The final hours of counting down to Black Friday are on and the video game deals are hot. It’s hard not to go gaga over some of the advertised pricing on titles kids and teens are probably asking to see under the tree.

But, you’re a responsible parent, right? You don’t want to give your child a game that you’re uncomfortable with – no matter how much he or she wants it or how little it costs.

So, how can you check into the appropriateness of titles with only a few hours left to go before the huge sales are unveiled?

There are a few things you can do to guide purchases in an informed manner. Some tips that help even in a time crunch require only the Internet. The best things for you to look at to help assure yourself you’re really getting a good buy are:

• The game’s personal Web site – Look up the titles your kids want on the Internet and physically visit specific titles’ Web sites. On most video game sites you’ll find a breakdown of the game, what it’s about and the style of play involved. In many cases, you’ll even find demos you can check out.



• The ESRB rating – The Entertainment Software Rating Board offers titles on games released in America. These ratings charts will tell you if a game has language, violence, nudity and so on. It will also offer you a suggested age range for beginner play.



• Reviews – If you have the time (I know the clock is ticking) check into reviews others have written for the titles on your child’s list. These will tell you a lot that the ratings board and the game makers won’t.



• Play the game yourself – If stores or web sites offer demo play, take advantage of the opportunity to play yourself. This is the best way for you to see if a title fits your standards or not.



• Age appropriateness – Consider your child carefully as you explore video game options. While the ratings might say Teen, your child might not be ready for the graphic action of some games. Ultimately, you are the best judge.

Buying video games for kids and teens can be a crapshoot if you don’t take the time to consider appropriateness. If you don’t want your child playing a game that has them gunning down terrorists or stealing cars, it’s up to you to check into the titles. It only takes a few minutes to get a good handle on what most video game titles are about.

Labels: black friday, esrb, video games