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Video Games => Video Game Chat => Topic started by: ShadowBrain on June 14, 2008, 09:29:53 AM

Title: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: ShadowBrain on June 14, 2008, 09:29:53 AM
A look back at 14 memorable moments of censorship in the history of Nintendo. (http://opiniondebug.com/2008/06/13/the-nintendo-commandments/)

I didn't know about some of this stuff...
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: MaxVance on June 14, 2008, 09:44:19 AM
Interesting how most of these were in the early-mid '90s. I wonder what it was that originally got Nintendo into that attitude?
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Kojinka on June 14, 2008, 10:06:50 AM
It won't show me the entire article.  it cuts out on the Punchout example, where it says "For the NES versio"
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Chupperson Weird on June 14, 2008, 10:18:31 AM
This is pretty bad, I have to say. The article. Max needs some schoolin'.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Bigluigifan1.0 on June 14, 2008, 10:37:20 AM
I thought it was funny reading a guy's comment on how you come off as ignorant and immature when you don't understand the importance of censorship and a guy posted a retaliation comment that basically proved his point.

But the whole article is pretty stupid.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: TEM on June 14, 2008, 11:11:39 AM
http://www.filibustercartoons.com/Nintendo.php

This is a little better.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Deezer on June 14, 2008, 11:15:14 AM
I'm pretty sure that was the exact same Castlevania screen shot they used in the latest Nintendo Power.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Luigalaxy on June 14, 2008, 12:16:29 PM
Oh yeah... I remember that.

AHHHHH! "Yes,Bobby?" "I had a nightmare where Dracula's disimbodied head tried to bite me!"
The next day...

"Hello? Nintendo Power." "Your stupid ******* front cover of ******* Darcula w/out his ******* body gave my **** child, Bobby, a ******* nightmare, you ********!" "[hangs up]"
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Glorb on June 14, 2008, 12:28:38 PM
My favorite comment:

Wow. Why even do this? Putting this together was totally a waste of your time and an insult to status quo of the times these games were released. If you don’t understand the importance and necessity of censorship, don’t write about it because you only come across as being ignorant and immature.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Luigalaxy on June 14, 2008, 12:39:34 PM
Woah. Thats a pretty bad insult. But, I agree. Censorship is censorship. Don't insult it, or you might have the FCC on your doorstep instead of a new video game.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: BP on June 14, 2008, 01:48:36 PM
The Red Cross wasn't taken out of EB for religious reasons. The Red Cross Association could've taken legal action against Nintendo if they wanted to.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Crazee on June 14, 2008, 03:11:48 PM
Besides, if a company chooses to censor it's own product...that's within their rights to do so. Telling them not to do what they want could theoretically be construed as censorship too, right? Nintendo wanted to be family friendly, I really don't understand why that bothers people.

 I mean, when I was a kid I wanted lots of blood and gore and other nonsense and hated it getting removed. Then I grew up and realized it's not even important. Maybe it's seeing how my generation is turning out...
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: ShadowBrain on June 14, 2008, 07:23:18 PM
The Red Cross wasn't taken out of EB for religious reasons. The Red Cross Association could've taken legal action against Nintendo if they wanted to.
In that case, the Roman Catholic Church is in for a lawsuit.

I don't see what's wrong with the article, honestly. I mean, yeah, they did some of these things for good reasons, but I didn't really see the guy as bashing anything.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: penguinwizard on June 15, 2008, 02:13:54 AM
My favorite (as in they're so ridiculous to be funny) censorship moments in the first article were the irony bits, such as completely missing the line for Chunky in the Donkey Kong 64 rap (what, was the rap so terrible that not even Nintendo could watch it all the way through? Rare should have never included that rap in the first place), and reminding people of Monster Party for NES. I look back on it and wonder why on earth Monster Party never gave me nightmares. You remember halfway through the first level where all the happy stuff turns to evil bleeding things.

I was surprised to see Secret of Mana on there... and I agree, "Heck Hound" is ridiculous, but on second thought, that just adds to the charm, more interesting than the other name for it. Even though I like the name Howler better.

Actually, what am I saying, I've seen Secret of Mana on one of these articles before... the infamous secret page that one of those magic floating book enemies occasionally flips to.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Glorb on June 15, 2008, 07:34:48 AM
Besides, if a company chooses to censor it's own product...that's within their rights to do so. Telling them not to do what they want could theoretically be construed as censorship too, right? Nintendo wanted to be family friendly, I really don't understand why that bothers people.

Um, you're kind of missing the point. It was someone else's product they were censoring, not their own. Theoretically the developer could just not release it on NES, but because of Nintendo's monopoly on the market they pretty much had to if they wanted sales.

Personally, I'm anti-censorship. If Nintendo wanted to release games on their system, they should've put content descriptors on the box instead of candy-coating everything so little kids' parents wouldn't be offended.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Kojinka on June 15, 2008, 09:18:18 AM
(https://themushroomkingdom.net/board/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.filibustercartoons.com%2Fbowser.gif&hash=af4b46f47a14e7eda225fe5345272c52)
I really don't see anything "offensive" about Bowser's pose in the left image.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: The Chef on June 15, 2008, 09:29:16 AM
That's considered an offensive hand gesture in Italian.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: ShadowBrain on June 15, 2008, 03:48:51 PM
Well, then they could've just changed it in Italy (I've never seen a picture of it... I thought it supposedly looked like he was giving the fingers or doing that "up yours" gesture or something).

Also, is it just the computer I'm using right now, or are those pictures in blurry sepia?
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: TEM on June 15, 2008, 04:52:05 PM
Bowser's gesture is extremely offensive, it's the same as getting flipped off.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Captain Jim on June 15, 2008, 04:53:46 PM
Some refer to it as the "Up yours" gesture.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Kojinka on June 15, 2008, 05:08:33 PM
Maybe it's just the small size of the image, but I just don't see how it's interpreted as "Up yours". 
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Chupperson Weird on June 15, 2008, 05:46:18 PM
Well then you don't know anything about it and being in motion helps you understand it a little. It is. So know and be silent.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: The Chef on June 15, 2008, 06:00:28 PM
Maybe it's just the small size of the image, but I just don't see how it's interpreted as "Up yours". 

It's more or less the same thing as giving someone the middle finger.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Bag of Magic Food on June 15, 2008, 06:15:46 PM
So he pulls his arms farther apart now?
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: nensondubois on June 15, 2008, 07:03:17 PM
That's proof Bowser hates Mario.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: jmdblazer on June 15, 2008, 09:28:13 PM
Well, then they could've just changed it in Italy

They changed it in other places because there's more likely to be an Italian person in America, or a European country other than Italy, than in Japan.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Turtlekid1 on June 16, 2008, 07:14:06 AM
Some of what was censored simply had to be censored, but others were just ridiculous.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Glorb on June 16, 2008, 11:25:49 AM
I have to disagree. Nothing has to be censored. People who would be offended by something shouldn't view whatever offends them. Parents shouldn't let their kids see gaphic violence, swearing, and what have you. All this talk of "censorship is neccesary" is, to put it politely, misinformed. To me, censorship means either laziness (I don't want my kids to see this porn, but it's too much trouble hiding it, so I'll just get a version that covers up the naughty bits) or, worse, propaganda (withholding of information from the people by a government and all that). But responsibility regarding children's entertainment lies with parents, not with whoever makes the entertainment.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Chupperson Weird on June 16, 2008, 02:04:01 PM
I think the SMRPG issue undermines everything Glorb just said.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Glorb on June 16, 2008, 10:35:06 PM
I mostly take issue with the attitude around here that censorship is a neccessity of life that we should all live with. I mean, take SMRPG's hand gesture; it's not out of character for Bowser, and is of no consequence to the story. So Bowser's celebrating victory in a rather crude way; so do a lot of football players. Deal with it. Nintendo put it in, so it's obvious it was meant to be seen. On the other hand, it's a very minor change so I shouldn't get too up in arms about it. Still, I think it's dangerous to view censorship in such a positive way.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: jmdblazer on June 16, 2008, 10:45:25 PM
Nintendo didn't purposefully put in Bowser flipping off Italians, it was an accident. Nintendo didn't want to offend anyone, so they changed it.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Glorb on June 16, 2008, 11:42:04 PM
There's no way you can accidentally have Bowser extend his arm upward and put his hand on his lower arm and not know what it means.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: ZGDK on June 17, 2008, 07:34:29 AM
It's amazing how far Nintendo has come >.> BUT-In Galaxy they changed Hell's Prominence to Melty Molten Galaxy =O Wouldn't want to say the h-h-h w-word now would we?
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: ShadowBrain on June 17, 2008, 08:29:02 AM
This is only somewhat related to censorship, and I know everyone is tired of my "Nintendo rants", but the NES was really successful with what would now be called "casuals" and "hardcores"--and it was released with a toy gun and labeled an "ACTION SET". Now, everything's gotta be stocked with Miis, Apple-white, sanitized, and instruction-filled.

BUT-In Galaxy they changed Hell's Prominence to Melty Molten Galaxy =O Wouldn't want to say the h-h-h w-word now would we?

Whoah, that's what it was supposed to be called! Sweet!
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Turtlekid1 on June 17, 2008, 09:52:11 AM
I have to disagree. Nothing has to be censored.

If it's not censored, then perhaps it should never be in the game in question in the first place.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: jmdblazer on June 17, 2008, 10:48:01 AM
There's no way you can accidentally have Bowser extend his arm upward and put his hand on his lower arm and not know what it means.

Hey I didn't even know that. They could have been like "ooh let's make bowser do something weird with his arms"
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Chupperson Weird on June 17, 2008, 04:03:21 PM
How are you guys so dumb that you refuse to believe things?
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Kuromatsu on June 17, 2008, 04:35:15 PM
Isn't that the same gesture from "Spaceballs the Movie" that President Scroob(?) Makes?
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Captain Jim on June 17, 2008, 04:36:36 PM
Yes. And the joke is that their salute is the "Up Yours" motion.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: ShadowBrain on June 17, 2008, 10:46:48 PM
...But with the direction of the hand reversed.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: penguinwizard on June 17, 2008, 11:08:45 PM
Call me dense, but Bowser doing that is the first time I've seen that gesture. Seems to be called the bent elbow. I'd probably get an idea of what it meant just by seeing the arm thrust upward, but yeah, it means nothing to me.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Kojinka on June 17, 2008, 11:37:32 PM
Finally!  It took me long enough to see Bowser doing the gesture.  At first, I thought Bowser's fists were just closer together.  It wasn't until the Spaceball salute was mentioned that I finally got an idea of what I was supposed to be looking at in the SMRPG image.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Turtlekid1 on June 18, 2008, 07:36:39 AM
I still don't know what I'm looking at and I'm not sure I want to.
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Grandy02 on June 18, 2008, 07:41:22 AM
This site is about all the edits in WarioWare: Twisted!, it's very interesting in my opinion.
http://asho.wariocompany.com/uncensored/
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Lizard Dude on July 01, 2008, 03:30:23 AM
The GH:Aerosmith vid on the Nintendo Channel had the word "condom" bleeped out. First time I've ever seen that done. And who says Nintendo's shed its censor-love? ;)
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: ShadowBrain on July 01, 2008, 08:08:52 AM
...And yet there was still a video of animal headshots in Cabela's Big Game Hunter (what required him to say "condom", anyway? Was he referencing the Wii Remote Jacket?).

You know, I realized something a while ago. Bullet Bills, had they never existed, would probably not be made now. A giant living bullet? With Nintendo's image and all the videogame violence debates?
Title: Re: "The Nintendo Commandments"
Post by: Glorb on July 01, 2008, 05:43:01 PM
(what required him to say "condom", anyway? Was he referencing the Wii Remote Jacket?).

It's just an all-around great word.