Ah, the British summer - usually rain, rain, and more rain after all of about three days of sun, our changeable climate has basically turned complaining about the weather into a national pastime. Yet throw in several kids, filled up on sugar and e-numbers while cooped up in a house for six weeks solid, it can be a recipe for disaster. It's times like these that video games can really save the day, letting them virtually beat each other up on Smash Bros instead of warring on the carpet… mostly. Of course, games and games consoles can also be a bit of an expensive habit, especially when you need enough to carry them through the full 42+ days of the summer holidays - and this is where rental can save the day.
Essentially like an online version of Blockbuster, but with an emphasis on games instead of films, Paramount Games Rental are an online subscription service that will send you the latest games through the post, for a small fee. Letting you try before you buy, or simply have a near endless supply of new releases at your fingertips, its a great way of getting the most out of your consoles, without the £40+ a pop of most games at retail - and as it happens, Paramount Games Rental have a new weapon in the form of their Children's Games Pass.
There's almost 200 games to pick from, with something for everyone.
Weighing in at a bargain £15, and lasting for the next 45 days, the Children's Pass gives you the option of borrowing up to four different games over the time period, from their expansive back catalogue. And, to ensure your little ones are playing only the most age-appropriate titles, the Pass limits your selection of games to those with PEGI 3, 7 and 12 ratings - which means the likes of Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty and Sniper Elite are out of bounds. Instead, there's the gamut of Lego titles, familiar Nintendo faces and even some footie favourites like FIFA and PES thrown in for good measure - there's a full list of their child-friendly catalogue over on their website.
As a wallet-friendly way of keeping the kids entertained this holiday, renting is definitely an option - particularly if your kiddies tend to play one game obsessively for a few weeks before dropping it, never to be played again. At just £15 for the duration of the school holidays, this could be a great way of keeping the who family busy on those rainy days over the summer!
