Video Game Shopping Online For Parents

A guide to buying video games for kids, online.

This guide is for an adult purchasing video games online for a younger person. If you are not already a gamer, in your initial visit to any video game retailer online you would be overwhelmed - especially if you're new to gaming. Teens and kids with gaming addictions know their way around as it is. For the adult, the online video game store is an animated explosion. Much like the action figure section of your local Toys R Us.

First you must do your research before shopping for games online. There's plenty of information available about video games on the web, so to reduce frustration google 'video game information'. Alternatively you can visit the website you plan to purchase video games from, and search for games according to what system your kid(s) have. Video games systems are usually denoted by abbreviations. Here's a helpful chart to explain what all those abbreviations mean:

Wii = Nintendo's Wii System
PS3 = Playstation 3 System
XBOX 360 = Microsoft's XBOX 360 System
PC = Personal Computer
PS2 = Playstation 2 System
PSP = Playstation Portable System
DS = Nintendo's DS System

The key is to locate the system first. After locating the system it should be clear what games the store has available that work with that system. After locating the appropriate games section for the game system you are purchasing for, take a look at the rating indicated on the game's cover (if the site offers a detailed enough picture) or in the information box. Alternatively you can go look up the ratings on the games official site. Find the official site by googling the title of the game. The ESRB gives each game a rating in an effort to allow parents to control what their children are exposed to when playing video games. Here's a reference for the abbreviations:

C = Appropriate for Early childhood
E = Appropriate for Everyone
E 10+ = Appropriate for Everyone aged 10 and older
T = Appropriate for Teens
M = Appropriate for Mature Adults

The majority of the time, illustrations on the covers and ads of the games you are purchasing do a wonderful job of exposing what the game is about. So if you see an illustration of a man holding a gun, chances are, there is gore and violence in that game--you might not want that for your child. I'd recommend making a selection based on the latest childrens and action/adventure movie releases. Kids love the new animated movies definitely enjoy re-living the best scenes from the movie, in the video game. If you can't find a game that's built from a movie that the child likes, try to find a game that centers around a popular animated or action program, or one that can be considered educational. If you still can't find one, point your browser to the nearest Blockbuster or Hollywood Video website. Usually they have a list of the latest releases. Use that list to compile your own list of games you would purchase for your kid(s). Then go back to the website that you intended to buy from and enter the games on your list into their search bar. If, on the other hand, you did find a game, you can purchase it at the given website.