Cnet's 18 top game picks: The DOs and DON'Ts of games for kids

"It can be intimidating to shop for video games. The title your 8-year-old kid might be begging for might be packed full of blood and guts and simply unacceptable content. Here are nine games you can count on for your child, and nine you should shy away from (or keep for yourself). They're all very good titles, but some simply aren't appropriate for children. The "Do" games are all rated E for Everyone or E10+ for Everyone 10 and up, while the "Don't" games are all rated M for Mature by the ESRB. If you see a game that's not on this list, look at the rating on the corner of the box."

[CRIMS0N_W0LF]

WTF. So I can jump on people to kill them like Mario!

[gamesR4fun]

"DON'T: Xbox 360 Headset (Xbox 360)

The premise: This simple headset plugs into your Xbox 360 controller and enables voice chat over Xbox Live and compatible games.
The good: Lets your kids talk to other people over Xbox Live.
The bad: Lets your kids talk to other people over Xbox Live."

This is funny tho mentioning multiple times makes it look like they got bribed imo.

[Captain Tuttle]

especially the headset. Live is a sewer.

[PirateThom]

Nonsense, everyone should be allowed to play Portal.

[pshizle]

its time to mature up kids

[ChickeyCantor]

and create a nation that only exists of I-dont-have-a-life-gamer?
let kids have their childhood, thats the most important thing in a persons life.

[gamesR4fun]

I mean ya look at live that's what happens when too many kids without supervision are allowed to say anything they want....
And what age do you think kids start playing games at? Mine are 2 and 4 and both love video games. Sure we let them play lots of what were playing if we can but if I went out a bought Bioshock you think we'd let them watch it?
Of course thats what we have the rating system for kinda makes you wonder why they took all that time to promote a couple games and bash live multiple times.... Common Sony Nintendo M$ lets have a group hug and stop this stupid crapoff. Wasting money on bribes to make others look bad is about the lowest you can go... Instead spend more money on services and quality control on them games might just be the way to go...
See good game = good ratings = sales no need for bribes.

[w15975]

Don’t make Call of Duty 4, no talking over Xbox Live, no Halo 3, and no game of the year - Bioshock? Guess what Mr. CNET author guy – THERE ALL MATURE TITLES!!!! I am so sick of the fact that anything fun in this country (unfortunately for violent video games) the liberal media deems them bad for the kids. These titles have the ratings so that kids should not be playing them. What didn’t the article mention that?

Another thing these games themselves can not be bought from the store go to there home and load themselves into there console on there own. They are not alive and thus the kids are getting them from some where? Who could that be, yep you guessed it the parents. But that is the other annoying trait of the good ol USA is that no one is responsible for anything these days. Its not that they are crappy parents and that they don’t know what there kids are doing in there free time. No, it is those video games fault. Enough, please those in the media get some perspective.

[monkey602]

Video games arent to blame. Personally I grew up being out on the streets all the time with friends and I definitely experienced worse situations that I could have ever been in when at home playing games, even online.

Happy Christmas!