This is an interesting topic - I have often wondered the same thing....my DS5 has begun to make comments about the fact that he shouldn't be playing a certain game because it is for ages 8-up or whatever it says on there....he is well past the traditional candyland 5 year old games and is into much older games and has started questioning whether or not he should be doing this....I have just tried to have simple conversations with him that they put those ages on the box just as a suggestion and that he can play any game that he is interested in despite what age is on the box.