To hear parents tell it, the perfect video game is educational,
provides small life lessons, strengthens hand eye coordination, and
keeps the kids entertained for roughly 30 minutes at a time. Listening
to kids, however, it appears that educational qualities rank far below
the needs for speed, action, rad moves, and great weapons. It is hard to
believe that there are games which fulfill the requirements hoped for
by both parents and kids.
Parents should always make the time to
play the games alongside their kids; the only problem with using this
approach to picking video games is the fact that the game is already in
the house and the money spent. Opened games are rarely returnable and
once they are in the house and their hot little hands, kids will not let
go of games without a lot of arguing, complaining, and upset. Thus,
making an informed decision prior to bringing the games home is a must!
So
how does a parent go about picking out a video game for the children to
play? Reading the back of the cover is unlikely to present a lot of
information whereas the buzz on the Internet can be so forbiddingly
filled with insider lingo that it is hard to discern if the game is
appropriate, too violent, or perhaps even contains content that is
objectionable.
At the same time, simply because a game is very
popular and the evening news shows long lines of consumers waiting
outside the stores for them to go on sale, does not mean that it offers
the kind of game play the parent wants to invite into the home.
Fortunately, there are five simple steps to picking video games both
parents and their kids will love. These steps are not complicated,
require a minimum of effort, and are rather reliable.
1. Check the ESRB Rating
The
Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) developed a rating system
that ranks game content according to age appropriateness. The ratings
are "EC," "E," "E 10+," "T," "M," "AO," and "RP."
Games designated
with an "EC" are educational and fun for preschoolers and young
grade-schoolers. An "E" notes that the games are appropriate for all
players, and while preschoolers might have more of a learning curve to
get the game-play right, there is no objectionable content. Look out for
games rated with an "E 10+" since these games are reserved for kids
older than 10. Some mild language is usually incorporated into the game.
A
game rated "T" is reserved for teens, and parents should know that
violence, sexual innuendo, partial nudity, and also curse words are par
for the course. "M" for mature indicates games for those over the age of
17 and the blood, guts, gore, and sex are legendary in these games.
Upping the ante are games marked "AO" or adults only, as they are "M"
squared. An "RP" rating simply means that a rating is pending, and
parents should hold off on buying the game until the rating has been
apportioned.
2. Read the ESRB Content Descriptors
Since
preschoolers and grade-schoolers cannot simply be pigeonholed into age
brackets, but should be much further differentiated by their maturity
levels, parents will be wise to read the ESRB content descriptions on
the backs of the video game packets. They list potentially objectionable
content.
For example, "animated blood" refers to purple, green,
or other kinds of unrealistic blood that may be shown during game play,
while a listing of "blood" is an indicator that realistically depicted
blood is part of the game play. Children highly sensitive to blood may
not enjoy playing these games, even if they are rated for their age
brackets.
3. Understand the Classifications When Shopping For Older Kids
Parents
who have braved the age appropriate ratings, and also made it through
reading the descriptions may now be stumped by a further classification:
the kind of game-play their kids may expect.
Older kids may like
"FPS" (First Person Shooter) games that put them into the action from a
first person perspective, rather than seeing the character they are
controlling doing the actions -- which is the case in "TPS" (Third
Person Shooter) games. In addition, some games are classified by the
kinds of content that provides the storyline, such as vehicle simulation
games, strategy games, or sports and puzzle games.
Shooter games
are the most violent while strategy games are perhaps the most
educational. Puzzle games require strategic thinking but do not offer a
lot of action moves that appeal to teens.
4. Visit the Game Platform Manufacturer Website
Parents
may visit the website for the gadget that will ultimately allow the
kids to play the video games. This may be the website for PlayStation,
GameCube, Nintendo, Xbox, and a host of sub-platforms. The companies
list the video games made for them, their ratings, and more often than
not also post trailers, screen shots, and brief outlines of the actual
game itself.
Although such a website does not offer an in depth
and unbiased analysis of the game, it is a rather useful tool for
getting a good feel about game play and content without having to rely
solely on a rating, the back of a package, or the marketing efforts.
5. Check with Organizations That Offer Independent Game Evaluations
There
are various organizations that are not tied in with the video game
industry and still offer advice to parents. Some groups focus on the
educational aspects while others are faith based and review the games
from this angle. Find a group that meets your personal criteria and
peruse the reviews on various games you are considering for your kids.
One
of the most well known groups is the Entertainment Consumers
Association that offers insight into the industry as well as the games.
Parents who want more detailed information about the games they are
considering will do well to visit the forums and websites of such groups
and learn from other parents whose kids might already be playing these
games.
Since these are interactive forums, parents have the unique
ability to actually ask questions of other parents, and if there is a
particular concern about a game, this is the venue where to get more
information.
If All Else Fails
Of course,
if all else fails, there is the old fallback on the classic games and
characters. Crash Bandicoot, Mario, Spyro, and Pokémon are game
characters which have been around for a while and in a host of
incarnations. Even as the educational value of some of these games is
debatable, they do offer rip-roaring fun, rad moves, and most certainly
the entertainment value the kids appreciate most. At the same time, they
eschew foul language, nudity, and explicit violence parents object to.
Parents
in a time crunch or those who simply cannot find a game that meets
their standards will usually find a winner in these genres. Moreover,
since they are part and parcel of a popular series, parents and kids can
make the buying decisions together. For example, the popular Mario
games offer offshoots like "Luigi's Mansion" that offers the exploration
of a haunted house, while other offshoots are cart racing games.
Completely
different game play -- yet the same reassuring characters and the same
level of appropriateness -- make this a premier opportunity for parents
and children to agree on the game play the kids would like to try out,
while staying away from potentially objectionable games that offer
similar game play.
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