Watchdog group: Nintendo no longer "family-friendly"

Most consumers consider the Wii the most wholesome of the three home consoles thanks to its large library of kid-friendly titles and Nintendo's squeaky clean reputation. But with the release of Sega's blood-splattered Wii game MadWorld, that perception could undergo a serious shift.

In a press release, the National Institute on Media and the Family takes Nintendo to task for green-lighting the gruesome action game, which lets players dismember enemies in a variety of creative ways as they fight their way through a violent game show.

"The release of MadWorld for the Wii brings violent video games to a once family-friendly platform," says NIMF president Dr. David Walsh. "MadWorld is another reminder that parents need to make sure they watch what their kids watch and play what their kids play."

Watch MadWorld Video

Releasing Tuesday, the M-rated game has already endured its share of controversy. Back in August of last year, media watchdogs in the U.K. urged the British Board of Film Classification to refuse giving MadWorld a rating, effectively banning it from sale. Fans were outraged, though the game eventually received an 18 rating. MadWorld won't be offered at all in Germany, where violent video games typically are frowned upon.

In their defense, a Nintendo spokesman told the Daily Mail that the game "will be suitably age rated through the appropriate legal channels and thus only available to an audience above the age rating it is given."

It's hardly the first time Nintendo has been in hot water for giving the okay to a violent game. In 2007, the Wii version of controversial "murder simulator" Manhunt 2 met with a massive backlash and was initially rated 'AO' by the ESRB -- essentially amounting to a ban. Publisher Rockstar Games responded by editing the content, and the title eventually shipped with the more common 'M' rating.

To NIMF, however, the release of MadWorld could leave an indelible mark on Nintendo's family-friendly rep.

"In the past, the Wii has successfully sold itself as being the gaming console for the entire family and a way to bring family-game nights back into people's living rooms. Unfortunately, Nintendo opened its doors to the violent video game genre. The National Institute on Media and the Family hopes that Nintendo does not lose sight of its initial audience and continues to offer quality, family-friendly games."

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