Tip #2 - Use Cheats and Guides

The second tip that can boost your mutual enjoyment from video games is the usage of cheats or game guides.

It is almost impossible to finish every game without some external help. Even if you are a veteran of many games, you are going to get stuck, somewhere in any game, and it will happen more frequently if you are a new comer to this world. You and your kids will find you wandering around a room for almost an hour, with no exit in sight. You will fight a boss, twenty times in a row, and it will not show any sign of weakness. Before you throw the game out of the window, cursing its creators, swearing that you are not going to play it or any other game ever again, you should know that help is near.

The two most popular help methods are guides and cheats.

What are Game Guides?

Guides are solutions that lead your step by step along the game, directing you what, how, where and when to do. They are also called: FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), Walkthru (Walk-Through) or Solutions. You never need the whole guide, since most of the games you will be able to do on your own. You need it only when you are really stuck, when you want to find some secrets that are not necessary part of the game or just easier ways to solve various problems, or when you want to fully master the game.

Remember that good games are not played just once. You can play them again and again, just like reading a good book again or viewing a movie more than once. Unlike a book or a movie, the second time can be completely different, as most good games are not linear. Much like a book or a movie, when you read an analysis of the book, you will see it in a different light, and you will enjoy it more on the second time.

A good guide can help you finish the game the first time you play it, saving you from being stuck. But a good guide can also help you get the most of the game on the second (and third...) time you play it. The guide is also an excellent opportunity for you to be a the educating parent. You can read the guide, while your kid is playing the game. This is a great way for you to cooperate in the game.
You can also let the kid read the specific parts that can help get over the level that he is playing. You will be surprised to see the eagerness of their reading, when it is come to games.
Some of the guides are written by or with the help of the game developers, or by professional writers. These guides are usually better written in terms of language, but not necessarily in terms of game help. These guides are also more expensive as they are printed and official. I remember some of such guides that I enjoyed as much as the game, especially guides for RPG (Role Playing Games), such as Final Fantasy or Oblivion.

Most of the free guides are usually created with the help of many people around the world, that each one is contributing small tips to fill in the missing parts of the game picture. Many times people, who are playing the game, find ways to solve it that isn’t in the original design of the game. These guides are written by gamers and their language is not always perfect and their explanations are not always clear. These still have a lot of information that you can use to increase your enjoyment of the games. A good source of free game guides is Gamefaqs.

What are Game Cheats?

Cheats on the other hand are used to change the game and make it easier. Cheats are also known as Codes or Passwords. They are usually limited to a specific aspect of the game (invincibility, extra power, life or money, more items or weapons etc.) or to a specific location in the game (hidden door or item).

The cheats are usually found and used after you already finished the game for the first time. They are adding variation to the game play and therefore adding to the fun of the game. Here is a list of the top cheat sites.

Your role as a parent is also crucial in the usage of cheats. You don't want your kids to cheat in school or in other real life environment. So why would you want to let them cheat in the games. First reason is that this is exactly what games is all about. Let the player play with things that otherwise he can't or not allowed to do. It is important that you as a parent understand that (it can help you tolerate some of the features of some games), but more important it is crucial that your kid understands it. Your job is to let him the freedom to play, imagine and experience while at the same time explain what should be applied to the real world, and what not.

These cheats are also crucial if you have younger kids. If you want them to start playing young or if they see their older siblings playing, you need to make it possible for them to do it. Adding invincibility (in action games) or endless money (in strategy games), makes it possible for them to play "like the big kids".

These cheats are easily found with simple Google search with "cheats" and the name of the game. Note that sometimes different consoles have different cheats and you will have to add the name of the machine (PS2, N64, XBox...) to the search.