Defining "kiddy"

"Kiddy" is a term thrown around a lot on the internet, and recently there was some discussion in the Revolution thread about whether Nintendo will continue to make these games the focus of Revolution. Here I'll try to define it.

A kiddy game is one designed to appeal especially to children by including the following characteristics:
1) The main objective is to rescue the princess (or alternatively a friend).
2) The main characters share common features with Mickey Mouse, such as a large round nose, big eyes, stout body, fat feet, and white gloves.
3) The main color scheme has a saturated color palette, such as bright red [i.e., (255, 0, 0)], yellow, blue, and green.
4) Any violence depicted is not more than what is shown in a Roadrunner cartoon.
5) Multiplayer mode is emphasized over single player mode.

Disqualifiers - what I don't see in kiddy games:
A) blood
B) death by firearms
C) sexual innuendo
D) swearing
E) corpses (with rotting flesh)
F) realistic characters

I strongly dissagree with the main objective (see "Pop n' Music", "Chu Chu Rocket", "Wario Ware" etc.) and the multi-player emphasis.

And on the swearing bit, there is a Pop 'n Music cartoon demon that flips you the cartoon bird if you defeat him. :)

People bitching about "kiddy" games are ridiculous, I'm sorry. A "kiddy" game is a game made specifically for kids that doesn't provide enjoyment for an older audience. A lot of the games people bitch about are games perfectly suited for both children and adults, and thus are not kiddy games.

As Cheebs pointed out, we could sit here all day naming games that could fit into this definition of "kiddy" but aren't - I'd also add Parappa, Um Jammer Lammy, Top Shop, Smash Brothers, etc. And hell, let's put 90% of the sports genre in there too - no blood or death or violence, sometimes bright color palettes, so they're kiddy games!

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Originally Posted by RedCoKid

5) Multiplayer mode is emphasized over single player mode.

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this made me laugh. so is URT2K4 kiddy?

Shidoshi is right... games that can be enjoyed by everybody are not kiddy. Kiddy is a term bred by people on gamefaqs. Using it is like bring a piece of gamefaqs to TNL.

Worst. topic. evar.

Furthermore, there's all sorts of "kiddy" shmups like the Gunbird series that feature "death by firearms" and I think you could make an argument that the Paradious series is "kiddie" and it has scantilly clad women all over the place.

Why even define "kiddy"? Doesn't seem like a definition will accomplish much. Just play what ya wanna' play.

RedCoKid, your definitions are pretty good for a first attempt but I would take out the multiplayer one. I can find too many counterexamples to make it useful.

Now to combat the haters (this is always the fun part):

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this made me laugh. so is URT2K4 kiddy?

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Dragonmaster, don't be an idiot. UT2004 would violate nearly all of the restrictions.

Shidoshi, he's not bitching. He's providing a definition.

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As Cheebs pointed out, we could sit here all day naming games that could fit into this definition of "kiddy" but aren't - I'd also add Parappa, Um Jammer Lammy, Top Shop, Smash Brothers, etc. And hell, let's put 90% of the sports genre in there too - no blood or death or violence, sometimes bright color palettes, so they're kiddy games!

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PaRappa, Smash Brothers, and Unjammer are undoubtedly games for kids. Sports games would break rule (f). Backyard Baseball, on the other hand... Anyway, like StriderKyo once said, nobody our age is gonna watch Beauty & The Beast every day because its such a great movie. Sometimes, its spite of the fact that the game would provide enjoyment for us we dont want to play it because of its theme. Gamers like to treat people who feel that way as some sort of pariah, but that is retarded.

As for Nintendo continuing to make games for kids (and let's be real - Pikmin and Super Mario Sunshine are for pre-pubescent children), yes they will, at least for as long as Miyamoto is around. Face it, we're at the point where the dude is holding Nintendo back. His GameCube games have been mediocre and he has shown little to no growth as a game designer over the past 6 years.

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Shidoshi is right... games that can be enjoyed by everybody are not kiddy.

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I can sit down and enjoy Saturday morning cartoons for hours but Im not gonna delude myself into thinking that they aren't for children.

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Why even define "kiddy"? Doesn't seem like a definition will accomplish much. Just play what ya wanna' play.

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So we can begin to critically examine the games and the companies that make them. Doing things like this can begin to incite intellectual discussion on videogames, which is something that I feel is absolutely necessary for the continued progression of games as an art and science. I am in favor of scientific frameworks of videogames being built, Stone is in favor of critical theory, and finding definitions like this can help both (albeit, the latter more).

If you're not interested in this, then, just move along. The topic isn't for you.

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Originally Posted by Yoshi

Worst. topic. evar.

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im gonna have to go ahead and agree with that.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

As for Nintendo continuing to make games for kids (and let's be real - Pikmin and Super Mario Sunshine are for pre-pubescent children), yes they will, at least for as long as Miyamoto is around. Face it, we're at the point where the dude is holding Nintendo back. His GameCube games have been mediocre and he has shown little to no growth as a game designer over the past 6 years.

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his GameCube games are holding Nintendo back? he's only directed one game this whole generation.

what the fuck are you talking about?

Ill use this opportunity to say:

I dont give a shit about anything you say, JohnnyNighttrain, you worthless scammer. So dont respond to my posts because Im not gonna give a crap about anything you say.