Your child is interested in owning a
virtual pet, and you’re wondering which game to introduce him to. Out of the
hundreds of virtual pet games
out there, it isn’t easy to predict which ones he is more likely to enjoy.
However, you can certainly make an educated guess based on the popularity of
the pet games available online.
“Healthy Foods” by Kevin Jarrett is licensed
under CC BY 2.0
Of course preferences vary from one child
to the next, but there are certain features that most kids seem to enjoy in an
online pet game. Here they are, listed in no particular order.
A virtual world
It’s all very well to feed your virtual pet
and play a couple of games with it for an hour or two, but after that things
get repetitive. On the other hand, kids find great pleasure in exploring a
whole new virtual
world with their online pets. In some games, the virtual world mirrors the
real world. Pets run around in parks and visit restaurants or splash in water.
In other games, the virtual world is an imaginative one with places that you
would never be able to visit in real life. You may be able to explore arctic
islands, visit lands from the past or journey to the center of the earth with
your virtual pets. Either way, these virtual worlds add a great deal of fun and
adventure to the pet games. While most popular pet games have 3D virtual worlds
that you can walk through, Neopets was one virtual pet game that did extremely
well in spite of only having a 2D version of their virtual world.
.
Exotic pets
If your child could choose between a pet
dog and a pet dragon, which do you think he would choose? For many kids, part
of the excitement in owning a virtual pet comes from the range of options
available to choose from. Without worrying about the amount of space available
at home, the kind of food the pet would require or the kind of care the pet
needs, kids can opt to adopt dolphins, tigers, griffins, dragons and even monsters.
Some games take the action one step further by allowing players to ride on the
backs of their winged pets.
A creative outlet
Everyone has an innate desire to create
something of their own. Many times, all one needs is the right opportunity.
Virtual pet games that offer such an outlet are a big hit with kids. Kids
delight in customizing their virtual homes, adding rooms and furniture as they
deem fit. By allowing players to visit each other’s homes and putting
well-designed homes in the spotlight, many virtual pet games encourage kids to
think big and get creative with their virtual homes. However, not everyone is
good at interior decoration. For kids who would rather write a story, create
cartoons or design webpages, there are pet games that encourage these creations
as well. Typically, the creations revolve around the theme and characters of
the pet game, and are viewed by fellow players.
“A neopets faerie”
by L. Whittaker is
licensed under CC BY 2.0
Mini games and quests
No matter how extensive the virtual worlds
are, there’s bound to come a time when you’ve explored it all. You’ve visited
every nook and corner and you know the lands inside out. What do you do next?
Kids love it when there are mini
games inside the virtual pet game. Rather than offering generic mini games
that kids can just as well play on a gaming website, the good virtual pet games
have mini games that tie in with the theme and characters of the larger world. The
points earned in these games contribute to the in-game currency and allow kids to
buy more items for their pets. The greater the number and variety of mini-games
available, the happier your child is likely to be. Kids also love solving
quests, and greatly appreciate it when they are available in a pet game.
A strong community of fellow
players
When you have a virtual pet game that you
are really excited about, you would naturally want someone to share that
excitement with. Many pet games allow players to do this by letting them
socialize with each other on the website. Through multiplayer games, chat
options, user profiles and forums, players can get to know each other and form
good friends online. (If you are considering a pet game with social networking
options, make sure the website has safety controls in place and that your child
is aware of the best practices in socializing on the internet.) Such a
community, bound by common interests, is often close-knit and contributes to
the players’ love for the game.
Talk to your child and discuss which of
these features are important to him. You can also find out what he expects from
each feature. Based on his responses, you can find a virtual pet game that is
most suited to his unique tastes and preferences.
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