On March 1, 2006, CERO implemented the latest revision of its ratings system. The symbols that CERO uses are stylized depictions of letters, meant to convey at a glance, a game's suitability for minors:
* A (all ages) equivalent to ESRB's E, E10+ and T (low end) ratings, PEGI's 3+, 7+ and 12+ (low end) ratings, and OFLC's G and PG ratings. Games rated A include Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and Sonic Unleashed. The content is mild in the CERO impact levels.
* B (ages 12 and up) equivalent to ESRB's E10 (high end) and T (low end) ratings, PEGI's 12+ rating, and OFLC's M (low end) rating. Games rated B include Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, Street Fighter IV, Burnout Paradise, Tales of Vesperia, and Higurashi Daybreak. The content is moderate in the CERO impact levels.
* C (ages 15 and up) equivalent to ESRB's T (high end) and M (low end) ratings, PEGI's 16+ (low end) rating and OFLC's M (high end) rating. Games rated C include Devil May Cry, Soulcalibur IV, Dissidia: Final Fantasy, Midnight Club: Los Angeles, and Destroy All Humans!. The content is intense in the CERO impact levels.
* D (ages 17 and up) equivalent to ESRB's M rating, PEGI's 16+ (high end) and 18+ (low end) rating, and OFLC's MA 15 (low end) rating. Games rated D include Higurashi no naku koro ni, Halo 3, and BioShock. This is the strongest unrestricted CERO rating. The content is strong in the CERO impact levels.
* Z (ages 18 and up only) equivalent to ESRB's AO and M (high end)(in some cases) ratings, PEGI's 18+ rating (high end), and OFLC's MA 15 (high end) and Refused Classification ratings. Games rated Z include Assassin's Creed, Dead Rising, and Dark Sector. The content is extreme in the CERO impact levels and therefore off-limits to persons under 18.
Cultural differences between ratings are very common, and games can receive different ratings in different countries. For example, the game Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne was rated A by the CERO, but rated 12+ by the PEGI and M by the ESRB. There are many other examples, but some ratings are consistent, such as No More Heroes which is rated M by the ESRB, D by the CERO and 16+ by PEGI. Also, some games may be partially censored to eliminate some of the more mature themes in the games' content, such as the aforementioned No More Heroes.
Ratings are often printed on the packaging of video games. The Z classification is the only rating which is restricted.[1]