Lists - Ten Gen Alpha Classics

Games that Generation Alpha is Growing Up With

Playing games like Donkey Kong Bananza and New Super Mario Bros. Wonder has made me realize that these are games that are going to stand the test of time and have a legacy based on kids playing them. We focus so much on the more mature gaming audience that we forget a lot of the legacy games started with the family-friendly titles kids tend to play. This is one of the reasons Nintendo games always get a legacy despite some in the community that see them more as B-tier games or have issues with other aspects of the company. So, I decided to put down games that I think today’s kids and teens are going to look back on fondly the way people in my generation look back on Super Mario 64 or Crash Bandicoot.

Now, I want to point out that many games that are more “mature” will have a major legacy during these years, but won’t be on the list, as I’m focusing on more kid-friendly games. Obviously kids and teenagers can get access some way to more violent games (God knows I did back in the day), but think of it as the animated movies that will age best. I’m also focusing specifically on generation alpha as they are getting older and older, and the official start to that generation is 2010, so that’s fifteen years to work off. Lastly, this is just for fun. If a game was missed or you disagree with one on the list, that’s okay. You can always comment on my social media or below any other games you believe will be here. I’ve challenged myself to do ten games, so I’m aware I’ll miss a few.

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Special Mentions and Notes

While the focus will be on family-friendly games, I do want to give a shout-out to games since 2010 that are on the more “mature” side that will be talked about by Generation Alpha as they get older, mostly due to being around when they were growing up. The first obvious one, in my opinion, is Elden Ring, a game that I think will be played and replayed for years to come and will be discovered by Gen Alpha as they explore these games. There are, of course, exclusive titles from Nintendo that are still family-friendly but barely missed the list, such as Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Luigi’s Mansion 3, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Other titles in this period that will be seen as classics are God of War, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Destiny, The Witcher III, Baldur’s Gate 3, Dark Souls, Bloodborne, The Last of Us, Mass Effect 2, and more.

Fortnite

The number one Gen Alpha is going to remember from their childhoods will be, for better or worse, Fortnite. Look, I’m not the biggest fan of the game, but I acknowledge how addicting and fun it can be for those that have the time, and it’s been all the rage for years with the younger generation. Add in the countless past collaborations and the many more to come, and you have a game that is so popular it’s led to companies looking to have their own live service success. Gurantee you that Fortnite sessions will be brought up with nostalgic glee when Gen Alpha is in their thirties, the same way I have nostalgia for the hours long sessions playing 007 Goldeneye on the N64 with my friends.

Roblox

I have a more negative view of Roblox than I do Fortnite, but I can’t deny that there are a lot of kids growing up playing the game. If anything, I feel it’s getting more and more popular every year that passes. I get the appeal, it's like a digital Lego box, and the variety is insane. Of course, there are the issues around child safety that the company seems to suck at dealing with, and that’s an issue as a parent, but it hasn’t stopped its success. I do wonder if the game won’t feel as nostalgic in the future for a lot of these kids, as they play much better games, but I’m thinking it’s going to be still a classic they look back on in their adult years, just for the hundred of hours they spent on it.

Minecraft

This one seems to be unstoppable and is probably going to continue to be a childhood memory for future generations. I do think a lot of older gamers don’t really understand just how huge Minecraft is. It’s not just a game, it’s a mega franchise on par with Disney and Pokémon. The merchandise numbers have got to be ridiculous, and at my daughter’s Elementary School, I see multiple kids with Minecraft backpacks. That’s why, despite its less than stellar reviews, I wasn’t surprised by the success of the movie. The way my generation remembers the Poke-Mania of the 1999 and early 2000s is most likely the feeling Gen Alpha will have when it comes to Minecraft. It’s more than a game.

Super Mario Odyssey

Call it recency bias, but I consider Super Mario Odyssey my personal favorite Mario game of all time. That’s pretty crazy considering I played and loved the countless masterpiece entries of the past, but I just found myself loving my experience with this one. I felt like I was in this giant sandbox filled with imagination and ideas, all with gaming’s most popular character. The final act of the game alone has become one of my personal favorite gaming moments. So if I, a long-time Nintendo player who recently hit 36, feel that way, how do you think the kids who grew up with it do? This is a game that is on par with memory-making, comparable to Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy in their respective generations. Add in how long it's been since we got a new mainline 3D Mario game, and it’s only adding more time to be played by more kids who are going to grow up with memories of it. For Generation Alpha, when it comes to Mario, this is their Super Mario Bros. 3 moment.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Another Nintendo game that I bet Gen Alpha played for hours and hours is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. While I don’t love Mario Kart to the level that most do, I still call it the most accessible video game series you could play, as even non-gamers can pick up and play it. I grew up on Mario Kart 64, so I know these kids were racing their way through this one on non-school days. Considering the massive units sold for this entry, this is most likely one of the most played games by Gen Alpha on this list.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Notice a pattern? It’s safe to say the Switch is going to be the most likely “childhood console” of Gen Alpha. Nothing symbolizes the Switch more than its must-play launch title, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Like Mario, Zelda games tend to have a game remembered by a generation and this entry is the one for Gen Alpha. To declare how important this game is, there’s the fact it’s starting to be brought up in greatest video game of all time debates, even surpassing the long time beloved Zelda title Ocarina of Time, which I like to label the “Citizen Kane” of video games as most publications and gaming historians tend to pick it for the number one spot. The game’s exploration mechanics set the stage for the rise of the open world game that has become increasingly popular in gaming. I have deep nostalgia for Ocarina of Time, right down to the little musical cues, and I expect this younger generation to feel that exact way when they think about Breath of the Wild. It’s hours of exploration and first time Zelda experiences for lots of kids.

Among Us

I have very little knowledge of this game, and I am aware that many adults love this game as well. That being said, it’s taken me aback just how popular this game is with the younger generation. I have a nephew who is OBSESSED with the game and its characters. My daughter, who isn’t playing video games just yet, knows about it and mentions it a lot. It’s safe to say that the kids will remember this one.

Balatro

I’ve been on record that I believe Balatro will end up with a legacy close to Tetris. It won’t be to the level of Tetris, but I do think it will come close as the years pass on. This game is probably being played by a lot of Gen Z and Millennials more so than Gen Alpha, but I can see Gen Alpha teens getting into this one as they get older. Balatro is very addicting, even someone like me that doesn’t like roguelikes and card games can find myself spending countless hours playing it. I think when the dust settles as we look back ten to twenty years ahead, Gen Alpha will see this as the Tetris of their time.

Astro Bot

While the Nintendo Switch will be the "childhood console" of the majority of Gen Alpha, I do think many of these kids will have parents who own a PS5 and most likely have access to Astro Bot. I know, I know, Astro Bot doesn't exactly have the most massive sales numbers, but I do think any kid who has had the good fortune to play this is going to remember it for a long time to come. The imagination and level of fun in this game are second to none, and it's nice to get a platformer that isn't from Nintendo and changes things up. Considering this won Game of the Year at many awards, it's got a leg up on legacy, but I do think many memories will be what keeps the legacy growing.

Donkey Kong Bananza

I'm close to finishing up Donkey Kong Bananza and there's a reason it inspired me to do this list. I realized as I played it that it was going to be a big part of a young gamer's memories. This game is super fun and gets close to hitting the high points that Super Mario Odyssey and Astro Bot had. It's cool to see when you remember that Donkey Kong's status has been living in a similar plane of existence to Sonic, who has a really popular character but not enough games (or, in Sonic's case, good games) to push the character beyond nostalgia. This game feels like what Donkey Kong 64 should've been, and I think many kids who are lucky to have access to a Switch 2 early on are forming memories similar to how kids back in 2017 did with Super Mario Odyssey. It's well-deserved for the big ape.

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