Video Game Ratings for Parents

I recently came across a story that was posted on My719Moms.com that talked about a controversial new game called “We Dare”. The “We Dare” game trailer slogan dares you to “have a spicy evening!”. The commercial features a group of attractive men and women gathered together to play “We Dare” and shows scenes of them flirting with one another, kissing the Wii game controller and getting very close and physical. While the game is only going to be available in Europe the game trailer sparked some controversy in Europe because of the mature nature of the game that got a European 12+ rating and highlights a potential problem with our ESRB Video Game rating system.

This story also highlights why it is important for parents to understand what games their kids are playing. As a parent this can be difficult though, unless you are a gamer who actively follows the gaming industry. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a non-profit, self-regulatory body established in 1994 and assigns computer and video game content ratings. The rating system is voluntary, although virtually all games that are sold at retail in the U.S. and Canada are rated by the ESRB. Many retailers, including most major chains, have policies to only stock or sell games that carry an ESRB rating. This link will highlight the current rating system.

Even though video games come with this rating system, it is just a guide and sometimes it may not be in line with what you find appropriate for your children. Unfortunately this rating, just like a movie rating, is just a letter and does not give you much detail. As a parent you will want to know more about the games, and that is where the following two web sites can help.

The first web site is WhatTheyPlay.com and is a very well organized site that gives you a full detailed review on each game. The reviews break the game down into three sections: What the game is about, how you play it, and what the rating means. I think the most important piece of information is the last one where the reviews tries to examine why the game received the rating that it did. This is valuable information when trying to decide if your child should be allowed to play the game.

The second web site that I wanted to highlight was Common Sense Media. Here is another well organized web site that offers a review for all the popular games but breaks things down a lot better for you. Each review highlights the good things about the game, but then also highlights some things that you need to be aware of. Then they also offer a section that lays out what parents need to know. This breaks down the game into terms that you can understand and highlights key points that you as a parent can understand. There are also talking points that you can use to discuss with your kids if you allow them to play the game. Finally there is an interactive section of the review where other parents have been able to vote on the game and also leave comments about the game itself. This section allows you to see feedback from real parents and have some valuable information about the game that will help you make an informed decision.

Parents are put into a tough situation when it comes to deciding if a kid can play a video game. Most parents I talk with have no clue where to even begin, but most parents should be able to make a well educated decision by using the sites listed above. While your kids may not agree with your decision, at least now you have good information to give you the confidence in making the decision.

6 Reasons Gamers Need Gamefly

How many times has your child asked for a game that they MUST have, only to find out that they play it for an hour and hate it?

What about the child who finishes a game in a weekend and then never plays it again?

Both of these problems can be solved with Gamefly, which is an online rental service that works like Netflix where you can rent games and keep them for as long as you wish. At any point, you can buy the game from them at a discounted price.

Gamefly is a pretty awesome service that we use for our rentals, but here are the top six reasons you should consider subscribing to the service if you have gamers in your family.

1 – Game Catalog

GameFly has a comprehensive library of over 7,000 titles covering all major video game and handheld game consoles.  Their library contains numerous copies of popular new releases, as well as many older ‘‘back-catalog’’ games that are generally less accessible in most video game rental and retail stores.

2 – They Support Most Gaming Platforms

All of the major gaming consoles are supported.  GameFly offers games for PlayStation®3™, PlayStation®2, PSP™, XBOX 360™, XBOX™, Wii™, GC™, DS™ and Game Boy® Advance consoles.  Most gamers have multiple gaming devices so this is a huge benefit.

3 – Their Awesome Rewards Program

The longer you are a member with GameFly, the more benefits you receive. You will earn bigger discounts on games, and earn GameFly dollars that you can use toward the purchase of games.  This is helpful when your child finds a game they love and you want to buy it.  The GameFly dollars will make the games cheaper to buy.

4 – Cost Savings, Never Pay Retail Again!

Thanks to the reward program I just mentioned, you never have to worry about paying full retail price for a game again.  While you may be buying the game used you will be given the chance to play it first.  Once you decide to buy it, GameFly will ship you the case and manual for free.

5 – Quick Turn Around Time

With 4 shipping centers across the nation, the shipping time is pretty quick.  They also have FastReturn that allows them to get a notification from USPS when a game is coming back, and they will ship the next game in your Q.

6 – They Offer a 1 Month Free Trial

Make sure you visit Gamefly to sign up for their free one month trail. This will give you enough time to try out their service to see how it works.

Holiday Parties

The Holiday season has always been one of my favorite times of year. I love the decorations, I love Santa, I enjoy waiting for a white Christmas, and I love planning Holiday parties. Once you get past planning the meal and decorating the house, the next big thing is to come up with entertainment for your guests.

While the ugly sweater contest and white elephant exchanges can be fun, here are a few other ideas for your next Holiday party:

• Holiday Jeopardy – This game is played like Jeopardy, but the questions should refer to traditional holiday stories. For example, if the holiday being celebrated is Christmas, all questions should refer to the traditional story of Old Saint Nick, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, the story of the Three Kings, Frosty the Snowman, etc.
• Finish the Lyric – People are split up into teams. One person from each team will draw out the lyrics to a classic Christmas carol and start singing them, but certain words are missing from the lyrics that the rest of the team members need to fill in
• Fastest Wrapper – Hold a contest to see which team can wrap the most presents in a period of time
• Bubbas Game Room – Yes, self promotion. You could always hire Bubba’s Game Room to help provide some entertainment for your Holiday party. We can come and setup all the latest video game equipment and provide hours of entertainment for kids and adults. We have all the latest games and consoles. Everyone of all ages loves Video Games and can have a fun time.

Happy Holidays!

Buy a Wii or Xbox with Kinect?

There are some great holiday deals out there for the Wii and the Xbox 360 with Kinect, but are you confused on which one to get your kid? The Wii made the promise of getting your kids moving while playing games. The Xbox with Kinect is new but promises to take motion sensing controllers to a new level. So which one should you get? Since I have received a few questions about this already, I figured I would help clarify things a bit with my recommendation on which one you should get.

Should You Buy A Wii?

The Wii was launched back in 2006 with great fan fare due to the new motion sensing controllers that promised to get people moving. The Wii was a huge success and out sold the Xbox and the Playstation for quite some time, which is what motivated Microsoft and Sony to create their versions of a motion controller. Should you consider getting a Wii?

The Pros

• Motion sensing controls are built into the system and are included with every console
• Largest game selection available for motion games
• Great classic games such as Mario, Zelda, and Sonic that cannot be found on other consoles
• Cheapest console system
• Great party system for older people or people who have physical limitations
• Great for little kids, between the ages of 5 – 8

The Cons

• The game line up is boring and too child like
• Graphics are not Hi def
• Very few games support online play
• You can easily trick the motion controls by sitting on the couch and only doing the movements required for the game

Price

The Wii is certainly the cheapest option out there right now for gaming consoles, but not by much. Right now on Amazon.com the Wii Hardware Bundle sells for $199.99. This bundle comes with the console, a Wii Remote Plus, a NunChuck, and two games. The Remote Plus and NunChuck are attachments to the standard controller that further enhances the motion sensor. This bundle will get you up and running for 1 player. To get another controller Wii Remote Plus controller and Nunchuck will cost you another $60. You will end up spending $260 to get the Wii to a point where you can play two players.

Should you buy an Xbox 360 w/Kinect

While the Xbox 360 has been around for a while, they just released a console redesign that included a new motion sensor add on called Kinect. The big difference between Kinect and the Wii is that there is no physical controller to hold as you and your body will be the controller. Kinect has a couple of cameras and an infrared sensor to read your motions to control the gameplay.

The Pros

• Really delivers on the promise of getting you moving as Kinect uses your body to control the game
• Can track two players at a time
• HD graphics will produce better looking games, which will attract to the older kids
• Voice control allows you to control your Xbox with your voice
• Xbox Live is built into most games
• Existing game line up for non motion control games are strong

The Cons

• Kinect is an additional purchase on top of the console
• Requires a fair amount of space to play games. You need 6 to 8 feet to play the games
• Game lineup is small for right now, but this should change over time
• About a $100 more than the Wii

Price

There are two options when it comes to buying the Xbox, and the big difference is the amount of storage you want for your system. The 4GB system with Kinect is $299, while the 250GB storage option is $399. If you plan on downloading a lot from Xbox Live, then you should go with the 250GB option, otherwise go with the 4GB option. Even with the 4GB option you can always add the larger HD later for about $100. With this bundle, you get Kinect, a Kinect Game, the Xbox 360 Console, and a wireless controller. While Kinect can detect two people, if you plan on getting other games you may want to pick up another wireless controller for $40.

So Which One Should I Buy?

Even though the initial cost of the Wii is lower, I think you get better value with the Xbox with Kinect For a little bit more in price, you get a lot more with the Xbox bundle. The Wii was the only game in town when it came to motion controls but that is not true anymore. The initial idea excited people because it got everyone moving but the long term playability of the system is short. The games get boring for older kids and adults, but are great for the younger kids. Compared to Kinect, the Wii doesn’t live up to the hype and doesn’t get you moving as much as Kinect will.

I would say that if you kids are getting close to the ages of 7 or 8, then I would consider the Xbox 360 with Kinect over the Wii. The long term playability of the Xbox is greater than the Wii thanks to the current game lineup for the Xbox 360 plus the games that are in line to come out that will take advantage of Kinect and the full graphic capabilities of the Xbox. Microsoft already has some great developers in line that publishes games for the Xbox and they are excited about working with Kinect. Plus, with the additional graphics capabilities of the Xbox over the Wii and the ability to play online, older kids will continue to play the Xbox for quite some time.

Holiday Shopping Questions

Are you looking over your kids Christmas list and have questions? Should I get a Kinect even if I own a Wii? What is a DSi XL? What games are right for my kids? What is the difference between a PS3 and an XBOX?

All of these can be tough questions for some parents, and that is where Bubbas Game Room would like to help. If you have questions feel free to comment on this post, or send me an email using the contact us link at the top of the site. I will do my best to offer you my opinion on what you should do.

Happy Holidays and feel free to post your questions below.

Kinect Accidents

If you are thinking of getting Kinect this holiday season, be sure to take some safety precautions

What Is Kinect for Xbox 360

Microsoft recently released their answer to the Wii and its motion controller with its own version called Kinect for the Xbox 360. You may have seen some of the recent commercials for the product. Maybe your child has already asked you for it for Christmas. As a parent you are probably asking what exactly Kinect is? How does it differ from the Wii that you may already own, and will your kids enjoy it?

So what is Kinect?

While the Wii introduced the first successful motion controller in the industry, Microsoft is looking to take it to the next level with its motion sensing technology. Kinect for the Xbox 360 is a sensor bar that is equipped with 3 types of cameras that monitor your body movements and will allow you to play games controller free. When you play Kinect games your body becomes the controller so there is no controller to hold. This alone makes the games far more interactive than anything we have seen so far.

More Interactive Than The Wii

How else does Kinect deliver where the Wii falls short? While the Wii promised a fully interactive environment to get kids up and moving the Kinect takes it to a new level. For example, one of the more popular games at the moment on the Wii is Just Dance 2. With Just Dance 2 you simulate dance moves while holding a Wii Remote. While kids find this fun there are many limitations. Since you are holding a remote, the Wii can only register movements related to the arm. This makes it possible for you to just sit on the couch and play the dance game.

Kinect for the Xbox 360 has a similar game called Dance Central where the main point of this game is to follow the dance moves on the screen. Unlike the Wii, the Kinect sensor can register your body movements to see how accurate you are performing the dance moves. This alone will make the games to be far more interactive than what you have seen on the Wii.

Games That Get You Moving

There are a number of games already available for Kinect, with other publishers promising more titles in the future. To compete with Wii Sports there is Kinect Sports and Motion Sports that provide you with your boxing and bowling type of games. There are also a number of dance and fitness games, as well as some fun animal games for younger children. Future plans are for a racing game, a Harry Potter game, and a Star Wars game. I think game publishers will quickly realize that they can do so much more with Kinect than they have with the Wii.

Should You Buy It?

I expect Kinect to be on the top of a number of Christmas lists this year, and as a parent we need to decide if our kids would really benefit from a system like this. The big concern is that Kinect will end up like the Wii and just sit in the corner and collect dust, at least that is how it is at our house. Kinect has a lot more potential than the Wii does to get your kids up and moving. However, with the current game line up kids between the ages of 7-12 could find Kinect interesting and I would consider buying it for them. For older kids, I would wait until more games come out and see how the technology progresses.