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Do you have a child who owns a video game console such as Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3 (PS3), Playstation 2 (PS2), Nintendo DS, Sony PSP, Nintendo Gamecube, or Sega Dreamcast? Well, here's some quick tips on the DO's and DON'TS on how to choose the "perfect" video game that he/she will absolutely adore (or at least somewhat enjoy ^_^)

DO NOT:

• Buy them an outdated sports game (e.g., Madden 2005 when the year is 2009) unless you want them to hate you. Just because it costs less than $5 does not make it a bargain buy. 
• Also, the value of sports games depreciate more quickly compared to other classics.
  
• Buy a video game at full MSRP price. After all, you are a member of eBay so I'm assuming that you are a natural bargain hunter. The price of video games usually goes down quickly after a few months. It's not unusual for a $59.99 game to drop to $29.99 within a few months or so.
  
• Sites that provide good deals on video games include the following: Amazon.com, Gamestop.com, Slickdeals.net, Fatwallet.com
  
• Buy them a game without any necessary accessories. For example, don't buy the game-only version of Rock Band without the guitar set, drum set, etc. It's painfully boring to play those games on a regular controller. You might as well buy them a Tic-Tac-Toe board game.
  

DO:

• Check the rating of the video game before purchase. You don't want your 9-year-old to play a game where he/she can solicit hookers and then beat them up and take their money (i.e., Grand Theft Auto), do you?
  
• Rated EC (for 3+), rated E (for 6+), rated T (for 13+), rated M (for 17+), rated AO (for 18+)
  
• Look at the compiled reviews for the game you are about to purchase. For instance, Metacritic.com provides pretty good compiled ratings of video games (from a scale of 1-100 with 100 being the best). Other credible sites include IGN.com that generally provide good, unbiased reviews of the both new and old video games.
  
• Download a demo of the game if possible to try it hands-on. Newer consoles such as the PS3 and Xbox 360 allow users to download complete demos from the Playstation Network or the Xbox Live Marketplace. It's a quick and easy way to see if your child will like the game.
  

Thanks for looking. Don't forget to vote. Most importantly, don't forget to smile and have a wonderful day!