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[Robotacon]

I just played Castle Crashers with my 2 1/2 year old and while she didn't want to stop playing and though it's one of the easiest games to play out there she had some trouble with the xbox360-controller. what she needed (at her age) would be a controller with just one or two buttons.

now... wouldn't that be really awesome if you could play games with asymmetric controls so that my 2 1/2 year old gets the support she needs while I at 35 still can play without handicap.

One idea would be that I somehow can help her. Like that her character follows mine or that she always looks at me or in the same direction. Another idea is to give her help by an AI-player but I'm afraid that it the character moves too much she won't feel like she has the control of it.

Any ideas?

[jotapeh]

now... wouldn't that be really awesome if you could play games with asymmetric controls so that my 2 1/2 year old gets the support she needs while I at 35 still can play without handicap.

I think the Wii was more or less a step in this direction, with several games able to be played with only one or two buttons, and the option to play with more complex button setups (eg., SSBB.) It also has an automatic or manual handicap setup.

That said, every system can be improved, I'm just not sure how ... but it seems like Nintendo definitely took some of what you are saying into consideration.

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

history re-invents nes controller, which had two buttons; next step is the atari 2600's one-button scheme

anyway, if you're looking for two-player games which only use two buttons but still have some depth to it, you could try gunstar heroes (it's also on the xbla).

[falsion]

How about Sonic 2? It seems to meet the description. You could play as Sonic and she could play as Tails.

Even if she doesn't follow along, the game will make sure Tails appears on screen at your current location if you move too far away.

[SirNiko]

http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=9408.0

There was another thread in the Design section regarding asymmetric game design with the specific intent of helping non-gamers and children participate. Some good ideas for game design were there.

This is definitely something worth exploring. Maybe even it'd make for a good compo.

-SirNiko

[JParkWildPockets]

Yeah, a great Wii game that's very simple is Defend Your Castle.  All she has to do is pick up the stick figures running at her castle with her Wiimote, and then throw them.  I'm sure she'd have a blast.

From what you're saying, I don't think there's really much you can do with Castle Crashers.  But I honestly haven't played the game too much, only now and then with my friend, so don't take my word for it.