Your Guide to Finding Video Games for Kids
Clueless about video games? These tips will help you buy perfect video games for kids.
There's a lot of discussion about video games for kids: whether they're good, whether they're bad, or whether it makes any difference at all. And then there are those of us just not up on the whole video game debate. Let me sum it up for you in a few words: there's no agreement, but the general idea seems to be that some video games are great and some... well, some aren't.
The video games bad for kids tend to feature explicit violence, language, and the like. The video games good for kids are at worst harmless, at best educational. All it comes down to is making a choice.
1. What system are you buying for?
Find out what system the kid has. The most common are Wii, PSP, Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo DS. The games for these systems vary wildly, and none of them are cheap, so if you get a game for the wrong system parents probably won't be willing to shell out for a new system!
2. Check the ratings.
Like movies, video games come with ratings that help you distinguish the best video game for kids. You want something rated E (for 'everyone'). Anything else could contain questionable content, and if you're buying for someone other than your own kids, you don't want to risk offending the parents.
3. Ask for help.
If you're shopping online, read customer reviews and see which games people enjoy. A better option yet? Actually go into a local store -- one specializing in video games, not a department store -- and ask the staff for help. They'll be able to tell you which games are the most popular among kids.
4. Find out what games they already have.
There are a limited number of video games good for kids, and you don't want to buy duplicates. Sure, they can exchange it, but it's more fun if they can open it up and start playing right away. Call the parents and ask for a list of the games the child owns. And of course, always keep the receipt just in case!
There are a huge variety of video games out there, from physically exhausting to mentally challenging. Choose one that you think fits the recipient's style, and you're sure to find great video games for kids no matter where you go.