Video games censored by Nintendo of America
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Nintendo of America has gained notoriety for its formerly strict censorship policy, particularly with regard to video games bearing religious symbols (for instance pentagrams), violence, profanity and so forth. The reason for this policy is attributed to its attempt to make its video games more family friendly. Nintendo has discontinued the policy with the advent of the Entertainment Software Ratings Board; however, the company does still perform self-censorship in its own games to some extent. An example of this is the "Angel" ability in recent Kirby games (2003 onward) changed to the "Cupid" ability in the English versions due to religious references. The advent of console emulation, coupled with the rise of foreign ROM images, has revealed Nintendo of America's censorship policies to North American gamers.
Below is a table detailing such censored video games:
| Game | System | Reason for censorship |
|---|---|---|
| ActRaiser | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Religious references |
| ActRaiser 2 | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Religious references |
| Addams Family | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Defecation |
| Another World | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Nudity; blood |
| Ballz | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Slang |
| The Bard's Tale | Nintendo Entertainment System | Alcohol references |
| Bionic Commando | Nintendo Entertainment System | Language; Nazi references |
| Blackthorne | Super Nintendo Entertainment System; Game Boy Advance | Blood |
| Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse | Nintendo Entertainment System | nudity [1] |
| Castlevania: Dracula X | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Death Color (Japanese version, Richter turned red, International ports, Richter turned White) |
| Chrono Trigger | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Alcohol references |
| Dragon Warrior | Nintendo Entertainment System | Religious references |
| Dragon Warrior II | Nintendo Entertainment System | Religious references |
| Dragon Warrior III | Nintendo Entertainment System | Religious references; gay bar reference |
| Dragon Warrior IV | Nintendo Entertainment System | Religious references |
| Doom | Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy Advance | Satanic themes[citation needed]; blood |
| Ducktales | Nintendo Entertainment System | Religious references[2] |
| Duke Nukem 3D | Nintendo 64 | Nudity, language, use of drugs |
| EarthBound | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Alcohol references; religious references; nudity; child abuse |
| AD&D: Eye of the Beholder | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Religious references |
| Final Fantasy | Nintendo Entertainment System | Religious references |
| Final Fantasy II (Final Fantasy IV) | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Language; religious references; death references; sexual content |
| Final Fantasy III (Final Fantasy VI) | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Language; alcohol references; nudity |
| Final Fantasy Legend II | Game Boy | Drug references |
| Final Fight | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Sexual content; alcohol references; strong language |
| Flashback | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Death references |
| Ice Climber | Nintendo Entertainment System | Seal clubbing reference (also censored in Europe) |
| Iron Tank | Nintendo Entertainment System | Nazi references |
| The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Outside of Japan versions) | Nintendo 64 | Religious references; blood color (not removed in original run) |
| Lethal Enforcers | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Stereotype; (changed level 2's name Chinatown Assault to Downtown assault for the SNES version) illegal drugs; (changed level 4's name from The Drug dealers to The Gunrunners for the SNES version) Violence (Enemies remain the same pose when shot) Blood |
| Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Sexual content; alcohol references; religious references |
| Maniac Mansion | Nintendo Entertainment System | Nudity reference; dialogue; other
|
| Metroid Prime Trilogy | Nintendo Wii | Language; "Damn" to "No!" |
| Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! | Nintendo Entertainment System | Ethnic stereotypes; alcohol references |
| Mortal Kombat | Super Nintendo Entertainment System; Game Boy | Violence; blood |
| Mortal Kombat II (Japanese version only) | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Violence; Blood; Fatalities |
| Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door | Nintendo GameCube | LGBT references |
| Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver | Nintendo DS | Simulated gambling |
| Shadowrun | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Death references |
| Street Fighter Alpha 2 | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Violence, Blood, Slang |
| Sunset Riders | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Ethnic stereotypes, sexual content |
| Super Castlevania IV (Outside of Japan-versions) | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Religious references; nudity; blood [3] |
| Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Obscene gestures [4] |
| Wolfenstein 3D | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Nazi Germany references; violence; animal cruelty |
| Zombies Ate My Neighbors | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Blood, Gore |
