you can play with four players together also makes it ideal for the whole family.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Autumn 2008
- Platform: DS Wii version(s)

Guinness World Records
Buy:
UK US
Guinness World Records: Being able to get your name on a score board for your county increases the appeal for juniors here. Like the now defunct children's TV show, Guinness World Records provides some great entertaining activities and simple controls.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Winter 2008
- Platform: DS Wii version(s)

Wario Ware: Twisted
Buy:
UK US
Wario Ware: Twisted: Although still hard to get in the UK, this minigame collection offers some of the most entertaining (and frustrating) challenges around. All of them are controlled with a simple built in tilt sensor that makes them ideal for juniors.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Spring 2007
- Platform: GBA DS version(s)

Elite Beat Agents
Buy:
UK US
Elite Beat Agents: The cartoon art style and direct tap along play mechanic make this ideal for junior gamers. This rhythm action has more then enough content to engage youngsters in what it is that makes a song great.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Summer 2007
- Platform: DS version(s)

Mario Kart DS
Buy:
UK US
Mario Kart DS: The return to the simplicity of earlier Mario Kart games suits the junior player. Combine this with the local and online multiplayer for some great racing fun.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Autumn 2007
- Platform: DS version(s)

FIFA 08
Buy:
UK US
FIFA 08: The combination of the football theme and the low barrier to entry Family Play controls make this great for juniors. Up to four players of mixed ability can compete together for some great family wide fun.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: Spring 2007
- Platform: Wii version(s)

New Super Mario Brothers
Buy:
UK US
New Super Mario Brothers: As with the original game on the NES, New Super Mario Brothers provides some finely honed platform gaming. Levels are well designed and balance both progression and exploration. While infant gamers may struggle with the exacting left/right and jump controls Juniors and older gamers will love getting lost in the intricacies of each level.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: 2006
- Platform: DS version(s)

Lego Star Wars
Buy:
UK US
Lego Star Wars: This not only combines the Star Wars and Lego franchises but offers a great platform game. Players run, jump and explore to unlock all the characters as they work through the story from the original three films.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: 2005
- Platform: Wii DS 360 PS3 version(s)

Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django
Buy:
UK US
Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django : The novelty here is that the game has a solar panel on it. This isn't used to charge the console itself, but rather affects how the game plays. You need to charge up your in-game character with the solar panel, and ensure you only attempt certain areas when there is plenty of daylight.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Runner Up
- Date: 2004
- Platform: DS GBA version(s)

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