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A Survey of Nintendo's Game Censorship Policies
ccnull writes "Found a page which offers a survey of Nintendo's policies on censorship, paying particular attention to how U.S. games differ from their Japanese counterparts. It's not just blood splatters, the author has interesting comparative screen grabs showing "clothed" statues and de-Nazified Hitlers."
Indeed, but if you read the rest of the article, you'll see that they, indeed, exaggerated. Banning the red cross in a med-kit because it could be seen as a religious symbol? Replacing "Bars" with "Cafes"? WW2 games couldn't have Nazis in them?
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that kind of depends.
would it make star wars any more fun if they changed the mos eisley cantina into a starbucks cafe?
you see, subtle things do change the story to some extent, and the target audience - if you make a story for adults you'd usually could use places like bars and exotic dancers in the telling of the plot.
but if you make a kids book you wouldnt be using drugs or strippers... what this censorship did was that it took adult targeted games and re-targeted them at kids.
(and come on, covering statues? that's just lame. what's true though is that they could have done this because usa's err.. weird stance on some issues. like EXPLODING HEAD == OK! titty == BAD).
world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
> And really, does removing the cross from medkits make a game any less fun?
Definitely yes! I like realistic games, and medkits without red crosses make no sense. Those who feel disrespected with it simply shalt buy the games. I don't want my freedom threatened by others' religious beliefs. They can chose to not see that stuff, nobody is forcing them, but they try to force me into their systems, and that's where the real disrespect begins!
I think they define a range with that, anything, from nudity to rape, is to much.
Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
When private individuals or groups of individuals revise materials they created or created at their behest, it is usually referred to as editing and not censorship.
Auto manufacturers in both Japan and the USA change designs between countries to best suit each market. A concept is being muted in the transition; so is that too censorship?
The altering of products to conform to different markets (i.e. what research has led someone to believe different markets will respond best to) is nothing new. I don't see it as particularly evil, either.
Blame the very vocal "think of the children" advocates in America.
my password is private, but unchanged.
Sorry, but this statement is very silly. Stories about human beings might include domestic violence. Books, movies--why not video games? Not video games for kids, certainly, but this is what is meant by the author when he says these rules locked Nintendo into being a "kiddie" company.
I watch The Sopranos--it doesn't make me a sicko, and neither would a video game showing domestic violence in a similar context.
demi
People have a problem with ORGANIZED prayer, which, if a teacher was leading it, might make those who aren't religious or of a different religion, uncomfortable.
Anytime you think about organized prayer in schools, pretend the organized prayer is to Allah. Still comfortable with it? Or is it only comfortable when it's Christianity.
This is not directed at the parent but at "prayer in school" people in general.
God Bless America. Why? Did it sneeze?