Parental Controls On The Nintendo Wii
Nintendo has always been a company that gears its products towards families. Nintendo's newest game console, the Nintendo Wii, is no exception. With so many graphic games depicting violence and other adult themes, keeping kids form playing these games is important. The Wii has parental controls that allow parents to select which games their children can play based on the game's ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) rating. Parents can also set controls for internet usage and the Wii's other features. The Wii's parental controls make sure kids have both a fun and safe experience while playing the Wii.
Setting which games your child can play is easy on the Nintendo Wii. Parents select a four digit PIN number that allows them access to the parental control settings. They can then limit which types of games can be played on the console based on ratings unless the PIN number is entered. The ESRB ratings are used as a guide to which games are appropriate for children. The rating EC (Early Childhood) is for games suitable for children 3 years old and up and won't contain any type of inappropriate material. An E (Everyone) rating is for everyone 6 years old an up and will only contain minimal violence if any. An E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) rating means a game will probably be suitable for children ages 10 and older and contain more mild violence or language than E rated games. The T (Teen) rating means a game may be suitable for children ages 13 and older and contains violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling, and/or infrequent use of strong language. M (Mature) rated games are probably best suitable for people 17 years old and older as they may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content, and/or strong language. These ratings combined with the Wii's parental Controls makes it easy for parents to pick which games their children can play.
Because the Wii is capable of connecting to the internet, Nintendo took precautions to make sure children stay safe. Wii consoles can only communicate with each other if they exchange friend codes so communications are only with people you know. This keeps likenesses of children in the form of Mii's off stranger's computers and vice versa. The parental controls of the Wii also allow parents to restrict access to the web browser, News Channel, and messaging system included on the Wii. Parents can also block the purchase of games off the Wii Shop Channel and decide which games their children can play from the Virtual Console.
The Nintendo Wii is a revolutionary video game system and with the innovation came innovative ways to keep kids safe. Parents can easily decide which games are right for their children using ESRB ratings and set their Wii to only allow certain games to be played without the PIN number. The internet capabilities of the Wii are revolutionary as well and the parental controls in place ensure that kids using the Wii stay safe.
