List of non-violent video games
Email thisThere’s always a discussion about how to find “non-violent video games” (which I have issues with), but I wanted to create a list of non-violent video games for people that I could refer to if needed. The list will be ongoing, and I’d be happy to add any other suggestions that people have.
Without further ado:
Animal Crossing
Bejeweled
Dance Dance Revolution
Fold-it
Glitch
Harvest Moon
Hidden Object Games (e.g. Mystery Case Files series)
Ilo Milo
The Incredible Machine (Might be dated)
The Island of Dr. Brain (Might be dated)
Journey
Monopoly
Professor Layton series
Rock Band/Guitar Hero
“Sports Games”
Skyrim and Skyrim for Children
(Almost any) Sim Game (e.g. Sim City, The Sims)
Time Management Games (e.g. Hotel Dash, Road to Rome)
Tetris
Trivia Games
What am I missing? Let me know in the comments and I’ll add to it.
Wow, there’s a lot of really good ones, and I’ll come back with a list when I’ve thought about it more, but first off I highly recommend Ilo Milo. It’s a fun (Finnish developed, I think? Maybe Swedish?) puzzle type game that requires a lot of spatial thinking and it’s also safe for any ages. Really gorgeously designed, great music. Available on the xbox arcade and I think also windows phone.
Thanks Chyra
Adding to the list!
Ooh, and the entire Myst series, obviously. Amazing worlds, surpassing music, great brainteasers, great story. I’ve played through the fourth one and never been disappointed. There’s some other good xbox arcade ones like Stacking, that’s a pretty amusing story about Russian stacking dolls, where you play as the smallest doll that can jump inside different larger characters to use different abilities and play through the story.
Oh, interesting list. It made me think about the difference between “non-violent” and “non-combat”. Yume Nikki, for example, is non-combat but I’m not sure I’d consider it non-violent.
Anyway I believe Glitch, the crafting/social MMO, belongs on this list.
Yeah, it’s a very fine line. I’ll add it, and thanks Liore
Little Big Planet? I never played it myself, but what gameplay I saw didn’t seem violent at all.
Mario series (Super Mario, Paper Mario, Mario Kart, Mario Party, etc)
Super Smash Brothers? I mean, there is punching/kicking involved, but its not excessive by any means.
Pokemon (how was this left off to begin with??)
Zelda games?
TCG games like yu-gi-oh and pokemon: the tcg
guitar hero/rock band/dj hero
Torchlight/Torchlight II/MapleStory (these games are similar to diablo and WoW in that they are MMORPGs, but its more “cartoonized” with no gore/blood/whatever)
Crash Bandicoot series
Crazy Taxi series? It teaches kids to drive poorly and speed but its not really violent…
Jeopardy/Wheel of Fortune/Trivia games
Sims
Board games that went digital (monopoly, for example)
I should probably just put “almost every nintendo game EVER MADE”, lol. There’s a lot more, but I won’t bombard you with em unless you ask me to.
Chyra made me post it here.
Never played Little Big Planet.
I wouldn’t add any of the others to this (mainly for purity’s sake), and also because it’s fuzzy where that line is. SSB is *extremely* violent, but it does not have any gore at all. Same thing with Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, Torchlight(s), Crash Bandicoot, and Crazy Taxi. While they may not have repercussions to the violence, or show any gore or things like that, they still have core elements of violence.
I will add categories for Trivia Games, Sim games, and other digital board games
Oh, also, the DDR series.
And sports games.
What is your definition of violence in a game?
That’s kind of my point, if you read the other posts I linked at the beginning of this one. It’s hard to define what the line is.
But, here are a few of the top ones:
Google: “Behavior involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something”
Dictionary.com:
1. swift and intense force: the violence of a storm.
2.rough or injurious physical force, action, or treatment: to die by violence.
3.an unjust or unwarranted exertion of force or power, as against rights or laws: to take over a government by violence.
4.a violent act or proceeding.
5.rough or immoderate vehemence, as of feeling or language: the violence of his hatred.
We can debate it more (happy to), but any of these preclude Nintendo games from being added to the “non-violence” list.
Hence why I like to discuss games in terms of the type of conflict rather than if it’s violent or not. (http://tl-dr.ca/?p=2017)
Time management games like Hotel Dash, Road to Rome, and the Build-a-Lot series.
Hidden Object games like the Mystery Case Files series.
Word games: Word Womp, Bookworm, etc.
Bridge Builder series.
Basically the entire casual game genre.
Card games: Spades, Euchre, Burning Monkey Solitare, etc…
Also for big-name games: Portal (I think… I’ve never made it anywhere where there’s violence); Cities in Motion (probably covered by the sim genre, if not the “Sim” name); puzzle games like: Windowsill, Machinarium, Botanicula.
Had a bunch of good suggestions from facebook friends, including a few games we didn’t have names for but sounded cool in practice. Katamari Damacy, Rock Band/Guitar Hero, Flower for PSN, Tetris, Pac-Man, Portal, Roller Coaster Tycoon, Sonic 1&2 were some of ‘em. A lot of the Kinect games are kid friendly, like Kinect Adventures and Kinect Sports. Then there’s some more great xbox arcade ones that have RL equivalents like Carcassone, Catan, Ticket to Ride, etc. I’d love to include Mirror’s Edge, but unfortunately it’s not violence free.
Updated the list with some “general” categories.
I would argue against the “Portal” being non-violent because of the bots that attack you, and especially the final boss. Same thing for Pac-Man. It’s cartoonized, but the ghosts are still attacking and eating Pac-Man, and vice versa! Same argument for Sonic 1&2.
I’m being pretty hard and fast about the rules here because I want a pretty black and white list. It’s a good experiment to see where the line is
Fine with me, I’ve never actually played any of the Sonics (or Pac-Man for that matter), and that makes sense for Portal (although I’d play it with my kids, personally).
What age would said kids have to be? (in general)
I would play it with kids as well, but probably not until they were at least 6. Would depend on the kid though.
That seems about a good age to start that. Depends on the game. I don’t think they’d have the actual ability to combine the dexterity, reflexes, and attention span necessary for Portal until at least then.
What about The Incredible Machine? Used to play The Island of Doctor Brain too (I don’t think there was violence in it).
oh man, rockin’ it old school. I loved Island of Dr Brain so much.
Any of the games in the Professor Layton series for Nintendo DS. He’s a Sherlock Holmes-type with a kid apprentice, and the mystery narrative unfolds as the player solves puzzles. It’s challenging and thoughtful with great music, and I would recommend for ages 9 and up (although I am 29 and purchase them religiously whenever a new one is released.) The new one, Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, was just released last week. Can’t wait to get my hands on it.
For older players, I’ve always been a fan of the You Don’t Know Jack trivia games. Somewhat mature in content, but there’s no swearing, and the mature elements are used toward comedic effect.
Good additions, thanks Leah! Why would you recommend the 9+ rating for the Professor Layton series? Just harder to play, or because of content?
Nice to see the Simmons representation (I live in Boston).
Wonderful web site. A lot of useful information here.
I am sending it to several pals ans also sharing in
delicious. And obviously, thank you on your effort!