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Evan Duetzmann

5 Meta Quest Games for Teens Recommend by EFG Teens

by Evan Duetzmann April 16, 2023

If you’re looking for some new games to keep your teens entertained, look no further! Here are 5 Meta Quest games that are sure to please. Each one is recommended by teens who knows what’s hot right now. So put down the phones and tablets, and get your (VR) family game on!

Note: You can read our report about VR safety for kids.

Beat Saber

Buy Beat Saber here

Imagine, dual-wielding light sabers, while red and blue boxes are rapidly flying toward you, your goal, cut the boxes in half. Now imagine that but with epic music in the background. The main premise cutting boxes to the rhythm of the music. with many styles of music from pop to county to rock there is a style for everyone. There is also a campaign that gives special win conditions for different levels in different difficulties, such as moving your hands a certain distance or only having a certain number of misses or incorrect cuts. In addition it also gives you a good arm workout and feels like you have actually been swinging around lightsabers at high speed. Doesn’t that sound fun? If it does, Beat Saber is the game for you. If it isn’t, your insane. Beat saber is a VR rhythm game where you’re trying to cut boxes out of the air, and its amazing.

Super Hot VR

Buy Super Hot VR here

If you have ever watched the Matrix and wanted to do that cool bullet time thing, SUPERHOT is the perfect game. Time only moves when you move, and only moves at the speed you move, making it an amazing puzzle shooter, where it makes you feel like an action movie star bobbing and weaving between an onslaught of bullets. Superhot forces you to pay attention to not moving at all when you assess a situation, while doing so moving around locations where you can throw weapons to yourself just before moving to that next location. It also has you make do with what is around you to defend yourself and attack the enemy. Fighting with everything from wine bottles and ashtrays, to ninja stars, to pistols and machine guns.

Moss

Buy Moss here

Moss is a third-person action game where you guide a mouse through a wildlife adventure. With beautiful graphics, fast-paced combat, and Zelda style puzzles, Its one of the best VR games for new players, as it takes a familiar genre, and puts it into a new perspective. Check out the impressions from the E3 Team in 2017 here.

Job Simulator

Buy Job Simulator here

Job Simulator is a physics-based VR game that is a basic simulation of how jobs work narrated and lead by JobBot. There are four jobs to choose from, office worker, gourmet chef, auto mechanic, and convenience store clerk. It uses floating CRT monitors to simulate people and interact with them, and it allows you to just mess with everything if you want. everything has physics and throwing things at the robots will cause them to respond. The tasks you are given range from giving a presentation to your coworkers to being on TV with CookBot Ramsey. It is a fun game you you can play for countless hours, changing different things every time, or going into infinite overtime narrated and lead by TempBot, which is and endless mode with countless other things to do. These things range from playing silly knockoff games on the computer, like flappy bot, to supping up a bots car for a street race.

Cooking Simulator

Buy Cooking Simulator here

Cooking simulator VR takes the chaos of working in a kitchen, but makes it harder by giving you semi-realistic physics. A super fast-paced, and chaotic physics game. It’s a must-have for those who like bringing their headset to parties, and like social games. In the story mode it is your job to take orders and turn a 1 star restaurant into a 5 star restaurant, with one catch, you are by yourself, and are taking multiple orders at a time. There is a time constraint. or you can play in free play and make whatever you like, refining your skills to that of a professional cook. It also allows you to find and learn how to make real recipes (with the exception of how much time they take to make) and gives you all the tools to make almost whatever food you want. With several locations/kitchens to cook in and explore.

This article was created with contributions from Isaac Wrobel

Photo Credits: Isaac Wrobel

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

Make sure to keep your eyes on Engaged Family Gaming for all of the latest news and reviews you need to Get Your Family Game On!

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April 16, 2023 0 comment

Video Games

Engaged Family Gaming Essential Games for the Meta Quest

by Evan Duetzmann October 17, 2022

written by Evan Duetzmann

If you’re looking for some new games to keep your teens entertained, look no further! Here is a list of Meta Quest games that We are comfortable recommending to everyone. There is something on this list for anybody. Each one is recommended by a teen who knows what’s hot right now. So put down the phones and tablets and get your (VR) family game on!

Note: You can read our report about VR safety for kids.

Beat Saber

Buy Beat Saber here

Beat saber is a VR rhythm game where you’re trying to cut boxes out of the air, and it’s amazing. Imagine dual-wielding lightsabers while red and blue boxes are rapidly ramming toward you. Your goal? Cut the boxes in half. Now imagine that but with epic music in the background. Doesn’t that sound fun? If it does, Beat Saber is the game for you. If it isn’t, your bananas.

Super Hot VR

Buy Super Hot VR here

Moss

Buy Moss here

Moss is a third-person action game where you guide a mouse through a wildlife adventure. With beautiful graphics, fast-paced combat, and Zelda-style puzzles, It’s one of the best VR games for new players, as it takes a familiar genre, and puts it into a new perspective.

Job Simulator

Buy Job Simulator here

Job Simulator is a physics-based VR game that is a basic simulation of how jobs work. There are four jobs to choose from, office worker, gourmet chef, auto mechanic, and convenience store clerk. It uses floating CRT monitors to simulate people and interact with them, and it allows you to just mess with everything if you want.

Cooking Simulator

Buy Cooking Simulator here

Cooking simulator VR takes the chaos of working in a kitchen but makes it harder by giving you wacky Octodad-style physics. A super funny, fast-paced, and chaotic physics game. It’s a must-have for those who like bringing their headset to parties, and like social games.

Vacation Simulator

Buy Vacation Simulator here

Vacation Simulator is a physics-based VR game simulating vacations at the beach, in the forest, and in the mountains. Like Job Simulator it uses floating CRT monitors and has a loose plot, attempting to gain memories that are used to unlock other areas in the game to explore.

Echo VR

Buy Echo VR here

Echo VR is like basketball, but you’re using a frisbee, oh, and you’re in zero gravity. It’s an amazing 3v3 sports game, that is helpful for helping someone get their VR legs. It is also an awesome multiplayer experience. Definitely, a must-have for Quest users, as it’s one of the more popular games to play with a party.

I expect you to die

Buy I Expect You To Die here

I Expect You To Die is a super spy thriller. where your goal is to take on a supervillain that is trying to release an airborne disease into the world. This is one of the best interactive puzzle games released for VR. It can be played while seated, making it perfect for those who don’t have a defined VR space where they can stand up.

Gorilla Tag

Buy Gorilla Tag here

Gorilla Tag is a multiplayer platformer where you play as a gorilla while jumping and chasing players around a playground and playing tag. To move, you have to push yourself off the ground with your arms. Once you get good at that, you have to learn how to launch yourself up walls. This is a fantastic game to get used to vr games, as long as you can deal with the annoying kids on voice chat.

Wands Alliances

Buy Wands Alliances here

Wands Alliances is a hero shooter, but instead of using guns as one would expect, you use magic wands. Dual-wielding wands, you have to protect your teammates, and capture an objective. Wands give you that feeling of a shooter, while not having to worry about guns, definitely a must-have for people who are super into competitive gaming.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

Make sure to keep your eyes on Engaged Family Gaming for all of the latest news and reviews you need to Get Your Family Game On!

The EFG Essentials

Video Games for kids on Xbox One
Video Games for kids on PS4
Video Games for kids on Nintendo Switch
Board Games for kids

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October 17, 2022 0 comment

Video Games

Family Video Game Review: Crosscode

by Evan Duetzmann July 20, 2020

written by Evan Duetzmann

Crosscode is a twin-stick shooter RPG that is currently available on PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One. You play as Lea in the VRMMO Crosscode. Your goal is to follow the path of the ancients, which is the format the in-game VRmmo uses for progression. It has a skill tree based leveling system that goes very in-depth. Crosscode also has Zelda-like dungeons and complex puzzles. The story is also amazing and easy to follow.

This is an amazing game with a couple of elements that make it frustrating at times. First, the combat system is fleshed out, with many ways of tackling every fight. You can use your melee weapon, your ranged weapon using a twin-stick shooter style of aiming and moving, or you can be defensive with your shield. One challenge with the combat is the menu for communicating with your teammates to determine who to attack. There are three choices: attack my enemy, attack other enemies, or attack random enemies. If you have other enemies selected but there is only one enemy left, they don’t fight, at all.

The second challenging component is the puzzles. Most puzzles use the Twin-stick ranged weapon. The challenge is that the puzzles are very precise, they have no margin for error. For example, with one challenging puzzle I had to shoot ice into a furnace to send steam down a path. The issue was I was one level higher than the ice and had to use a weird aiming system to hit it. Unfortunately, if I hit it slightly off, I had to reset the puzzle. Many times the solutions of the puzzles are not obvious. Once you figure the solution out, it still will take many tries.

Can a kid play this game?

Yes and no, it greatly depends on the age and skill level of the player. The puzzles are hard without a guide and can get frustrating. The combat is also challenging at times. Luckily, Crosscode a large number of assist features. You have three main options for the assists.

Puzzle speed: which changes how long things stay. For example: how long the platforms that are timing-based stay up, or how long until bombs explode
Damage taken: how much damage you take.
Enemy attack frequency: which changes how often enemies attack

You can change all of these on a percentage slider. I for one played with everything at 80% and still had trouble, though if you set everything to 20% it gets considerably easier.

Should a kid play this game?

Crosscode is rated T by the ESRB.

The rating summary is as follows:

This is an action role-playing game in which players assume the role of a fighter playing an MMORPG as she tries to regain her memory. From a ¾-overhead perspective, players traverse platforms, solve puzzles, and battle various enemies (e.g., rival players, robots, creatures). Characters use blaster-like weapons and melee attacks to defeat enemies; one-on-one fights and boss battles can be frenetic, with explosions and over-the-top special attacks. The word “sh*t” appears in the dialogue.
ESRB

Conclusion

All said and done Crosscode is a great game that thought is challenging makes for a fun time. The mechanics are fun to use. The puzzles are hard but fair. The game is very immersive and keeps you engaged the entire time. This is a great purchase if you like 2d Zelda games.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

Make sure to keep your eyes on Engaged Family Gaming for all of the latest news and reviews you need to Get Your Family Game On!

Check out the EFG Essentials!

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July 20, 2020 0 comment

Video Games

Family Video Game Review – Animal Crossing: New Horizons

by Evan Duetzmann March 31, 2020

written by Evan Duetzmann

Animal Crossing New Horizons was released on March 20 2020, and it was perfect timing with all of the stuff going on. I have played many, many hours and so have my brother and sister. Here is my opinion: The game is really good. The graphics are great, the gameplay loop is fun, and honestly we all need an escape from the real world. Animal Crossing provides that.

The game is simple: you move to a deserted island with two other animals and you live together. You decorate your home and the island with cosmetic items that you craft with the resources that regenerate daily.

While doing that you also pay off your debt to Tom Nook, expand your home, and just live a happy life with your neighbors. That is literally the game.

Now.. that sounds like it would get boring, but the game has this nifty feature that gives you what are, essentially, quests to do that make it so you keep playing. They aren’t lame either. They feel rewarding to do.

It rewards you for picking the weeds and gathering materials. There is a rock that literally gives you money somewhere on your island! Why wouldn’t you want to play every day.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons encourages appointment gaming, where you stop by once a day to gather resources and check the shop. It rewards you for picking the weeds and gathering materials every day. There is even a rock that literally GIVES you money somewhere on your island every day. Why wouldn’t you want to come back?

Animal Crossing: New Horizons also has a multiplayer mode where you visit your friends islands and they visit yours. This experience is honestly one of my favorite parts. I love going to my brother and sister’s islands and helping them make money or sharing cool new crafting recipes.

Can a kid play it?

Yes most definitely. The game is simple, there are no moments that are difficult, there are no complicated button presses to pull off a jump and or anything like that. You just walk around, pick things up, and sell them.

There is a little reading involved, but if they are not able to read then the parts of the game that they will be playing, running around the island and picking stuff up, don’t involve reading.

Should a kid play it?

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB.

This is a simulation game in which players explore a deserted island, interact with animals, and engage in various activities (e.g., fishing, bug catching, fossil hunting). Some bugs can sting players, causing them to become dizzy and collapse. Players can bonk characters on the head and/or push them into holes. One character is seen with mucus dripping from his nose; the dialogue also contains comical references (e.g., “Whoever smelt it dealt it.”).
ESRB.com

Should you buy it?

Yes and no. It depends on your family.

If you are an adult buying the game for yourself and a young child then yes! This is a great game to share! You should make sure that the adult (or whoever is most game savvy) boots the game up first though. This way they become the main player on the island and aren’t held back by the other player.

If you live in a household with more than one Switch, then we definitely recommend buying a copy for each Switch. Each Switch will have separate islands and there will be no issues sharing resources. The different players in the house will be able to play multiplayer together.

However, if you are buying the game for two kids that are around the same age and gaming ability who also share a Switch, then you may want to think about it. Each Switch only has one island, and this can lead to frustration. The first person to play the game and name the island is the Island Representative, and is the only person who can do some of the quests and activities. You’ll definitely want to have a plan for how they will share the island.

Conclusion

All in all Animal Crossing: New Horizons is amazing. Anyone can play it, there is no inappropriate content, and the game is just fun. Even though there are some issues with players who join after the game has started being able to make decisions about the island and all that, the game is great!

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

Make sure to keep your eyes on Engaged Family Gaming for all of the latest news and reviews you need to Get Your Family Game On!

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March 31, 2020 0 comment