Video games are slowly growing from a hobby to a more mainstream form of entertainment. According to CNBC, the video game industry earned $18.58 billion in 2010, and Call of Duty: Black Ops, the best-selling game of that year, earned $1 billion in its first six weeks alone. On June 27, 2011 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that games are protected under the First Amendment just like literature, movies, and music.

Playing video games is already popular with the youngsters, but as games evolve over time so does its content. There are some games that just aren't made for kids. As a parent, we pride ourselves in knowing what's best for our children, but it can get a little intimidating when you're not sure what children are playing. Fear not: I'm here to give a few simple ways to familiarize yourself with how games are rated and the different ways you can control how much they play without being in the same room!

Know Your Ratings
The Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) was established in 1996 so that someone would rate video games based on its content and tell the consumer what that content is in detail. The ratings are separated by age groups much like those from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), and each title lists the content that is inside (which is located on the front and back of the box).

Here's a brief breakdown of how you know which rating is right for your child:

• Early Childhood (EC): This has absolutely nothing offensive to anyone; safe for all ages. The "G" of games.
• Everyone (E): For ages 6 and older, similar to a PG rating. Contains harmless things like mild cartoon violence (imagine Cartoon Network).
• Everyone 10+ (E10+): For everyone 10 years and older. This is a slightly stricter rating than the previous, but not by much.
• Teen (T): Intended for 13 years and older (think PG-13). Has content like suggestive themes, crude humor, and/or language.
• Mature (M): Suitable for 17 years and older. These are akin to R-rated movies and can have content such as strong language, blood, and gore.
• Adults Only (AO): For 18 years or older. Consider this the "uncut and uncensored" section of games. This is usually reserved for games that have intense scenes of gore and/or sexuality. Many retailers flat out refuse to sell AO games.
• Rating Pending (RP): A placeholder rating for games that have not completed the process yet. Games will have this rating before they are released, but never after.

Many retailers enforce these ratings as part of their store policy. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission found that between November 2010 and January 2011 retailers did a better job at enforcing video game ratings to minors than any other form of entertainment. The ESRB also started a partnership with the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) in 2008 to help distribute information on their ratings. A PDF of the pamphlet can be found here, and you can also visit ESRB.org for more information.

Put the "Parent" back into "Parental Control"
Each console has a specific way to protect your kids from playing something they shouldn't. Here's where you can find parental controls.

Microsoft Xbox 360
On the Dashboard, the name for the start-up screen, go to the left until you reach System and then press A (the green button). Go to Family Settings, which should lead you to Console Controls. It's here where you can set which games your children can play based on the ESRB ratings. Set a 4-digit PIN using the controller and save the changes when prompted to.

Another tip is to create separate profiles for you and your children. Microsoft saves any credit card information if you use it to purchase games digitally, so be sure your kids don't have access to it! You can also activate the Family Timer and restrict their online activity under the same Console Controls.

Nintendo Wii
From the start-up menu, point and press A (located in the middle of the remote) on Wii Options and then Wii Settings. Press the right arrow until you reach Wii System Settings 2, where you can find the Parental Controls and set a 4-digit password. Once you click OK, the only thing left for you to do from there is set the highest ESRB rating you'll allow them to play.

You should also look into blocking their internet access if you're not comfortable with them using the Wii's browser, and also restrict their use of Wii Points, Nintendo's form of currency exchanged with real money.

Sony PlayStation 3
Using the controller, move left until you reach Settings, then move down and select Security Settings by pressing X (the blue button). You can restrict both games and movies under Parental Control. You can restrict movies simply based on MPAA ratings. Games, however, are restricted using a number system, where the lower the number equals the lower amount of restriction:

• 2: Early Childhood (EC)
• 3: Everyone (E)
• 4: Everyone 10+ (E10+)
• 5: Teen (T)
• 9: Mature (M)
• 10: Adults Only (AO)

There's also a 4-digit PIN you can set under Security Settings. Go to Change Password, enter the default code 0000 and change it to something less obvious (and perhaps not an existing code they would know, like a birthday, garage code, etc.).

Or…Just Play With Them!
You can get some great family time by just sitting down and playing a game that you and your children would enjoy. It's the best of both worlds: Your children enjoy some video game time, and you can keep a close eye on what they play. All you need is a game that supports cooperative play of 2 or more players and an enthusiastic partner. Some recent recommendations are Portal 2, Toy Story 3, and New Super Mario Brothers Wii.

Games are supposed to be fun, so try to take the worry from them with these safeguards. And remember: Don't let the games play you!

Trevor Kerrick earned his degree in Technical Communication, with a minor in Mass Communications, from Texas Tech University. He researches and writes about communication and new media.