Family Game Room
The Family Game Room is a room concept created by Tom Legare and his kids Justin and Kevin, that one night out of every week loved to spend time together as a family to play video games. Find games that are appropriate for all ages, from Atari consoles to Nintendo's Wiis. Sit down with your own kids or siblings and play some of best family games that they have ever enjoyed playing together!
Here is a partial list of games and systems expected at the Family Game Room this year:
Atari 2600
In 1981 Atari released a faithful translation of Warlords for its Atari 2600 game console. The port was notable for using the same rotary controllers that were used in the arcade version and quickly became a hit amongst families and friends. Challenge up to three siblings or friends at the Family Game Room in this four-player Atari classic!
Nintendo 64
The Nintendo 64 was a great source for family games, and the Family Game Room will feature three of the better multiplayer games on the system from a variety of genres.
First, buckle up for one of the wildest rides on the Nintendo 64 with the four-player Cruis’n World! Put your reflexes to the test racing across several exotic locations around the world and even on the moon itself! Cruis’n World was designed by arcade legend and Raw Thrills founder Eugene Jarvis.
Second, tennis games may be hit or miss, but Mario Tennis is still regarded by many as one of the best tennis games ever created! Play with as many as three other friends or siblings in this fantastic four-player tennis game featuring Mario and all of his friends!
Finally, for parents that like to play first person shooters with their kids but want to avoid all of the blood and guts found in modern action games, the four-player Nintendo 64 classic GoldenEye returns to the Family Game Room in 2011!
Nintendo Entertainment System
In 2004, Billy Mitchell set the public world record for Donkey Kong at the Midwest Gaming Classic. That record stood for years until Steve Wiebe set his own public world record. Show off you own Donkey Kong skills to your kids in Donkey Kong Classics for the NES, or who knows, maybe you will find out that your own child has what it takes to be the future king of kong!
Finally, play co-op with the brothers Mario & Luigi in one of their first video game roles, Mario Bros. for the NES!
Wii
You asked for it and we couldn’t agree with you more! 2011 is the first year the Family Game Room will feature a Wii, and on top of that, we invite you to play one of the greatest Wii games of all time with us, Super Smash Bros. Brawl! Finally kids and parents can put to rest just who exactly would win a fight between Mario and Sonic as they join a cast of over 33 family favorites in this four-player game of king of the hill.
Dreamcast
It may have spun off a popular kid’s television show and a number of toys, but ironically many kids have never had the chance to play the fantastic Power Stone. In 2011, the Family Game Room will seek to change that by showcasing this excellent two-player battle royale!
After that, check out some of the greatest Atari arcade games of all time with the Atari Anniversary Edition, featuring games like Asteroids, Battlezone, Centipede, Missile Command, Pong, Super Breakout, Tempest and more.
PlayStation
Not content with simple emulation for its own arcade classics, Namco rebuilt more than 30 of its classic arcade games from the ground up on the PlayStation across six different volumes. The Family Game Room will feature one of the best of these volumes, Namco Museum Vol. 3 on the PlayStation system, featuring several arcade classics like Ms. Pac-Man, Dig Dug, Galaxian, and Pole Position 2!
Xbox
Play more than 20 Bally/Midway/Williams arcade classics with your family or friends in Midway Arcade Treasures Vol. 1, featuring games like four-player Gauntlet, Spy Hunter, Defender, Joust, Paperboy, 3-player Rampart, Marble Madness, Robotron 2084, and both 3-player Rampage and 3-player Super Sprint.
Super Nintendo
Few thought that Konami could top themselves after their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game, but Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time did just that when it was released on the Super NES! Play co-op with a friend or sibling as Turtles Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo fight Shredder’s army across time and space!
Next, everyone’s favorite pink powder puff is back on the Super NES with arguably one of the best Kirby Games ever released on home consoles, Kirby Super Star! Play co-op or challenge your kids to one of several great Kirby mini-games!
PlayStation 2
For the first time ever, the Family Game Room will also feature two PlayStation 2 systems with some of the best family games available!
First off, you may have seen it in a kid-friendly movie theater or in a mall, but did you know you could also bring the outstanding light gun game Time Crisis 3 home? Play co-op with your son or daughter in an effort to save no less than the entire world!
Next, try out more than 25 classic Sega Genesis games all one one disc! The Sega Genesis Collection for the PlayStation 2 features a great collection of family games like Sonic 1 & 2, Columns, Ecco the Dolphin, Golden Axe, and Vectorman!
Genesis
Gunstar Heroes remains today one of the most technologically advanced and enjoyable two-player action games ever released for the Sega Genesis, and it will be available to play this year in the Family Game Room!
GameCube
Soul Calibur 2 is an exciting one-on-one fighting game that features a diverse cast trying to bring an end to the corrupt Soul Edge blade and the one who controls it. The GameCube version is also notable for featuring Nintendo’s famous mascot Link from The Legend of Zelda games.
Next up, the popular four-player Mario Kart: Double Dash racing game makes another appearance in the Family Game Room! Do your best to race through a literal obstacle course of challenges, but watch out, the course isn’t your only challenge as a well-placed turtle shell from your friend or sibling can quickly send you to the back of the pack!
The Family Game Room games and systems are subject to change and are made possible by Tom Legare and his family. Keep an eye pealed on the Midwest Gaming Classic website for any further updates or new details!