Barney's Hide & Seek Game (Sega Genesis, 1993)

Perfectly suited for children too young for Sonic the Hedgehog or Super Mario Bros., Barney's Hide & Seek is a cute, slowly paced platformer in which the beloved purple dinosaur hugs, blows kisses to, and shares kind words with characters he encounters. Players maneuver Barney as he finds friends and presents in four levels of cartoon-like worlds: Forest Friends, Music Town, Deep Blue Sea, and Farm Fun. Barney helps with counting, matching, and problem solving, and shows kids how to cross streets safely and dispose of trash. Moreover, he spouts more than 100 words and 200 familiar phrases such as "I love you." The real strength of the game lies in its non-frustrating gameplay. There are no wrong paths to take, and regardless of how many items are found, children always win. "Super-dee-duper!"