For starters, please don't think that headline is offensive. When it comes to video games, I am a clueless parent so if you see yourself in that title, there's no judgment here -- we're on the same blank page.
Like most parents of my generation, I played a few video games back in the day. Most had indistinguishable graphics, so that Asteroids looked pretty much like Missile Command and so forth. If you played one, you played them all.
Our parents didn't have to worry about much in terms of inappropriate stuff being thrown at us from the games because a) you could hardly tell what you were looking at or doing, and b) there was no sound other than really annoying background music that played over and over. OK, our parents did have one thing to worry about: They might want to exhibit inappropriate impulse control by bashing the machine into the wall after listening to the Super Mario Brothers theme song for six hours straight.
Today's video games are, of course, "better" than those of old. "Better" means the graphics are greatly improved and the story lines are more intricate, but it also means there can be some rough stuff in terms of violence and language that you might not want your kids to be soaking up as entertainment.
And because the story lines can go on for awhile, if you want to weed out all the inappropriate stuff, you almost have to play the game from front to back to make sure there's nothing too bad in there. Let's be honest -- how many of us could even do that?
Game ratings can be of some assistance, but they're often very vague. For example, two "E" rated games, "Over the Hedge" and "Super Monkey Ball Deluxe," both list violence on their ratings. But "E" games are supposed to be for everyone, right? So what kind of violence are they talking about?
If you want help deciphering what really meets your standards, try this web site: WhatTheyPlay.com. This site gives parents more information about both video games you purchase for your system at home and those your kids might want to play online like the ever-popular Club Penguin and WebKinz.
Take the game that goes with the new movie "Kung Fu Panda." The box for the Wii version of the game would tell me that it is rated "E10+." WhatTheyPlay.com actually goes and plays the game and gives you more specifics to work with. In addition to learning that it's rated "E10+," the review says this: The ESRB rating for the game is “E10+” with content descriptors of “Fantasy Violence” and “Mild Language”. Just as it does in the movie, fighting plays a dominant role in the game. Po picks up numerous combo attacks throughout the adventure, many graphic in nature – from super-charged body slams and devastating “panda quakes” to juggling enemies before punching them out. There is no blood or gore, however, and defeated enemies disappear in a quick cloud of dust. The language concerns revolve around boasts like “freaking awesome” and silly backhanded compliments like “you did not suck.”
So, if you don't want to hear your child saying "you did not suck," this game might not be for you.
Even if your kid assures you that it's freaking awesome.
