Mennonite Church Peace Resources for Youth

Well, not really, but I have made a list which I hope will help adults who wish to make educated choices about possible holiday video game purchases for children and youth. I have not played all of the games below, but I've played some and have done extensive research on the rest. Whenever possible I have included links to game reviews to further assist you. So are you ready, peace shoppers? Let's go!

The Syberia Series:

I have reviewed these games on this blog previously and in a word, they are wonderful! Originally designed for female players, they appeal to both sexes and most ages. You are Kate Walker, a NY lawyer, whose simple search for the owner of a toy factory takes you on an incredible 3D adventure. The puzzles are challenging, the scenery breathtaking, the storyline engaging, and the ending will leave you stunned. The original Syberia, and the sequel, Syberia II, flow seamlessly together. More information as well as a bundled purchase option (under $50) is at: http://www.gameswarehouse.com.au/longpage.asp?gameid=10479. You may also wish to try ebay or Amazon for other purchase options.

Two Games about Peace in the Middle East:

PeaceMaker http://www.peacemakergame.com focuses on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and targets Palestinian and Israeli youth, though it is attractive to adults and others who are not gamers. Its aim quite simply is to teach peace. The player takes on the role of the Israeli Prime Minster or Palestinian President (or both) and must make a variety of choices based on their responsibilities and current occurrences within the game. Cost: $20. Global Conflicts: Palestine http://www.seriousgames.dk/ uses a 3D environment to take a journalist through the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with an eye towards seeing both sides. You have to interview a variety of characters and submit stories to your newspaper. Cost: $20. Both of these games are engaging and thought-provoking. There is some violence in both as a way to illustrate the conflict, but it is very minimal and not graphic in nature. I would not recommend these for young children.

For the Artist:

Comic Book Creator http://www.myplanetwide.com/products/detail/description.html?id=41 is cool, very cool. It is not really a game, but it is highly entertaining and useful too. The player can create comics and print them or post them online. There are additional templates and add ons that are FREE from the website which is twice as cool. The older version is $30, the new version is $50. (PS: please disregard the stupid violent graphic at the top of the website, which leads me to say yet again that there needs to be LOTS more peace-oriented comics out there).

"Sim" Games:

"Sim" refers to the type of game popularized by Sim-City, where the player operates a simulation on a particular theme, from building a railroad empire to running a household. I list the following options with a brief description and links to reviews:

Zoo Vet: Endangered Animals: You get to take care of endangered species. Fun as well as seeks to educate about wildlife conservation through the American Wildlife Foundation. Official Website: http://www.zoovetgame.com/main.html

SimCity Societies: The continuation of the SimCity Series. Build the society of your dreams. http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/simcitysocieties/index.html?tag=result;title;0

Viva Pinata: You create gardens to attract different species of pinatas. Beautiful and bizarre. http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/vivapinata/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary;review

Thrillville: Off the Rails: Build your own theme park and play lots of mini-games too. Great for children, fun for adults. http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/thrillvilleofftherails/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary;review

Some others of note:

Mudcraft http://www.mudcraft.com A humorous nonviolent computer game that is designed to be enjoyable to male and female players.

Destination: Treasure Island: Continuing the Stevenson story, you must solve a variety of puzzles on a treasure hunt in a beautiful 3D environment. http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/destinationtreasureisland/index.html?tag=result;title;0

Race 07: A very cool 3D racing game with races around the world. http://www.gamespot.com/pc/driving/race07thewtccgame/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary;review

Loco Mania: Addictive puzzle game about life as a train dispatcher http://www.gamespot.com/pc/sim/locomania/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary;review

And one more:

Dance Dance Revolution is the amazing addictive game that is fun and healthy too. You can find a variety of different series of the game at: http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Revolution-DDR-Max-2/sim/B0000A09EL/2/ref=pd_cp_vg_sexpl

Scott Smith has also compiled a non-violent game list for Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Non-Violent-Games-For-All/lm/3LBXGU6TEW11F. For the most part, I agree with the list though Grim Fandango seems a little suspect. The Myst Trilogy is a classic and is still one of the best-selling games of all time.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but I hope it will give you some examples of what is out there this holiday season. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me through the blog. You are also welcome to leave any of your suggestions as comments here. I do ask that the games are well-researched and non-violent.