Are mature games from 20 years ago still mature today?

[Anthony1]

I have two young boys, aged 4 and 6. They both enjoy video games, and I let them play Genesis and Super Nintendo games. The other day I was playing Contra 3: Alien Wars, and they walked in and saw me playing it, and they wanted to play. Now, Contra 3 isn't really a "mature" game, but at the time of it's release, back in early 1992 if I'm not mistaken, alot of parents wouldn't let their young children play a game like Contra 3. It was a game that people would maybe let their teenagers play, but the little ones would be told to play Mario and Sonic and stuff like that.

Of course, in comparison to the games we have today, a game like Contra 3 is considered pretty juvenile. Sure it has violence and such, but the graphical nature of the game is pretty primitive compared to modern games. Since Contra 3 has come to the virtual console of the Nintendo Wii, it had to be rated by the ESRB. This time, it got a rating of E10+ for fantasy violence. If the ESRB existed in 1992, I wonder what it would have rated Contra 3 back then. I'm guessing T for TEEN.


Take another game like Splatterhouse for the TG-16. This game was also recently released on the virtual console, and it got a rating of T for TEEN. For Blood and Gore and Violence. Streets of Rage on the Wii's Virtual Console got a E10+ for violence.

It's just interesting to think about how these older games would have been perceived back when they first hit the scene, compared to today, when the graphics are considered very primitive in comparison to the modern consoles. A game like Alien 3 on the SNES, might have seemed very scarry when it first was released. It might have recieved a M for Mature rating had the ESRB existed back then. Today, it still probably isn't appropriate for very young children, but for most kids it would be no big deal.

[NE146]

compared to today, when the graphics are considered very primitive in comparison to the modern consoles. ....Today, it still probably isn't appropriate for very young children, but for most kids it would be no big deal.

Yeah definitely! Like in 2600 X-man these were probably inappropriate at the time, but these days, with it's primitive block graphics, it's just totally laughable and just fine for young children to see and move the guy left/right like you do in the game. :)


http://www.users.uswest.net/~userid946/XMAN1.jpg http://www.users.uswest.net/~userid946/XMAN3.jpg

[Anthony1]

Yeah definitely! Like in 2600 X-man these were probably inappropriate at the time, but these days, with it's primitive block graphics, it's just totally laughable and just fine for young children to see and move the guy left/right like you do in the game. :)


http://www.users.uswest.net/~userid946/XMAN1.jpg http://www.users.uswest.net/~userid946/XMAN3.jpg


Yeah, totally appropriate, ha ha ha!!!

[Fighter17]

Compare to today's mature games, Mortal Kombat was noting.

[DigitalSpace]

It's completely fine for kids to play Golgo 13 and Leisure Suit Larry now.

(The above is not to be taken seriously.)

[cyberfluxor]

I remember watching Golgo 13. That's a freaking sweet ass anime! Def pick-up if you find it.

[MarioMania]

wtf Street of Rage got a E10+ for violence, is that good

[ShenmueFan]

A lot of the games mentioned in this thread aren't 20 years old, so I don't really get that. But anyways...

I think people are more accepting of stuff nowadays. Not everything is acceptable (Adult Only games are still frowned upon today by mainstream consumers) but generally, "mature" games are about the same. Still violent, although most of the time laughably violent (MK? Grand Theft Auto? etc.)

I dunno - I think the only thing that's changed has been the implementation of that stupid rating system that keeps changing every few years. It's arbitrary and worthless. Parents, just buy Mario games if you want your kid to be playing "good" games 'cause apparently the rest are pure filth, right ESRB???

[MarioMania]

I think the ESRB is mostly of 60 year old farts

[Overbite]

you should just hand one of your kids the controller and go "GOOD LUCK!" contra 3 is stupid hard

[gepeto]

I think the ESRB is mostly of 60 year old farts

I think that the todays youth has been so desensitize to violence that we are past the point of no return. Mortal kombats fatalities were bad then and are still bad today. The question is With the culture changed have we. I wouldn't let a 10 year old play mortal kombat. Just my choice.

It really is a shame of how far things have gotten out of hand. I was at a store when san andreas launched and you should have heard the teens foul mouths standing in line to get the game. One even had his own Grandpa with him. Gramps didn't have a clue. Years ago there clearly was more concern about what a kid was able to see and play. Today corp. money pushes alot through. I remember all the hoopla with technoocop for the genesis how bloody it was. I follow the guidelines today. For kids. Most m games arent a big deal for kids in any era.

[Arasoi]

Even ridiculously "mature" games such as Chiller just look ridiculous, now. Shock factor is far too dependent on cutting edge graphics/presentation etc.

In some cases, you have to ask if any of these were ever mature at all.

Custer's Revenge? Sheesh.

[Aussie2B]

Well, what you have to consider is that prior to rating systems, games would have self-imposed censorship because it was a free-for-all back then and you could get sued by any overzealous parent group or what have you at the drop of a hat. As it was Nintendo still had to deal with a lot of lawsuits even though their games were mostly squeaky clean (and they had no role in the third party content either, so blame wasn't really going in the right direction), so when companies wouldn't tone down their own content, Nintendo and other publishers were there to shake their iron fist and protect their asses. Therefore I think the vast majority of unrated games are fine for all ages.

When rating systems came into play, it allowed developers to have the freedom to do more edgy things with their games, so there was an influx of games not appropriate for children. I think the ratings still largely hold well today, so if I had children, I wouldn't want them playing Mature-rated games or Teen-rated games if they were very young regardless of how old the games may be.

As for E10+, I still think that rating is silly. If they didn't come up with that, all E10+ games would still be rated E. I really don't see a huge different between 9 and 11 and 11 and 13, so I don't think it's necessary to have or to follow.

[DefaultGen]

.....

[ubikuberalles]

...compared to today, when the graphics are considered very primitive in comparison to the modern consoles...Today, it still probably isn't appropriate for very young children, but for most kids it would be no big deal.

Using that logic, the Kama Sutra should be distributed to every 1st grader. The book is over a thousand years old and the graphics are so crude compared to modern graphics (they didn't even have movable type back then!) that it would no big deal for kids to read it. :D

It's not the just graphics itself that is under the consideration by the ESRB but what the graphics are doing. Stick figures cutting off the heads of other stick figures with poorly pixelated blood is still inappropriate for kids below a certain age and should be rated accordingly.

Despite what I just said I think a lot of how a game is rated is arbirtary, subjective and always changing. Imagine how silly and outrageous some of the arguments go on during a ESRB review meeting. I would hate to have that job.

[7th lutz]

There are games were considered mature back in 1987 are still today despite the graphics like Ring King for the nes. Ring King didn't look mature back when it was released in 1987, if you look at the game you know know that game is mature due to the intermission. I also don't see Ring King being released for the virtual game console either.

[j_factor]

I dunno... Mortal Kombat was rated MA-17 in 1993, and it's still M worthy today.

[Censorship-Zen]

hey you guys seem to know your shit. i´d love to have you in my censorship thread :D

[Stark]

It's not about the graphics or how old a game is it's all about the content. No sensible adult would allow a child to play X-man still today due to the pornographic gameplay. The ratings system we have today is just a guide to what parents can expect to find in a game and is pretty worthless since everyone I know have no clue what this or that game they bought for thier kid is rated and none of them prioritize the game rating over what the kid wants. If your 4 year old wants to play GTA it's your choice not the ratings board.

[Censorship-Zen]

It's not about the graphics or how old a game is it's all about the content.


i wouldn´t agree in all cases. i would let my sibbling play contra 3 with ease whereas say, gears of war is out of the question. both are shooters, but graphically miles lie between them

[Push Upstairs]

wtf Street of Rage got a E10+ for violence, is that good

I have a "Classic" copy of SOR from '95 and it has the 1995 equivilant of "E"...K-A Kids to Adults Ages 6+. It even says "Animated Violence" on the back.

I guess all the kids from age 6-9 are SOL, they no longer get to play the game. :-/

[Lozza]

I remember watching Golgo 13. That's a freaking sweet ass anime! Def pick-up if you find it.

Yea that one's def wicked.... Check out Urotsukodoji you wont be dissapointed

[Lozza]

I think it's slightly pathetic when parents don't let their kids play certain games. I never had those sort of restrictions as a kid and it's not going to hurt them to play Halo or DOOM. Games ratings are rediculous.... Just explain to your kids that it's a game not reality or play it with them. it's not hard.

Only in certain cases should games not be allowed, maybe GTAIII and games to that degree, but it's a crime not to allow any child over the age of 10 to play a damn video game... Depriving children like that is so.... American...

[Aussie2B]

I think it's slightly pathetic when parents don't let their kids play certain games. I never had those sort of restrictions as a kid and it's not going to hurt them to play Halo or DOOM. Games ratings are rediculous.... Just explain to your kids that it's a game not reality or play it with them. it's not hard.

I never had any restrictions too, but I never wanted to play Teen or Mature rated games before the ratings advised either. I think if you raise your kids right they won't be attracted to all the blood, gore, and sex that isn't appropriate for them in the first place.

Then again, maybe it's a bit different for girls.

[Haoie]

Just think back to controversies like Night Trap, or Mortal Combat [SNES].

Looking back, it's hard to see what the hubub was about.

Of course I was too young to really remember any of that, but from what I read, society's attitude has really changed, perhaps become a bit more leniant.

But VG is still a common scapegoat for everything wrong with the world, as you may know.

[200609]

I never had any restrictions too, but I never wanted to play Teen or Mature rated games before the ratings advised either. I think if you raise your kids right they won't be attracted to all the blood, gore, and sex that isn't appropriate for them in the first place.

Then again, maybe it's a bit different for girls.

I didn't have too many restrictions either. I never played games because they were rated M, I played because they were the shit. I have a 13 y/o brother that plays GTA: III, Vice City, and San Andreas, he isn't any worse for it. In fact, he's a good kid by religious standards, GTA aside. I think kids aren't given enough credit for their ability to distinguish fantasy from reality.

[Anthony1]

Just wanted to also mention that when I'm talking about a game like Contra 3 or Alien 3 for SNES, I think there is a pretty big difference to games like that and Mortal Kombat and Time Killers. Mortal Kombat and Time Killers deserved a M rating back then, and still deserves one now. I think Doom deserved a M rating back then, and should be at least a solid Teen now. I'm talking more about games like Mercs and Bloody Wolf and Splatterhouse. Games that people may have thought to be unsuitable for anyone under the age of 13 or so, back when first released.

Nowadays, those games seem rather tame. I was playing Splatterhouse, and my 4 year old was watching me, and I didn't really feel like I was putting the little guy in jeopardy in any way, by what he was seeing on the screen. Maybe it was just because I was in the early levels of the game, and there wasn't anything particularly disturbing in those early levels. Of course, had it been 1990, there is no way in hell, I would let a little kid see me play a game like Splatterhouse, but I think things change over time. What was once somewhat scarry, is almost laughable as the graphics become aged, and seem more simplistic.

Having said all of that, hardcore violence, with tons of blood and people being maimed, is still hardcore violence, and no matter how primitive the graphics, I think young children shouldn't be exposed to that. I was playing Ground Zero Texas for Sega CD, and my wife got really pissed off because the kids were watching me play, and at first I couldn't see what the big deal was. But then I realized her point. In the game you are shooting real looking people who are supposed to be aliens, but to a kid just watching, it appears that you are just shooting random people, so in all honesty, it probably wasn't the smartest thing for me to be playing that game in front of them. Even though the quality of the full motion video is extremely lame, it's still a shooting gallery with real people in it.

Anywho, I just thought that some discussion about this stuff would be interesting. Somebody earlier mentioned that most of these games aren't 20 years old, and I know that, I just choose 20 years old, to round it off and make it sound more simple. Most of the games I'm mentioning are about 15 years old or so.

[Push Upstairs]

I never had any restrictions too, but I never wanted to play Teen or Mature rated games before the ratings advised either. I think if you raise your kids right they won't be attracted to all the blood, gore, and sex that isn't appropriate for them in the first place.

Then again, maybe it's a bit different for girls.

I never had restrictions on anything entertainment-wise. I grew up on R-rated movies (watched Robocop all the time when I was 8) and I was allowed to play any game I wanted...even after the introduction of the ratings. My mom bought me "Mortal Kombat" for x-mas (on "Mortal Monday") and a few years later she bought me "Doom".

The only impact I can honestly say any of this really had on me is that I tend to want to see/hear video games/movies/music in uncut forms and base if I like it or not on that. If I find a movie/game is too violent or disturbing I'll not watch/play it, if music is too much i'll simply not listen to it.

[smork]

I think it's slightly pathetic when parents don't let their kids play certain games. I never had those sort of restrictions as a kid and it's not going to hurt them to play Halo or DOOM. Games ratings are rediculous.... Just explain to your kids that it's a game not reality or play it with them. it's not hard.

Only in certain cases should games not be allowed, maybe GTAIII and games to that degree, but it's a crime not to allow any child over the age of 10 to play a damn video game... Depriving children like that is so.... American...

Hey, some people don't care about ratings and content, some do. That's why ratings exist on movies/games/TV. We can argue about the efficacy of the ratings, or even the accuracy (especially in movies), the the fact is people DO care (anywhere, not just America -- Japan has a very comprehensive rating system as well).

I really can't recally my parents caring about game ratings (though I was a late-teenager by the time they were in vogue anyway), but they did about movies. Anyway, as for the original question, I think the ratings then are more or less as useful as now. Movies and TV have gotten alot more violent (think a show like CSI would exist on TV in 1984?) but really, games have always been quite violent. They are just more graphic now, but I'm not sure that mitigates the "adult" content of the older games. Adult is adult, right?

[cityside75]

I took the family to St. Louis last weekend, and the hotel that we stayed at had signs touting it's "family friendly" game room. They had five arcade machines in there set to free play. Among the "family friendly" games they had in there: Mortal Kombat.

I couldn't help but think how things have changed in the last 15 years.

[Lady Jaye]

Well, I do remember being about 12 or 13 years old and playing many rounds of side-scrolling shooters like Commando on the 2600 and Bionic Commando on the NES, as well as games like Contra. Back in those days, I also watched movies like Nightmare on Elm Street.

Gotta admit that maybe it would have been different if I were, say, 5 years younger and thus not almost a teen by the time I started playing the NES -- can't really compare the NES catalog to what was available on the pre-crash systems, since in general the most violent pre-crash games were space shooters like Defender, Missile Command, etc. (Commando was a late 2600 release that came out in 1988, so it's an exception that doesn't really apply).

And again, things might have been different had I been 10 years old or so when Mortal Kombat and Doom came out (I was respectively 17 and 18 when they were first released).

My cousins, who are 7 and 9 years younger than me, also grew up with the NES and they didn't have any games like Contra, but rather games like the Capcom Disney games (like Chip n Dale Rescue Rangers).

[DarthKur]

Hey, some people don't care about ratings and content, some do. That's why ratings exist on movies/games/TV. We can argue about the efficacy of the ratings, or even the accuracy (especially in movies)....Movies and TV have gotten a lot more violent (think a show like CSI would exist on TV in 1984?) but really, games have always been quite violent. They are just more graphic now, but I'm not sure that mitigates the "adult" content of the older games. Adult is adult, right?

It's true that a lot of what makes up "mature content" is really a matter of personal opinion/belief. Obviously with extremes, such as pornography or images of brutal disembowelment and the like there's no question but for the majority of things which occupy the vast gray middle ground it's up to the individual to determine whether something is "kid friendly" or not.
Like Smork mentioned above movies and TV, and games I'll add, have gotten much more violent, replete with graphic depictions of blood and gore. Without a doubt what squeezes pass the censors and makes it onto some of the most popular shows in "primetime" now would have been, in the 70's, only seen in a theatrical released movie with an R rating. Some of it being considered a hard R rating. People in general have become desensitized to a lot of violent and sexual themes. Hell, even in the 80's or 90's not even a fraction of what passes as "normal/acceptable" would have passed muster.

[Push Upstairs]

I've never bought into that idea pushed that people really can't tell the difference between what is on TV and reality (well, most people anyway).

I remember all the talk about if something really did happen that people wouldn't understand that it was really happening. Well September 11th happened and I didn't really see masses of people thinking it was some entertainment piece or some "reality" TV show.

You can be desensitized to what it shown on TV, but I don't think everyone will get to the point where they will mistake anything on TV as some fantasy entertainment show.

p.s. I can't watch too much CSI myself, sometimes it's a tad too graphic...or over the top lame when it comes to their "fancy" methods.

[Aussie2B]

I think there's far more to the matter than not being able to tell fantasy and reality apart. The most outspoken groups against violence and sex in video games seem to fixate on the idea that video games will turn children into those Columbine kids, but it's really naive to think that's the ONLY way children can be affected.

I think most kids are smart enough to tell fantasy and reality apart and not act out what they see in video games (and if they can't, then they have problems to begin with, which aren't created by video games), but that doesn't mean it should be a free-for-all for them and let them experience everything and anything at a young age.

My boyfriend's little sister, who is all but a sister-in-law to me, is 13, and while she's getting old enough that she can handle more things, I've known her well since she was 7. If myself or her two brothers are ever watching or playing something that's supposed to be for teens or adults, we would warn her "we're playing/watching bad stuff" and she'd leave. It wasn't an order to leave because she could stay if she really wanted, but all of us knew, including her, that if she saw a horror game or movie or what have you, she'd often end up having nightmares and not getting enough sleep for school the next day.

Kids are impressionable in a multitude of ways, and everything should be considered. But like I said before, there should be research into why some kids crave this stuff that's designed for an older audience while others, like myself, were perfectly content watching Nickelodeon and Disney movies and playing Mario games.

[agbulls]

Good topic.

I was at my wife's aunt & uncle's place this past Sunday and got into the usual gaming conversation with their 14 year old son. He's your typical naive 14-year old--- in his opinion Gears of War is the shit and everything else sucks.

Anyways...he had a friend over with him and they both asked for my Gamertag. They're both new 360 owners and were looking to play some Gears with me. But, his friend chimmed in and added, "I can't have it because it's rated M. I only get to play it when he comes over."

I'm not even going to go into the hypocracy behind his parents' logic (I'm sure you can figure it out) on that one. But, then my wife's uncle jumped into the conversation. The parents are in their mid 40's and know absolutely nothing about video games. I'm also positive they also clearly think me being "into it" is childish at 27. So, the uncle adds:

"We really don't have any problem with violence or the M rated games in general. Its the SEX that we have a problem with. We always check for that. We made sure that game didn't have any sex in it--and then decided it was ok for him."

My brain started spinning and boiling and grasping for words...Do you think your kids watch MTV grandpa? What do you think happens on MTV? Ever heard of Maury Povich? Don't you watch JAMES BOND movies with your kids? Do you have any idea what your son already knows about sex? Have you not had the sex conversation with him yet?

All of this, and much much more ran through my head. Yet, I just stood there, nodded and tried REALLY REALLY hard to bite my lip and not talk. I think I said something like "thats good...you have standards." LOL. It's funny I said that though because I was actually thinking the total opposite at the time. Standards? Let's take a quick look at this...shall we?

All parents need rules, unquestionably. Did my parents? Not really. I joked with my dad about him buying me Mortal Kombat after this happened. Did he know what it was? HELL YES. Did he think it would be a problem? No, and he also wasn't concernred about there being sex in it. He explained, "I kind of figured with all that violence there was sex. After all, you were around 13. I'm sure you would have prefered it if THERE WAS." My dad is so cool :)

Rules and using the rating system for games is a great thing--and I really support it. However, consider the potential future repurcusions on the impressionable minds using the standards from my wife's uncle. I think I can surmise that they are afraid of him being exposed to "sex in games" due to their own embarassment about sex. By keeping this repressed in him, they feel comfortable and can avoid it. Do I have a problem with this? No. That's their choice. But, a "no sex in games rule" CAN'T be effective in this context by itself with violence being excepted.

The parents' message here is clear: Sex is bad, violence is good! Talk about the total opposite of what I want to teach my kids. Sex is a healthy normal thing while violence is NEVER good. At least if you ban all "M" rated games you can justify your stance of "protecting your child." Ban both and you can try to avoid the negative influence of violence AND protect your kid from sex at an early age. By the way, I always thought that concept is bullshit considering the stuff kids get exposed to nowadays through friends.

[Censorship-Zen]

is there a penal sanction in the us if somebody (say a parent or a shop assistant) violates esrb ratings and gives adult material to children?

how would you approach games like manhunt where the only way to access the bonus levels is by executing the most gruesome kills?

funny you mentioned csi. personally i have no problems with violence in games - as long as i can controll it - whereas in movies, it just annoys me. some great movies are spoiled for me because of the excessive violence (see chainsaw scene in scarface). in video-games, i don´t have any problems with that as long it is me executing the commands...

[Anthony1]

personally i have no problems with violence in games - as long as i can controll it - whereas in movies, it just annoys me. some great movies are spoiled for me because of the excessive violence (see chainsaw scene in scarface).


The Chainsaw scene is Scarface is definitely a classic movie moment. Yes, it's pretty gruesome, and makes you want to turn away from the screen and not look, but compared to alot of movies nowadays, it's not that bad. They don't actually show all that much. You see the blood splattering, and you know what is likely happening, but you don't actually see it.

This reminds me. Way back when Pulp Fiction first came out in theaters, me and my wife went to see it. It was a nitetime show on a Friday or Saturday nite. I was absolutely astonished to see that alot of the movie goers there had brought along young children. Personally, that is something that I find despicable. There is a scene in that movie, when they are driving along, and there is a dude in the back seat, and Travolta is pointing his gun at the dude, and the car goes over a bump, and then bang, he accidently shoots the guy in the head. In the movie, it was actually supposed to be a funny scene, and it was kinda funny, but I just couldn't get over the fact that their were kids in the theater that nite that saw that shit. It made me really mad inside. I think R rated movies with heavy realistic violence should have a firm cap on not allowing kids under a certain age, under any circumstances. Just to pull an arbitrary age out of the air, I would say 11 years old. No child under the age of 11 should be able to see a movie like Pulp Fiction in theaters, regardless if they are accompanied by their parents or not.

Remember that movie 8mm with Nicholas Cage? That movie was fucking sick. It made my stomach turn. Yet, I bet you any amount of money that when it first hit theaters, some dumb ass parents that were too lazy to find a baby sitter took their 4 year old along with them to see that movie. People like that need to be locked up as far as I'm concerned. Everybody can have stances on what is or isn't appropriate for young children, but seeing shit like 8mm isn't appropriate for anyone under 18. I'm not even sure it's appropriate for people over 18, lol.

[agbulls]

Remember that movie 8mm with Nicholas Cage? That movie was fucking sick. It made my stomach turn. Yet, I bet you any amount of money that when it first hit theaters, some dumb ass parents that were too lazy to find a baby sitter took their 4 year old along with them to see that movie. People like that need to be locked up as far as I'm concerned. Everybody can have stances on what is or isn't appropriate for young children, but seeing shit like 8mm isn't appropriate for anyone under 18. I'm not even sure it's appropriate for people over 18, lol.

Do you have any clue how many little kids were at 300 when we saw it? We were absolutely appalled. I'm talking 2 year olds. 1 year olds. 5 years olds. You name it---with their parents. There was one women who had all three of her kids with her. The oldest must have been about 12.

Further proof we're a country of morons.

[Anthony1]

Do you have any clue how many little kids were at 300 when we saw it? We were absolutely appalled. I'm talking 2 year olds. 1 year olds. 5 years olds. You name it---with their parents. There was one women who had all three of her kids with her. The oldest must have been about 12.

Further proof we're a country of morons.


God, that makes me sick. Man, we really are doomed. I'm normally not the "We have to protect our children from everything bad type", but some people just don't have a fucking clue. The sad thing is, this is never going to change. The Movie industry is too huge, they have the lobbyists, and they know how inherently lazy Americans are. If R rated movies didn't allow anyone under 11, their profits would decline because it would be too much of a hassle to so many lazy retards to actually go to the trouble of getting a babysitter. That's why this is allowed. It's also why movies avoid an NC17 rating like the plague.

[skaar]

http://www.users.uswest.net/~userid946/XMAN1.jpg

Man that guy has like a 4 pixel wang. Poor sap.

[Cafeman]

I have always tried to censor what my kids played especially when they were very young. They have their teen and adult years to play the more 'grown up' games, I don't want my 5 year old mowing people down. But it is a hard line to walk. Is it bad to beat up people like in streets of rage? Well, that seems less threatening. But then you grab a knife and cut somebody. True, there's no blood but the kid is still knifing the 'bad guy'. Again, I don't like my young kids doing that kind of stuff. A couple times I've said stuff like, "you know we'd never do this in real life right? It's just make-believe, its just a game, right?" and listened to what they said.

Another reason for my censoring my kids in their younger years (say 9 and under) is that some games are just really scary, causing bad dreams and lack of sleep for us parents. It's the weirdest thing what can scare a young kid...

Anyway, I found it funny this subject was in discussion, because me & cafeman jr (age 11) just realized that Powerslave (Saturn / PSx game) is rated Mature! I don't know why! It certainly wouldn't be rated mature today would it?

[smork]

Remember that movie 8mm with Nicholas Cage? That movie was fucking sick. It made my stomach turn. Yet, I bet you any amount of money that when it first hit theaters, some dumb ass parents that were too lazy to find a baby sitter took their 4 year old along with them to see that movie. People like that need to be locked up as far as I'm concerned. Everybody can have stances on what is or isn't appropriate for young children, but seeing shit like 8mm isn't appropriate for anyone under 18. I'm not even sure it's appropriate for people over 18, lol.

I saw that movie when it came out in a theater at about 11:45, on a Sunday. There were probably only 40 or 50 people in the theater, but a good 20% of those were under 10.

Ratings don't do any good if parents don't actually heed them! What are those parents thinking? I had a friend I grew up with whose mother didn't mind if he watched porn -- in the living room (my mother didn't know this, believe me, or else I never would have been allowed to go there). I'm all for parents being able to make their own decisions as to what their kids can and can't see or play, but c'mon, have some standards, please.

[Push Upstairs]

Man that guy has like a 4 pixel wang. Poor sap.

What makes it worse is that bored look on her face.

[Gentlegamer]

Remember that movie 8mm with Nicholas Cage? That movie was fucking sick. It made my stomach turn. I sure do! It made me sick, too. Ditto for the film Hannibal.

[Zap!]

There are games were considered mature back in 1987 are still today despite the graphics like Ring King for the nes. Ring King didn't look mature back when it was released in 1987, if you look at the game you know know that game is mature due to the intermission. I also don't see Ring King being released for the virtual game console either.

There is no hard proof that the intermission is meant to be perverted in any way.

[Ed Oscuro]

I think that the todays youth has been so desensitize to violence that we are past the point of no return. Mortal kombats fatalities were bad then and are still bad today.
Agreed. People forget that everybody starts out being shocked by these things (or they have some kind of problem, heh).

[Anthony1]

I saw that movie when it came out in a theater at about 11:45, on a Sunday. There were probably only 40 or 50 people in the theater, but a good 20% of those were under 10.

Ratings don't do any good if parents don't actually heed them! What are those parents thinking? I had a friend I grew up with whose mother didn't mind if he watched porn -- in the living room (my mother didn't know this, believe me, or else I never would have been allowed to go there). I'm all for parents being able to make their own decisions as to what their kids can and can't see or play, but c'mon, have some standards, please.


Sometimes I'm actually embarrased to be human. Humans have the capabilities of being very sick creatures. Some animals have strange behaviors that we would consider sick, but they are just animals doing what is in their instinct to do. We actually have brains and the ability to think about things and rationalize about things, yet we still do some very, very sick things. Basically think of anything that can possibly be done from a perverted, sick, horrific standpoint, and some human somewhere has already tried it at least once, if not perfected it.

At the same time, i will admit that as humans we are capable of some truly amazing and inspiring things, but man...the sickos out there really bring me down.

[Lozza]

I think that the todays youth has been so desensitize to violence that we are past the point of no return. Mortal kombats fatalities were bad then and are still bad today. The question is With the culture changed have we. I wouldn't let a 10 year old play mortal kombat. Just my choice.

Don't be so ridiculous! Mortal Kombat isn't bad it's not even close to reality, that's like telling a child not to read comics or watch cartoons... Mortal Kombat was my favourite game as a kid, and I was 10 or younger when MKII came out. I knew it was "just a game" about the same as a kid knows G.I. Joes aren't real soldiers.

You're way too uptight, better look at the reality of what's damaging to a child... What he learns from his parents and in school and on the news. Worry less about kids playing Mortal Kombat and more what the news and school is teaching him about the world. He might never have played Mortal Kombat but still grow up to be a facsist nazi homophobe.

People make me laugh sometimes.

[njiska]

Yeah definitely! Like in 2600 X-man these were probably inappropriate at the time, but these days, with it's primitive block graphics, it's just totally laughable and just fine for young children to see and move the guy left/right like you do in the game. :)


http://www.users.uswest.net/~userid946/XMAN1.jpg http://www.users.uswest.net/~userid946/XMAN3.jpg

Really it's no different then hot coffee.

[Push Upstairs]

Except the people in "Hot Coffee" were wearing clothes and were essentially dry humping.

Those two pixelated individuals are nekked, butt nekked...together!

That and neither one looks overly impressed.

[Magnum]

This reminds me. Way back when Pulp Fiction first came out in theaters, me and my wife went to see it. It was a nitetime show on a Friday or Saturday nite. I was absolutely astonished to see that alot of the movie goers there had brought along young children. Personally, that is something that I find despicable. There is a scene in that movie, when they are driving along, and there is a dude in the back seat, and Travolta is pointing his gun at the dude, and the car goes over a bump, and then bang, he accidently shoots the guy in the head. In the movie, it was actually supposed to be a funny scene, and it was kinda funny, but I just couldn't get over the fact that their were kids in the theater that nite that saw that shit. It made me really mad inside. I think R rated movies with heavy realistic violence should have a firm cap on not allowing kids under a certain age, under any circumstances. Just to pull an arbitrary age out of the air, I would say 11 years old. No child under the age of 11 should be able to see a movie like Pulp Fiction in theaters, regardless if they are accompanied by their parents or not.Are we forgetting the buttrape?

[Gillian Seed]

I grew up playing a variety of games during the late 80s until the mid 90s. The thing is, at least then, parents diddn't really know anything about the kinds of games their kids were playing. So when I was 12 and would ask my dad to drive me to the store to rent Mortal Kombat he diddn't really have the time to pay attention to what was going on in the game. I had a TV in my room and later a den which housed my video game systems a TV and a 486DX66. I really agree with the people who have been saying that kids aren't given enough credit. If your kid has violent, or antisocial tendencies that is likely a chemical problem. Not something caused or even exacerbated by video games.

[Azraelscross]

Are we forgetting the buttrape?
Don't forget the OD
"Are you calling me on the cellular phone? I don't know you. Who is this? Don't come here, I'm hanging up the phone! Prank caller, prank caller!"
"Look, you brought her here, and that means that you're giving her the shot. The day that I bring an OD-ing bitch over to your house, then I'll give her the shot. Give her the shot."
ROFL
i love that movie. but def not for little ones*even though i wasn't exactly an adult when i saw it either*

[Zap!]

Really it's no different then hot coffee.


Sure it is. Peaple has no idea about the sex in that, because hot coffee was a code. The Atari game you knew what you were getting, straight from the box.

[Zap!]

He might never have played Mortal Kombat but still grow up to be a facsist nazi homophobe.

Or worse, a commie. :)

[Gentlegamer]

For some reason, I have a hankerin' for some Mortal Kombat . . .

[Garry Shandling]

I have two young boys, aged 4 and 6

Gary Shandling

[Garry Shandling]

Gary Shandling

[Garry Shandling]

Yeah, totally appropriate, ha ha ha!!!

Gary Shandling

[Garry Shandling]

Gary Shandling

[Garry Shandling]

Gary Shandling

[Garry Shandling]

IToday, it still probably isn't appropriate for very young children, but for most kids it would be no big deal.

Gary Shandling

[Garry Shandling]

Gary Shandling

[Garry Shandling]

I have two young boys,

Gary Shandling

[Garry Shandling]

I have

Gary Shandling

[Garry Shandling]

Gary Shandling

Gary Shandling

[Anfernee1]

Nah man, they ain't mature, play some NBA Live 2007 yo. It's off the hizzy.

[ShenmueFan]

Are we forgetting the buttrape?

Yeah, that's the turning point where people go "WTF!?!".....Pulp Fiction is simply awesome and while I wouldn't want my young kids watching it, I'm not stupid enough to think they aren't exposed to equally bad stuff (or worse) in school, in malls or on MTV.

[Garry Shandling]

I have two young boys, aged 4 and 6.

Gary Shandling

[Garry Shandling]

Contra 3

Gary Shandling

[Humongous Forum Troll]

Or worse, a commie. :)

You sir, I believe, are the commie.

[Garry Shandling]

For some reason

Gary Shandling

[Fighter17]

Gary Shandling

Die jackass!

[Humongous Forum Troll]

Gary Shandling

I do not believe we've met. How are you this fine day?

[Garry Shandling]

Take another game like Splatterhouse for the TG-16. This game was also recently released on the virtual console, and it got a rating of T for TEEN. For Blood and Gore and Violence. Streets of Rage on the Wii's Virtual Console got a E10+ for violence.

Gary Shandling