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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 and Computer software 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 ratings, PEGI's 3 and 7 ratings, USK's 0 and 6 ratings, and OFLC's G and PG ratings. Games rated A include Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Sonic Unleashed, and Kingdom Hearts 2.
• B (ages 12 and up) equivalent to ESRB's T (low end) rating, PEGI's 12 rating, USK's 12 rating, and OFLC's M (low end) rating. Games rated B include Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, Street Fighter IV, Burnout Paradise, Tales of Vesperia, Higurashi Daybreak, and the Wangan Midnight PS3 game.
• C (ages 15 and up) equivalent to ESRB's T (high end) rating, PEGI's 16 (low end) rating, USK's 16 rating, and OFLC's M (high end) rating. Games rated C include Devil May Cry, Soulcalibur IV, Dissidia: Final Fantasy, Midnight Club: Los Angeles and Destroy All Humans!.
• D (ages 17 and up) equivalent to ESRB's M rating, PEGI's 16 (high end) and 18 (low end) ratings, USK's 18 rating, and OFLC's MA15 (low end) rating. Games rated D include Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, Halo 3, Ninja Gaiden, Baldr Force EXE, BioShock, Bayonetta and Resistance 2. This is the strongest unrestricted CERO rating.
• Z (ages 18 and up only) equivalent to ESRB's M and AO ratings, PEGI's 18 (high end) rating, and OFLC's MA15 (high end) and Refused Classification ratings. Games rated Z include Assassin's Creed, Dead Rising, The Godfather, Fable II, Fallout 3 and Left 4 Dead 2. 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 game Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 was rated B by the CERO, which would technically give it a T (12+) in Europe and North America, but it was 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 restricted.^[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: Sakura Wars, Grandia III, Da Capo: Plus Situation, Final Fantasy XIII
• Sexual content: The King of Fighters, Air, Doki Doki Majo Shinpan!, Soulcalibur IV, Higurashi Daybreak
• Violence: Dynasty Warriors, Metal Slug, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, Killer7, Castlevania, Halo, Alien Crush Returns
• Horror: LifeSigns: Surgical Unit, Fatal Frame, xxxHolic, BioShock
• Gambling: Yakuza, 81diver, Machi: Unmei no Kousaten, Bully
• Crime: Burnout, Genso Suikoden I & II, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, No More Heroes, Wild Arms 5, Test Drive Unlimited
• Use of alcohol or tobacco: Machi: Unmei no Kousaten, Days of Memories 2
• Use of drugs: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Imabikisō, 428: Fūsa Sareta Shibuya de
• Language or other: Kanon, Baroque, Tales of Innocence, killer7, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World, Tales of Vesperia

Previous ratings

These ratings were used until March 2006.

• Free 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.

See also

• 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
• EOCS, the Japanese computer and video game rating system for bishōjo games.
• OFLC, the New Zealand media rating system
• OFLC, the Australian media rating system.
• Eirin – The Japanese film rating system.
• GRB The South Korean computer and video game rating system

References

External links

• Official Japanese CERO Website

From StrategyWiki, the free strategy guide and walkthrough wiki

Computer Entertainment Rating Organization (CERO) is the organization that rates videogames and computer software 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, using Entertainment Software Rating Board as a model and became an officially recognized non-profit organization in 2003.

Rating

On March 1, 2006, CERO made a new, revised version of the ratings system. The symbols the CERO uses are stylized depictions of letters, meant to convey at a glance a game's suitability:

	A — All ages: (Equivalent to the ESRB's EARLY CHILDHOOD, EVERYONE, and EVERYONE 10+ and PEGI's 3+ and 7+). It is often likened to the Eirin's "G" Rating.
	B — Ages 12 and up: (Equivalent to the ESRB's TEEN and PEGI's 12+). It is often likened to the Eirin's "PG-12" rating.
	C — Ages 15 and up: (Equivalent to the PEGI's 16+). It is often likened to the Eirin's "R-15" rating.
	D — Ages 17 and up: (Equivalent to the ESRB's MATURE)
	Z — Ages 18 and up only: (Equivalent to the ESRB's ADULTS ONLY and PEGI's 18+). It is often likened to the Eirin's "R-18" rating.

One of the symbols above is displayed on the front of the package. This mark is the notation of the age suitability based on the contents. The Z rating may not appear to be very different from the D rating, the only difference is that the Z rating is regulated under the government.

Contents descriptor icons

In April 2004, CERO defined the following "contents descriptor icons". These icons are displayed on the back of all packages except those rated as "All ages".

• Love (Examples: Sakura Wars, Grandia 3)
• Sexual (Examples: Super Robot Wars, Sakura Wars, The King of Fighters)
• Violence (Examples: Dynasty Warriors, Metal Slug, The King of Fighters)
• Horror (Examples: Tendou Dokuta 2, Ghost Hunter only)
• Gambling
• Crime (Examples: Burnout, Genso Suikoden I&II)
• Use of Alcohol or Tobacco
• Use of drugs
• Language or other

Classic Ratings

The symbols the CERO used were stylized depictions of numbers, meant to convey at a glance a game's suitability:

	All ages: (Equivalent to the ESRB's EVERYONE and PEGI's 3+ and 7+). This rating was replaced by "A".
	Ages 12 and up: (Equivalent to the ESRB's TEEN and PEGI's 12+). This rating was replaced by "B".
	Ages 15 and up: (Equivalent to the ESRB's MATURE and PEGI's 16+). This rating was replaced "C".
	Ages 18 and up: (Equivalent to the ESRB's MATURE or ADULTS ONLY and PEGI's 18+). This rating was replaced by the two ratings "D" and "Z", setting the age levels where "D" is for ages 17 and over, and "Z" is for ages 18 and over only (Adults ONLY).

Trivia

• The first title that rated "Ages 18 and up" is Dead to Rights on Xbox (Released in Nov. 28, 2002).
• As of 2005, the following titles are games on Nintendo hardware that rated "Ages 17 and up":
  • Biohazard Code: Veronica Complete edition (known as "Resident Evil Code: Veronica X")
  • Biohazard 4 (Resident Evil 4)
• Due to societal and cultural differences between the eastern and western worlds (especially the United States and Canada), some titles rated "All ages" by CERO are rated very differently outside Japan (hence the term "rating system deviation"), such as:
• Even though the word "computer" is in its name, the CERO mostly deals with ratings of console games and not PC games.

External links

Wikipedia has an article about:

Computer Entertainment Rating Organization

• Official Japanese CERO Website

From Wikia Gaming, your source for walkthroughs, games, guides, and more!

The Computer Entertainment Rating Organization system (CERO for short) is the Japanese equivalent of the Entertainment Software Rating Board. Dispite its name, it mostly only governs over console game ratings. The majority of Japanese PC games are governed by the EOCS.

An icon-based content descriptor system will take effect in June for all games except those rated "All Ages". It's similar to the Pan European Game Information system's icons.

New ratings

• A - (CERO: A) Suitable for everyone, regardless of age.
• B - (CERO: B) Have content that may be suitable for ages 12 and older.
• C - (CERO: C) Have content that may be suitable for ages 15 and older.
• D - (CERO: D) Have content that may be suitable for ages 17 and older.
• Z - (CERO: Z) Must be 18 or older.

The ratings A~D are advisory, while Z is strictly enforced. Many games rated as "18" under the old system have been re-rated as D.

Old ratings

The old ratings system was retired on March 1st, 2006, in favor of the new ratings system.

It was divided into "All Ages," "12 and Up," "15 and Up," and "18 and Up.". All ratings are advisory.

Free

Titles rated All Ages (CERO: Free) are suitable for everyone, regardless of age.

12

Titles rated 12 and Up (CERO: 12) have content that may be suitable for ages 12 and older.

15

Titles rated 15 and Up (CERO: 15) have content that may be suitable for ages 15 and older.

18

Titles rated 18 and Up (CERO: 18) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 18 and older.

Contents descriptor icons

In April 2004, CERO defined the following "contents descriptor icons". These icons are displayed on the back of all packages except those rated as "All ages".

- Love	- Sexual	- Violence
- Horror	- Gambling	- Criminal
- Alcohol or Tobacco	- Drugs	- Language or other

External Links

CERO

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