Children running to their nearest GameStop to buy GTA IV should think twice. A recent survey conducted by the Federal Trade Commission revealed that overall, 80% of underage shoppers were denied purchase of M-rated video games.

This is an improvement over a 2006 FTC survey, which indicated that a mere 42% were not allowed to make such purchases. The results are part of a larger nationwide survey on retailers’ vigilance against unaccompanied children purchasing CDs with the Parental Advisory Label, M-rated video games, tickets to R-rated movies, R-rated DVDs, and unrated DVDs that were R-rated in theaters.

In terms of M-rated games, the survey gathered data from eight major retail chains: Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, Hollywood Video, GameStop/EB Games, Kmart, Circuit City, Target, and Best Buy.

The results revealed that GameStop was the most stringent, refusing sales of M-rated titles to minors 96% of the time, followed by Wal-Mart’s 82%. On the other hand, the biggest offender was Hollywood Video, which turned down sales to minors only 60% of the time, followed by Circuit City with 62%.

Source: FTC.gov via Gamasutra.com

Circuit City is running a sale all week in which you can pick up some new games for the ultra-cheap price of $8.96. The advertisements only list a handful of games, but there is a ton more if you know where to look. Circuit City’s goal is, of course, to get you to come into their store. If they told you ALL of the games that were on sale, you might not have a reason to. But worry not!

VideoGamePlayerz has the full list of goods on their site – about 300 or so titles.*

There are actually some decent games on there, like Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland, Tiger Woods 2006 and 2007, Chromehounds, Condemned, Phoenix Wright, and an ass-ton of PS2 games.

While advertising for Circuit City makes me feel sorta dirty, if gamers can get games for cheap, it’s worth shouting it from the rooftops.

Obviously, the titles available vary by store, it might be good to call before you waste a trip. After all, gas is, like, $12 a gallon these days.

Totally not worth it

*At this moment in time VideoGamePlayerz is down after too much traffic. Hopefully it’ll be up again soon.