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Playstation games are entertaining and loved by most children. So, if you are looking for a gift for your gamer child, here’s our list of the best PS3 games for kids. PS3 includes simple, strategy-based, sing-along, and dance games. They are easy to understand and play with, and you can spend quality time playing with your children. Suitable for different ages, you can browse our list to find games that meet your child’s interests.
Top Picks
Best PS3 Games For Girls
There isn’t any specific list or type of “girly” games out there. These are just a few good PS3 games that most girl kids enjoy playing.
1. Best For Puzzle Solving: Little Big Planet 2
Little Big Planet 2 is a platform video game. This puzzle PS3 game for kids has numerous puzzles created from user-generated content. Watch this video to know more about the game
- Solve puzzles created by other users or create your own puzzles, racing games, and role-playing games as they go. You can create your own motion cut scenes to match your video game design while recording sound effects of your choice.
- Share your games and try the games created by other players around the world.
- The aim of the game is to control the sack-man characters in the game. You can even create little sack bots that follow the sack boy through the puzzles.
- There are over 50 levels that you can explore.
- Your child can let his or her imagination decide what they want to create and how they want to play.
- This is a multi-player game with a huge community that is closely monitored. Nevertheless, your kid could be exposed to different user-created scenarios that may or may not be appropriate for them, which is why this could require a bit of monitoring from your end.
Release date: January 2011
Rating: 9 on IGN
Genre: Sandbox, Platformer-puzzle
Suitable for: Ages 8 and up
Trivia2. Best For Skateboarding: Skate 3
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
This product is a hit with users, evidenced by the 1,188 fine reviews on Amazon.
skate 3 is the third part of the Skate series of sports video games. Skate 3 is a skateboarding simulation game that lets kids enjoy a realistic skateboarding experience in a safe environment. Before buying, have a look at this video for more details
- Skate 3 is easy to play ps3 game for your kid with a colorful and vibrant virtual environment.
- The game is based in Port Carverton, a city that encourages skateboarding. The players don the role of a young entrepreneur who has to build his skateboarding company with the help of his friends.
- The game enables you to practice your skating skills and tricks in the districts of Port Carverton, which has skater-friendly places like skating rinks, malls, plazas, and endless lines for skating.
- The sounds and the tricks of the game are as realistic as they can get.
- The game does not depict real consequences of reckless skateboarding on the city streets, which can be misleading for kids. Parental supervision is recommended to prevent that.
Release date: May 2010
Rating: 8 on IGN
Genre: Sports game
Suitable for: Ages 12 and up
Also available on: Xbox 360
3. Best Musical-Themed: SingStar
SingStar is a music and dance video game released exclusively for the Sony PlayStation console. You can either get a stand-alone version of this game or go for the Bundle, which gets you a pair of microphones. To make an informed decision before buying the game, you can check out this review video.
- To score points, players have to sing pop and rock ‘n’ roll songs from the game’s collection, in conjunction with the song’s music in the background.
- The song’s vocals fade once the system detects the user is singing.
- Players should sing at a pitch indicated by the gray line on the screen.
- The music PS3 game can be played by one person or two, in case it is a duet or competition.
- Players can record their performance for any duration they want and share it with their friends.
- You can download songs of your choice from the SingStore, which has a collection of over 200 songs. The songs database is updated with new songs with every version of the game.
Release date: 2008
Rating: 82% on Metacritic
Genre: Music and Dance
Suitable for: Ages 12+
Best PS3 Games For Boys
If it is a video game, your boy is likely to play it. But here are a few that he’ll love playing.
4. Best For Cooperative Play: Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One
Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One is based on the Ratchet & Clank Future Series. The co-op game can be played solo or with family.
- The player can don any one of the four roles – Ratchet, Clank, Dr. Nefarious, and Qwark. Each fantasy character has unique skills and special weapons that can be used in the intergalactic battle against an evil machine.
- The game is most enjoyable in the co-operative play mode, although you can go solo if you want. However, there have been criticisms about the AI in the solo mode.
- The graphics of this cooperative PS3 game are colorful, appealing, and not scary for kids in spite of the violence.
- Players can also team up with online community players in the co-op mode, which means your kids can interact with strangers (who can say inappropriate things).
- The game can be played by children aged 10 or more, but only under parental supervision.
Release date: October 2011
Rating: 8 on IGN
Genre: Platform game
Suitable for: Ages 10 and up
5. Best Action-Packed: Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure
One of the most popular games today, Skylanders, is an action-packed adventure game that gaming lovers swear by. The adventure game is easy to play with appropriate content for children, making it a good PS3 game for boys.
- The starter pack for PlayStation 3 has three figurines, a portal of power that brings the toys to life on screen and trading cards along with other accessories. You can buy more figurines as and when you would like them.
- Skylanders is a toys-to-life game which allows the players to use their imagination during role play.
- An action-adventure game, Spyro’s Adventure has some amount of violence and may not be appropriate for kids aged less than 6.
- The multiplayer PS3 game is highly engaging, as players are required to solve different problems to move up levels. The game also forces them to use their investigative and logical reasoning skills.
- Kids will learn about co-operative play with this game, where your boy and his friends can team up as Skylanders and work together to score points.
Release date: October 2011
Rating: 8 on IGN
Genre: Role-playing, Action adventure, toys-to-life
Suitable for: Ages 9 and up
Also available on: Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Microsoft Windows, OS X
Quick tip6. Best Engaging: Katamari Forever
Katamari Forever brings the best of the previous three titles in the Katamari series of video games. It is an action and puzzle game appropriate for kids of all ages.
- Katamari is a ball that the players have to use to collect junk around and solve problems.
- There are 34 levels in the kid’s video game, of which half the stages take place inside a king’s brain, who has suffered amnesia. These scenes are in monochrome. The objective of these levels is simple – to bring back color to those scenes by collecting the junk around.
- The other half of the stages feature the replacement of the king, the RoboKing, who goes on a rampage.
- Katamari Forever is a single-player game and can be played with multiple players, but not online.
- If your kid has already played the previous versions of the game, he may not be so excited about it because almost all the stages are from the previous versions. Besides this, Katamari Forever is a great game to buy for your child.
Release date: September 2009
Rating: 7 on IGN
Genre: Action Puzzle
Suitable for: Ages 8 and up
7. Best Co-Op Themed: Portal 2
A highly engaging puzzle game, Portal 2 is a major hit among PS3 games users. It is a first-person action game with mild, negligible violence that is not inappropriate for kids.
- Portal 2 has a gripping storyline, where players have to don the role of Chell, one of the two humanoids in the game.
- The objective of the player is to interact with the environment to solve puzzles, and also use teleportation skills to overcome obstacles.
- The platformer PS3 game is realistic in the sense that players with severe injuries die, and cannot continue playing.
- Two or more players can play Portal 2 in the co-op mode, where the four characters explore the Aperture Science Laboratory to move up the levels.
Release date: April 2011
Rating: 95% on Metacritic
Genre: Platformer-Puzzle
Suitable for: Ages 10 and up
Also available on: Xbox 3, Mac, Windows
Quick tipBest PS3 Games For Toddlers
The collection of PS3 games also has a few games that younger kids aged three to six can play. Here is a note on a couple of them.
8. Best Simulation Games: EyePet and Friends
EyePet and Friend is a cute video game with furry, colorful animals that appeal to younger kids. The game is fun but may eventually become a little tedious.
- EyePet is a virtual pet simulation game designed for kids. The objective of the game is to take basic care of pets, which can be fun for kids.
- The video game also has mini-games that the entire family can enjoy.
- Players are allowed to create their own vehicles. If your child is too young to understand shapes, you can help them create their vehicle using the preset shapes in the game. This would help the kid learn shapes, as well.
- The kid’s video game has a lot of fascinating activities, but loading time for certain activities can make the little one restless.
Release date: November 2011
Rating: 65% on Metacritic
Genre: Simulation
Suitable for: Ages 5 to 7
9. Best For Dance: Just Dance Kids 2
One of the new PS3 games for kids, Just Dance Kids 2, is a game that the entire family can partake in.
- Just Dance Kids 2 is a sequel to the Just Dance Kids game, which is a kid-friendly version of the Just Dance series.
- The dance routines and moves are easy and can be followed quickly. The songs in this kid-friendly PS3 game are appropriate for children, which makes this game an excellent choice for children of all ages.
- There are over 40 new dance routines your children can try at home.
- You can set the dance cycle from 15 minutes to an hour, based on how long you want to let your kids play.
Release date: October 2011
Rating: 4/5 by Common Sense Media
Genre: Music and Dance, Rhythm and Rhyme
Suitable for: Ages 5 and up
Also available on: Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii
Best PS3 Games For Students (Educational)
These games combine entertainment with learning for kids and tweens.
10. Best Physics-Based: Create
Create is an educational PS3 game that lets your child unleash his or her imagination to solve complicated solutions.
- The creative Ps3 game features several physics-based problems that can be solved with imaginative solutions.
- Kids can get creative when they design their worlds in the game. Players can share their creations and also access other user-generated content in their games.
- All the user-created environments are vetted by the game developer, which means there is little chance of your kid finding inappropriate content in the game.
Release date: November 2010
Rating: 6 by IGN
Genre: Open World
Suitable for: Ages 8 and up
Also available on: Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Windows, Mac
11. De Blob 2
The sequel to De Blob, De Blob 2 is a colorful, action-packed game that features colorful blobs.
- De Blob 2 is a puzzle game, in which the blobs fight the cruel dictator to become free.
- The dictator has sucked out all the color from the blob’s world, and the player has to don the role of a freedom-fighting blob to restore color and beauty back to the world.
- At some places, the players are required to make moral choices, which can be tough for kids without supervision.
- The kid’s video game can be played solo or in the multi-player mode.
Release date: February 2011
Rating: 8 by IGN
Genre: Platform/Puzzle
Suitable for: Ages 9 and up
Also available on: Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360,
12. Minecraft Playstation 3 Edition
The game allows your kid to create different structures with the help of blocks on the screen. It is designed to develop imagination and creativity in your child.
- Players can build their creative structures by collecting blocks and tools.
- One player or multiple players can play this game.
- The kid’s video game comes with four and eight split-screen modes, depending on the number of players.
- To survive in the game, one needs to collect a lot of tools and objects.
Release date: December 2013
Rating: 9 by Gamefabrique
Genre: Craft and build
Suitable for: 10 years and above
Best Family-Friendly PS3 Games
Families that play, stay together. Play these top family-friendly games on your PS3 for a fun family time.
13. Where the Wild Things Are
Based on one of the best books written by Maurice Sendak, Where Wild Things Are, this is an entertaining game that the entire family can play.
- Where The Wild Things Are for PS3 has its unique story, different from the book and the movie.
- Kids will have to don the role of an angry Max, and direct him in channeling his anger in a constructive way.
- Players can throw or disrupt things in Max’s immediate environment like beehive, flower bushes, and gooey monsters.
- The Wild Thing monsters may sometimes swallow Max, but in a silly way that isn’t scary for kids.
- Max meets different monsters in the Wild. Each of these monsters has a unique personality, which make exploring the wild with them fun.
Release date: October 2009
Rating: 4/5 by Common Sense Media
Genre: Platform
Suitable for: Ages 10 and up
Also available on: Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS
14. Disney Sing It: Family Hits
Disney Sing It is another musical game that kids can enjoy with the family. This PS3 game for family features all-time popular songs from Disney movies.
- Disney Sing It: Family Hits is similar to the other Disney Sing It titles, except that the song list consists of tracks that the entire family can sing together.
- This is a karaoke game and can be played by a single player or multiple players.
- Some of the popular songs on this list include A Whole New World from Aladdin, The Time Of My Life from A Bug’s Life, Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Bo from Cinderella, Hakuna Matata from The Lion King, and You’ve Got A Friend In Me from Toy Story.
Release date: August 2010
Rating: 4/5 by Common Sense Media
Genre: Music
Suitable for: Ages 7 and up
Also available on: Nintendo Wii
Best Sports PS3 Games For Kids
Can’t get your kids to go out and play every day? Try getting them the needed physical activity right in your living room with these sports PS3 games.
15. Sports Champions 2
The second part of the original Sports Champions for Sony PlayStation consoles, Sports Champions 2 needs players to use the PlayStation Move to play the sports listed in this game.
- Sports Champions features a series of fun-filled mini-games based on popular sports like golf, skiing, and athletics.
- Players will have to use the Move controller to mimic actions and movements like swinging a golf club or a tennis racquet, throwing or rolling a ball and using the skis.
- The sports emulation game gives an authentic user experience, thanks to PlayStation Move. Users can have full control over their virtual actions and almost never fail to score if they can do it right.
- Sports Champions is an excellent Move game, but it is just that – a ‘bland’ sports game that can get boring after a while.
Release date: October 2012
Rating: 4/5 by Common Sense Media
Genre: Sports
Suitable for: Ages 9 and up
16. Madden NFL 16
The latest from the Madden NFL series, named after well-known football coach John Madden, Madden NFL 2016 is one of the top PS3 sports games for kids.
- Madden NFL is a simulation game that lets children experience professional football.
- Players can create their teams from scratch – pick any player from the NFL or create a player to your likeness.
- Players can learn different skills, strategies, and tactics of football.
- Children may be carried away by the media ads and billboards that are visible in the game.
- Madden NFL 16 is a multi-player game, which means your kids can interact with other players online. This may require adult supervision.
Release date: August 2015
Rating: 5/5 by Common Sense Media
Genre: Sports
Suitable for: Ages 8 and up
Also available on: Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One
17. MLB: The Show 16
The latest part of the MLB: The Show series for PlayStation users, MLB The Show 16 has impressive new features.
- The fascinating game is available only for PS3 home gaming consoles and not for portable consoles.
- This version has several new features including Road to the Show, Battle Royale, Conquest Mode, ShowTime, and Camera Views.
- Players can create a player who they will control on screen and enjoy virtual baseball with the most popular players in the game today.
- The MLB: The Show series offers a fun way to teach your kids baseball.
Release date: March 2016
Rating: 5/5 by Common Sense Media
Genre: Sports
Suitable for: Ages 8 and up
Also available on: PS 4
Best Racing PS3 Games For Kids
Racing games are perhaps the most exciting for kids of all ages. Here are some adrenalin-pumping racing games that your children can play on the PS3.
18. Burnout Paradise
Burnout Paradise is one of the oldest and most entertaining racing games for PS3. Developed by Electronic Arts, it is appropriate for tweens and not the younger lot.
- Burnout Paradise is a thrilling racing game where streets and traffic-laden roads are the venues for races amongst players.
- Players may be encouraged to drive recklessly, towards oncoming traffic and take risks that could be dangerous in real life.The game shows crashes and collisions, but no driver is seen injured or killed.
- Parental supervision is a must for this game.
Release date: January 2008
Rating: 5/5 by Common Sense Media
Genre: Racing
Suitable for: Ages 12 and up
Also available on: Xbox 360
19. Grid Autosport
Suitable for older kids, Grid Autosport is a great racing simulation game for PS3.
- There are different levels and modes of racing in this kid’s video game.
- All the races happenare on tracks, which means there is no reckless driving in traffic or hurting pedestrians.
- As most of the racing games, Grid Autosport does not show injured drivers or driver deaths in collisions. The absence of gory details makes it apt for kids, but there are chances that they get an ambiguous message about speed driving.
- The game gives players an insight into professional racing.
- Parents should supervise kids playing this game.
Release date: June 2014
Rating: 4/5 by Common Sense Media
Genre: Racing
Suitable for: Ages 13 and up
Also available on: Xbox 360, Windows
20. Gran Turismo 6
Gran Turismo 6 is the latest version of the grand racing game of the same name, which was first released in 1998.
- Players can create their own content and race with other players in different venues across the world.
- All the races take place in closed circuits. You can even create and share your circuit with other players.
- The game allows you to interact and play with other players online, which exposes tweens to the risk of inappropriate content and profanity.This is a cool racing game for kids that encourages thinking and creativity, once you aside the negatives.
Release date: December 2013
Rating: 8 by IGN
Genre: Racing
Suitable for: Ages 10 and up
Best PlayStation Move Games For Kids
Make the most of PlayStation Move with these games, designed to enhance the users’ experience of the technology.
21. Carnival Island
A delightful family game, Carnival Island features a series of mini-games that your kids can play with ease.
- The game requires players to use the PlayStation Move controller to perform actions like throwing a ball or tossing a ring.
- Play more than 35 carnival-themed games to score points.
- Players can choose from different variations of the game, making it less monotonous.
- The game is appropriate for kids with little violence in some of the mini-games.
- Kids can play this game without parental help or supervision.
Release date: December 2011
Rating: 4/5 by Common Sense Media
Genre: Mini-Games
Suitable for: Ages 6 and up
22. TV Superstars
TV Superstars gives your children a chance to participate in virtual versions of popular TV shows.
- The game needs the players to use the Move technology to participate and move hands in a certain way to emulate actions for winning a competition.
- Players get to create their own avatar to impress the judges.
- The five shows your child can participate in include Frock Star, Big Beat Kitchen, Let’s Get Physical, Super Television Acting Agency, and DIY Raw.
- The game can be played in the co-operative mode with friends and family too.
Release date: December 2009
Rating: 3/5 by Common Sense Media
Genre: Party
Suitable for: Ages 8 and up
23. Start the Party
Start the Party is an easy-to-play game for kids of all ages. The game needs you to use the PS3 Move technology.
- Start the Party is a mix of many family-friendly games and puzzles that the player has to solve to move up levels.
- The levels are played using the Move controller, which the player has to hold while performing specific hand movements.
- The party PS3 game is appropriate for younger kids, as it has no violence or humans getting hurt in any way.
- A fun-filled game to play with family or friends.
Release date: September 2010
Rating: 3/5 by Common Sense Media
Genre: Party, Augmented Reality
Suitable for: Ages 6 and up
How To Choose The Right PS3 Games?
Here is our handy guide to help you make the right choice.
- Age: Some games are suitable for all ages, while others are geared toward older children or adults. If you need help determining which age group a particular game is suitable for, check out the game’s rating on the PlayStation Store or other online retailers.
- Gameplay: Consider your family’s interests when choosing a suitable game. Some games are more action-packed and fast-paced, while others are more relaxed and strategic. You can choose a game that is simple and easily understandable for young children.
- Family-friendly features: Consider games that offer cooperative play modes for two or more players to team up and play together. Other features include split-screen options and child-friendly content filters.
Best PlayStation 3 Games For Kids – Overview
The PlayStation 3 or PS3 game is the third edition of the gaming console developed by Sony. Released in 2006, the PS3 is one of the best gaming consoles in the market today. The Sony PS3 has impressive cross-platform features that allow you to watch HD movies in 3D, experience spectacular life-like graphics with games, and use the PS3 Move feature for interactive entertainment at home. The console uses a Blue-ray disk for storage. It has a 3.2GHz processor and a 256MB RAM. You also get a SATA hard disk drive, with a storage capacity between 60GB and 500GB.
The popularity of the console led to the development of hundreds of games for adults and kids. PS3 owners can enjoy games in different genres including adventure and action, racing, role-play, sing-along, and arcade games.
PlayStation Move – What Is It?
PlayStation Move is the motion-sensing game controller for the Sony PlayStation 3 console. The Move game controller is a wand with control buttons, and works in conjunction with the PlayStation Eye, the digital camera for the PS3. The wand has an ergonomic design that makes it easier to use even for kids.
The white orb on top of the wand can change color based on the colors in the user’s environment.
The motion-sensing technology of the PlayStation Eye camera uses the color and the movement of the orb, which is of a fixed size, to detect the distance between the player and the console.
Accessories you can get for PlayStation Move games include:
- PlayStation Move shooting equipment, which is shaped like a handgun for shooting games
- Sharp Shooter attachment
- Move Racing Wheel
Sony also released the PlayStation Move navigation controller designed for a particular type of games. You can buy either one of the controllers to enjoy games that require players to move around.
The Sony PS3 is one of the best gaming consoles you can get for your kid.
Gear Up For PS4 Gaming
Sony has launched the latest generation PlayStation, the PlayStation 4 in 2013. An improved version of the previous consoles, the PS4, is the fastest selling home gaming console in history (1). If you don’t have a PlayStation at home and are planning to get the latest one, the PS3 gaming discs would be useless, as the two systems are not compatible. The good news, though, is that most of the games mentioned above are also available for play on the PS4.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are games for PS3 still being made?
No, the last game released for PS3 was Shakedown: Hawaii in August 2020.
2. Are PS3 games challenging for children?
Yes, some games could be challenging for children. So, choose them depending on their age and experience.
3. Is the PS3 still online in 2024?
Yes, online features of the PS3 games are still available.
4. Does Netflix still work on the PS3?
Yes, it still works on the PS3. However, loading and navigating it can be a tad slow.
5. Does PS3 still get system updates?
Yes, the most recent system update was PS3 System Software Update 4.89 released on May 10, 2024.
Why Trust MomJunction?
Priti Bose is a product reviewer inclined to produce research-based and thorough articles on toys and gifts. Due to her experience in the area, she has written this comprehensive article on the best PS3 games available in the market. She has shortlisted the games based on age, specifications, and theme to make it easier for the parents to pick the right one for a family game night. The games have been chosen after considering user reviews to offer you an unbiased opinion.
The Bottom Line
PS3 games have a massive fan following among children and adults alike. With games spread across different genres and categories like sports, action, and puzzles, you can pick a game that interests, challenges, and engages your children. Playing such games with your little ones can also be an apt opportunity to bond and spend quality time with them. We recommend games that meet all technical requirements of your device and help develop imagination and creativity. Games such as Little Big Planet 2 facilitate role-playing. While Skate 3 provides a real-life skateboarding experience, and Portal 2 comprises an engaging puzzle. To pick a game that interests children, you can narrow your options based on their age and interests.
Infographic: What Are The Components Needed To Play PS3 Games?
If you have recently purchased a PS3 or are considering getting one, you should know about the additional items you should have to enhance your gaming experience. The following infographic lists a few essential components that you will need to enjoy playing on your PS3 fully . Keep this list handy, and be sure to read reviews and compare prices to find the best options for you. Happy gaming! Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
References
- Isabela Granic et al.; The Benefits of Playing Video Games
https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/amp-a0034857.pdf
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