Cole Palmby can be as ruthless as Darth Vader when playing the video game
Star Wars Battlefront II — even when his opponent is his dad. Especially when
his opponent is his dad. ‘‘I win nine out of 10 times," said Cole, 9,
during an evening gaming session with his 42-year-old father, Tony. ‘‘I
used to try to lose so they didn’t feel bad," said the elder Palmby, who
also plays video games with son Russ, 8, the undisputed Super Smash Bros.
champion of the Lewis Center household. ‘‘Now I try to win, and they don’t
care if I feel bad," he said with a laugh. It’s not just about winning.
The Palmbys are among a growing number of families that count game time as
quality time, playing together as many as three times a week — the house
limit.
A national survey released by the Entertainment Software Association in
January found that 35 percent of parents play computer and video games. Of that
number, 80 percent play with their children.
Two-thirds said the time spent battling aliens, racing cars or solving
puzzles has brought their families closer.
The numbers come as no surprise to John Davison, editorial director of the 1
UP Network, which includes trade publications Computer Gaming World, Electronic
Gaming Monthly and PlayStation Magazine.
‘‘Video games are a 30-year-old pastime now," Davison said. ‘‘When
you’re educated in the culture of games, you want your kids to be exposed to
it, but you also want them to be exposed to the right games."
Andrew Bub, founder of Gamerdad.com, agreed that parents should learn the
games their children play.
"Whether they’re good or bad, they’re here," said Bub, whose
site is geared toward parents who play video games with their children.
"The adult market is actually driving the industry, so games aren’t
going to get any less violent. Parents need to know about it. The more they
know, the less scared they’ll be."
Michelle Eadie of Westerville said monitoring the games that her daughter
Savannah, 10, and son Liam, 5, play is just one reason she reaches for the
controller.
Her other reason: It’s fun.
"If they get stuck, I’ll take the controller and try to help them
through it, but sometimes I get hooked," said Eadie, 35, who prefers
family-friendly titles such as Shrek and Harry Potter and the Chamber of
Secrets.
"The kids are like ‘Give it back,’ and I’m like ‘Just let me
see if I can do it.’ "
Paul Giacobbe once played now-retro classics such as Pac-Man, Space Invaders
and Tecmo Bowl. Today, the Dublin resident plays Madden NFL 2006, Ratchet &
Clank and Gran Turismo III with his 12-year-old daughter, Olivia.
"Madden is the big one," said Giacobbe, 44. "Some parents
look at video games as a good baby sitter, but I think it’s something we can
share. It’s a good bonding thing."
Olivia said she enjoys facing her dad on the virtual gridiron, especially
because her team of choice, the Pittsburgh Steelers, often comes out on top.
Dad is a Cleveland Browns fan.
"I have a big percentage of wins, but Dad’s getting better,"
Olivia said. "I had to show him how to sprint and tackle."
That kind of give-and-take is crucial to a positive gaming experience, said
Dr. Douglas Gentile, director of research at the National Institute on Media
and the Family in Minneapolis.
"In general, having the parent more involved with their kids’ media
habits tends to be a powerful protective factor," Gentile said. "But
parents need to also sit and talk with their kids about what they’re seeing
and hearing."
Tony Palmby, for example, won’t allow a game that contains red blood in
his house, although green blood is acceptable.
Not that the distinction matters to sons Cole and Russ. They don’t even
let their dad change out of his work suit before firing up the PlayStation 2.
"It’s really fun," Cole said. "Not only for the winning but
just having private time with my dad."
nchordas@dispatch.com
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