Hopefully everyone knows about the video game rating system. If not, it’s the rating system used to help parents determine what games are appropriate for their children to play. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), a non-profit that evaluates the content in games created the system. The ESRB’s rating system can be a powerful tool to understand what kind of content is in a game, whether a child should be allowed to play it, or which games to buy. Every game that you can buy in a store has a rating on the box with an explanation of the rating on the back, and descriptors of why the game received the particular rating.

Games have easy to understand ratings like “Everyone”, “Teen”, “Mature Audiences” and “Adults Only”. The video game rating system is similar to the found in movies. A rating like E can be compared to PG; though similar these ratings are not the same. Video game ratings are much more specific to the age groups with which they apply. Movie ratings are more like suggestions of how cautious parents should be, while video game ratings state the ages appropriate for the rating.

While a good tool, video game ratings are not law. Parents can and should understand the kind of content their children are exposed to. Ratings will generally give people a good idea of what is there but it isn’t a perfect system. Some E rated games may contain some questionable content, while some T rated games may be tame. While complicating things a bit, it’s also important to note that some games with ratings for older audiences can sometimes have their content moderated in game so that more graphic content is toned down. When choosing a game for your kids, be aware of just what kind of content your kids are getting into and what kind of content you’ll allow your kids to be exposed to. So look over the rating on the box before you buy!

And don’t forget, if you have any questions on any game, PlaySmart is also here to help.

Summer camp is right around the corner so we wanted to add a post about camp this summer. Things are gearing up so that we’re going to have an exciting summer this year full of gaming fun!

We have 2 locations for camp this year. One at Overland STAR from July 14^th - 25^th and one at Fairburn STAR from July 28^th – August 8^th. For more information, please click on this link.

PlaySmart camp is geared towards little gamers who are interested in video games, card games, and gaming in general. This year we’re going to be offering a lot of new and exciting games like Pokémon, Mario Kart for the Wii, and designer board games like Carcassonne! Campers will also take what they learn from games and video game history lessons and work to make their own fun and exciting games! So get ready to improve your gaming skills and use them to compete in fast paced action packed in-camp tournaments and events!

The ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board)has released a new widget to make it easier for others to search the games’ rating.  We’ve pleased to have the widget as part of the PlaySmart blog.  Just search for the game in question and in seconds the rating should be available for you.  If you need any clarification on what the rating means or about the game itself, feel free to email us and we’d be happy to help out.

Telagraph.co.uk has a fantastic article with tips on how to protect your children online and through games. I would highly suggest everyone to check it out. Many of the tips suggested in the article are those we would hope people will follow so that their children can have a safe and yet fun time playing games or using the internet.

There was a news report recently on how the Nintendo Wii is being used on to help some rehabilitate. Watch the video from the Today Show on how video games are really doing good!  It’s amazing how much good can come from games!

Kotaku has an article linking to a study on Dance Dance revolution. The study has a breakdown on how effective DDR is as an exercise and lauds DDR as an activity that gets kids to be physically active. STAR already knew that DDR is both fun and healthy, which is why we’ve been offering classes in DDR for a while now. It’s great to see that others are coming to find this out too.

 Please be aware that some of the comments below the article may not be appropriate for children to read.

Card games don’t have to be limited to being played with a traditional deck. The game Fluxx made by Looney Labs gives players the unique opportunity to make a game as they play it.

The rules of the game are simple at the start. You draw a card and you play a card. That’s it. As the game progresses though, things much more challenging. Each player has the option in playing a card of and adding to or changing the existing rules. You can reverse the order of play, make it so that you have to play 4 cards instead of one, or change things so the goal of the game is to sport peace and love. Playing Fluxx makes for a very different game each time, it will never be the same game twice. How you decide to play will always change the outcome.

Aside from game always changing, one of the best things about Fluxx is that it gets its players to think. While the stakes aren’t so high like other games, it’s very easy to give a win to one of your opponents. Players need to constantly be paying attention to what they are doing, and the order in which they play their cards. It’s easy to mess up an advantage by playing the right cards in the wrong order. You could reverse the order you play before changing the goal to one that’s in your advantage, or you might change the goal to one which will make someone else win. It’s very important to pay close attention to what’s happening while playing the game which promotes some logical thinking skills.

If you get bored with the normal deck of Fluxx there are also a couple of other decks and additions to choose from. Looney Labs offers a family version of the game, which is geared towards making it easier for children to play, and for the whole family to play together. This version has larger pictures and type, along with some family centric objectives that make it a lot of fun for everyone. Those who are interested in the environment can also get a copy of Eco Fluxx.

So if you want a game that is new, different, fairly easy, and will always keep you on your toes… Fluxx is definitely the way to go.

It’s a new year and it’s looking to be a great one for our classes, our students and everyone involved. We are continuing to provide great classes both in video games and in trading card games. There are more classes being offered at different schools than there were before. That means more students in STAR will be competing against each other! All our classes also have new games this session and we’re also pretty excited to be offering for the first time the Pokémon Tradable Figure game for some of our younger students.

This session every schools score will be posted online and updated on a semiweekly basis so you’ll be able to see how your school is doing and how it compares to others. How the scoring works will be covered in detail soon, so stay tuned. But for now, happy gaming!

Every so often a game comes along that you have to play. Whether it is because of the game’s breathtaking graphics, enthralling story or innovative game play. Guitar Hero is one of those games that everyone should play. The graphics aren’t anything special, there is little to no story, but the game should be played simply because of how much fun it is. Originally developed by Harmonix and published by Red Octane on the Playstation 2, Guitar Hero has become a game that can now be found on just about every system (even the computer). There are 3 Guitar Hero games out there (and 1 expansion) with the game play not changing drastically from version to version, just the set list.

Before I get into the why the game should be played, you may be wondering why I’m reviewing a series of games rated T for an audience that should be playing games that are mostly rated E. Not that I want to launch into some sort of tirade on the rating of video games, but for Guitar Hero (with a little supervision) it is easy to avoid most of the objectionable material. All the games in the series have a T rating because of the songs’ lyrical content. The songs for the most part are songs you will hear on the radio on any given day. Be warned there are also some visual references to the devil along with some cartoonish characters whose clothing may not necessarily be appropriate. The game does a good job of presenting what would appear to be rock n’ roll chic, if you’re ok with that, then this is a great game for anyone to play.

Guitar Hero puts you in the position of a band’s guitarist, you play the guitar to some of the most popular rock songs from the past 20 years. As colored notes fly down the screen it’s your job to press the appropriate colored button and strum the guitar at the right time to produce the right sound. Hit the wrong note and you’ll hear a discordant note. As you keep on hitting the right notes though the virtual crowd your guitarist is playing in front of will start to cheer you on. As you progress through the game, it gets harder and harder, where you’ll have to hit more notes, or their arrangement gets much more complex. You’ll learn how to do hammer-ons or pull-offs or when it sounds good to use the whammy bar. Scores and combos are also an important part of the game. Hit a combination of notes at the right time and the game will award you with star power that, when used, will double the points you get. A higher score shows how well you did in a particular song, and some people have turned the scoring system into a science, knowing exactly when to use the start power, or excessively using the whammy bar.

How you play Guitar Hero is your choice, but it’s best done in a group. This is the kind of game that everyone can get into. While you play you can try putting on a show for your audience, even playing with the guitar behind your head (if you’re good enough). The competitive and cooperative play systems are both well done. For 2 players you either play compete against or cooperate with someone else. It’s a lot fun for one player to play lead guitar and the other bass.

From a practical standpoint, the game does a lot in teaching rhythm. The ability to recognize the beat is crucial to succeeding in the game. It’s important to match the notes with the beat, and the game helps you to develop those rhythm skills with a practice mode that will let you slow the song down. One of the other great benefits of Guitar Hero is that it exposes its players to music that perhaps they never would have heard before. The musical library is made up of some modern bands like Muse and Franz Ferdinand, some older bands like Weezer and Perl Jam, but more importantly the game has a lot of classic rock songs from bands like The Allman Brothers Band and the Rolling Stones. The way the game plays it would be difficult not to get into some of the music that you have to play. With the game’s difficulty level you also start to really appreciate the complexity of the songs.

So if you feel like picking the game up, it can be found at just about any store where you would buy games. And if you want to play together as a family, extra controllers can be found just as easily.

For many, Super Mario Bros. was their first real experience playing video games.  Released on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985 the game originally came bundled with the console.  Super Mario Bros. tells the “classic” story of the heroic plumber Mario in his epic battle to rescue the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom from the evil Bowser.   Designed by Shigeru Miyamoto whose work has come to define Nintendo, Super Mario Bros. is known for being the most popular console video game ever, selling over 40 million copies and spawning a long series of sequels.  The music of the game, composed by Koji Kondo is recognizable to many who have not even played the game.  Mario who became Nintendo’s most well known mascot is also one of the most identifiable characters around the world.  History aside though, the game is also a lot of fun to play. 

Playing the game puts you in the shoes of the red clad Mustachioed Italian plumber Mario (and in the case of a 2-player game, his green clad brother Luigi).  As Mario you have to run, jump, swim and shoot the occasional fireball while trying to get through 8 different 2-dimensional worlds.  The game is straightforward in its game play.  Mario runs from platform to platform while avoiding gaps and enemies who can be defeated by jumping on them or shooting them with a fireball.  There are a few power-ups to mix things up, a mushroom that makes Mario bigger, allowing him to break bricks and be hit by an enemies’ attack once without being knocked out, a fire flower allows Mario to throw fireballs at enemies, and a star gives Mario temporary invincibility.  A trip down the occasional warp pipe also gives Mario the opportunity for a chance at a higher score or extra life.  While seemingly simple in its execution Super Mario Bros. perfection of play makes it a beautiful work of video game art.

When compared to today’s games Super Mario Bros. may look a little dated, but the game is still a lot of fun to play.  Unlike some games today not much is required to jump right in to the game, all you need is some focus and a minor amount of skills, timing being the most important one; if you don’t jump at the right time you’ll fall in a pit, be bitten by a koopa, or get hit by a hammer.  Should you be concerned about violence in games the content shouldn’t bother you.  Mario jumps on the heads of his enemies, either squashing them or knocking them off the field, and their touch in turn does the same to Mario.  In no way does this game present a realistic depiction of violence and is a game that can be enjoyed by all. So if you’re interested in playing, Super Mario Bros. can be downloaded through the Nintendo Wii’s virtual console, or you can probably pick up a copy at your local used video game retailer (granted you’ll also have to buy a Nintendo to play it as well).  Enjoy!