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Top 7 Most Controversial Games Ever

Over the years we’ve seen some pretty controversial games land on our shelves, but what are the baddest of the bad in terms of on-screen nasties and off screen media scare tactics? Here’s our top seven. Why seven? Well its lucky innit…

7. Carmaggedon

The classically violent-for-the-sake-of-violence Carmaggedon, upset a bunch of people even before the game was released way back in 1997 on the PC (dos version) when the publisher SCi submitted the game for rating to the BBFC for classification to boost its publicity, even though they didn’t have to (the game featured no video footage, therefore was exempt from classification).  Sadly for the team, the move backfired and the board demanded that the violence be cut - which to them meant changing the human pedestrians in the game to robots and zombies instead. They appealed, and after a long ten months the game was released as intended.

Even with its troubled past, this game’s influence is clear to see. Just look at your games shelf, is that Grand Theft Auto up there?

6. Mortal Kombat

FINNISH HIM!! Do you remember the first time you were asked to do that? Although tame when compared to today’s gaming bloodbaths, this beat ‘em up caused chaos on its release in 1992. The mixture of detailed deaths, and brutal combat caused parents across the land to condemn the game. Publisher Midway slapped a ‘Mature’ rating on the game, but critics still complained and ask your friends if they remember being told “you can’t play that fighting game under this roof” by their parents. The game has courted controversy throughout the series, with Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance criticised for “inciting violence” by the media when it was released. But c’mon, whats so bad about tearing someones spine out?..

5. Resident Evil 5

This game isn’t even out yet, and its already courted controversy for the predicted levels of violence and the more serious allegation of racism, as an early preview showed a Caucasian male killing hostile African villagers. Supporters of the title said that the scenes were necessary given the setting of the game, but a number of its detractors say that the images were insensitive at best.  This one will surely be allover the media, and if you close your eyes you can even see ‘The Sun’s’ (idiotic uk newspaper) title: “Shock racist African murder game: do you know what your kids are playing”. Capcom better hire a decent lawyer.

4. Wii Fit

Nintendo and its squeaky clean image took a pounding from the media a couple of months back when the balance board, when sensing that a heavy thing was on it, announced to an eleven-year-old gilr that she was overweight. One reporter got his knickers in a twist flapping “what right does a video game have to call a girl fat”, and Nintendo were forced to apologise to the little chubber. Rumours that they sent round a box of donuts as a peace offering have been entirely made up by me. Brilliantly, the usually easily pushed around, Nintendo have refused to put a label on the box letting users know of the games limitations.

3. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

No surprise that this has made it in to the top seven. The game just asks for trouble with its plot lines including; stealing cars, shooting cops, and a running gang. The game got into even more trouble when the ‘Hot Coffee mod’ was discovered. The mini-game allowed your character to take part in fully-clothed sex with a pixel chick. The media went mental, and nerds all over the world learned that there was more than one way to have sex (sitting hunched over your computer at the dead of night is not the only one after all).

2.  Doom

Released in 1993, Doom was an instant hit with gamers the world over. Graphically violent, the game’s weapons included chainsaws, shotguns, and gave birth to the legendary BFG (Big F##king Gun). The game involved ruthlessly slaughtering your way through levels and levels of monsters, and has been blamed numerous times for being a “mass murder simulator”. In 1999, almost six years after its initial release, the game found itself in the centre of a media storm when it was linked to the Columbine High School Massacre, when Klebold and Harris were said to be huge fans of the game. The games legacy continues to endure however, and its influence can be felt in pretty much every first-person shooter in the last 15 years.

1. Manhunt/Manhunt 2

Banned for “casual sadism” by the BBFC, Manhunt 2 was effectively banned from sale in the UK and Ireland. Although the game has finally been given an 18 certificate and will go on sale this year. The worst thing about this particular controversy was the media all jumping on the bandwagon. The fact of the matter is that because the game was near impossible to get your hands on, how the heck did the media seem to know so much about it. It seemed every mainstream paper wanted a piece of the hate filled pie. You have to feel sorry for Rockstar (but not that sorry, cause they’ve made millions). They have become a target, and every release from now till eternity will be scrutinised by know-it-all, do-gooders. The BBFC was condemned by gamers for its double standards. Movies like Saw and Hostel are aloud to show explicit violence, and that looks far more realistic.

And thats yer lot. I think the problem is, and will always be the media. These people need to write stories, and the gaming industry is an exceptionally easy target. However, with all controversial moments, the publicity inadvertently created helps these games sell hundreds of thousands of copies. Game publishers are going to have to get used to it, but I’m sure looking at their money in the bank they’ll feel better.

Tags: Article, Controversial, Games