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The Family Gamer Awards FGA suggests ideal games for different family age-groups: Infants, Juniors, Students, Workers, Parents and Seniors.

These awards complement PEGI's age-appropriate ratings by suggesting games each age group will enjoy. Rather than warning families about which games are inappropriate, we suggest which games each age group will get the most out of.

The games awarded for infants for example, not only contain appropriate content for 3 year olds but are also easy enough for them to play and enjoy.

Four times a year we pick the best games in each of our family age groups:

Games for Infants (3 to 6 yrs)
The best games for toddlers, very-young children and pre-school kids from 3 to 6 years old. These games work with the basics of play and should easily engage the super young players in our families. Simple and easy controls and bright colours engage young players in some educational and informative games.

New Super Mario Bros U
Buy:
UK US
2012 Autumn New Super Mario Bros U: It may look like the Wii game but the new controls and a return to classic Mario design make this a much more fully populated Mario experience. Surprises and secrets abound in this multiplayer platformer perfect for student players to crowd around.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Game of the Year
- Date: Autumn 2012
- Platform: WiiU version(s)

Just Dance 3
Buy:
UK US
2011 Autumn Just Dance 3: Although the Just Dance formula (simple accessible dancing and sensibly shaped dancers) has been around for a while, the varied multiplayer choreography and four player Kinect features make this another big step forward for casual dancers.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Autumn 2011
- Platform: Wii 360 Kinect PS3 version(s)

Wii-Party
Buy:
UK US
2010 Autumn Wii-Party: Wii-Party is an instant classic, intelligently designed for very young players and grownups alike. The matching animal noises to Wii-motes is ideal for toddlers and pre-school kids. The board games are great fun for infants and early-years children.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Game of the Year
- Date: Autumn 2010
- Platform: Wii MotionPlus version(s)

EyePet
Buy:
UK US
2009 Winter EyePet: The sheer magic of a little living creature appearing in your lounge on you TV connects with very young players. Add in the simple mini-games, grooming and dress-up aspects and this is a lot of entertainment, with a little help from mum and dad.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Winter 2009
- Platform: PS3 Move version(s)

Family Ski
Buy:
UK US
2008 Spring Family Ski: The simple controls and cartoon visuals make this easy enough to use by players as young as three. The split screen simultaneous multiplayer makes it great for young siblings to play along side each other.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Spring 2008
- Platform: Wii version(s)

Wipeout HD
Buy:
UK US
2007 Summer Wipeout HD: Wipeout HD is a surprisingly good fit for family gamers, and epitomises a more intelligent broadening of gaming's audience. Turn up the steer assist and use the Sixaxis motion controls and really young players can play too, and in split screen mode with siblings and parents.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Summer 2007
- Platform: PS3 version(s)
Games for Juniors (7 to 11 yrs)
The best games for primary school, junior and young children aged from 7 to 11 years old. These games provide experiences that connect with a basic joy of discovery and play. Although still simplistic they engage with a wide range of basic principles.

Skylanders Giants
Buy:
UK US
2012 Autumn Skylanders Giants: Skylanders Giants extends the first game's appeal by offering new Giant, Lightcore and Series 2 figures in a new adventure. Provided families realise they don't need to buy all the figures this is a great family game for younger players.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Autumn 2012
- Platform: Wii WiiU 360 PS3 version(s)

Skylanders Spyro's Adventure
Buy:
UK US
2011 Autumn Skylanders Spyro's Adventure: The quality of the toys and simplicity of using them to save your progress in the videogame make this ideal for junior players. The gameplay itself is like a more action focused Lego game, and again, ideally suited for pre-teens.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Game of the Year
- Date: Autumn 2011
- Platform: Wii 3DS 360 PS3 version(s)

Kinect Sports
Buy:
UK US
2010 Winter Kinect Sports: Kinect Sports establishes a high bar for the 360 motion controlled games. Although limb tracking best fits the exuberance of Football, Running and Boxing, Kinect's unexpected detection of bodily location and orientation means that it also offers enough control fidelity for games like Table Tennis.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Winter 2010
- Platform: 360 Kinect version(s)

High School Musical 3: Dance!
Buy:
UK US
2009 Winter High School Musical 3: Dance!: Simply the best rhythm dance game released to date. A strong combination of music from the films and a range of gesture, jumps, poses and swings to get the blood pumping.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Winter 2009
- Platform: Wii version(s)

Boom Blox
Buy:
UK US
2008 Spring Boom Blox: The simple idea of throwing, pulling and shooting blocks has instant appeal. The family friendly Jenga style levels combine with the deft Wii-mote control and varied levels to create a great game for families with junior gamers.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Spring 2008
- Platform: Wii version(s)

Elite Beat Agents
Buy:
UK US
2007 Summer Elite Beat Agents: The cartoon art style and direct tap along play mechanic make this ideal for junior gamers. This rhythm action has more then enough content to engage youngsters in what it is that makes a song great.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Summer 2007
- Platform: DS version(s)
Games for Teens (12 to 15 yrs)
The best games for secondary, high-school, teenagers, adolescent kids and young-adults aged from 12 to 15 years old. These games provide thrilling experiences that major on brash, loud protagonists and aim to connect with the students in our families.

Lego Lord of the Rings
Buy:
UK US
2012 Autumn Lego Lord of the Rings: Lego Lord of the Rings offers a massive exploreable middle earth alongside the usual linear levels. A step towards the upcoming GTA style Lego City Undercover that ticks all the role play boxes of the books and films. Perfect for Teen Tolkien (or Lego) fans.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Autumn 2012
- Platform: 3DS Wii Vita DS 360 PS3 version(s)

Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympics
Buy:
UK US
2011 Winter Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympics: Teens shouldn't overlook the cartoony look as this addition to the Mario and Sonic sports games not only builds on previous outings but adds some great four player competitive games.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Winter 2011
- Platform: Wii version(s)

New Super Mario Brothers
Buy:
UK US
2010 Spring New Super Mario Brothers: While others may balk at another 2D Mario platformer, gamers and students will rise to the multiplayer challenge that offers some of the best secrets to discover and expert techniques to perfect. For them it's perfection.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Spring 2010
- Platform: Wii version(s)

Wii-Sports Resort
Buy:
UK US
2009 Summer Wii-Sports Resort: The simplicity and fidelity of control make this simply the best sports game on the Wii. Golf here gives even Tiger Woods a run for its money. Table Tennis is the most direct racket game to grace a console. Archery creates a nail biting fine tuned challenge to rival any adrenalin sport.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Game of the Year
- Date: Summer 2009
- Platform: Wii MotionPlus version(s)
Games for Students (16 to 17 yrs)
The best games for students, studying, college, school and young-adults aged from 16 to 17 years old. These games provide experiences that are great to share in halls, offer multiplayer thrills, or demand commitment and dedication to progress.

Trials Evolution
Buy:
UK US
2012 Spring Trials Evolution: A motorbike racing game with a difference. Trials combines the head scratching of puzzles with real world physics to make a hugely addictive motor sport game that is ideal for Students to while away the long nights.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Spring 2012
- Platform: 360 version(s)

Conduit 2
Buy:
UK US
2011 Summer Conduit 2: A rare hard-core shooting game on the Wii, that looks every bit as good as Halo. Although enemy AI aren't quite a match for 360/PS3 console experiences, Conduit 2 is a high water mark with excellent Wii-mote controls for student shooter fans.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Summer 2011
- Platform: Wii MotionPlus version(s)

Infinite Space
Buy:
UK US
2010 Summer Infinite Space: A genuinely in depth space exploration game for the DS. Perfect to play between lectures or longer evening sessions. The sheer amount of content stands this head and shoulders above other DS games.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Summer 2010
- Platform: DS version(s)

Grand Slam Tennis
Buy:
UK US
2009 Summer Grand Slam Tennis: A combination of cartoon tennis stars, real grand slam locations and the one-to-one tennis controls make this the perfect tennis game. With MotionPlus adding even more accuracy this is ideal for multiplayer fun in student halls.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Summer 2009
- Platform: Wii MotionPlus version(s)

MotorStorm: Pacific Rift
Buy:
UK US
2008 Winter MotorStorm: Pacific Rift: The biggest brashest off road racing game makes this high on most student lists. Add in the four player split screen mode that still manages to include nine computer controlled cars and you have an unequalled experience.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Winter 2008
- Platform: PS3 PSP version(s)

Halo 3
Buy:
UK US
2007 Winter Halo 3: Nothing recreates the moment of two players combat encounter like Halo. Halo 3 then fleshes this out into the full experience. Student friendly co-op or more open online play, Halo 3 has it all.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Winter 2007
- Platform: 360 version(s)
Games for Workers (18 and over)
The best games for those with full time jobs, workers, 9-to-5-ers, employed hard-core gamers 18 years and over. These games provide more of a challenge in both dexterity and problem solving. They are often more about strong single player experiences that hard working hard core gamers. Although these are often longer experiences that are also ideal to switch off and chill out after a long day at the office.

Halo 4
Buy:
UK US
2012 Winter Halo 4: Halo is back and in fine shape. A combination of a great new trilogy story line and the multiplayer make this ideal fun after a day at the office.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Winter 2012
- Platform: 360 version(s)

Skyrim
Buy:
UK US
2011 Autumn Skyrim: It's the size and scale of this adventure that makes it a great fit for workers. A large amount of disposable playtime spent here delivers an experience that not only lets you progress your own way but also presents endless reasons to keep playing.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Autumn 2011
- Platform: 360 PS3 PC version(s)

Halo Reach
Buy:
UK US
2010 Autumn Halo Reach: A triumphant final chapter, with so much content and variety it has something for everyone. This definitive Halo experience will keep weekends and workday evenings full of competitive fun.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Autumn 2010
- Platform: 360 version(s)

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Buy:
UK US
2009 Winter Uncharted 2: Among Thieves: Many missed the excellent first game, but Naughty Dog come back with a truly worthy sequel. A combination of highly tuned controls, compelling characters and great gunplay make this a ride worth seeing to the end - and back again.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Winter 2009
- Platform: PS3 version(s)

Far Cry 2
Buy:
UK US
2008 Autumn Far Cry 2: The sense of place generated by the acting, scenery and action make this a memorable experience. The game soon opens out into a goliath of a masterpiece lasting a good 40 hours.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Autumn 2008
- Platform: 360 PS3 PC version(s)

Advance Wars Days of Ruin
Buy:
UK US
2007 Summer Advance Wars Days of Ruin: A pixel perfect turn based strategy game with a perfect balance of restraint and flexibility. Like chess on steroids this is a great way to soak up those travelling hours on the train or bus.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Summer 2007
- Platform: DS version(s)

Legend of Zelda Twighlight Princess
Buy:
UK US
2006 Legend of Zelda Twighlight Princess: It is the scale of Zelda that makes it so enjoyable to play. Twighlight Princess introduces a magical world, already familiar to players of the previous games, in which to play. You progress through a series of dungeons with a new weapon or gadget near the entrance that leads to a variety of puzzles. The adventuring spirit it captures and the sheer amount of time and effort to complete it make this ideal for student gamers.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Game of the Year
- Date: 2006
- Platform: Wii version(s)
Games for Parents
The best games for parents, mums, dads, carers, aunties and uncles. These games connect with the gamer on a more mature level. Story driven and often open ended, the experiences here provide space to play with complex issues and engage in moral dilemmas. Either that or to escape the grind of the work/home balance.

The Walking Dead
Buy:
UK US
2012 Autumn The Walking Dead: While both comic and TV series skip over the beginning of the zombie outbreak, the game starts right at the beginning. It brings puzzling, action and developing character relationships together in a wonderful way, culminating in a frenetic sequence where Lee has to make a very big call very, very quickly. It's smart, exciting, and really pays off all the investment put into the characters earlier in the game.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Autumn 2012
- Platform: 360 version(s)

Uncharted 3 Drakes Deception
Buy:
UK US
2011 Winter Uncharted 3 Drakes Deception: Something a little more thought provoking that other shooting games. Parents will enjoy be reunited with favourite characters as this next chapter slowly plays out.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Winter 2011
- Platform: PS3 version(s)

Red Dead Redemption
Buy:
UK US
2010 Winter Red Dead Redemption: Red Dead Redemption wants to be about shocks and controversy, but underneath there's a story we can all relate to - a father wanting the best for his family at any price.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Winter 2010
- Platform: 360 PS3 PC version(s)

Assassin'S Creed 2
Buy:
UK US
2009 Winter Assassin'S Creed 2: A return to the free-running assassination of the original proves to be exciting and fresh. Enough has been reworked to make this a great game in it's own right. Intrigue and ethics combine with the nuanced fighting and climbing to create a compelling experience.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Winter 2009
- Platform: PS3 360 PC version(s)

Mirror's Edge
Buy:
UK US
2008 Winter Mirror's Edge: This game takes a familiar platforming genre and introduces a first person perspective. What results is a brilliant and unique experience that is as much about how we interact with our environment as it is about shooting the bad guys.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Game of the Year
- Date: Winter 2008
- Platform: PS3 360 PC version(s)

Endless Ocean
Buy:
UK US
2007 Spring Endless Ocean: The slower pace of simple diving exploration belies an expansive and enthralling world to discover. Intrigue and mystery develop alongside stomach tingling underwater vistas and impressive sea bound fish and mammals.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Game of the Year
- Date: Spring 2007
- Platform: Wii version(s)

Ico
Buy:
UK US
2005 Ico: An enchanting puzzle game with a grown up theme -- lost children in dangerous spaces. The gameplay is a cross between platforming and puzzling, but is it the experience of controlling two lost children as they lead each other to safety that makes this such a compelling play for parents. (Later released on the PlayStation 3 in HD).
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Game of the Year
- Date: 2005
- Platform: PS2 PS3 version(s)

Legend of Zelda The Four Swords
Buy:
UK US
2004 Legend of Zelda The Four Swords: Not only is this a simple way to start playing Zelda adventure games, but by connecting four GBA consoles and using them to control the multiplayer this creates some of the most unique family gameplay we've seen.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Game of the Year
- Date: 2004
- Platform: Gamecube GBA version(s)
Games for Grandparents
The best games for grandparents, older, senior, grown-up, mature, retired and wiser people. These games provide a slightly slower, although no less challenging experience. Time and consideration are of the essence as our most senior gamers enjoy interacting with other players and perfecting their approach.

Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask
Buy:
UK US
2012 Winter Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask: Although some will complain that this could have been on the DS, its visual improvements and larger story arc actually make this a more engaging game for grandparent players.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Winter 2012
- Platform: 3DS version(s)

Leedmees
Buy:
UK US
2011 Autumn Leedmees: While other exercise games get players moving with heavy handed incentives, Leedmees gets you stretching, reaching and bending with its simple and addictive gameplay. Use your body to move the little Mee men to the exit. Superb Entertaining and aerobic gameplay for senior gamers.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Autumn 2011
- Platform: 360 Kinect version(s)

Starship Patrol
Buy:
UK US
2010 Spring Starship Patrol: The steady tutorial and progression on the tower defence game makes it a great introduction for this kind of strategy for senior players. The simple visuals and Star Wars theme also look great on the new DSi XL.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Spring 2010
- Platform: DS version(s)

Flower
Buy:
UK US
2009 Spring Flower: The marvelous premise of controlling a game just by tilting sets the laid back tone for Flower. What's more of a surprise is how ephemeral and spine tingling it is to float on the wind through gorgeous landscapes, and on through the game's pictorially told story.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Spring 2009
- Platform: PS3 PSN version(s)

Picross
Buy:
UK US
2008 Autumn Picross: This perfectly pitched puzzle game combines mathematics and crossword mechanics to create something as beguiling as it is addictive. Once players have mastered the single player puzzles they can go head-to-head online for a real nail biting show down.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Autumn 2008
- Platform: DS version(s)

GRiD
Buy:
UK US
2007 Winter GRiD: The shear breadth of coverage here never fails to impress. From upstart Formula 3000 cars, through touring models to the top end Formula 1, GRID takes the player on a tour de force of racing. The range of events and tracks equals the choice of motors. Adding in real time day/night cycles to 24 hours events creates a real sense of occasion to longer races.
Family Gamer Award Details
- Award: Age Group Winner
- Date: Winter 2007
- Platform: 360 PS3 version(s)

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