There I was, in the check-out line at Target, when I overheard the lady in front of me chatting about the copy of Assassin’s Creed 2 she was buying for her grandson. “For my grandson. You know these kids, they always want these weird things,” she casually said to the checker. “You know, assassins and whatever else.” She smiled, as though this must all be light, harmless fun.

That struck me quite a bit. I’ve read about parents and grandparents not doing their homework in regard to the entertainment they purchase for those in their care. Getting people informed about these issues is part of the reason for this very website. Video games are not just for kids anymore. Truth be told, they never really were the exclusive domain of children, but a lot of people seem to think that’s the case anyway.

So, I said to her, “You know, that’s not really a kids’ game at all. It’s rated “Mature,” the video game equivalent of a rated-R movie.” She definitely had no idea what I was talking about, so I pointed out the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) rating icon in the corner of the game case. “M 17+” it said pretty plainly. She was pretty surprised and said she would discuss it with the child’s father.

Of course, the important thing is that you know what you’re getting for your child (or whichever relation). You may have an objection to a mild smoking reference in an E10+ game (“Everybody 10+”), but no problem with some mild swearing in a T game (“Teen”). With the ESRB’s information, you can make an informed choice. No major retailer will stock a game unless it carries a rating from the ESRB, so take note when purchasing. Their website is very informative, and gives a lot of detail on rated games. Case-in-point, here is their description of the game I mentioned above, Assassin’s Creed 2. See if you think that’s what you’d want your 13-year-old to be playing.

For years, Nintendo has had loyalty clubs in Japan and Europe. Recently, and with much rejoicing, Club Nintendo has debuted in the USA. If you have a recent Nintendo console in the house, along with occasional game purchases, it’s an easy way to get in on some freebies. The club is set up to support family accounts, as well, so parents can control the experience for children a bit.

The freebies are nothing mind-blowing, but there a couple of gems, if you like Nintendo’s stylistic design. One of the cheaper items available is a little bin that’s just big enough to hold a few Wii Remotes. The top end is a collection of Nintendo’s classic Game & Watch handheld games, re-packaged as a DS game. The kids may also like some of the card games or DS cases you can get.

So, for the price of a little bit of time and a little bit of surveys, Nintendo fans can earn a little bit of bonus.