Daily Debate: Should There Be a “Rated M for Mature” Zelda Game?
Posted on August 14 2023 by Josh Wittmershaus
In the over 35 years of the Zelda franchise, beasts have been slain, blood has been spilled, bodies have gone lifeless, skeletons and undead have attacked, and a world has been consistently threatened by terror and evil. But Nintendo has found a way to soften the harsh realities these themes bring to the point where only one Zelda game has an ESRB rating over E+10. That game — Twilight Princess — was given a “T for Teen” by the board, and this rating has sparked its own discussion and controversy, as some find it too critical. (Spin-off titles Hyrule Warriors and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity also received T ratings.)
As a result, the franchise has allowed itself to be accessible to people of all age groups and sensitivity levels without sacrificing the harrowing sense of adventure it continues to deliver. Games like Ocarina of Time, Tears of the Kingdom, and Majora’s Mask (which some people think actually should have been rated T) all contain subtle scents of macabre themes, violence, and tragedy, but retain a veil of whimsical spirit that blunts the blow of such elements, keeping the games light-hearted and even silly at times, in a tongue-in-cheek sort of way.
But, what if Nintendo decided to shine on the darker sides of these stories and bring these elements to light? What if, instead of Bokoblins and other enemies disappearing in a poof of smoke when defeated, they simply… laid lifeless on the ground until the next Blood Moon? Something as simple as changing the “Game Over” to “You Died” would most likely be enough to warrant a “T for Teen” rating. Including the permanent death of NPCs, depicting blood, beefing up the horror of the game, and throwing in a couple Hylian profanities might be enough to put a once comically innocuous Zelda title into “M for Mature” territory.
Would these additions take something quintessentially “Zelda” about our beloved franchise away, though? I know that many parents already struggle with explaining to their kids the implied concepts of death in the game as it is. If Ocarina of Time was rated Teen, there’s an almost 100% chance my parents wouldn’t have let me get it, and perhaps that alone would have deprived me of an experience that in many ways defined who I continue to be today.
As of right now, though, I can’t help but imagine a Legend of Zelda game where a few tweaks would make the stakes that much higher, make the choices decided that much more permanent, and make the adventure that much more treacherous. And I think I would welcome that game enthusiastically.
What about you? Would making an “M for Mature” Zelda game be appropriate? What would it add to the franchise? What would it take away? Would you play it regardless? Let us know your thoughts below. (And please, go “E for Everyone” easy on me; this is my first article on Zelda Dungeon!)
Josh Wittmershaus is a writer at Zelda Dungeon. Originally from Erie, Pennsylvania, he now resides in Northern California. Aside from Zelda, Josh enjoys playing music, seeing live music, music history, and all other things music. He also enjoys skating, hockey, and the occasional political or philosophical thought exercise.
