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Skyward Sword's Ratings

Master Kokiri 9

The Dungeon Master
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
My ship that sailed in the morning
Alright, I've decided to bring up the issue of SS's rating.

Recently, after watching a YouTube video on SS an idea struck me. "What about the rating?" I asked myself. So, I've decided to address each of the main ratings (E, T, and M to be precise) and give my opinions and thoughts on how well it would do, in addition to what rating I'd want.

The M Rating

Well, first of all let's talk about the M rating that people seem to want. Personally, I think an M rated Zelda game would do extremely badly. Firstly, Zelda is supposed to be a family friendly franchise, aimed at all ages, and that pretty much invalidates that whole thing. Zelda is supposed to be family friendly and to make it something that it's not is to pretty much clip the wings of the Zelda game. After all, look at Twilight Princess (just my opinion, no offense to you TP fanboys/girls out there). So, that makes it harder for fans to think well of the game.

And then there's the commercial aspect of the game. Sure, there are adult Zelda fans out there and I'm sure there are a few of you here at ZD too, but we can't forget the younger gamers. After all, Nintendo has tried very hard for the duration of the series to have Zelda be family friendly in order to introduce new fans as well as to try to appeal to their more long time fans and so far, in my eyes, has succeeded. Not only does this completely go against what they've been doing so far with the series, this completely alienates the majority of the Zelda fanbase that they've tried so hard to gain. Not to mention, I'd be pretty upset because I wouldn't be able to play the game. That'd make it a commercial flop as well.

The T Rating

And now for the T rating. The T rating, I'm kinda more lenient with. An occasional T rated game is fine by me, after all we do get occasional over the top dark games so why not save the T ratings for them? But overall, a T rating for SS wouldn't be a good thing in my opinion.

This goes hand in hand with what I said addressing the M rating in which, a mature bloody game simply isn't what Zelda is supposed to be. It's had the essence of a fairy tale since the beginning, the only exception so far being TP, and it really detracts from that experience.

After all, like I said before, trying to make Zelda what it isn't detracts from the overall experience and quality as a Zelda game. So, probably not that great for ratings.

And now for the commercial aspect. Less of the audience is alienated, true, but remember that the fanbase is comprised mainly of kids. Some parents will be lenient with letting their kids play T rated games, but there is a good possibility that most parents won't let them play the game because of the rating.

The E Rating

The E rating is what I'm hoping for with SS, although I'll settle for an E10 rating.

The E rating really allows for the best overall success of a Zelda game in my opinion. Sure, some gamers will be disappointed by the fact that it's not a T or M rated game, but I'm pretty sure those Zelda fans are far and few (but if I'm wrong, go ahead and tell me).

The E rating allows for Zelda to truly flourish for what it is: a family friendly all ages game. Zelda is, in essence, a fairy tale and the E rating allows for that fairy tale feeling to blossom and flourish the most, ultimately helping the reviews and increasing the quality as a Zelda game.

As for the commercial aspect, everybody can play it. It isn't like the M rating where kids, the majority of the fanbase, can't play it and not like the T rating in which parents won't let their kids play it, and then there's the adult gamers who simply like Zelda for what it is and buy it. Sure, an odd gamer here and there will be disappointed in the rating, but those gamers don't really matter too much in the commercial aspect.

Personally, I'm hoping for an E rating or E10 rating. So, with that, what rating do you want for Skyward Sword? Tell me right here, right now.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Dec 14, 2008
Location
Louisiana, USA
Well all know that M isn't going to happen. Nintendo's just not THAT stupid. You have people who think T was "pushing" it, which I think is kind of silly, seeing as the one T rated game in the series wasn't near as bloody as its E rated N64 cousins. E10 is probably the way they're going to go, just because it's a nice balance, and I'm not seeing how it could be rated any higher from the combat and style we've seen so far.
 
Joined
Jan 28, 2010
Location
Skyrule
How old are you Master Kokiri 9?
But yes, I agree with you completely, I first got Ocarina of Time when I was 7, and until I was 14 I wasn't allowed to play T games. That was after wind waker came out. If Majora's Mask came out rated T, or even if Twilight Princess came out back then I wouldn't have been allowed to play those games, and I was A DIE HARD zelda fan by the time I was 8. I wasn't even allowed to play super smash bros because it was a fighting game. Yup, my mom was pretty strict back then. So I'm lucky Twilight Princess came out when I was 16 or else my mom would have been strict. I would have HATED waiting until I was old enough to play Twilight Princess.
Now I know its not a big deal to you guys, and it really isn't a big deal to me either. I drink with my mom now lol.
BUT I know there are kids out there praying the next zelda isn't rated T, becuase I was one of those kids.
Once in a while isn't bad, but I don't think its fair, because I know how it felt. There were other games I wanted to play so bad but I wasn't allowed. I don't think the younger zelda generation should suffer, oh and you don't need a T rated game to make it good. Look at EVERY zelda game to date besides TP. If you ONLY like Twilight Princess, I dunno what to say, go play god of war.

Anyways, thats my rant.

Keep Zelda E.
 
Joined
Oct 31, 2009
Location
OH
I completely agree that an M rating would be disastrous for SS. Zelda is more known for the sense of adventure and occasional lighthearted humor than for gore, blood, and all around disturbing stuff. (Half-Life 2's Ravenholm is coming to mind... makes the Redeads look cuddly.) Other than that, I don't mind what the game's rating is. I'll play it regardless.

For the sake of the younger players, I hope it isn't T. As pointed out above, Ocarina and Majora actually showed blood spurts and death by humping zombies. TP was even tamer in my opinion, and it looks like SS won't be as dark as TP, so... My guess is probably E10.
 
C

Cocotroid

Guest
I see your facts about all of the ratings, and I agree an M rated Zelda game would ruin it and disappoint many. As for the E rating for Skyward Sword, it doesn't seem right, like I think Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask should've been rated T (blood), just like Twilight Princess was. So, I honestly prefer if the next big console Zelda game is rated T. (I have no idea why, but it just seems right like that too me.)
 
Okay, both M and E are outrageos. M, zelda is not that dark and I certainly hope it will not become that. For E, all of us know that zelda is far to dark for E. You can't have a 7 year old going aroun telling people about redeads. Cocotroid, your not alone. I beleive MM should have been rated T, or not have been so dark. It was the whole "friend" and petty pranks thing that won E over. I have a strong feeling that this next game will be either T or E10. n the contrary to what some of you said, the targeted zelda fan is 12 and 13. Not 7. I want it to be T so that the plot will not be as held back as it might be. But I want it to be E10 so the 10~12-year-olds out there can enjoy this game too. On a tangent, do you guys think OoT3D will be T? Sure OoT was E, but it was miss-rated. What do you guies think?
 

Y2K3

Lushier than Mercy!
Joined
Apr 14, 2008
Location
Newfoundland, Canada
As long as it isn't M, I'm fine with the rating. As many have said, M would just be a horrible move for Nintendo, and I'm sure many would be reluctant to buy the game (if they were even allowed). T would be good (except for the few that wouldn't be allowed), although it still might get to be a bit much in a few places, although if this were the case, I'm sure it wouldn't be anything major. With an E release it keeps everything that we love about the games, while bringing in a larger audience. I'm also biased 'cause E is my preferred Rating.
I won't knock it until I've played it, although I would still rather not play an M-rated Zelda.
 

Beeker

Wild Card
Joined
Jun 14, 2010
Location
Canadia
I don't care to much for ratings. As long as there isn't too much blood/gore/violence, I'll be fine with it. Zelda isn't a mature game when it comes to violence or blood. While there is blood in some games, it isn't too overboard like buckets of blood are spewing out of every monster.

As for this game, I'm hoping for an E10 or T rating. I think these ratings could pretty much fit what Zelda has(at least E10). I do agree a little bit with Ember about the fact that a T rating wouldn't hold things like plot back.

Like I said, I'll probably play this game otherwise. I just don't want to see an M-rated Zelda.
 

Austin

Austin
Joined
Feb 24, 2010
I don't actually care what it's rated, as I'm going to view it as its own game rather than a continuation of a series, so whether it keeps to "the spirit of Zelda" or not doesn't make a difference. If I had to guess, I'd say E10, primarily because the graphics don't really lend themselves to an intense/dark setting, but you can't seem to have any sort of weapon in a game recently and manage to get a pure E rating. I wouldn't be too surprised if it were T however.
 

Master Kokiri 9

The Dungeon Master
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
My ship that sailed in the morning
n the contrary to what some of you said, the targeted zelda fan is 12 and 13. Not 7. I want it to be T so that the plot will not be as held back as it might be. But I want it to be E10 so the 10~12-year-olds out there can enjoy this game too.

Actually, that's not right either. Zelda is not a franchise aimed at kids (obviously) but it's not aimed at just teenagers either. It's aimed at all ages, from seven year olds to twenty five year olds.
 

Aelic7

The Young Drifter
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
E seems a little too low for me. There's no way it would be M. I would prefer T or E10. Of course, it depends on what it's rated for. I've seen T-rated games that have hardly any violence or inappropriate content, but they're rated T because they're way too hard for any young kid to figure out. I'd like a game like that, that's rated T for being difficult rather than inappropriate.
 

Steve

5/19/13
Joined
Aug 25, 2008
Location
Florida
Judging by the sort of style that Skyward Sword's possesses, I couldn't even begin to imagine it being rated Mature, especially since it seems much lighthearted compared to Twilight Princess. That isn't to say I wouldn't mind seeing a much darker title in the future, but this is clearly not that game. Judging by this installment, it does not appear that the game will focus as much on story, and instead on important game mechanics (something I would be most thankful for), so I wouldn't expect a heavy story as TP, and thus will most likely hold an E10+ rating. In the end however, the rating isn't all that important to me, as long as the game itself is good in the long run.
 

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