Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge will launch as the Wii U's first game with a CERO Z rating — the "adults only" (ages 18 and up) game warning in Japan that refers to the Computer Entertainment Rating Organization.
The rating applies to games with excessive gore and first appeared in 2006. Some developers edited content to at least qualify for the CERO D (17+) rating. Tecmo Koei was among them when it removed decapitations from Ninja Gaiden Sigma, which released in 2007.
Since more Western games are releasing in Japan, the CERO Z rating has become more common. Red Steel earned the CERO C (15+) rating when it launched with the Wii, but the 3DS launch line-up contained only the tamer CERO A (all ages) and CERO B (12+) games.
Nintendo requires all games with the CERO C rating and up to ship in identifiable black boxes, making the company the only hardware manufacturer in Japan to do this. This helps maintain its family-friendly image while it reaches out to older audiences.
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