How are the ESRB ratings helpful for parents?

First off, what is the ESRB? The ESRB stands for the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. They are the board that rates the content of all video games. The rating tells the consumer the suitable age to play the game. The rating is listed on the front and back of the game. The description of the game content is written on the back. They rank from everyone to adult. This hub is intended for parents to understand the ratings as there are many out there that does not utilize this tool.

This rank on a game means that the game is suitable for all ages. It may not be easy for little kids but there won't be any content that younger people shouldn't see. There usually isn't any violence, unless it is very minute. Games that are E rated include Wii fit and Mario Kart.

The next rating is everyone 10+. This usually has a little more cartoon violence then E rated games but still it is very minute. There isn't any blood, gore, or foul language. The games rated E 10+ include The Legend of Zelda: The Spirit Tracks.

T is for Teen. This has more violence and maybe a little foul language. The range of violence differs for each Teen game. There may or may not be blood shed and gore. The only way to know is to read the back of the game or play the game yourself. That may sound silly to people who don't play games but usually about 20 minutes or so you should get the feel about the contents of the game, if you don't want to rely just on the ratings. Also, you could always ask the sales associate who sells the game. Someone will have played it.

I believe that some T rated games are okay for 12 year olds and some that are not. For instance, with the Final Fantasy series there is fantasy violence but no blood and gore. In fact, when you attack a monster, instead of blood you will see a number that represents the amount of Hit Points you have taken off the monster. When the monster is defeated, it disappears. No screaming bloody scenes. I think that these kind of games are okay.

In Heavenly Sword, there is blood and gore and if I remember right some bad language. When I played the game, I found myself surprised that it was T rated and not M rated. I definitely would not recommend that for 12-13 year olds.

T rated games include Final Fantasy XIII, White Knight Chronicles, Heavenly Sword and many more.

M is for Mature.  There is a law that only people 17 years and older are allowed to buy those games. M rated games can have violence, blood and gore, bad language, nudity and other contents.  Even with these contents, parents allow their 9 year olds to play these games.  Sometimes it is because they don't know what are in the games.  One time I overheard a little boy asking his dad for God of War III.  He was going to get it for him or at least was thinking about it.  I went up to him and said, "Don't you know that that game has a lot of gore and has naked prostitutes like girls in it?"  He looked at me and he told me that he did not know that.  Well the kid did not get the game after that.

M rated games include the Grand Theft Auto series, Fallout 3 and many others.

A is adults only. I have never played an A rated game. In fact, the only one I know about is Grand Theft Auto San Andreas first edition. Even though the first edition says it is M rated, it really is A rated. Sometime after the ESRB rated the game and sometime before it was released, someone made an unauthorized modification to the game. They made it to where you could hire a hooker and go into a car and see all the inappropriate scenes. The game company had to make a second edition to get rid of the mod and make it M rated again. (All you can do is hire the hooker and you don't get to see the scenes. I think that hiring hookers is still bad and that is why I never play a Grand theft Auto game. I wouldn't recommend that for the kids either)

If parents know how to use it, the ESRB ratings are very useful. Remember, there are ratings on the front and the back of the video games.  Also parents should remember that not all games are suitable for kids.