| Visit any video game outlet and you are | | | | C = Appropriate for Early childhood |
| bound to get overwhelmed by the hundreds | | | | E = Appropriate for Everyone |
| of choices available especially if | | | | E 10+ = Appropriate for Everyone aged 10 |
| you're new to gaming. Interestingly, | | | | and older |
| children and teens seem to know their | | | | T = Appropriate for Teens |
| way around these places as if they were | | | | M = Appropriate for Mature Adults |
| their second home. But for the adult, | | | | 3. Within your temporary shopping list, |
| the typical video store looks like some | | | | try find a game that's built from the |
| sort of color paint explosion and sooner | | | | latest movie release. Little people love |
| or later, all the games start to look | | | | the new animated movies put out by |
| the same. This guide is for the adult | | | | Disney and Pixar, and they really enjoy |
| who's buying a game for a younger person | | | | re-living precious moments in the movie |
| perhaps as a birthday gift or as a | | | | in a video game. That's why when these |
| bribe. Whatever the reason, you're going | | | | movies come out on DVD, their producers |
| to appreciate the following tips. | | | | put a few games in the "Special Features |
| 1. Research this strange phenomenon | | | | section" of the CDs. |
| before setting foot inside a video | | | | 4. If you can't find a game that's built |
| store. There's plenty of information | | | | from a movie that the child likes, try |
| available about video games online, so | | | | to find a game that centers around a |
| to reduce frustration offline, fire up | | | | popular cartoon character or one that |
| your web browser and do a little | | | | attempts to educate. |
| homework. Visit the website of the | | | | 5. If you still can't find one that |
| gaming outlet nearest you and then look | | | | resembles something that you've heard |
| for a link to the games section of the | | | | this particular person rambling on |
| system that your youngster plays. Here's | | | | about, first give yourself a slight slap |
| a helpful chart to explain what all | | | | on the hand. You should pay better |
| those strange letters mean. | | | | attention. Then point your browser to |
| Wii = Nintendo's Wii System | | | | the nearest Blockbuster or Hollywood |
| EA Sports = Entertainment Arts System | | | | Video website. Follow the same procedure |
| PS3 = Playstation 3 System | | | | outlined in steps 1 - 3 only this time, |
| XBOX 360 = Microsoft's XBOX 360 System | | | | elect to rent 5 or 6 games that look |
| PC = Personal Computer | | | | appealing. This will give your tot a |
| PS2 = Playstation 2 System | | | | chance to play some games and select one |
| PSP = Playstation Portable System | | | | to keep forever while you return the |
| DS = Nintendo's DS System | | | | others. |
| The key is to locate the system on the | | | | 6. If on the other hand, you did find a |
| store's website first. The system, it's | | | | game in step 3 or 4, you can either |
| accessories, and all of the games that | | | | check out online, or drive up to the |
| work on that system will follow. If not, | | | | store and buy it there. |
| you may need to use the website's | | | | They say you can't judge a book by its |
| internal search engine. | | | | cover, but the illustrations on the both |
| 2. After locating the appropriate games | | | | video and pc game cases do a pretty good |
| section for your youngster's machine, | | | | job of representing the game's content. |
| check out the ratings of each game and | | | | So if you see an illustration of |
| create a temporary shopping list of age | | | | fighting warriors, chances are the game |
| appropriate material. The Entertainment | | | | will be more violent than you prefer. If |
| Software Rating Board (ESRB) gives each | | | | on the other hand, you see an |
| game a rating in an effort to inform | | | | illustration that resembles what you'd |
| parents what their children are playing. | | | | see on the cover of an interesting |
| Here's a handy reference to what the | | | | children's book, the game should be age |
| ratings mean: | | | | appropriate. |