If you grew up playing video games in the '80s or '90s, you probably remember a time when a game could fit inside a cartridge, a CD, or even a handful of pixels on an arcade screen.
Then things started changing.
Games became bigger. Worlds became more detailed. Characters became more expressive. Stories became more complicated. And technology gave game designers the ability to create experiences that once seemed impossible.
I grew up playing The Legend of Zelda series, and Ocarina of Time remains one of my favorites. So, yes, I was pretty excited when Nintendo announced that Ocarina of Time is being rebuilt for the Nintendo Switch 2, complete with overhauled visuals, voiced cutscenes, expanded dialogue, orchestral music and updated controls. The new version arrives November 5, 2026 and I. Am. STOKED.
And I think that says something pretty wonderful about video games.
A game that captivated me as a kid is being rebuilt for a completely new generation of players.
But it also makes me wonder:
What makes a game great in the first place?
What Made Our Games Great?
Ask a parent what their favorite childhood video game was, and you're going to get some very different answers.
Maybe it was Super Mario Bros. Maybe Pokémon. The Legend of Zelda. Final Fantasy. Halo. The Sims. Crash Bandicoot. Kingdom Hearts. Mario Kart.
For many of us, the technology itself was part of the magic.
We were seeing things we'd never seen before. We could explore worlds that didn't exist anywhere except inside a television screen. We could become a hero, build a family, race cars, battle monsters or save an entire kingdom.
And then game designers kept asking questions.
What if the world were bigger?
What if players could make their own choices?
What if multiple people could play together?
What if the player could create instead of simply explore?
Those questions helped push gaming forward.
Today, games can tell enormous cinematic stories, create open worlds that feel almost limitless and allow players to interact with other people around the world. And according to Circana, younger players are increasingly gravitating toward PC and mobile gaming, with titles like Roblox, Minecraft and Fortnite remaining especially prominent.
Which brings us to an interesting question:
Do today's kids even define a "great game" the same way we did?
A Great Game Isn't Always About the Graphics
For adults who grew up with earlier generations of gaming, it can sometimes be difficult to understand the appeal of a game like Minecraft. I know I struggle with it!
There isn't necessarily a traditional story telling you exactly where to go.
There isn't always a villain waiting at the end.
And if your child is playing Roblox, they might not even be playing the same game from one day to the next.
But that's part of what makes these experiences so interesting.
Today's games increasingly give players opportunities to participate in the creation of their own experience.
Minecraft asks: What can you build?
Roblox asks: What do you want to play—and what could you create?
And games like Fortnite increasingly ask: What kind of experience do you want to have with other people?
The definition of a great game has expanded. It can still be about an incredible story. It can be about mastering a difficult challenge. It can be about competition, exploration or adventure.
But it can also be about creativity, collaboration and discovery.
And underneath all of those things is one very important ingredient: Curiosity.
"What Happens If...?"
Think about the questions that run through a player's mind while they're gaming.
What happens if I go over there?
What happens if I combine these two things?
Can I build something bigger?
What happens if I try a different strategy?
Why did that work?
How did the game know I did that?
That last question is where things start getting really interesting for us at Code Ninjas.
Because there is a huge difference between asking: "Can I play this game?" and asking: "How did someone make this game?" And then eventually: "Could I make something like this?"
That progression—from player to question-asker to creator—is something we get to see all the time.
Ask a Sensei About Their Favorite Game
If you walk into Code Ninjas Leawood and ask one of our Senseis what their favorite video game is, you may want to set aside a little extra time.
For example, Sensei Anthony, who you'll often find at the front desk welcoming families into the dojo, is a huge Halo fan. More accurately, he's a massive Bungie fan—the studio behind the original Halo games and the Destiny universe.
Sensei Joseph is a Roblox fan through and through, which is one reason he is so often the Sensei running our Roblox camps and clubs. And that's not just a fun coincidence.
His genuine enthusiasm for Roblox makes him a better teacher of it.
He understands what makes the platform exciting to kids because he enjoys exploring it himself. He knows the games, the mechanics, the culture and the questions that players naturally ask.
And our other Senseis have their favorites, too.
That's one of the things I love about teaching game development: our instructors aren't people who merely tolerate video games because they happen to be a useful educational tool.
They're gamers.
They understand what makes a game fun, they notice clever mechanics, they appreciate good storytelling, and they know what makes a game frustrating, satisfying, challenging or addictive.
And they get to take that passion and help kids turn their own ideas into something playable.
So What Should Parents Do?
The next time your child is completely absorbed in a video game, try asking a different kind of question.
Instead of: "Are you having fun?" try: "What do you think makes this game fun?"
Or: "If you could change one thing about this game, what would you change?"
Or even: "How do you think the person who made this figured out how to do that?"
You might be surprised by the conversation that follows. Your child might tell you about game mechanics you didn't even know existed. They might explain why one game is better designed than another. They might point out a problem with the game that you've never noticed.
Or they might simply say, "I don't know."
And that's okay, too.
Because curiosity doesn't require an immediate answer.
It just requires a question worth asking.
The Game Designers Keep Getting Younger
The games we grew up with didn't become the games kids play today because the games of our childhood weren't good enough. They evolved because people kept wondering: What if?
Every generation of game designers has taken their 'what if' questions and pushed them a little further. And now something remarkable is happening: This generation of game players have become game designers.
Today, kids are growing up surrounded by technology that previous generations could only imagine. Some of them won't be satisfied with simply playing the games they love. They're going to want to know how they work, how to change them, and they want to build something entirely new.
And at Code Ninjas Leawood we welcome those ideas!
Our kids aren't just playing games.
They're learning how games are made. They're solving problems, experimenting with ideas and creating things they can share with their peers. They're part of a community of kids who are just as excited about technology, creativity and gaming as they are.
Because ultimately, game development isn't just about learning to code.
It's about taking a question—"I wonder if I could..."—and having the skills and confidence to find out.
How Deep Does Your Child's Curiosity Go?
If your child loves video games, you may already know they have an interest in gaming. But how far does that interest go?
Do they want to know how games work? Do they have ideas for games of their own? Do they love solving problems, experimenting with technology or explaining exactly why their favorite game is better than yours?
Book a free session at Code Ninjas Leawood and investigate that curiosity.
You might discover that your gamer isn't just a gamer.
They're a creator.