Any ideas on fun old games for a special needs school?

Energize · 10 Jan 2007 at 15:59

Pretty much any game made by bullfrog is a classic.

Ie Dungeon Keeper 1&2, theme hospital, theme park etc...

And theres roller coster tycoon 1&2 which is the best theme park game imo.

Roller coaster tycoon 1 was actually written in assembly language by 1 man!

Chads · 10 Jan 2007 at 16:16

How about the old Broken Sword series. Really fun games along the same line as Monkey Island. They are great for working together aswell, since a number of students can sit around the computer and help solve their way through the adventure.

Pottsey · 11 Jan 2007 at 12:17

I hope some of those where jokes. Do you have any idea who much trouble one could get into installed a game like GTA onto a school PC! As for the violence well it’s a special need school with children with behavioural problems.

As for Fear I would love that as much as the kids but the PC’s are not good enough. No T&L cards and no one would let me installed it even if it worked.

“ think of the violence for children! ”
Worms is great I have it for the Dreamcasts for break times. Violence is a tricky thing. Its not violence its self that we have problems with it’s the games that get kids worked up/excited. Its just those games tend to have violence in. When our kids get lively they really do get lively and sometimes dangerous. Worms is fine but stick Need For Speed most Wanted/Carbon on and you can guarantee a fight will break out unless a staff member watches them like a hawk. Same for FPS style games. Theme park works as its fun but doesnt get you worked up/excited.

Anyway thanks for the help, making up a list now. Lots of games I never thought off in here.

Macabre · 11 Jan 2007 at 13:54

^lol....

Seriously I know m8's lil brothers who are 7 - 10 and they play GTA, at the end of the day its entertainment. If they are going to go on a killing spree irl they are already nuts anyway.

Jimmi · 11 Jan 2007 at 14:06

I used to enjoy the old "Pod can..." game

so you type RUN and he runs accross the screen

although it was more entertaining adding a word he couldnt do ..

"Pod doesnt not know how to [Language!]"

hours of fun

eracer2006 · 11 Jan 2007 at 14:36

tekken 3

geeza · 11 Jan 2007 at 14:42

windows pinball?

mcwildcard · 11 Jan 2007 at 15:23

Shoseki said:
Imogen

http://imogen.ovine.net/

Absolutely seconded, excellent game (the above link is a freeware version of the Acorn/BBC original, so it won't even cost you anything!) and best of all it teaches problem solving skills.

Suggestions of my own would be (some would require a playstation emulator):
Tempest 2000
Kula World
Kurushi
Abe's Oddysey + Exodus
Laser Squad
Pang
Rainbow Islands
New Zealand Story
Treasure Island Dizzy

Pottsey · 11 Jan 2007 at 15:31

“^lol....
Seriously I know m8's lil brothers who are 7 - 10 and they play GTA, at the end of the day its entertainment. If they are going to go on a killing spree irl they are already nuts anyway.“
Perhaps you missed the bit where I said it’s a special needs school. Its often said all of the kids and most of the staff are nuts

More Seriously the reason GTA is banned is more they all fight, kick and throw tables at each other to get on it. Many of them play GTA at home its in school when they all fight over it that problems start.

WHAT!!! · 11 Jan 2007 at 15:52

What about monopoly or similar board games on the PC, it would allow for more than 1 person per PC but then that could cause abit of fuss, just a thought i guess

OspreyO · 12 Jan 2007 at 13:56

Poker?

Interesting idea for a thread though. I've been wondering what games to get my toddler, hes violent enough as it is?

TriedandTested · 12 Jan 2007 at 18:01

Was at the BETT Show in London yesterday and happened across a company selling what looked like a modified version of Neverwinter Nights where the users plays the game and learns at the same time.

http://www.alteredlearning.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5&Itemid=6

I picked up a DVD but haven't looked at it yet...looked quite good.

I also work at a special school

Solari · 12 Jan 2007 at 18:15

Tried&Tested said:
Was at the BETT Show in London yesterday and happened across a company selling what looked like a modified version of Neverwinter Nights where the users plays the game and learns at the same time.

http://www.alteredlearning.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5&Itemid=6

I picked up a DVD but haven't looked at it yet...looked quite good.

I also work at a special school

I used to run and do the coding/building for a NWN server and I can easily see how NWN could be used for learning (I created a lot of puzzles for my mod)

Didn't ever think of it being used in that sense. Clever!

KizZ · 15 Jan 2007 at 23:18

StarCraft Broodwar. Hours of endless fun.

It's dirt cheap now and any computer will run it.

spacegrass · 16 Jan 2007 at 13:11

"N", 2d platformer with great physics

http://www.harveycartel.org/metanet/n.html

neocon · 16 Jan 2007 at 13:15

Let them have some fun

Gears of War

Rich · 16 Jan 2007 at 14:43

Counter strike imo.

Deiwos · 16 Jan 2007 at 15:12

Civ 1-4? You can set it to 'peace time' so no fighting breaks out in the game

silversurfer · 17 Jan 2007 at 00:45

You didnt say what level of special needs :confused:

but this game starts off quite simple and is educational.

http://www.bridgebuilder-game.com/

Obviously it does get a bit more complicated!

Its shareware and the basic game is tiny in filesize, I recommend it in general anyway