Warning: You've got to read to play Harvey Birdman

by Justin McElroy { Jan 11th 2008 at 11:45AM }

Our friends over at the Wiicast noticed a pretty upfront warning on Capcom's new Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law game, and one that, in the in interest of public welfare, we figured we should pass on. You've got to be able to read to "fully enjoy" Harvey Birdman. Confirmed. This raises some pretty obvious questions.

Are there many games that don't require reading to fully enjoy? Are there poor souls out there stuck, staring at title screens and wondering why people say video games are so fun? Also, how is a non-reader supposed to read the warning? We know, we know, this message could be designed for parents. But if we may be so bold, if that is the case, perhaps a book would be the wiser purchase.

Tags: capcom, harvey-birdman

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

reaver @ Jan 11th 2008 11:49AM

That's a good warning, actually. That'll save a lot of, "All you do in the game is read! This sucks!"

AvelaTT @ Jan 12th 2008 6:07AM

If you worked in a game store you would see that most games say this on the case nowadays.

Mr.ESC @ Jan 11th 2008 11:50AM

Well that lets the whole Halo demographic out oh sorry I mean “the Casual FPS demographic”.

baby sea tuna @ Jan 11th 2008 11:52AM

I C whut u did thar.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Jan 11th 2008 12:27PM

...but...But

I can read!!!

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Jan 11th 2008 12:28PM

...but...But

I can read!!!

Andy @ Jan 11th 2008 11:50AM

But you see, I can't read the warning about reading being required, so how would I know?

baby sea tuna @ Jan 11th 2008 11:54AM

This reminds me of those billboard ads I've seen in cities that advertising English-as-a-second-language classes, and are written entirely in English.

Mr.ESC @ Jan 11th 2008 12:01PM

That's some quantum sh*t right there but what about asking an adult you trust? Not a stranger because you shouldn't speak with strangers because remember Strangers are sexual predators who haven't touch you yet.

robert @ Jan 11th 2008 12:18PM

perhaps you should attend the Derek Zoolander Center For Children Who Can't Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too

StrangeBum @ Jan 11th 2008 1:39PM

Hey guys. Let me read that for you, you can trust me Mr. Esc I'm totally not a stranger....and not a bum, and in no way a strange bum as if somehow combined.

Also... robert your comment is win + win. Which = EPIC WIN!

B1gC72 @ Jan 11th 2008 9:21PM

lol @ Robert. +1 for you.

Travis Adams @ Jan 11th 2008 11:51AM

I'd like to suggest that maybe just maybe this is an attempt to poke fun at gamers. Sometimes their humor relies on a blatant statement that is so obvious that it hurts.

FidliousWong @ Jan 11th 2008 11:59AM

You might have something there... except this warning has been a standard on Nintendo published RPGs for quite some time.

While Harvey Birdman may be making the obvious jab, I highly doubt Nintendo was making a satirical comment on the FFIII packaging.

Noshino @ Jan 11th 2008 12:04PM

cmon sheppy, with lines like

"third-rate superhero, now third-rate attorney (Thanks, correspondence course!)"

"...you're going to need some law books. (With pictures this time.)"

how can you take them serious when they something like that? Capcom, specially the creators of the series, like to poke at the obvious...and it is quite hillarious..XD

Zertoss @ Jan 11th 2008 11:51AM

LOL Same warning was on the Pokemon Red/Blue (yes, the original Gameboy version) and I had the same thought.

I assumed it meant kids would grab the box and run to their parents and squeal "I want THIS game!" And, of course, they'd get it, and then the parents would get upset that no one told them their kids had to READ to play the game. Then Jack Thompson would freak out about how these games are murder simulators training our kids to go on killing sprees in their local libraries.

gore on the floor @ Jan 11th 2008 11:51AM

I've noticed that disclaimer on quite a few DS games, as well.

NATO_Duke @ Jan 11th 2008 11:58AM

I have no idea what this article says, or what I'm typing, but I like the color blue.

FOXHOUND @ Jan 11th 2008 12:13PM

According to this "English for Dummies" colouring book, you explained that the Cork Oak (Quercus suber) is a medium-sized, evergreen oak tree... native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa.

Oh! And I drew a happy cork tree too. :]

NATO_Duke @ Jan 11th 2008 2:52PM

I can still play this game on my atari right?

FidliousWong @ Jan 11th 2008 12:00PM

As Zertoss said, this isn't something new. It's been a Nintendo staple for a while.

"Huh? I gotta actually READ to play Fire Emblem? The shit is this?"

FidliousWong @ Jan 11th 2008 12:00PM

Been a Nintendo staple for a while.

Kentuckyfried @ Jan 11th 2008 12:01PM

Ha, this just further confirms what I tell my buddy all the time that a HUGE part of the Wii's market is very young children,

'Grade One education is needed to fully enjoy this game'

Richard Mitchell @ Jan 11th 2008 12:02PM

I'd say this is more a warning that just because a game is cartoony, it's not necessarily for little kids.

FOXHOUND @ Jan 11th 2008 12:08PM

You know, even if I couldn't read - seeing a guy's hair on fire, a formal dressed man with angel wings and an open briefcase, and a hippo with a pith helmet would interest me enough right there into wanting to play whatever the hell this was.

WiNG @ Jan 11th 2008 12:09PM

They put this warning so moron parents don't buy the game for their 3 year old.

mafafu @ Jan 11th 2008 1:37PM

The fact that it's rated T for Teen is supposed to do that and we know how well that works.

Zoot Suit Jedi @ Jan 11th 2008 12:13PM

Teh sadist part is dat m@ny wilz not play tihs gamez 2 full njoymentz cuz its aint l33tz or im soz I cantz understandz it. w00t.

FOXHOUND @ Jan 11th 2008 12:14PM

LoL Dubya, is that you? Who let you out of Texas, you silly goof? ;D

deaftly @ Jan 11th 2008 12:29PM

Que?

Nigeria @ Jan 11th 2008 3:57PM

Chinese people are double the world population?

"insert somewhat witty comment"

hahaha, double.

???

Andy S. @ Jan 11th 2008 12:59PM

With all seriousness, I'm pretty sure that the Madden/Halo frat boy crowd is fairly accustomed to not needing to read in games. Sure, there are words there, but they don't care. They didn't come here to read, they came here to mash buttons and call into question the parentage and sexuality of total strangers on Xbox Live.

James @ Jan 11th 2008 1:19PM

Andy I love you. +1

Co @ Jan 11th 2008 1:54PM

I'm not so sure you can classify "the Madden crowd" as being of the frat boy variety. No, the Madden crowd, it's more like 90% of everyone in the world.

Noshino @ Jan 11th 2008 2:19PM

Im sure that chinese people don't like american football, and they are double the world population o_o;

Nigeria @ Jan 11th 2008 3:58PM

Chinese people are double the world population?

"insert somewhat witty comment"

hahaha, double.

???

shivr @ Jan 11th 2008 1:19PM

The warning would probably help my mom out buying for my little brother...

And is is possible to enjoy games without being able to read them. Aforementioned little brother loves Ocarina and Majora, even though until very recently he had to call his older sister into the room to read all the text for him. Actually, that probably helped out her reading abilities at an early age... yes nintendo, it's all for THE CHILDRENs!