So you have decided that your gift will be a video game. What a mine field you have walked yourself into! You may not know it, but if you're not a gamer shopping for games it can be like walking on an alien planet. You don’t know the lay of the land or the language of the natives and there are few guide posts to help you along the way. So we will start with the basics and work our way up. By understanding the video game content ratings systems, this article will help you navigate your way to a great gift!
Rule One: Know what system you are shopping for. Not all of the systems will have the same games and the game disks are not at all interchangeable between the systems so you have to get this right. Just in case you can’t ask the person you're buying for (or their mother) let's go over a quick guide to identifying a video game system.
• A small white vertical box: Nintendo Wii
• A square purple or black cube: GameCube
• A black rectangle with a big green X on it: XBOX
• A white box with a rounded front plate, may be horizontal or vertical standing: XBOX360
• Relatively non-descript black box with a trap door that opens like a CD player: PS2
• Black box with a dome like top and a slot for inserting games: PS3
Rule Two: Get an age appropriate game. Games have ratings, look for them and trust them to a point. You should also read the box and try to get an idea of why it is rated what it is. Not all ratings are equal. So read the back of the box and talk with a clerk. Below, you will find more detailed information about the video game content ratings systems.
