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

Activision has released its Shrek the Third video game for fans to enjoy, just days before the huge theatrical release of the third in the series.

The game puts the fate of Far Far Away land into gamers' hands as they take on the role of one of the movie's main characters. Featuring the all-star cast of Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, Puss-in-Boots and even Artie and Sleeping Beauty, the game takes players on a quest to stop the ever-evil Prince Charming.

Call me a big kid if you will, but this movie and its memorabilia really has my attention. Perhaps it's because of my 7-year-old, or maybe it's just Antonio's voice, either way, I'll be there this weekend to see the third installment. It's also possible, the game will make it's way home, too.

The game is available on multiple platforms, ranging from the Nintendo DS and the Game Boy Advance. It's also out for the Xbox 360, the Wii, the PS2 and more. Prices vary depending on the gaming system involved. It starts at $19.99 for the PC version and works its way up to the standard $49.99 fee for the next gen systems.

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Labels: activision, fiona, next-gen, Nintendo, shrek, video games, Wii

It might be one of the best-selling consoles on this side of the globe, but the Japanese have had different opinions since day one. It seems those opinions are holding strong.

According to Punch Jump, the Xbox 360 is still hanging out in the No. 6 position in Japan, falling behind most other gaming machines, handhelds, too, in the country.

Average sales for the console on a weekly basis there fall in between 2,000 and 3,000. Software ranking is also sluggish, but that makes sense with the console's popularity or lack thereof.

Still, there's a silver lining in the cloud. Amazon Japan's video game division has Forza Motorsport 2 and another 360 title on its Top 20 list.

Will they be enough to get the console some attention?

Probably not enough. With the Wii and the PlayStation 3 both trouncing the 360 on weekly sales, a pull out of the figures seems unlikely.

Still, it's doubtful Microsoft ever bet the farm on winning Japanese gamers over.

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Labels: japanese sales, nintendo wii, ps3, video games, Wii, xbox 360

It seems I’m not the only one who is in love with the Wii. The game play is great. The social aspects of the console are fantastic. And, now it seems, Nintendo's customer service is also top notch.

A blogging mother from Washington has found out the console is not only a blast to play with her son, but also comes with some serious customer service backing.

It seems the lady’s Wii has some issues with its optical drive. Not wanting to upset her son, she held out until the last minute to contact Nintendo about a warranty repair.

When the customer service rep found out the woman lived near the Nintendo of America campus in Washington, she recommended they forgo shipping and had her bring the console in. In less than a half-hour, the service team had fully reloaded a brand new Wii with all her fmaily’s information and sent her on her way. The warranty, by the way, was changed to reflect the date of her picking up the new console.

“That was the most awesome customer service experience I ever, ever had,” wrote Saska.

As a newly converted Wii fan, I’m sure glad to hear it! All too often, we only hear and read the bad things about, well, anything.

Also, thank you to the Igniq.com readers who have been writing in with game suggestions since reading my Wii report! They are appreciated.

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Labels: customer service, Nintendo, video games, Wii