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Final Fantasy 3 rated for PC in Germany
Square Enix is bringing Final Fantasy 3 to PC, according to a German classification for the game. The USK, Germany's entertainment software regulation body, published a rating for the game earlier this month with the platform PC attached to it. The organization rated the game USK 6, approving it for children aged six and above. Square Enix previously ported other games in the series to PC, including both Final Fantasy 7 and Final Fantasy 8's appearances on Steam in July and December, respectively. Final Fantasy 3 originally launched on Famicom in 1990 and didn't arrive in North America until its 2006 3D remake on DS. Since then, Square Enix republished the game on WiiWare in 2009, iOS in March 2011, Android in June 2012, PSP in September 2012 and Windows Phone this past December. The North American classification board ESRB does not have a rating for the game's PC version. We've reached out to Square Enix to see whether the PC version of the game will come to North America. [Image: USK]
Xbox One launch game LocoCycle rated for 360, PC in Germany
Twisted Pixel's Xbox One debut release LocoCycle may also hit the Xbox 360 and PC platforms, according to recent German ratings classifications discovered by Xbox Live marketplace watchdog who goes by "@lifelower" on Twitter. The USK's ratings point to a multiplatform release alongside the game's previously-announced Xbox One launch. The USK ratings board recently outed a Vita release for Injustice: Gods Among Us ahead of its official unveiling earlier this week. LocoCycle is set to premiere on November 22 for $20.
CastleStorm rated for Wii U, PS3, Vita
CastleStorm may be approaching the gates of Wii U, PS3, and Vita after being listed for the three platforms by German ratings board USK. Zen Studios' eclectic fusion of Angry Birds and tower defense has already hurled itself at XBLA, Windows 8, and Steam this year. Zen didn't deny the Wii U port when asked by Nintendo Everything, telling the site it intends "to bring CastleStorm to as many platforms as possible." The Hungarian studio has plenty of experience with the newly listed systems, having sprung Marvel Pinball, Star Wars Pinball, and Zen Pinball 2 upon all three in recent years. Also, as evidenced by Marvel's Pinball's appearance on seven platforms to date, Zen is fond of the odd port or two.
Nintendo European eShop restriction lifted, get your 18+ games at any hour
Nintendo's European arm worked out a deal with Germany's video game regulation body, USK, and its 18+ eShop games are now available at any hour on the 3DS and Wii U. In a missive issued to European Nintendo console users, the company said "adults can browse and buy all games at any time of day" from now on. Said agreement was only reached after "analysis of the Parental Controls system on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS" by USK, which found the parental control systems "in practice" with standards. The bizarre restriction, which originally allowed sales of 18+ games through the European eShop only between 11PM and 3AM, was caused by USK's decency and violence standards. As Nintendo's European branch is based out of Germany, the German laws impacted the entire region's eShop access. But no longer! Assassin's Creed 3 at 10AM? You bet! ZombiU at 2:13PM? Why not! Of course, with download / install times topping four hours, you may wanna get started sooner than later on downloading the bigger games.
Nintendo lifts European eShop age restriction
Nintendo has lifted the legally-motivated restriction on Nintendo eShop sales of 18+ rated content in Europe, allowing users to purchase games like ZombiU any time of the day they feel like doing so. Previously, sales of mature-rated content were limited to the hours between 11pm and 3am."Following analysis of the Parental Controls system on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS in cooperation with USK, the German Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body, it was deemed that Nintendo's Parental Control system was found to have proved itself in practice," Nintendo informed European fans, as reproduced by reporter Daan Koopman.The "in practice" bit answers our question of why the USK didn't make this decision until the Wii U had been available for months, and the 3DS for two years.
Dead Island: Riptide not washing up in Germany
Dead Island: Riptide, like the original Dead Island, won't be released in Germany, home base of publisher Deep Silver. Riptide creative producer Sebastian Reichert said at Gamescom he "wouldn't bet" on the game being available in Germany, but now he's stated it officially."We have no censored version of the game," Reichert told PCGamesN. "So we cannot release it in Germany. It feels f*cking awkward to have one of the most successful games in years and nobody in your country knows it."We double-checked with publisher Deep Silver to make sure there wasn't anything lost in translation and a company representative confirmed Riptide wouldn't be available in Germany. The Unterhaltungssoftware Selbskontrolle (USK) must follow government-enforced criteria that, along with other elements, note a game can't have extreme violence against human-like enemies.Under a microscope, the USK's determination of such things can get awfully fiddly. It was a surprise back in 2011 when Epic's Gears of War 3 passed the censors, while no other installment in the series had made the grade. It wasn't just a surprise to us, but to Epic itself.
Virtua Fighter 2, Sonic the Fighters, and Fighting Vipers rated for Xbox
Virtua Fighter 2, Sonic the Fighters, and Fighting Vipers may be coming to Xbox Live Arcade soon, after recently receiving ratings from German software regulator USK. While USK rated the fighting games for Xbox 360, given Sega's recent track record it's likely the trio are also coming to PlayStation Network.The three mid-90s games are intimately related. Sega AM2 brought Fighting Vipers to arcades a year after Virtua Fighter 2 in 1995. Fighting Vipers featured similar controls, moves, and animations to its more renowned predecessor. It had its own shticks, though, introducing breakable armor along with walls to cage the fighters in. In turn Sonic the Fighters plays similarly to Fighting Vipers, unsurprising since it was the eventual result of a Sega progammer coding in Sonic and Tails to that game. In 1996 Sega released Fighters Megamix, a Saturn crossover which contained characters from all three.games.We've reached out to Sega to confirm any upcoming re-releases of the three fighters.
DOOM and DOOM 2 now acceptable in Germany, Berlin renamed E1M1
Landmark titles DOOM and DOOM 2 received a USK 16+ rating in Germany today. Both titles were previously indexed by the Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons (BPjM), which placed the games in the same commercially restrictive category as porn. "We are obviously very pleased with their decision," Bethesda Softworks VP of PR and Marketing Pete Hines told us this morning. "Can't give you details yet on when they will be available in Germany. We'll let everyone know as soon as we know." Hines explained that an appeal of the indexing is allowed after 10 years, with DOOM and DOOM 2 having been released in 1993 and 1994, respectively. Publisher Bethesda Softworks, whose parent company acquired original developer id Software in 2009, figured it would take the shot. This is the latest classification surprise from Germany, which recently rated Gears of War 3, after both the previous installments were indexed. Microsoft is currently looking into getting the first two games available in the country. [Thanks, Timo.]
Gears of War 3 rating in Germany 'pleasantly shocked' Epic president
Epic Games president Mike Capps says he and the company were just as surprised as anyone else when Gears of War 3 obtained a classification in Germany. Last week, Gears of War 3 received an "18" rating from the German USK, making it the first Gears not to be indexed in the region. "I wish I could give you a list, because then I could tell you I wasn't shocked when I heard we didn't get indexed. I was very much surprised, I'll admit," Capps told us when we asked what changes Epic had made to the franchise formula to get the game rated. "To me, Gears 3 is not just more of Gears 2, but tons more. ... It doesn't immediately strike me as something easier to pass through. It's not a modified version there. We have a "no gore" filter, but we've had that for Gears. We didn't do anything special for Germany this time." Capps is, of course, happy that Epic can finally bring its biggest series to Germany. He told us the country was the developer's "second biggest support center for Epic products," and that Unreal Tournament was huge there. He also mentioned that several members of the company's staff at the Raleigh studio are from Germany, including their engine lead. So, is there any chance of Gears of War 1 and 2, perhaps in their Triple Pack format, being resubmitted for approval in Germany? "That's a fantastic idea." Capps said enthusiastically. "We didn't try to submit it at all. I don't think anyone thought to. We'll give it a shot."
Gears of War 3 classified in Germany without edits
Gears of War 3 received a rating of "18" from the USK in Germany, making it the first Gears of War title not to be indexed in the region. Indexing is done by the Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons (BPjM) and doesn't outright ban a product, but essentially treats it like porn with restrictions. The USK did submit Gears of War 3 as a "case of doubt" to the BPjM, but the title received the all-clear. The harsher restrictions in Germany prompt many games that feature violence prominently to submit a toned down ("censored") version, in the hopes of getting a rating. Eurogamer Germany reports that this is not the case with Gears of War 3, which is "definitely uncut." Joystiq also received the following statement from Microsoft: "While we can't comment on the ratings process or the subjective content standards of the USK, we can say the rating was determined following a detailed review of the game, and that the content of the German version of Gears of War 3 has not been modified from the original with the exception of a full German language localization." A representative for the USK tells Joystiq that Gears 3 "has a different feel to it than its predecessors," and that the arguments used to index the first two games didn't hold up. Update: Added official Microsoft statement. [Thanks, Timo]
Double Dragon 2: Wanderer of the Dragons rated for Xbox 360
While we were happy to read on Siliconera that the German USK rated Double Dragon II: Wanderer of the Dragons for the Xbox 360, we can't say we were all that surprised, what with Double Dragon having appeared on the service some four years ago. No, the interesting thing for us isn't that Double Dragon II is coming -- it's wondering which Double Dragon II will show up. The original arcade version was broken up into just four stages, while the NES version completely redesigned the levels, upped the number nine and included some additional story segments. But we are perhaps most captivated by the subtitle of this rumored release, "Wanderer of the Dragons." Wandering just doesn't seem to be in Billy and Jimmy Lee's physical vocabulary, does it? "Puncher of the Dragons"? Sure. "Hurricane Kicker of the Dragons"? Now you're talking.
USK rates Hole in the Wall for Kinect, Cut the Rope for DSiWare
A few hacks have hinted at it, a few minigames in collections like Carnival Games: Monkey See, Monkey Do have touched on it -- now it seems Microsoft is fully cashing in on the very reason for the Kinect's existence: Hole in the Wall. The game, in which players contort their body in an attempt to fit through the titular cavity, was recently rated by the German USK ratings board. No details about the title were included in the rating, other than the fact Microsoft will handle publishing duties. Another, equally exciting new entry on the USK ratings site is a DSiWare listing for Chillingo's infinitely addicting puzzle game, Cut the Rope. Again, there are few details, but a tease posted on the Facebook page of indie developer Abstraction Games (which brought Angry Birds to PSP earlier this year) seems to indicate they'll be in charge of porting the title. We'll let you know when we hear more about these two projects!
Chime Super Deluxe headed to PSN
Good news for music-infused puzzle game fans, as it looks like Zoë Mode is giving Chime another go. According to both the Australian Classification Board and the German USK, Chime Super Deluxe was recently classified (December 10, according to the Aussie board). It looks like this version will not be published by the One Big Game charity label, but rather Zoë Mode's parent company, Kuju Entertainment. The USK lists the title for the PS3 (likely the PSN), while the Classification Board notes the game is for multiple platforms. We contacted Zoë mode for clarification and were told that the multi platform listing was a "mistake," implying that Chime Super Deluxe will indeed be exclusive to PSN. The company added that the title "will be fully announced in the new year." Without being too presumptuous, we're going to guess it will be more "super" and "deluxe" than the previous version.
Bejeweled Blitz Live rated by German, Australian boards
Bejeweled Blitz Live has been rated by Germany's USK and Australia's classification board. The Australian listing is quite vague, giving the impression the title could be bound for retailers on PC, but the USK classification blatantly declares it as an Xbox 360 title. Perhaps it will appear for both. Developer and publisher PopCap Games tells Joystiq it is currently "not commenting" on the matter. PopCap introduced Bejeweled Blitz to Facebook gamers almost two years ago, and added Zuma Blitz this year. Let's see if PopCap can beat the ESRB's hat trick of announcing its games.
Namco's 'Metro Cross' and 'Aero-Cross' rated
[KLOV] In Australia, the OFLC has rated a game called "Aero-Cross HighAir" developed and published by Namco Bandai. At the same time, GamerBytes reports that the German USK rated an Xbox 360 game called "Metro Cross HighAir GP," though that rating has since disappeared. The similar names suggest these two ratings are for the same game. The "Metro Cross" name in the German rating seems to indicate an updated (perhaps Pac-Man CE-like?) version of Namco's 1985 arcade game Metro-Cross, a side-scrolling foot race game in which players have to avoid giant rolling soda cans. However, it's hard to reconcile that concept with the name "Aero-Cross," so it should be interesting to see what Namco Bandai rolls out.
Achtung! How to find Germany's list of edited games
Australia may get the press for censoring games, but Germany's been doing it for a while and it's a relatively common practice required to release most violent games in the country. At GDC Europe, the Unterhaltungssoftware Selbskontrolle (USK), gave a very detailed explanation on how the organization goes about rating (and banning) games. As the rules are government-enforced under criteria determined by the BPjM (German Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons), any game that is judged by a panel to have extremely gross depiction of violence against human-life enemies, "autotelic" violence, complete lack of non-violent gameplay elements, unsanctioned killing or serious injury of innocent bystanders or children automatically gets the non-rating banhammer. The USK representatives themselves clearly recognized the system isn't perfect, but noted that they have to follow the government rules; therefore, before ponying up the couple thousand Euro submission fee, many publishers preemptively provide an edited version of their games to the board. To check out the list of edited games yourself, go to USK.de, click on the last option in "Alterskennzeichen" and type "dt. version" under Titel.
Bejeweled 2 rated for Wii
PopCap's remarkably popular casual games have been released on just about every gaming platform on the current market, save for one notable exception: Wii. That could soon change, however, according to the USK. Germany's ratings board has listed the match-three puzzle game Bejeweled 2 for release on Wii. Now Mike Leyde can start all over again -- with a new control scheme! If you haven't played Bejeweled 2, you can download it here or play a web version here. Oh, but first, clear your day. [Via Gamerbytes]
Ubisoft's 'Bloody Good Time' rated in Australia
The Australian OFLC ratings board has granted a rating to an Ubisoft game called Bloody Good Time -- a game that has yet to be quite announced, though Ubisoft already has a site for it. According to the blurb on the incomplete site, "Bloody Good Time is a game regrouping ambitious teen actors ready to kill for fame! Selected by a weird B-movie director looking for the best shot, they will do anything to get the lead role." How did this make it through the rating process in Australia, exactly? A German USK rating further specifies this game as an Xbox Live Arcade release -- essentially leaving only release date and graphical styles as open questions. Well, that and the issue of whether you control the murderous teen actors, in which case it's a multiplayer shooter, or the director, in which case it's something really interesting.
USK: Multiplayer Blur demo for Xbox 360 in the works
Leadfoots looking to put the pedal to the metal in Bizarre Creations' upcoming racer, Blur, may just get their chance, as Germany's USK database has posted (machine translation) that a Xbox 360 multiplayer demo is in the works. The listing makes no mention of a PS3 demo, though we wouldn't suggest our PS3 brethren start taking long walks off short piers just yet. Odds are if a Xbox 360 demo makes its way onto Microsoft's console, a similar demo will also eventually end up on PS3, right? Blur is currently geared up to race onto consoles sometime in 2010. [Via VG247]
USK: Phoenix Wright holding court on Wii
A rating on Germany's USK database suggests that Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is being planned for Wii. "Objection!!", you may say, thrilled to have the opportunity to work that in. "Didn't Ace Attorney Investigations producer Motohide Eshiro already say that the series would remain on handhelds?" While it's true that future Ace Attorney games will probably be on handhelds, the series has already been ported to PC, proving that someone within Capcom -- and not necessarily anyone involved with actually making the Ace Attorney games -- has no issue with porting the existing titles, which is extremely likely to be what is happening here. And this is the same Capcom that said that Resident Evil 4 would be a GameCube exclusive. Our guess would be an episodic WiiWare presentation of the first Phoenix Wright. Or a mistake in the rating description.
