Entertainment Software Rating Board
From the Super Mario Wiki
| Entertainment Software Rating Board | |
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| Founded | 1994
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The ESRB stands for the Entertainment Software Rating Board. It was established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Association in response to the concerns of politicians and parents about children having access to violent video games. The ESRB independently enforces ratings, advertising guidelines, and online privacy principles adopted by the industry.
The ESRB rates a game based on the content of the game. Violence, sex, substance abuse, and strong language are all things that are taken into consideration when rating a game. There are currently 6 ratings: Early Childhood, Everyone (previously Kids-Adults), Everyone 10+, Teen, Mature, and Adults Only. For more information about the ESRB rating system, see below.
The ESRB is also a highly controversial organization, due to the fact that they cause developers to make changes considered unnecessary by some gamers when developing games or even translating them to English. Some think that the ESRB care more about the mainstream public rather than the "hardcore" gamers.
[edit] Ratings
- EC, or Early Childhood games are games that have Edutainment or no descriptions in them. Players who are 3-10 years old can play these games.
- E (formerly K-A, Kids to Adults), or Everyone, are games that commonly contain Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence, Cartoon Violence, Mild Fantasy Violence, Fantasy Violence, and Mild Suggestive Themes. Players at all ages can play these games.
- E10+, or Everyone 10 and Up, contains games that have Crude Humor, Comic Mischief, Cartoon Violence, Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, Alcohol Reference, Animated Blood, Mild Violence, and Violence commonly. Players who are 10 years old or higher can play these games.
- T, or Teen, contains games that usually have Blood, Crude Humor, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence, Language, Simulated Gambling, and Sexual Themes. Players who are 13 years old or higher can play these games.
- M, or Mature, contains games that usually contain Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence, Partial Nudity, Use of Drugs, Use of Alcohol, and Use of Tobacco. Players who are 17 years old or higher can play these games.
- AO, or Adults Only, contains games that usually have Blood and Gore, Realistic Blood and Gore, Animated Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Animated Violence, Sexual Themes, Mature Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence, Nudity, Use of Drugs, Use of Alcohol, Use of Tobacco, and Gambling. Players who are 18 years old or higher can play these games.
- RP, or Rating Pending. It's used in games that has been submitted to the ESRB and is awaiting final rating. This symbol appears only in advertising prior to a game's release. However, once rated, all pre-release advertising must contain the game's official ESRB rating.
[edit] Trivia
- No Mario, Yoshi, or Wario game has ever been rated EC, T, M, or AO. Donkey Konga 2 was rated T because the game contained dialogue that was not suitable for younger players; Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl also recieved this rating, though they are not considered part of the overall Mario series.
- Although no Mario game has been rated M (Mature, ages 17 and up), GameStop made a mistake and accidentally said that Super Mario Galaxy was rated M[1].
- Donkey Kong Jungle Beat was the first game given an E10+ rating.
- Mario Strikers Charged Football was the first Mario series spin-off game to get a rating above E; the game was rated E10+. Wario Ware: Smooth Moves and Wario: Master of Disguise also received this rating.
- Wario's Woods is the only ESRB-rated Mario NES game. It was rated K-A.
[edit] See Also
PEGI – (Pan-European Game Information), the organization rating games for European audience.
CERO – (Computer Entertainment Rating Organization), the Japanese rating system.
OFLC – (Office of Film and Literature Classification), the Australian rating system.
