SEGA Rating

Sega Rating is an in-house game content rating system for Japanese games used by Sega from 1994 to 2000 when it was replaced with the standardized CERO rating system. The ratings were used for late Sega Mega Drive, Sega Game Gear and Sega Mega-CD games, plus the entire Japanese Sega 32X library, most Sega Saturn games and many PC games released during the late 1990s. It was not, curiously, used for the Sega Dreamcast.

The system was presumably optional, with publishers such as Acclaim, Capcom and Konami opting not to use it in many of their releases.

Icon	Description
	Zen Nenrei (推奨年齢全年齢): The game's contents are considered acceptable for all ages. Most games rated by Sega fall under this designation, as the company was seemingly more interested in pointing out which games were designed for adults, rather than making a distinction between children and teenagers. As a result of this, some games may contain low levels of violence or suggestive themes, but nothing concerning. This rating was initially coloured blue, but changed to green in May 1995.
	Nenrei Seigen 18 Saiijou (推奨年齢年齢制限　１８才以上): The game's contents are designed for adults over the age of 18. Typically this means the game contains more mature themes such as violence or adult situations, but no blatant nudity.
	X Shitei 18 Saiijou (Ｘ指定　１８才以上): The game's contents are designed for adults over the age of 18, and the game is also X-rated. This is a category reserved for games more pornographic in nature, which were likely subject to more sales restrictions. The Sega Saturn release of Mortal Kombat II was also given this rating, presumably for its violent content (although its Sega 32X counterpart was not).

Sega also voluntarily adds its own warnings:

Icon

Description

Bouryoku Nado no Hyougen ga Fukuma Rete Imasu (暴力などの表現が含まれています). A warning that violence exists within the game rather than an age restriction. Not suited for younger players, but software carring this label can be sold to those under the age of 18. This icon has lasted far longer than the other three - Sega took it upon themselves to warn customers of violent products throughout the Sega Dreamcast years and beyond, even after the CERO ratings were introduced (and they also shared the label with Sammy for some of their post-merger releases, such as the Xbox port of Guilty Gear XX #Reload). In fact, Sega still use a variation of this icon with new "violent" releases today.

SEGA Rating

From Sega Retro

See Also