Short answer from Ben, the Family IT Guy
I start by asking how the company behind the game makes money. I prefer to buy a game outright, without ads or pressure to keep buying things inside it. That gives the company less reason to keep trying to get more time or money from my child.
I'd also avoid games where strangers can contact my child. I'd choose the games and settings myself, keep play where I can see what's happening, and explain those choices to my child.
How does the game make money?
I prefer to pay for a game with money. If a game costs nothing to start playing, I'd ask what pays for it: advertising, purchases inside the game or something else. Ads give the company a reason to want more of my child's time and attention. Selling extras gives it a reason to keep encouraging purchases.
Paying upfront doesn't remove that incentive if the game keeps offering things to buy. I'd look at what happens after the first purchase too. Can my child enjoy the game we've bought, or does it keep trying to sell them more?
Buying a game also doesn't settle its content or communication settings. Those need their own checks.
What does your child want to do?
Games can offer fun, creativity and time with friends. I'd ask which game my child wants and what they want to do in it. If they're asking to play with classmates, a different game won't automatically give them the same time with those friends.
I'd look at how they'd actually play: on which device, by themselves, with someone beside them or with people online. A game can have different features in each of those arrangements. Its name or age rating doesn't answer all the questions below.
What else would I check?
- What can my child see or play? I'd look at the content they can reach, including things made or shared by other players. I'd want to be able to keep it within the boundaries our family has chosen.
- Who can interact with them? I'd check messages, voice chat, invitations and trades. If strangers can reach my child and I can't reliably prevent that, I wouldn't recommend the game for children.
- What happens when they stop? I'd look for rewards that disappear, lost streaks or other penalties for leaving. Enjoying a game and wanting another turn is different from a game pressuring someone to come back.
- How does it encourage spending? I'd look for rushed offers, purchases with a random reward and pressure to buy what other players have. Blocking payment can prevent a purchase while leaving that pressure in the game.
- What information does it ask for, and who can change the settings? I'd consider whether playing requires information that identifies my child, such as their real name. I'd also check that the settings for content, communication and purchases stay under a parent's control.
I'd choose a game and setup whose limits I can maintain. I'd still want to see what my child is actually playing; supervision helps me notice what happens beyond the settings I've chosen.
How I'd think about Minecraft and Roblox
Minecraft lets players build and explore worlds. I'd consider it with a deliberate setup, such as playing alone without an internet connection. For playing with friends, I'd consider a private online world where we control who is invited. That still takes a parent choosing the version, device, settings and players. My Minecraft guide explains the options.
Roblox is a service with many games made by different creators. I'd skip it because I don't trust the company's approach to child safety. My objection goes beyond its chat settings: I don't want to support the company behind it. Even people who play for free contribute to the audience that makes the service attractive to paying players. I'd look for another way to offer the activity my child wants. My Roblox article explains why I don't recommend it.
What I'd teach my child while they play
I'd talk about why we've chosen a particular game and setup. We could look together at an offer to buy something or an invitation from another player, and talk about what it asks them to do. That helps them recognize the same things in the next game they ask about.
I'd help my child practice ending a session at the time we've agreed on. I'd also want them to know they can tell me if someone asks them for something, pressures them or makes them uncomfortable.
I'd keep play where I can see it. In our family, my son plays games we've selected on a TV in my office, where I can see what's happening while I work. Choosing the games and knowing what's happening in them are both part of my approach.
Being able to explain a problem doesn't remove it. Those conversations help a child learn; they aren't a test that makes an unsuitable game suitable.
Choosing a device for games
If you're choosing a device for games, I'd look at Nintendo first. It isn't an advertising company. I'd still consider each game and its purchases, online features and communication. Games from other companies are available on Nintendo devices too.
An older handheld can also be an option. We found our son a Nintendo DS on Facebook Marketplace. I'd choose the games and how the device is used, rather than assuming a newer or more expensive console is necessary.