
We've all had a week to "FALCON PUNCH!" our way through the Wii's latest mega-anticipated title, scrambling for an innumerable amount of Smash Balls and mastering our technique with the subtly complex Jigglypuff, but in our excitement, we can't forget that group who is unable to join the Super Smash Bros. Brawl parade -- we speak, of course, of the twelve-and-under crowd, who are excluded from the party due to the game's Teen rating from the ESRB.
A blogger for San Jose's Mercury News recently called the mildly restrictive rating into question, claiming that the "crude humor" and "cartoon violence" present in the game is comparable to any number of children's TV shows. While we're usually not ones to disagree with North America's most esteemed game graders, we can't help but see where he's coming from.
What do you think about the rating -- is it completely unmerited, or does the game really run the risk of inspiring youngsters to attack one another with trophies and hammers?













(Page 1) Reader Comments
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that said, the Teen rating it got makes absolutely no difference what so ever.
Melee: T for Teen
Brawl: T for Teen
Naruto Clash of the Ninjas: T for Teen
ESRB has raised it's standard. I don't think they give any fighting game, even if it's marketed to kids less than a T for Teen.
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Is it possible that they rated T because the previous games were rated T? I read that sometimes the ESRB gives sequels the same rating as the previous game because generally the games in a series do not change significantly as far as content goes.
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PoR was rated T, and was at the tail-end of the period before they introduced the e-10 rating. Radiant Dawn was rated E-10, however
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Movies that earned a G rating back in the day that would earn a PG now:
Treasure Island, Darby O'Gill and the Little People, and most other live action Disney films (especially ones with drinking and swordplay).
Movies that earn a PG rating now that would have earned a G rating back in the day:
The Incredibles, and any other kiddie movie with cartoony violence.
Movies that earned a PG rating back in the day that would earn a PG-13 now:
The Superman movies, the original Star Wars Trilogy, and just about any other good movie that we older gamers grew up with. Probably E.T., too.
Movies that earn a PG-13 now that would have earned a PG back in the day:
Transformers, the Bourne trilogy, and just about any decent PG-13 action movie now.
And those are just the examples that popped into my head.
Godfather probably not. FFC would probably kick the violence up a notch to get an R rating if it came back PG-13 :D
It's got Snake in it. It was going to get a T rating.
Overall, I think the trend has definitely been toward the middle classifications (PG, PG-13) over the extremes (G, R). You're kidding yourself though if you don't think that sex, violence, and language aren't much more acceptable than they used to be.
Rating are definitely more strict now than they used to be.
For example, "Sheena" was PG in 1984. It features a nice, long, very nude scene where we get a very good look at Tanya Roberts... In fact, a few of Ms. Roberts' movies have been strangely rated PG when they contain elements that would be a definite R-rating today; "Beastmaster" comes to mind (more nudity).
"Dragonslayer" had a full nude scene, too. Rating? PG.
"Barbarella" was rated PG as well. Again, the same nudity, sexuality, and language today would warrant an R from the MPAA.
However, all this is moot. The ESRB and the MPAA are two different groups with different goals. The MPAA's business is to rate movies to determine what demographic it should be marketed to. The ESRB's purpose is to give overprotective parents a little information about the games their kids are playing, and to provide the gaming industry with a "See? We're policing ourselves" card whenever Governors and legislators get on the "video games are violent and they're destroying society" bandwagon.
It's all propaganda, but for different purposes.
The ESRB exists to keep Congress from passing censorship laws regarding video games. As such, they're EXTREMELY sensitive to violence and sex in games.
The ESRB also makes the assumption that "games are perceived as being for kids" in their ratings and is thus ultra-sensitive, while the MPAA assumes that there's a specific audience for each movie and seems to rate a little more broadly because of it.
I mean, let's be honest: The "Hot Coffee" version of GTA San Andreas wouldn't have gotten any more than an 'R' rating if the MPAA were rating it as a movie, and the 'R' would be based on the violence and language (F-bombs everywhere) and not on the mostly-clothed sex scene in the Hot Coffee sections.
But what did the ESRB do? FREAKED OUT! OMFG! There are people RUBBING AGAINST EACH OTHER WITH THEIR CLOTHES ON and they're insinuating it's sex! We've got to protect the children (who shouldn't be buying this with an M rating anyway) and pull it from store shelves where it sits just an aisle away from "Boogie Nights" and "Showgirls" on DVD! Quick! Give it an AO rating! It's practically pornography!!!
Give me a break.
The ESRB exists to placate oversensitive adults. That's IT.
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http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z46/pabloshong/24kyy4l.jpg
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Also, I don't if this would qualify as being more "mature", but Wario's fart attack would be controversial for an E rating. Plus, anyone see Luigi's final smash? He's clearly on acid.
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Of course, she also had a device that blanked out "bad" words on broadcast television and replaced them (in closed captioning) with "safe" words, so her kids wouldn't hear any swearing.
It was annoying to watch a TV show at her place, and have the sound drop out and the word "behind" appear whenever the word "ass" or "butt" was spoken, let alone harsher words...
And it ruined lines, too. "You're the [BEHIND] of the joke!" or "Now wait a [GOOD GOSH] minute!" just weren't as cool.
And movies-- Ugh! Utterly ruined: "I've come here to chew bubblegum and kick [BEHIND]. . . And I'm all out of bubblegum."
Phi ^_^
It's not that I think that my kids would be offended by the language, it's just really annoying when they repeat those words, especially when they don't know when it is or isn't appropriate (like during dinner with guests).
Or, you could just do what I do. Teach your kids which words are not OK for them to use or repeat. "Those words are not OK for you to use, only adults. And even adults shouldn't use them so I definitely don't want to hear you repeat any of them."
My son has never sworn.
-Dante
http://www.gamestache.com/
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but whatever who cares if they're not willing to ask or look
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There are some creppy creatures in there.
I think it's fair - Melee was a T, so Brawl should be as well.
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Mine are:
-That was easy!
-Pwned!
-Good Fight Newbie.
-Joystiq Rules!
=p
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