Gossip Stone: Is the E10+ Rating Appropriate for Majora’s Mask 3D?

Majora’s Mask is the Zelda title people think of when you use the term ‘nightmare fuel’. There are a number of things in the game that are straight up terrifying, even if you ignore the horrific things that are only vaguely hinted at. Despite this, the N64 version was rated E for everyone. The new Majora’s Mask 3D is rated E10+. Is that rating appropriate? Click in for more discussion

The current rating on Majora’s Mask 3D is E 10+, but also includes content warnings for animated blood, fantasy violence and suggestive themes. I understand the fantasy violence and the animated blood, but I am wondering what the suggestive themes in Majora’s Mask might be. My guesses would be the Anju and Kafei side quest with its creepy pedophilic implications, or the Rosa Sisters: those weird pants-less dancers in West Clock Town who get on their knees and call Link their master.

The whole point of the ratings is that customers, specifically parents, should be responsible for the games they bring into their homes. But the problem I see here is that the ESRB uses a laundry list approach to rating games. It allows us to assess whether there will be nudity, bathroom humour, or realistically portrayed gore.

What it doesn’t do is rate less tangible aspects of games, like the tense, creepy atmosphere that pervades Majora’s Mask. It doesn’t account for the disturbing toilet hand, or the alien abduction at Romani Ranch. These are all things that could be considered inappropriate for ten year old children, but which are not really reflected in the rating.

Personally, I would not have minded an even higher rating to allow Nintendo to get seriously dark with Majora’s Mask 3D. So, do you think should it be rated E10+? E for everyone like the original? Or would you like to see it rated higher to ramp up the darker aspects of the game? Let us know in the comments below.