MadWorld finally makes the Wii family friendly

March 12, 10:04 AMGames ExaminerDaniel Nations

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At last, we finally have a family-friendly console thanks to the decidedly adult-only MadWorld. Previous to the release of MadWorld for the Nintendo Wii, the popular game system was smothered under an avalanche of mini-games and kid-only titles that most adults would consider a total snooze.

While definitely kid-friendly, this equation totally left parents out to dry. With the release of MadWorld, a video game where players get to express their brutality in a futuristic and decidedly violent game show, the Wii finally goes family-friendly.

Okay, perhaps that's not exactly what the National Institute on Media and the Family (NIMF) has to say on the issue. In fact, NIMF president Dr. David Walsh said, "MadWorld is another reminder that parents need to make sure they watch what their kids watch and play what their kids play."

Well, duh.

I am a strong supporter of video game ratings and think it is great that we have groups watching the video game scene and warning parents about especially violent games. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

But when these groups start frothing at the mouth simply because an adult title was released for the Wii, that's when they cross the line from a great source of information to a bunch of raving lunatics who want to drag the world down into the least common denominator.

Rather than freak out because of a title like MadWorld being released, perhaps these watchdog groups could spend some time educating parents that they should never give their kids a video game console, a credit card and free reign to buy and play what they want. Maybe they should teach parents to actually (wait for it...) be parents.

After all, it is not like MadWorld is the only title unfit for a six-year-old. Resident Evil Wii Edition and Call of Duty: World at War are both M-rated games for the Nintendo Wii.

So MadWorld isn't breaking any new ground here.  So what's the beef?  Why now and not when World at War was released?  I guess MadWorld is just a better way for certain watchdog groups to get a bit of attention.

Though I do wonder what they are saying about the state of parenting when the protest such games.  Are they saying that parents shouldn't need to spend time parenting their kids?  Or are they really calling parents too stupid to read an ESRB label? 

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