Following the Internet revolution of the nineties, playing games online has turned into an all time favorite activity for children. So much so, that most children prefer to go online for entertainment than going outside to play with their friends. With computer hardware getting cheaper by the minute and broadband connections getting faster and cheaper as well, online games turning it up a notch with more detailed graphics and sophisticated forms of game play. Online games are divided in genres, such as action, flying and adventure games. These genres are not static, new ones are constantly being created following the demands of online game players. One of the newly created genres, which seem to be on the rise are pet games online.

There are several reasons why kids tend to prefer pet games over any other. One of the most significant reasons is the overall simplicity of game play. You don’t need a masters degree to dominate the use of arrow keys and move your character around. The plot in these games is not at all complicated. Simple to follow story lines include a day at the job in a pet care center, or fetching the stick back to the master. The simplicity inherent in these games act as a magnet for kids of all ages who just want to have some fun, not spend the afternoon reading an instruction manual.

Another aspect of pet games online that appeal to a lot of children, are the furry little creatures that make up the cast of characters. Regardless of whether a kid has a pet at home or not, they cannot resist a puppy who wants to play with them. Apparently this is also true with virtual puppies. For example in the game “Puppy Fetch, the player throws a stick as far as he can so the puppy can get it back. This is a simple game, with easy to use controls anyone could play for hours.

Several forms of pet games affect children in different ways. There are puzzle games involving animals, pet dress up games and veterinarian games just to mention a few. In pet puzzle games for example, an image of an animal is shown to children and they are then scrambled to be put together again by the player. Dress up games simply offers a number of clothing options for children to dress up their pet. In veterinarian games, the players actually run a clinic, where they have to attend to sick animals as they come through the door. In all instances, players are required to make an effort, either by making choices, activating their short term memory, and learning a little bit about customer service.

With all aspects considered, pet games offer one of the safest and friendliest forms of entertainment available online, free. Their simple nature and ease of use appeals to the entire family. Thus, we could conclude that pet games available free online are a rather positive influence on children of today.