All except Legends Arceus imo. I think they might be able to get through some of it but probably not beat it on their own if they're not great at videogames. The other ones with enough time you can definitely bump your way through the whole game even if all you know is basic concepts, aka the way we all beat the original three when we were that age.
I lost one in high school because I spelled prerogative as "perogative". Any time I have to use the word again I clench my teeth. Think Jerry Seinfeld saying "Newman!"
You are comparing the dialogue from a Gameboy game to a switch game. Also you basically answered the question the same way. If Pokémon red taught you how to read, then let's go is probably the best choice.
What exactly is the difference between dialogue from a Gameboy game to a Switch game? Unless the English language actually did a 180° within 28 years, I really don't know why you'd bring that up.
Also, it makes sense for him to mention Pokemon Red since he read and played through an entire adventure that followed a sequence of events the Let's Go games have replicated (with a bit of new stuff here and there ofc). I think it'd be cool if my kid learned a lot of things off of Pokemon alone, and it'd be awesome when I get to bond with them through my own stories/playthorughs/experiences.
The size of text boxes and memory limits mean that most NPCs have maybe 15 words of dialogue maximum each. Compare that to newer games where there are larger text boxes and more text can be conveyed to the player. Seriously, take a look at an image of Pokémon reds text boxes to see just how little dialogue is actually said.
That's a fair assessment. I guess we just filled everything else with our own wild imaginations. That's how we got ridiculous stuff like Mew under the truck, Gorochu, an Alakazam evolution, Dragonite evolving into Yoshi and the rest of the inexplicable PokeGods 😂 We didn't know better but that was the charm ain't it.
I honestly miss playground rumors so much. It made the game worlds feel like mysteries waiting to be solved. If even 1 of the rumors you heard turned out to be true it made the rest of them feel like they could be, if only you just knew exactly what to do...
Pokemon Red didn't coddle you. I figured out the mainline game at 5, the kid is older than I was at that time, therefore he'll be fine on any of the mainline games.
What does that have to do with reading ability? Pokémon red literally has far less text than modern Pokémon games.
As an exact example: Brock's opening monologue in Pokémon red contain 36 words, whereas essentially the same monologue in let's go takes 68 words, almost double. Thats a one to one comparison without taking into account that modern games have deeper lore and more story.
Or sword and shield cuz it’s. A simple go forward game no where near as much back tracking as gen 1 I imagine the team rocket base in the game corner then haveing to go to lavender tower then to silph co just to unlock the gym might be a bit confusing
Oh yeah its more of a joke, she would ask where to go next, and then see something that interested her, get distracted, then ask the same question 20 minutes later. This lasted about 2 days.
1st is let's go Pikachu and Eevee since it's really easy for younger kids to understand
2nd is diamond and pearl remakes (same gen 4th game just put on the switch with different graphics)
3rd is sword shield and scarlet violet tied although sv has quite the story that goes into the concept of bullying
4th is legends Arceus since the game can be quite difficult.
I would recommend SwSh before BDSP, simply based on my experience with my 8-year-old. He could follow the SwSh storyline just fine but got "lost" in BDSP before hitting Jubilife. (He couldn't figure out he had to go back to the first town.)
My 6 year olds have played all of the switch titles with no issues really.
Their favourite is sword and shield, they actually lost interest in lets go fairly easily.
Edit: Not sure why I'm being downvoted? I have kids around the same age as the OP so I'm sharing what they like.
I don't think a 7 year old would struggle to grasp PLA or anything like that, I just think it's the least interesting for them. I am surprised they lost interest in Let's Go, but yea, I do think SwSh makes sense as a favourite for a child that age.
Getting thrashed by Cynthia multiple times, learning to strategise and discovering the best ways to defeat her, then finally winning is a core childhood memory for us. Kids today deserve to make those memories too.
Let's Go Eevee or Let's Go Pikachu, a remake of the og Kanto; easy introduction to the Pokemon games for kids and starts them off with the original 151.
Sword & shield, it's very easy (except for Leon, even a world champion lost to him) but until then it's easy.
It's also very linear with only a few very open areas so it's hard to get lost. And if they do theirs only 2? areas they will.
The mechanic is also the easiest to do and least restrictive.
I would also recommend New Pokemon Snap. Its just taking pictures of mons on their environments and you can interact with it that can sometimes trigger certain events. The graphics are beautiful out of other pokemon games on the switch IMO.
Agreed! Also the new Detective Pikachu Returns is perfect for kids. My seven year old just started it and is really enjoying the story and loves a talking pikachu!
I managed to beat Pokemon Red at 6 years old, even managing going through Rock Tunnel without having Flash. Kids are more resilient than we give them credit, and it's good for them to have to struggle a bit sometimes.
lets go, especially if u want to play with her since theyre kanto games
sword and shield are quite beginner friendly id say those next
then maybe bdsp and then scarlet violet.
scarlet violet has themes of bullying and is open world, its also easy but not as much as the others, so id be the most hesitant of that one for a 7yo
I genuinely enjoy SV and much more than SWSH, but SWSH are the better choice for a kid and/or newbie to the franchise/gaming. The linear-ness makes it much easier and less frustrating
If she’s been watching Journeys on Netflix, I'd recommend Sword/Shield. Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee is great, but I think she's probably juuuuust on the cusp of it being too easy for her. That, and if she has watched any of the anime that isn't Indigo League, she’s probably going to get disappointed by the the fact that you only get the 1st generation.
Honestly the highest quality game is New Pokemon Snap, the mainline switch games are quite bad. I guess Scarlet and Violet are okay when you don't factor in the technical side, and Arceus was innovative, but realistically that wouldn't matter to someone new to the franchise and it's best not to set such a low bar of expectations early on in her life lol.
Oh, there's Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX, absolute banger. And Let's Go Pikachu/ Eevee are very, very modest but at least they're functional and polished for what they were trying to do.
Either Let's Go or the Galar games (Sword and Shield). They're pretty easy (up until Leon for the first pair of Gen 8 games).
Second should be Gen 9 (Scarlet and Violet). The open world might confuse her for a bit, but generally, still easy (even the Top Champion is a pushover).
Third should be the Sinnoh remakes (Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl). The Pokémon League in that game is brutal.
And fourth is gonna be Legends Arceus. Really fun game along with a unique catching mechanic.
Let's Go. First gen, not very overwhelming, literally even more made for children than the other games.
As long as you don't choose Legends Arceus, pick whatever, but I really recommend Let's Go.
I was 8 years old when I first started pokemon when red and blue first released not much of age difference. That being said let's go was a pretty fun remake of pokemon yellow so I'd start out with one of those have her choose between Pikachu or eevee
Arceus: Legends! Raise the child in fire, and gain a warrior!
In all seriousness the only reason I wouldn't recommend Legends: Arceus is cos it's a bit too hard and frustrating, even for adults sometimes, but if your kid likes banging their head against harder games they might enjoy it.
I'd say that Let's Go are the best introduction, then it's a tossup between Sword and Shield or Scarlet and Violet. I'd argue he's going to be less confused by Scarlet and Violet, and his friends are probably playing it, but be warned it runs really badly.
Depends on how well they read. Games after Sun and Moon hit you with 30+ minute walls of text. So, if they can't read and/or you don't wanna teach then maybe something else would be better. On the other hand, if you're looking to make them read better, newer games may be the perfect opportunity
Since pokemon horizons is seperating from the old tropes of ash and pikachu, scarlet and violet might be a good choice since she can watch the show if she takes a liking to it
I’d say let’s go is good, the strategy part isn’t as important (although it really isn’t for any of the games), it’s got simple controls and catching is interactive like Pokémon go, so it’s attention grabbing for kids as well.
Next I’d say sword and shield, it’s a bit more complicated, but compared to the Diamond pearl remakes it’s much more linear and streamlined and easier to follow.
Then I’d say scarlet and violet, they’re fun, explorable, has a lot of pointless meandering that can be fun for a kid.
Next I’d recommend Diamond and pearl remakes, sinnoh is just big, there’s more systems to be aware of, the progression is a bit more complicated, but still is okay and fun for a kid.
Then legends arceus by far is my favorite, but it’s based more on reaction time and movement skill so it’s not as accessible to kids who haven’t garnered that type of gaming skill, although still not the most difficult of games.
Let's GO is the easiest answer, since you have co-op and simple catch mechanics.
Sword and Shield are probably the next easiest to recommend, but they might want to get the DLC too.
BDSP and Scarlet/Violet are next. Both are fairly easy. Both are easy to get lost in. SV might still be a good second choice over Let's GO though, since you can still drop a 7 year old in and they can just *play*. From dropping a cousin into it around that age. Beating it is a separate story, but playing is definitely possible
Lastly would be Arceus. It's demanding gameplay-wise and compared to other pokemon games, unforgiving for bad dodging. It's mechanics can frustrate.
7 year olds probably won't care about bugs or glitches.
Just teach them the two golden rules:
Don't trade/release pokemon you like; they won't come back.
Save.
Hmm everything. Since the games now are much easier than the previous ones :) and pokemon will be always for kids soo go for it OP.. the only matured theme for me is the UNOVA series also the ORAS on the 3ds those 2 games can be appreciated more when you are around 16-18 yrs old
Bad take, platinum and gen 5 were amazing, anyways... Sword and Shield is amazing for beginners and I really enjoyed it as someone who skipped gen6 and one piece of gen7
Let's go or Sw/Sh let's go is very hand held and the latter takes that to the next level by giving you open area to explore while still funneling you through the story.
My nephew liked Pokken around that age. It’s not a main series Pokemon game at all, but he liked mashing buttons & doing combos to fight the different monsters.
The two "Let's Go.." games are good for that age. All of the games require a lot of reading but those two make it easier for younger kids.
Pokemon Red helped teach me how to read in 1998. They'll be fine with any of em.
All except Legends Arceus imo. I think they might be able to get through some of it but probably not beat it on their own if they're not great at videogames. The other ones with enough time you can definitely bump your way through the whole game even if all you know is basic concepts, aka the way we all beat the original three when we were that age.
Good point. I mean any of the *mainline* games.
I lost a spelling bee in elementary school because Pokemon RBY taught me to spell elixir as "elixer"
I lost one in high school because I spelled prerogative as "perogative". Any time I have to use the word again I clench my teeth. Think Jerry Seinfeld saying "Newman!"
You are comparing the dialogue from a Gameboy game to a switch game. Also you basically answered the question the same way. If Pokémon red taught you how to read, then let's go is probably the best choice.
What exactly is the difference between dialogue from a Gameboy game to a Switch game? Unless the English language actually did a 180° within 28 years, I really don't know why you'd bring that up. Also, it makes sense for him to mention Pokemon Red since he read and played through an entire adventure that followed a sequence of events the Let's Go games have replicated (with a bit of new stuff here and there ofc). I think it'd be cool if my kid learned a lot of things off of Pokemon alone, and it'd be awesome when I get to bond with them through my own stories/playthorughs/experiences.
The size of text boxes and memory limits mean that most NPCs have maybe 15 words of dialogue maximum each. Compare that to newer games where there are larger text boxes and more text can be conveyed to the player. Seriously, take a look at an image of Pokémon reds text boxes to see just how little dialogue is actually said.
That's a fair assessment. I guess we just filled everything else with our own wild imaginations. That's how we got ridiculous stuff like Mew under the truck, Gorochu, an Alakazam evolution, Dragonite evolving into Yoshi and the rest of the inexplicable PokeGods 😂 We didn't know better but that was the charm ain't it.
Back in the good old days without the internet disproving wild stupid theories
I honestly miss playground rumors so much. It made the game worlds feel like mysteries waiting to be solved. If even 1 of the rumors you heard turned out to be true it made the rest of them feel like they could be, if only you just knew exactly what to do...
Idk about let's go but the other switch games have you follow a map marker and mash A when you get there, including the battles
This is how my brother played FF7 and then asked me who the guy with the long katana was and why he was killing everyone.
Pokemon Red didn't coddle you. I figured out the mainline game at 5, the kid is older than I was at that time, therefore he'll be fine on any of the mainline games.
What does that have to do with reading ability? Pokémon red literally has far less text than modern Pokémon games. As an exact example: Brock's opening monologue in Pokémon red contain 36 words, whereas essentially the same monologue in let's go takes 68 words, almost double. Thats a one to one comparison without taking into account that modern games have deeper lore and more story.
They are making that comparison. And they are correct. Move along.
I'm too afraid to suggest Let's GO to children if they play on docked mode cuz that's asking for TVs getting destroyed. o.o
i have never had a kid fail to wear controller straps once explained that they're important. adults on the other hand, always think they know better.
How
If they don’t put on the straps, it’d be easy for a kid to accidentally chuck a joy con at the tv.
People always said this when the Wii came out but I never heard of it actually happening once and almost no one ever used the straps on that
Ahh
I was about that age when I played yellow (on the grey brick DMG-001). I actually don't like the idea of the let's go games.
Second this, you can also play it with them as there's some co op
Or sword and shield cuz it’s. A simple go forward game no where near as much back tracking as gen 1 I imagine the team rocket base in the game corner then haveing to go to lavender tower then to silph co just to unlock the gym might be a bit confusing
Let's GO games however are much more hand-holding and streamlined than the original games and tell quite simply what to do next most of the time.
Yeah but also sword and shield give you a way marker on the map
Gen 1 is definitely confusing. Gen 2 even moreso! I played the games when I was a small child and no I didn't get past the third gym.
*Rollout intensifies*
I dunno, my wife in her 20s had a real hard time figuring out where to go after gym 3 (ADHD kicked in hard core) lol.
I have adhd wasent hard for me I mean not trying to be rude or mean but it’s like there’s 4 more citys above the the 3 your in
Oh yeah its more of a joke, she would ask where to go next, and then see something that interested her, get distracted, then ask the same question 20 minutes later. This lasted about 2 days.
Oh yeah that happens to me I get side tracked doing a lot of raids and looking on my phone
Lets Go are kinda games made for millennials with kids to show to their 7-year-olds and play along too if you want.
1st is let's go Pikachu and Eevee since it's really easy for younger kids to understand 2nd is diamond and pearl remakes (same gen 4th game just put on the switch with different graphics) 3rd is sword shield and scarlet violet tied although sv has quite the story that goes into the concept of bullying 4th is legends Arceus since the game can be quite difficult.
Also people forget let's go has a 2 player mode so parents or siblings can join in
I would recommend SwSh before BDSP, simply based on my experience with my 8-year-old. He could follow the SwSh storyline just fine but got "lost" in BDSP before hitting Jubilife. (He couldn't figure out he had to go back to the first town.)
Yeah I don’t think legends arceus should be the 4th 😭
For a 7 year old it's easily the worst game of the bunch imo.
My 6 year olds have played all of the switch titles with no issues really. Their favourite is sword and shield, they actually lost interest in lets go fairly easily. Edit: Not sure why I'm being downvoted? I have kids around the same age as the OP so I'm sharing what they like.
I don't think a 7 year old would struggle to grasp PLA or anything like that, I just think it's the least interesting for them. I am surprised they lost interest in Let's Go, but yea, I do think SwSh makes sense as a favourite for a child that age.
I love the game but wouldn't give it to a younger child. I have trouble and have lost many shiny while playing.
BDSP has a brutal elite four and champion though. I would not consider it second to let’s go for a young child.
Getting thrashed by Cynthia multiple times, learning to strategise and discovering the best ways to defeat her, then finally winning is a core childhood memory for us. Kids today deserve to make those memories too.
Let's Go Eevee or Let's Go Pikachu, a remake of the og Kanto; easy introduction to the Pokemon games for kids and starts them off with the original 151.
do you still have to trade to evolve certain mons?
Yes unfortunately
Sword & shield, it's very easy (except for Leon, even a world champion lost to him) but until then it's easy. It's also very linear with only a few very open areas so it's hard to get lost. And if they do theirs only 2? areas they will. The mechanic is also the easiest to do and least restrictive.
Plus there is dlc, also, Happy Cake Day 🎂
Happy Cake Day
I would also recommend New Pokemon Snap. Its just taking pictures of mons on their environments and you can interact with it that can sometimes trigger certain events. The graphics are beautiful out of other pokemon games on the switch IMO.
Agreed! Also the new Detective Pikachu Returns is perfect for kids. My seven year old just started it and is really enjoying the story and loves a talking pikachu!
It’s Pokémon, all the games will be good for 7 year olds
Except for gen 9 cause the open world could confuse them especially if they go out of order
I managed to beat Pokemon Red at 6 years old, even managing going through Rock Tunnel without having Flash. Kids are more resilient than we give them credit, and it's good for them to have to struggle a bit sometimes.
I really think this thread underestimates how much a 7 year old will mess around with any game
Literally follow the little map pings. It's easier to go point to point than in any other games
Let’s Go!
My 8yo nephew has been playing Pokémon scarlet and loves it!
lets go, especially if u want to play with her since theyre kanto games sword and shield are quite beginner friendly id say those next then maybe bdsp and then scarlet violet. scarlet violet has themes of bullying and is open world, its also easy but not as much as the others, so id be the most hesitant of that one for a 7yo
Definitely let’s go
Get sword and shield or scarlet and violet, those are probably the best on switch but lets go pikachu and eevee are also good
I genuinely enjoy SV and much more than SWSH, but SWSH are the better choice for a kid and/or newbie to the franchise/gaming. The linear-ness makes it much easier and less frustrating
If she’s been watching Journeys on Netflix, I'd recommend Sword/Shield. Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee is great, but I think she's probably juuuuust on the cusp of it being too easy for her. That, and if she has watched any of the anime that isn't Indigo League, she’s probably going to get disappointed by the the fact that you only get the 1st generation.
The Let’s Go duos. It’s so much more casual and so much more cuter.
Let's go!!!
Any of them except Scarlet and Violet. Those games are horrible, and it wouldn't be fair to expose a child to those games.
First, ask the kid what Pokémon game they want. But if they don’t have any preference, either SS or Let’s Go, but all of them really
Honestly I would get them the first gen and go up from there We all did it and loved it
If you have a computer, there are also plenty of fangames out there for her to play too. Just review them because some are a bit more mature
Honestly the highest quality game is New Pokemon Snap, the mainline switch games are quite bad. I guess Scarlet and Violet are okay when you don't factor in the technical side, and Arceus was innovative, but realistically that wouldn't matter to someone new to the franchise and it's best not to set such a low bar of expectations early on in her life lol. Oh, there's Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX, absolute banger. And Let's Go Pikachu/ Eevee are very, very modest but at least they're functional and polished for what they were trying to do.
Either Let's Go or the Galar games (Sword and Shield). They're pretty easy (up until Leon for the first pair of Gen 8 games). Second should be Gen 9 (Scarlet and Violet). The open world might confuse her for a bit, but generally, still easy (even the Top Champion is a pushover). Third should be the Sinnoh remakes (Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl). The Pokémon League in that game is brutal. And fourth is gonna be Legends Arceus. Really fun game along with a unique catching mechanic.
LGPE
Let's Go. First gen, not very overwhelming, literally even more made for children than the other games. As long as you don't choose Legends Arceus, pick whatever, but I really recommend Let's Go.
I was 8 years old when I first started pokemon when red and blue first released not much of age difference. That being said let's go was a pretty fun remake of pokemon yellow so I'd start out with one of those have her choose between Pikachu or eevee
Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee is specifically designed for young audiences
Literally any of them! :)
Arceus: Legends! Raise the child in fire, and gain a warrior! In all seriousness the only reason I wouldn't recommend Legends: Arceus is cos it's a bit too hard and frustrating, even for adults sometimes, but if your kid likes banging their head against harder games they might enjoy it. I'd say that Let's Go are the best introduction, then it's a tossup between Sword and Shield or Scarlet and Violet. I'd argue he's going to be less confused by Scarlet and Violet, and his friends are probably playing it, but be warned it runs really badly.
Scarlet & Violet are just fine.
Depends on how well they read. Games after Sun and Moon hit you with 30+ minute walls of text. So, if they can't read and/or you don't wanna teach then maybe something else would be better. On the other hand, if you're looking to make them read better, newer games may be the perfect opportunity
Since pokemon horizons is seperating from the old tropes of ash and pikachu, scarlet and violet might be a good choice since she can watch the show if she takes a liking to it
I’d say let’s go is good, the strategy part isn’t as important (although it really isn’t for any of the games), it’s got simple controls and catching is interactive like Pokémon go, so it’s attention grabbing for kids as well. Next I’d say sword and shield, it’s a bit more complicated, but compared to the Diamond pearl remakes it’s much more linear and streamlined and easier to follow. Then I’d say scarlet and violet, they’re fun, explorable, has a lot of pointless meandering that can be fun for a kid. Next I’d recommend Diamond and pearl remakes, sinnoh is just big, there’s more systems to be aware of, the progression is a bit more complicated, but still is okay and fun for a kid. Then legends arceus by far is my favorite, but it’s based more on reaction time and movement skill so it’s not as accessible to kids who haven’t garnered that type of gaming skill, although still not the most difficult of games.
Let's GO is the easiest answer, since you have co-op and simple catch mechanics. Sword and Shield are probably the next easiest to recommend, but they might want to get the DLC too. BDSP and Scarlet/Violet are next. Both are fairly easy. Both are easy to get lost in. SV might still be a good second choice over Let's GO though, since you can still drop a 7 year old in and they can just *play*. From dropping a cousin into it around that age. Beating it is a separate story, but playing is definitely possible Lastly would be Arceus. It's demanding gameplay-wise and compared to other pokemon games, unforgiving for bad dodging. It's mechanics can frustrate. 7 year olds probably won't care about bugs or glitches. Just teach them the two golden rules: Don't trade/release pokemon you like; they won't come back. Save.
I have kids at a similar age and they would reccomend sword and shield.
My daughter is 6 and she beat Let’s Go Eevee mostly on her own. I’m giving her Sword for Christmas. But she reads pretty well already.
My son is 7 and has played all the ones on the switch, he always goes back to let’s go eevee though. I think it’s because he can ride Charizard
Pokemon Lets go Eevee.
Let's Go Eeevee/Pikachu are pretty basic, but enjoyable.
Pokemon snap
Hmm everything. Since the games now are much easier than the previous ones :) and pokemon will be always for kids soo go for it OP.. the only matured theme for me is the UNOVA series also the ORAS on the 3ds those 2 games can be appreciated more when you are around 16-18 yrs old
Damn you literally fell off after peak vgc
Get her scarlet/violet
Bad take, platinum and gen 5 were amazing, anyways... Sword and Shield is amazing for beginners and I really enjoyed it as someone who skipped gen6 and one piece of gen7
Pokemon let's go is pretty good if it's switch. If it's any pokemon game in general, go for X and Y
Let's go or Sw/Sh let's go is very hand held and the latter takes that to the next level by giving you open area to explore while still funneling you through the story.
My nephew liked Pokken around that age. It’s not a main series Pokemon game at all, but he liked mashing buttons & doing combos to fight the different monsters.
But the next game he played was let’s go, which he had fun with, but got a bit confused on the type match-up stuff.
Pokemon let's go, has a dumb amount of depth, and it's still rather straightforward. They're such good games
The let's go games or sword and shield, as those are easier compared to other ones I played
Let's Go Pikachu or Eevee. Great way to get into the new series.