Pokémon XY have Australian Classification Board Ratings

[Joshawott]

Just posted up!

For reference, this rating is HIGHER than the main series thus far. However, it is the same as Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity. I'm guessing the reason is due to the higher detail in attacks and such due to the 3D models.

 

[Vyrron]

I hope it's because these games are dealing with darker/more mature themes.

 

[Joshawott]

I hope it's because these games are dealing with darker/more mature themes.

"Mild themes and violence", which according to the ratings graph, have a "mild impact".

It's worth noting that PMD:GTI was a 3+ in Europe, which is the usual rating for Pokémon games. Could just be Australia being strict.

 

[Rainbow]

I find it odd that according to that, Diamond and Pearl were also PG, but Colosseum and XD (which are pretty dark for Pokemon games) are still G.

 

[AceTogeTrainer]

I saw on the australian government site one of the categories was "themes" the others were like sexual content, violence etc. the ones that make sense but what exactly is "themes" supposed to mean? Because "themes" along with violence were the only ones marked as having "mild impact". Is this like a more emotionally jarring storyline? perhaps death!?

Also does this rating mean that they've played the game? or at least part of it? or are they rating it off the trailers cause that seems a bit presumptive for a standard rating system.

 

[Crysta Blade]

I find it odd that according to that, Diamond and Pearl were also PG, but Colosseum and XD (which are pretty dark for Pokemon games) are still G.

I just checked my copies of Colosseum and XD and you're right! That is odd. Although I also looked at my copies of DPP and they were PG with 'mild gambling themes'. That may be the cause of the difference. My Emerald box has the old G8+ rating for 'mild gambling themes' as well. Think the Gen 2 games did as well. I guess PG is the closest thing they can get after the rating system changed.

'Mild themes and violence', eh? Not surprising, since pretty much any game that has anyone attacking has the 'mild violence' note. And it doesn't take much for a game to get that. The classification board out here is just that picky.

 

[Silktree]

I find it odd that according to that, Diamond and Pearl were also PG, but Colosseum and XD (which are pretty dark for Pokemon games) are still G.

They gave the Sinnoh games a PG rating for mild gambling references (the infamous Game Corner that was removed from HGSS), which hadn't bothered them at all until Crystal was released (they gave it and the Generation III games a G 8+ rating). But it's indeed hard to imagine XY being darker than the Orre games were.

 

[Ivysaur]

So wait, the games are actually finished? As in, completely through development? There's still quite a ways 'till release, I was hoping there was some more time left for GameFreak to work on things like the graphics.

 

[Phoenixon]

Also does this rating mean that they've played the game? or at least part of it? or are they rating it off the trailers cause that seems a bit presumptive for a standard rating system.

I also ponder about this........

So wait, the games are actually finished? As in, completely through development? There's still quite a ways 'till release, I was hoping there was some more time left for GameFreak to work on things like the graphics.

I'm pretty sure the main part of the games that would actually affect the rating are complete, but they would still be fixing up the graphics....

 

[Silktree]

I find it funny that XY and Virtue's Last Reward are both said to feature mild violence. The latter game has a M rating for coarse language and mature themes, but even the violence part (which included several deaths) isn't mild compared to what I would expect from Game Freak.

So wait, the games are actually finished? As in, completely through development? There's still quite a ways 'till release, I was hoping there was some more time left for GameFreak to work on things like the graphics.

This is rather unusual. I've looked up Zelda and Mario games released worldwide, and they all seem to have been rated two months before release. It does seem clear that XY's beta-testing stage started earlier than usual, but surely there is a good reason why the games won't be released until October, and the rating can always be updated if necessary.

Didn't the graphics look decent enough in the latest trailer? I wouldn't expect a noticeable improvement.

 

[hyperspeed]

The classification board put GtI's violence as very mild but XY's violence as one square higher (mild).
Considering the stuff that happens in Gates to Infinity includes

Spoiler

someone being frozen and then smashed to bits on screen, immediately followed by a very large pokemon stomping on the player character

Then I'd say that XY will be... very interesting...
I'm not sure if the ratings are this relative though, or if they're stricter on the main games since more people buy them? I'm surprised DPPT got a PG rating despite the GBA games having gambling themes too.

 

[Crysta Blade]

I'm surprised DPPT got a PG rating despite the GBA games having gambling themes too.

Probably due to the fact that the G8+ rating no longer exists, so PG is the closest thing that comes to it. G8+ was given out in Gens 2 and 3 for 'mild gambling references' back then, so it's been going on for a while.

 

[Cosmic Gerbil]

I find that weird :S A PG rating in D&P for gambling but B&W gets a U and yet it deals with things such as Pokémon rights/cruelty and child abuse. I wonder what X&Y will have in to warrant the PG rating?

 

[YamiiDenryuu]

Obviously, the slots have been brought back in XY. :U

 

[Meophist]

So wait, the games are actually finished? As in, completely through development? There's still quite a ways 'till release, I was hoping there was some more time left for GameFreak to work on things like the graphics.

I think the game is probably currently "content-complete", so all of the game content is in now and thus can be submitted for content review. That means stuff like locations, Pokémon designs, story, dialogue, et cetera. Next will come a lot of testing and tweaking, including areas of graphics.

 

[Ivysaur]

Didn't the graphics look decent enough in the latest trailer? I wouldn't expect a noticeable improvement.

Stiff walking animations, very few amount of NPCs in the cities (they look lifeless), text font and boxes look atrocious, a pretty big discrepancy between the Pokemon and the battles (which look great) and the OW models and visuals (which don't look great). To be fair, the jump between the first trailer and the second was pretty large so I don't think there isn't any room for improvement if GameFreak indeed has a little more time to work on some things. Overall it doesn't look bad, not in the slightest, but it doesn't quite look finished.

 

[S.S. Shadow Minun]

This is due to 3D graphics that might contain slight realistic violence, but not gore. Pokémon games are targeted at young kids so they do not contain dangerous/explicit themes.

 

[Rainbow]

This is due to 3D graphics that might contain slight realistic violence, but not gore. Pokémon games are targeted at young kids so they do not contain dangerous/explicit themes.

I feel like that reason can be ruled out, since none of the other 3D games have gotten a PG rating. (Stadium, Colosseum, etc)

The PG label says "mild themes and violence" which is quite a difference compared to other PG games, like D/P/Pt (mild gambling references) and Super Pokemon Rumble (only mild violence)

 

[Meophist]

Assuming there is one, a heavy DNA theme might be enough to warrant an upgrade in rating; particularly if it deals with one's worth and identity as it relates to their DNA.

 

[Akromatic]

I was just wondering... how will Guillotine look like in-battle?