Computer Entertainment Rating Organization
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The Computer Entertainment Rating Organization (特定非営利活動法人コンピュータエンターテインメントレーティング機構, Tokutei Hieiri Katsudō Hōjin Konpyūta Entāteinmento Rētingu Kikō) (CERO) is the organization that rates video games (except PC games such as dating sims, visual novels and eroge) in Japan with levels of rating that informs the customer of the nature of the product and for what age group it is suitable. It was established on July 2002 as a branch of Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association, and became an officially recognized non-profit organization on 2003.
Rating
On March 1, 2006, CERO implemented the latest revision of its ratings system. The symbols that CERO uses are stylized depictions of letters, meant to convey at a glance, a game's suitability for minors:
- A (all ages) equivalent to ESRB's E and E10+ (low end) ratings, PEGI's 3, 7 and 12 (low end), USK's 0 and 6 ratings, and ACB's G and PG ratings. Games rated A include Mario series,Most Pokemon series, Most The Legend of Zelda games, Okami, Okamiden, Super Smash Bros. series, Sonic the Hedgehog series, Kingdom Hearts series, Dragon Quest series, Gran Turismo series, LittleBigPlanet series, Winning Eleven series, Dance Dance Revolution series, Professor Layton series, Ape Escape series, Harvest Moon series, Disgaea series, Armored Core series, Ace Combat series, Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X series, Dragon Ball series, Naruto series, Gundam series, Arc Rise Fantasia, Need for Speed: Shift, and Split Second: Velocity.
- B (ages 12 and up) equivalent to ESRB's E10+ (High end) and T (Low end) ratings, PEGI's 12 (high end) rating, USK's 12 rating, and ACB's PG (high end) and M (low end) rating. Games rated B include Dynasty Warriors series, Samurai Warriors series, Sengoku Basara series, The King of Fighters series, Tekken series, Burnout series, Trauma Center series, Valkyria Chronicles series, Street Fighter IV, Halo Wars, Tales of Vesperia, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Alan Wake, Metroid: Other M, Hyperdimension Neptunia, Dance Evolution, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, Radiant Historia, and El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron.
- C (ages 15 and up) equivalent to ESRB's T (high end) and M (low end) ratings, PEGI's 16 (low end) rating, USK's 16 rating, and ACB's M (high end) rating. Games rated C include Devil May Cry series, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw series, Tenchu series, Monster Hunter series, Lost Planet series, Uncharted series, Soulcalibur IV, Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, Record of Agarest War, Ar tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, BlazBlue: Continuum Shift, Front Mission Evolved, Time Crisis: Razing Storm, Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, and Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy.
- D (ages 17 and up) equivalent to ESRB's M (low end) rating, PEGI's 16 (high end) and 18 (low end) ratings, USK's 18 rating, and ACB's MA15+ (low end) rating. Games rated D include Yakuza series, Battlefield Bad Company 2, Ninja Gaiden, Bully, Pokemon Black and White, . Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Resistance 2, Bayonetta, Record of Agarest War Zero, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, Dante's Inferno, Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage, Nier, Dead to Rights: Retribution, Halo: Reach, No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle, Vanquish, Medal of Honor, God of War: Ghost of Sparta, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, and Killzone 3. This is the strongest unrestricted CERO rating.
- Z (ages 18 and up only) equivalent to ESRB's M (high end) and AO ratings, PEGI's 18 (high end) rating, and ACB's MA15+ (high end) rating. Games rated Z include Grand Theft Auto series, Assassin's Creed series, Gears of War series, Dead Rising (and 2), Crackdown (and 2), Fallout 3 (and New Vegas), Left 4 Dead (and 2), Infamous, MadWorld, BioShock 2, God of War III, Red Dead Redemption, and Call of Duty: Black Ops. The content is extreme in the CERO impact levels and therefore off-limits to persons under 18.
Cultural differences between ratings are very common, and games can receive different ratings in different countries. For example, the games God Hand, Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 and Samurai Shodown: Sen were all rated B by the CERO, which would technically give them T (12+) ratings in North America. However, they were all rated M (17+ - CERO D rating) by the ESRB, a difference of two grades.
Some ratings, however, are consistent, such as No More Heroes which is rated M by the ESRB, D by the CERO and 16 by the PEGI. Also, some games may be partially censored to eliminate some of the more mature themes in the games' content, such as the aforementioned No More Heroes.
Ratings are often printed on the packaging of video games. The Z classification is the only rating which is regulated by law.[1]
Contents descriptor icons
In April 2004, CERO defined the following "content descriptor icons". These icons are displayed on the back of all packages except on those rated "A".
- Love: Tokimeki Memorial, LovePlus, Memories Off, Little Busters!: Converted Edition, Angelique, Starry Sky, Sakura Wars, Final Fantasy XIII, Mass Effect 2
- Sexual content: The Idolmaster, Dream Club, Arcana Heart, Air, Doki Doki Majo Shinpan!, Duel Love, Soulcalibur IV, Record of Agarest War, Dead or Alive Paradise
- Violence: The King of Fighters, Metal Slug, Dynasty Warriors, Metal Gear Solid, Castlevania, Resident Evil, Monster Hunter, Gears of War, Halo, God of War
- Horror: LifeSigns: Surgical Unit, Fatal Frame, xxxHolic, Ju-on: The Grudge, Calling, Alan Wake
- Gambling: Yakuza, 81diver, Machi: Unmei no Kousaten, Midnight Club: Los Angeles, Bully
- Crime: Grand Theft Auto, Burnout, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, No More Heroes, Test Drive Unlimited, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Red Dead Redemption
- Use of alcohol or tobacco (of minor): Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, Machi: Unmei no Kousaten, Days of Memories 2
- Use of drugs: Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance, Imabikisō, 428: Fūsa Sareta Shibuya de, Clannad, Trauma Team, Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together (PSP version)
- Language or other: Kanon, Baroque, Valkyria Chronicles, Tales of Vesperia, Star Ocean: The Last Hope, Resonance of Fate, Heavy Rain
Previous ratings
The ratings for video games in Japan prior to March 2006 are:
- All ages replaced by A
- 12 and older replaced by B
- 15 and older replaced by C
- 18 and older replaced by D and Z
The primary difference between the two rating systems was the inclusion of the "17 and older" rating, due to the large gap between the "15 and up" and "18 and up" ratings.
Other ratings
- Education & Database (教育・データベース) equivalent to ESRB's eC ratings.
- Rating scheduling (審査予定) equivalent to ESRB's RP ratings.
- CERO regulation conformity (CERO規定適合) is displayed in demo version.
See also
- EOCS, the Japanese computer and video game rating system for PC games (Dating sim, Visual novel and Eroge).
- CSA, the Japanese computer and video game rating system for PC games (Dating sim, Visual novel and Eroge).
- ACB, the Australian media rating system.
- ESRB, the United States and Canadian computer and video game rating system
- ELSPA, the former British computer and video game rating system, replaced by the PEGI system.
- PEGI, the European computer and video game rating system
- USK, the German computer and video game rating system
- OFLC, the New Zealand media rating system
- GRB, the South Korean computer and video game rating system.
- Eirin, the Japanese film rating system.