"But wait! We've got Extreme Gunplay X, Blood & Guts Y, and Unnecessary Mutilation Z! We've got a game where you can de-genital someone with pliers! That makes us mature, right?"
When met with this inflammatory statement, such is the common response from many Nintendo followers: recite as many M-rated titles as possible. In fact, this extends to many areas outside of gaming debate. When challenged by someone, we feel the need to immediately defend ourselves. While questioning one's own beliefs and assumptions is perfectly healthy, to feel the need to spring into action when met with marginalizing statements is nothing short of proving your challenger's power over you. Instead, it's sometimes more appropriate to understand where your opponent is coming from. He or she simply prefers games with mature content. We all have our preferences, and those of your opponent leads to their dismissal of all that doesn't fit their expectations.
This leads to a question: what does "kid-oriented" mean, exactly? Sure, I'd raise an eyebrow if Nintendo's entire release calendar consisted of nothing but Ben 10 and Dora the Explorer games. And who doesn't like a well-made mature title? But to those who would support this argument, I'd ask you where the agreed-upon designation of adolescence lays? Does experiencing pleasure from whimsical and silly things make one less of an adult? Do I need to beat up a hooker to prove my maturity to you? If experiencing the near-limitless joy of Super Mario Galaxy makes me childish, then I say "goo-goo gaa-gaa."
