Your mom plays Xbox 360 games

[wraggster]

The elusive "casual market" has recently become quite the sought-after prey for game publishers, each one attempting in its own way to hunt down those who would normally shy away from complex and scary video games. Nintendo isn't the only company to have Grandma firmly set in a Zapper scope -- the other major players are also taking aim, Microsoft with Xbox Live Arcade and Sony with Singstar microphones.

With this in mind, Alex Petraglia decided to test whether or not Microsoft in particular was actually hitting their target. After all, he had the equipment necessary to conduct such an inquest: one Xbox 360 console, several Xbox 360 games and one willing female parental unit. Alex introduced his mom to a wide variety of XBLA and full retail titles, documenting her performance and struggles. The article places his thoughts alongside those written by his mother and it makes for some very interesting reading.

It seems the most difficult acclimations involved controls and finding the correct path through a level. The 53 year-old Mrs. P notes that "the biggest problem is a simple lack of experience. It seemed like, in a game such as Prey, you [Alex] knew exactly where to go after looking at a puzzle or roadblock, whereas it'd take me an exorbitant amount of time to move onto the next task or area. And it took me a very long time to develop the ability to move freely in the game and feel comfortable with the controls, to some extent."

Other points of interest include her first interpretation of Geometry Wars ("she flew directly into the first target, thinking maybe that was the point of the game") and her eventual favorite, Condemned (!). "I think strong dramatic elements, like story and visuals and music, would be a bigger draw to older generations than unique gameplay mechanics or what have you."

[Video_freak]

When I saw the title I thought of those "Your moma" jokes. lol
Nintendo and the Wii will definently get the casual game, not Sony or Microsoft...

[SSaxdude]

Umm, not that I know of.

[ozzybird]

Both my parents play on the PS2, they brought the machine for themselves and they are both in their 60's, I know of other 'grandparents' that have also done the same.

I am a mum who has just brought the xbox 360 for herself (although I do share it with the kids) and have been playing games since the megadrive. My sister also own a 360.

At the moment I am playing Farcry which I love and I have brought Prey, Oblivion, Condemned and Ghotst Recon which I can't wait to play.

So you see mums don't just knit cardigans and wash skid marks out of their hubbies boxers you know!!!

[Darksaviour69]

Both my parents play on the PS2, they brought the machine for themselves and they are both in their 60's, I know of other 'grandparents' that have also done the same.

I am a mum who has just brought the xbox 360 for herself (although I do share it with the kids) and have been playing games since the megadrive. My sister also own a 360.

At the moment I am playing Farcry which I love and I have brought Prey, Oblivion, Condemned and Ghotst Recon which I can't wait to play.

So you see mums don't just knit cardigans and wash skid marks out of their hubbies boxers you know!!!

cool

[SSaxdude]

My family bought my dad a Gameboy a long time ago and he played one game on it: Tetris. Yet, after playing it so much, he still likes it.

[ozzybird]

Well my mum is currenly playing the new Tomb Raider and the last Silent Hill, dad love all the platform games. The gran kids think it's great cause they don't get bored when they visit them!