Video games are not just kids toys, but kids do play a lot of games. As games become even more mainstream more and more parents wind up buying them for their kids without knowing anything about them. A lot game stores will warn you to not buy mature rated games for children, but not all of them do. Plus, a lot games that are for "younger children" have content that isn't suitable for them. So, for you parents out there who don't know what games to buy for your kids here is a guide to help you make good purchasing decision for your kids.
The Basics:
In the United States all video games get rated by the
ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) and receive one of six ratings.
EC - stands for early childhood. These games are most suited to small children, and will often be simple games that contain no language, violence, or concepts that a toddler could not understand.
E - Stands for everyone. This is a pretty broad catagory but these games are suitable for all ages. They can be extremely different, but they will never contain explicit language or bloody violence. There may be implied or cartoon character violence and sometimes a bad word or two, but never enough that you as a parent should be worried.
E10+ - Stands for everyone 10 and up. Also a broad category, these games contain more of everything above. They may be more violent, have more language, or other more explicit things in them. They do not have enough though to get a more mature classification.
Teen - These games are suitable to ages 13 and above, and typically will contain violence and language. They may also contain mild sexual content, and some adult activities like gambling or drinking.
Mature - These games are suitable to 17+ year olds, and do contain either strong violence, language, adult concepts such as sexuality, blood and/or gore, and anything else you can think of. These games really have no limit, except they will not gamble real money or be sex simulators.
AO - Stands for Adult Only. These games promote gambling with real money, simulate sex, or are so grotesquely violent that they are classified as adult only.
Games may also receive RP, which stands for Rating Pending. They haven't been submitted for review yet due to how early they are in development.
How to Use these Ratings:
Obviously there are a lot of factors that go into deciding what games to buy your child. The first and foremost thing you should decide, is how mature they are. Nobody knows your kid like you do, and if you think they can handle some teen rated games at 10 years old, then go for it. Beyond that, here are a few other tips to help you out.
Buy from a Video Game Store: I love online games and digital downloads, but I also have been playing games my whole life. I can evaluate exactly what a game is going to be like based on the cover alone most times. For anyone who doesn't know about games though I suggest going to a game store. As much as I dislike gamestop, the folks that work there know games. Ask them for advice about a game your kid is interested in. They can tell you all about whats in it, and recommend whether or not you should be buying it. Again, take your kids maturity level into consideration to make a decision, but they can help you make the final call.
Research a game: If you don't live near a video game store, or for whatever reason can't use one, do just a bit of research on a game. Five minutes of google searching can tell you everything you need to know about a game. Just search (game name) reviews, and you can find dozens or more reviews about a game where people who play games for a living can tell you the content that's in it, and whether or not a kid should be playing it.
Read the Box: Say you are in Walmart, your smartphone is dead, and your kid wants a game RIGHT NOW. Most electronics department people have no idea about games, or don't care to tell you if they do. You can learn everything you need to know about a game just by asking to look at the back of the box. Not only are ratings on there, but the box will also often have a list of reasons why the game got the rating, and features about the game. That information does not paint a whole picture, but it can give you a pretty good idea of whether or not your kid should be playing that game.
Recommendations:
So, now that you understand what the rating mean, and how to use them to determine what games you should get for your kids, where do you go from there? You still don't know very much about games themselves. Well, don't worry. Here is a list of games that are suitable for kids of various ages. I'll give a little description for each of them.
Minecraft: This game is suitable for all ages. In this game you craft tools to dig, cut, and mine materials. Then you use these materials to build whatever you can imagine. Castles, houses, complex machines, statues, and more. Your imagination is the only limit.
Halo Series: Halo does have a mature rating, but I've never been able to figure out why. The language in the games is very minor, and the violence is against aliens. While its a bit more realistic than cartoon violence, it still isn't the gory mess that Gears of War is, and isn't grounded in reality like Battlefield or Call of Duty. If you have a teenager or mature pre-teen this game is a great action shooter than can enjoy.
Final Fantasy Series: While the Final Fantasy games have changed a lot over the years, they have always been great Role Playing Games that tell a wonderful story. These fantasy games all do have violence and some language, but any kid with decent reading comprehension skills can handle anything this game can throw at them. They aren't explicit or gory, so even kids as young as 7 or 8 (if they have attention span) can play these games.
Mario: Anything with Mario's name on it is going to be fine for kids of all ages. Mario Kart, Mario Party, any of the Mario sports games, and Mario games themselves have been targeted at kids for years. They are also usually games that parents who are unfamiliar with games can play easily as well. This means that these games are really good at letting you spend some time with your kid doing the thing they love.
Forza and Gran Turismo: These are simulation car racer games. They are harder to play, but suitable for all ages. They contain no language or violence, and can actually teach kids some of the basics about cars. From simple driving mechanics to in depth technical descriptions, these games are great for kids who have an interest in cars or mechanical things.
Lego Games: All of the Lego games are amazing for kids of all ages. They are super cartoony and fun to play, and easy enough for toddlers to learn. They have some hidden adult humor as well, so that parents don't go crazy watching their kids play the same level over and over again. They cover popular stuff that kids love like Batman, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings, but never take it up to the adult levels that the source material does. You will love to play these games with your kids, and they'll love you for buying them.
Those are just a few suggestions to get you started. There are thousands of games out there for dozens of different gaming systems. So while these are a good start, if you have some free time I recommend you do a little studying on popular games that are out right now. You'll learn a lot, and probably get some good ideas for what to buy your kids for their birthday or Christmas. I hope this guide has helped you, or someone you know. The more informed you are, the better time you and your kids can have!
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