Damn You, Game Boy! (For the cop-killing game!)

The BBQ Pit
1

I bought a game for color Game Boy that my kids wanted for Christmas. It’s called Grand Theft Auto. I asked the guy at the counter about it, and he showed me the rating for “teens.” This was to be shared by Eldest Son (almost 15), Middle Son (11 1/2), and, possibly, by Youngest Son (9 1/2).

I had some doubts about the title, but was told that it was essentially a car chase type of game. Fine and good.

So within 24 hours of its presentation, the children have all been playing it, and all I’m hearing is car chase stuff.

Until all of a sudden, with Youngest Son playing it, I hear “I killed a cop!”

I have confiscated the game, and my name is anathema to my children. I’m going to take it back to the store, but I cannot find the receipt, and, of course, it has been open and used. Anybody know where I can write the manufacturer?

And what say you, Teeming Millions? I’ll admit nobody’s gonna change my mind and have me say it’s okay for the kids to play this game, but I’m curious as to what y’all think.

-Mommy Melin

2

Melin, did your son say that in a triumphant or dissappointed tone of voice? Maybe you lose points or whatever if you accidentally kill a cop?

Regardless, I think it’s disgusting, and I’d love to know how to contact the company to raise hell. My brother-in-law is a cop, and I sure don’t appreciate some damn game teaching kids that he’s some kind of ‘target’! He’s a human being, with a wife, kids, grandkids, mom and dad, sisters, etc. that love him dearly. He puts his life on the line every time he stops a speeder or answers a call, which he is doing for YOUR GODDAMN PROTECTION!

Fucking assholes!!

Carpe diem - Seize the day
Carpe noctem - Seize the night
Carpe cerevisi - Seize the beer

3

I say screw the receipt. March into the store where you bought it and tell the highest-ranking person you can find that the store mis-represented the product and that s/he can choose right there and then whether the game goes back on the shelf or to the local news channel.

I’m all for the First Amendment rights of the manufacturer to make and the retailer to sell such a despicable product, but if they sell it as a “car-chase” game they damn well better be prepared to fix the lie.

Livin’ on Tums, Vitamin E and Rogaine

4

Sigh. Okay, let me get into a bit of a rant here.

They told you the game was fine for ‘teens’? Okay, either they had a serious misconception about the game, or had a serious misconception about what you meant by ‘teens’.

Grand Theft Auto, for those unfamiliar with it, is a game where you play a young hoodlum attempting to work his/her way up through the underworld by doing various ‘jobs’. These jobs range anywhere from driving a getaway car to driving a bus laden with explosives into the middle of a police station and blowing them all to kingdom come. It it extremely violent, extremely foul-languaged, and extremely sick. (It’s also a lot of fun if you like/don’t mind that sort of stuff. I haven’t quite made it through the third city yet). Before anyone talks about ‘evil game companies’, I’d like to point out that originally GTA was sold by mail-order only, which meant that it was not likely to be an impulse buy made without understanding the product.

As for killing police- yes, you do get points for killing police officers, just like you get points for killing pedestrians (highest points are paid out for killing people that you just car-jacked). Of course, the more inhumane violence you commit, the more the cops personally decide to take you down, and they’re a lot faster and better armed than you.

Melin, here’s my opinion. The person who sold you that game was an idiot. Unfortunately, you will find a lot of idiots working as salespeople in software stores. This is not because they are bad people, or because they are in-general idiots; this is because there are a hell of a lot of titles available, bizarre distinctions between versions for PCs and versions for game systems, etc.

My recommendation: if you plan on buying software/cartridges a lot in the future (and given the ages of your children, I expect that’s true), find either A) a store whose employees seem knowledgable (if the employee, when asked how good the program is, just points to the label, they are not knowledgable about the game); or B) a website that rates and reviews games and advises on content. Do not believe the ‘Advisory Labels’ on computer games. They are as useful in determining ‘age level appropriateness’ as movie ratings. Sure, most fall into a general category, but there are lots of times you’ll walk out of a theatre saying “How the blazes did this movie get that rating?”

JMCJ

“John C., it looks like you have blended in very nicely.”
-UncleBeer

5

You’re right, of course, John C. - it’s not the game itself, it’s labeling it as suitable for teenagers.

Glad I don’t have any kids - parenting these days must be a nightmare.

Carpe diem - Seize the day
Carpe noctem - Seize the night
Carpe cerevisi - Seize the beer

6

I can sympathize, Melin. Santa brought our 8 year old “Gex” fr Playstation for Christmas and the game itself is fine, but between screens it has sayings that are quite inappropriate for his age group. The game was labeled “E” (“everyone”), similar to a “G” rated movie. I am pretty annoyed about it and may write the manufacturer.

I should go to the store and make a big horse’s ass of myself, but I probably won’t.

7

Please don’t shoot the messenger, but here’s my opinion. You asked for it, you got it.

A five second Yahoo search yielded me http://www.grandtheftauto.com/
where there is more info on this particular game then you can imagine. There is even a free demo download. This is a blurb from the website:

Never trust salespeople, always research video games yourself, and remember that ratings systems don’t usually match your values. In the end it’s your responsibility to research this stuff, not the kid at the store. Cop killing aside, this game doesn’t sound appropriate for any age kids.

Love is like popsicles…you get too much you get too high.

Not enough and you’re gonna die…
Click here for some GOOD news for a change Zettecity

8

From the same website:

Hmmmmmm…me thinks the store will take it back, but my original point remains.

9

Aw, shit. I think I’m going to get myself in trouble here.

Melin, why is it the store’s responsibility to ensure that you know what the game’s about? They’re in the business of selling games. It’s not their job to defend your children from evil.

The rating system’s obviously skewed, but I’d think you would expect that. PG movies aren’t what they used to be, and that’s much more of an objective rating system that for video games (not to say objective, mind you, just a little closer). But even so, “teenage” does not mean eleven. It certainly does not mean nine.

There are lots of reviews online and in print of every major game released, and most minor ones. Check 'em out before you buy a game. Or buy the game and play it yourself before you let the kids know you bought it. Then you’ll have the receipt and the box right there.

Dang, Melin. The title of the game is Grand Theft Auto. What did you think it was about? Sunday school? At the very least you know it’s portraying illegal activity (and from the box one can gather that it’s glorifying that activity).

You didn’t ask, but it seems your best bet now is to sit the kids down and explain in detail that the mistake was yours, and why you decided to withdraw a gift you had given them. Hopefully they’ll get it and not stay pissed off at you.

-andros-

10

Er, yeah. What Zette said.

11

Well, it’s certainly good to know that there is a website where I can check these things out in the future.

I do expect, when I ask a question in a store about a product, to get a knowledgeable response about that product. Particularly in this store, which is devoted exclusively to video games.

The box says “teen.” The game was really bought with the older kid in mind, but I guess I was lulled into buying it at all by things such as the box advertisement which says “Outrageous Hollywood-style car handling.” I did know that Youngest Son was playing it, admittedly, but I hadn’t realized that it was something more than “car chases.”

I don’t think this game is appropriate for teens, either, frankly. And color me naive, admittedly. I did really think that it could be a car chase game, and even that when it talks about “missions” and “cops and robbers” on the back, it could mean something other than being a bad guy killing cops. Obviously next time I’ll know to ask a lot more questions beforehand.

-Melin

12

Actually that game sounds like it kicks ass! 3 entire cities?

I’m all for freedom of expression, and when Ice-T came out with “Cop Killa” I didn’t bat an eye.

13

RTA: Actually, 4 full cities. And there’s an expansion pack for being in Britain in 1969. A word of warning- if you have a 200mhz Pentium or higher, you’ll run the game way too fast and find it a bit hard to control. Wait until the sequel comes out in a few months.

Melin: I sympathize with you, but I’m a bit patronizing on this subject; I used to work for Egghead Software (back when they actually had retail stores), and it was a priority for the salespeople- even the part-timers- to know as much as possible about the software we sold, or at least to know which of the salespeople knew about that piece of software. But Egghead’s dead, and replaced by giant warehouse stores where the employees are glorified stockpeople who don’t know and don’t care. (This is the rant I as warning about earlier.)

But definitely do a bit of research on programs before you buy them; not only can it help you decide whether a game is appropriate for your children or not, it can also warn you that the game sucks mightily.

JMCJ

“John C., it looks like you have blended in very nicely.”
-UncleBeer

14

melin,

i worked at a toy store for 2 years.

one day a grandfather bought a playstation game for his grandson. after he brought it home and played it, he discovered it was inapropriate for his family.

he first called the store, and told us he was comming in.
then he exchanged it for something a little tamer.

this time of year, toy stores expect to make exchanges without recepts(christmas presents)

tell the clerk it was a gift and you just want to exchange it for something less evil

usually we refuse to make exchanges on opened video games, but we did make an exception for the grandfather.
they may for you.

I’m pink therefore I’m Spam

15

Maybe Melin thought eleventeen was a real number.

It says “teen”. That seems like a good rating to me. 11 is not “teen”. If you don’t think your 15 year old is mature enough to play a game where they show cops getting run over then maybe you’re just sheltering him a little to much.

16

www.gamefaqs.com www.ign.com

Gamefaqs has reviews and step by step walkthroughs as well as links to other sites that review the game. In the future, you should do some research before buying a game that is potentially something that you don’t want to expose your children to. Part of my rant is as has been said earlier, you bought something that was labeled for “teens” not “everyone” nor even children. The title alone should have warned you off of it. You will probably have better luck if you shop at Toys R Us because they have strict policies on what they can and can’t sell. GTA is one of those games. Also, on the insert of The Grand Theft Auto pamphlet (in plain view) is a notice where it brags that it has been banned in over 14 countries. If that wasn’t a tip off, I don’t know what is.

Sqrl

Gasoline: As an accompaniement to cereal it made a refreshing change. Glen Baxter

17

I’m sorry, I don’t think playing at cop-killing is appropriate for teens, either. I will not let the almost-fifteen year old play this game either.

The “bragging” about being banned in 14 countries is useless if it is on an insert in the game box, since the games are sealed.

-Melin

18

The game is rated “teen” for a reason, probably because it’s meant to be played by teenagers, not nine year-olds… So it is your fault, Melin.

Regardless, it is a fun game for teenagers.

carpe pectos- “seize the breasts”

19

Sorry to go against what seems to be the party line, but what’s so bad about the game?
You don’t really think that your kids don’t know the difference between games and reality do you?

I admittedly know absolutely nothing about your children, but I do know that in general, kids are not given enough credit. It’s a game about crime and violence and killing cops. So what?

I bet the kids just think of it as an action game, not a crime game. It’d be just about as much fun if you replaced all the innocents with zombies or aliens (ala Carmaggedon in Europe).

Again, I apologize for spouting off when I know nothing of your children, but this sort of “video games cause bad behaviour” stuff gets on my nerves.

20

If you take the game back to the store (preferably with receipt if you can find it) they should be accomodating about an exchange, especially if the salesperson or manager is familiar with GTA. Its not graphic in its depiction but it does have excessive violence. The salespeople definitely should’ve warned you about that one. I recommend finding a store/friend/website that’s knowledgeable about games and their themes. Just because the label says that its appropriate for 13 year olds doesn’t necessarily mean you want your kid playing it.