Video Game Ratings, Explained:

Do you know what your kid is playing on his or her smartphone? When you see the colorful icons and cheerful names but behind them there can be anything from online pokies or a blood-drenched zombie shooter to a racing game where hitting pedestrians mean bonus points at the end of the race. If you are in doubt about your kids' favorite game, there is a way to find out what potentially dangerous content your kid is accessing without your knowledge on the go: take a look at the classifications attached to the title. These are usually acronyms like G, PG, and such - so here they are translated to common language.

G (General)

The G rating (General) is awarded to content that's suitable for anyone, including children. While the material is not in all cases in the best interest of the child, this rating makes content labeled with it suitable for pretty much any age group. The themes and language of apps and games rated "G" have little to no impact on children.

PG (Parental Guidance recommended)

This label is applied to games and other multimedia content (movies, TV series) that may contain scenes that can be upsetting or confusing to children. If your child is younger or more sensitive, some things he or she may encounter in such games might have a certain effect on him or her and may require guidance from you. This effect is in the vast majority of cases not higher than mild.

M (Mature)

M (Mature) is an advisory category - it is not a restriction, mind you - showing that the content within may have a moderate impact on younger or more sensitive children. This type of content is recommended for teenagers or children aged 15 or above. Video games rated "M" may contain some violence or nudity even with a moderate impact on the child. It is recommended that you find out more about the content of the game before agreeing to your child using it.

MA15+ (Mature, restricted to ages of 15 and above)

Unlike M, that's an "advisory" rating, "MA15+" is a restrictive one: it is a label applied to video games that contain classifiable elements such as drug use, sex, and violence that have a strong impact on your child. The content rated "MA15+" is legally restricted to persons over the age of 15 - children under this age can't legally watch, buy, and hire materials rated "MA15+".

R18+ (Restricted to ages of 18 and above)

Content labeled R18+ can only be viewed, rented, and bought by persons aged 18 and above. The games rated R18+ contain high-impact scenes of sex, violence, or drug use which makes them suitable for an adult audience only. They may contain scenes that are offensive even to adults - you want to make sure your child stays away from such games until he or she reaches the maturity necessary to consume it.