Censorship

This is a non-exhaustive list of video game versions or ports that had been modified in order to receive a lower age rating. (This list does not apply for decisions made solely by localization choices or games that would've been banned from receiving an age rating if uncensored.)

Games like Shadow The Hedgehog and Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc would technically be examples of videogames censored for a lower age rating, but they were censored for all versions before release, therefore don't count for this list.

The list also ONLY includes the censorship specifically done to maintain a lower rating, not the full list of censorship in each game.

CERO[]

CERO
Videogame Age Rating Censorship
The Evil Within
  • D (17+)
  • Z (18+) [DLC}
Blood and gore was drastically reduced in the CERO D (17+) version
Final Fantasy VI A (All Ages) In the Gameboy Advance version, the scene where an Imperial Guard hits Celes while she's chained up is removed
No More Heroes D (17+) Sequences of graphic violence and gore were significantly altered or removed all together
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and WII U A (All Ages) The Japanese version covered up some of the female characters
Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization B (12+) The bath scene with Kizmel was altered in a day-one patch to add a black swimsuit to the character as opposed to them being nude (the nudity was covered with steam and bubbles)

ESRB[]

Videogame Age Rating Censorship
Bust A Groove E The word "n***a" was removed from two songs and references to alcohol and smoking were removed
Capcom vs. SNK: Millenium Fight 2000 T The song Needles in the Final Fight stage was a changed to an instrumental due to the song containing the lyrics "I'm ready to f***ing spill!"
Castlevania: Dracula X
  • E (originally K-A) [SNES, 3DS, Wii U]
  • T [PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC/Uncensored]
Violence and blood were reduced or altered. The blood was recolored and the violent content was lessened in the SNES/3DS/Wii U version.
Crazy Taxi
  • E10+ [PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Android]
  • T [Dreamcast, Gamecube, PS2, PC]
A censored version of The Offspring's "Way Down the Line" changed the line "You'll f*** up, just like your parents did" to "You'll grow up, just like your parents did" in later re-releases
Criminal Girls: Invite Only M Risque content (moans, positions) in a "motivation" mini game was censored
Criminal Girls 2: Party Favors M Sexually provocative images of girls and images that implied bondage were altered
Cruisin' USA E Some of the adult content, like sexual innuendos, smoking, and blood were removed from the Nintendo 64 port
Dance Dance Revolution E Two songs were changed to instrumentals ("After the Game of Love", "Injection of Love")
Digimon Heroes E Some cards with skimpy clothing/suggestive undertones were censored
EarthBound
  • E (originally K-A) [SNES, Wii]
  • T [Wii U]
Ness is given pajamas instead of being naked in one scene. References to death and corporal punishment were also censored. The censored version ended up getting a T rating in the Wii-U re-release.
Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy
  • M [PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360, PC, Android, PS4]
  • AO [PC/Director's Cut]
Two explicit sex scenes and a striptease were shortened. The remastered version uses the uncensored director's cut.
Final Fantasy VI
  • E10+ [GBA]
  • T [Playstation, Android, PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC]
In the Gameboy Advance version, some of the enemies were given more clothing or covered up
Final Fantasy VIII T The boss Gerogero's organs were recolored blue and some of the blood was toned down
God Eater Resurrection T Blood splatter was slightly toned down
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
  • M
  • AO [2005]
The "Hot Coffee" minigame, which featured clothed sex scenes, was removed from the files
If My Heart Had Wings T All sex scenes and other explicit content were removed
Kingdom Hearts II E10+ A recreation of a threatened suicide scene in Pirates of the Caribbean was censored. The scene that shows Jack Sparrow getting impaled was changed so it doesn't show the sword impaling him. A sequence involving green blood with the Hydra from Hercules was also censored, changing the blood to a sort of black/purple mist. Axel's death scene was changed to remove the flames that burn him alive.
Manhunt 2
  • M [PS2, PSP, Wii]
  • AO [PC]
Some of the extreme violence had been censored for console editions
Medabots: Metabee and Rokusho E Some of the suggestive content was removed, like a female NPC instead selling tomatoes instead of "puff-puff" originally and references to a strange boy lifting up girls' skirts instead being a strange boy tickling girls
Monster Monpiece M Some of the suggestive content, like some of the CG Cards, was removed or toned down
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe T Two fatalities involving gunshots to the head, as well as one involving impalement, were removed
Mugen Souls
  • T [PS3, PC]
  • M [Nintendo Switch]
The hot springs mini-game, which included heavily suggestive content and allowed the player to rub and touch the characters, and the CGs that were rewarded for completing this mini-game, were removed. The Switch release would retain the uncensored content.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door E The murder scene in a house in Newport was altered by removing the Toad-shaped chalk outline and reducing the blood. Alcoholic beverages were renamed and some of the suggestive content was altered.
The Punisher M A black-and-white filter was placed over the execution animations as well as changed camera angles that obscured some of the more explicit gore
Ray Crisis E A boss' name was changed from Sem-Slut to to Sem-Strut
Singles: Flirt Up Your Life
  • M [CD-ROM]
  • AO
Some strong sexual content and all nudity was censored in the M-rated version
Siren: Blood Curse M Extreme violence was censored by various camera filters and different angles
Tales of Berseria T A scene in which a young girl is impaled was removed
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1
  • E [N64, GBC]
  • T [Playstation, Dreamcast, N-Gage]
The Nintendo 64 version removes the blood and has many of the songs as instrumentals or with additional censorship. Some of the adult humor was also toned down.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
  • E [N64, GBC]
  • E10+ [Pocket PC]
  • T [Playstation, Dreamcast, Xbox, PC]
The Nintendo 64 version removes the blood and has many of the songs as instrumentals or with additional censorship. Some of the adult humor was also toned down.

iOS App Store[]

Videogame Age Rating Censorship
Destiny Child 12+ Several sexually suggestive/'fanservice' costumes were toned down

PEGI[]

Videogame Age Rating Censorship
Beyond: Two Souls 16 A camera angle was changed during a torture scene
Mario Party 8 3 The word 'spastic' was changed to 'erratic'
Pokémon Platinum 3 The slot machines in the Game Corner were changed to regular game machines
Sonic Rush Adventure
  • 3
  • 12 [Original rating/Uncensored]
The word 'bugger' was removed from later copies of the game
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
  • 3 [Wii, Wii-U]
  • 7 [Nintendo Switch]
The word "bugger" has been changed to "pest" in the Wii and Wii U virtual console release
Tales of Berseria 16 A scene in which a young girl is impaled was removed
World of Warcraft 12 Two seasonal "Brewfest" events were withheld on European servers

USK[]

Videogame Age Rating Censorship
Baldur's Gate 12 Blood splatters during battle as well as a brief flash of blood in the intro of the first game was removed
Cars 2 6 An opening cutscene with some explosions and gun use was edited
Final Fantasy VIII 12 The boss Gerogero's organs were recolored blue and some of the blood was toned down. Also, Selphie's Nunchaku were renamed to Shinobou.
Grand Theft Auto 2 16 Blood was removed
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas 16 Several of the game's most violent/controversial elements and the rewards that come with them (such as headshots or civilians dropping money after being killed) were removed
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City 16 Several of the game's most violent/controversial elements and the rewards that come with them (such as headshots or civilians dropping money after being killed) were removed
Half-Life
  • 16
  • 18 [Uncensored]
Several human characters in the game were changed to robots. Furthermore, blood was toned down, and corpses were made to disappear immediately after being killed. The game would be re-released uncensored with a USK 18 rating years later.
Quake 4 16 Violence, blood and gore were drastically toned down
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 16 The red blood of vampires was changed to green
Resident Evil 3 16 A number of scenes involving gore were removed or heavily altered
Tortuga: Two Treasures 16 Some of the content was modified
Turok: Evolution
  • 16
  • 18 [Uncensored]
The blood and gore was removed, the violence and effects were toned down, and the enemies were modified for the USK 16 version
Unreal Tournament 2003 16 Graphic violence and gore were removed
Unreal Tournament 2004 16 Graphic violence and gore were removed
Unreal Tournament 3 16 Graphic violence and gore were removed