QUIRKY new shapes of game controllers are perhaps prompting families to play video games together.
Consider the guitar-shaped controller and drums for music games like Guitar Hero World Tour and Rock Band, and the microphone used in karaoke game Lips for the Xbox 360 console.
The controllers are non-threatening and intuitive, so they are easier to use.
Of course when the games go beyond shooting and punching and involve family-friendly activities such as participating in a quiz show and taking part in a sing-off, the stage is set for lots of interaction between the generations.
Banker Peter Zotos, 39, and his wife Kelly, 39, a housewife, need no invitation to join their children, aged 10 and eight, in playing Rock Band.
"It ’s easy to play the guitar," said Kelly of the controller, which requires her to simply press coloured buttons in tandem with what is shown onscreen.
Here are some other games for all ages, that come with controllers mum and dad can easily pick up:
Buzz it
Playing games like Buzz! Quiz TV on PlayStation 3, or the Scene IT series on Xbox 360 just involves pressing a button to answer a multiple choice question.
These games which test general knowledge come with four special controllers, so up to four can compete at any one time.
The quizzes can be as easy as identifying a popular movie star or as tough as guessing the title of an obscure movie from a single line of dialogue.
Sing along
Games like Lips on Xbox 360 and SingStar on PS3 require you to just sing or scream into a microphone. The better you sing, the higher your score.
It is karaoke with a competitive streak.
Ham it up for the cam
How well can you put on a show? Find out with the Xbox 360 ’s You ’re In The Movies, where you are filmed in action by a Web camera and featured onscreen in video clips.
You don ’t need a controller here except to switch the game on. The action takes place in front of a webcam. The game "directs" you on what you need to do.
Say, if the clip is one where you are pursued by wild animals, you will be asked to run in front of the camera. The footage will be incorporated into the clip and you can watch yourself being chased.
The Straiits Time
Singaapore
