Skip to main content

Booze and boobs net ‘Breath of the Wild’ series-first ratings from ESRB

The next game in the Zelda series, Breath of the Wild, has been given an Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating that warns it does contain some mildly suggestive themes, and the “use of Alcohol.” This will be a first for the series, which has never been rated higher than for Teens, though it has been flagged a few times for suggestive content.

The Legend of Zelda games have always been marketed at children. While adults who were fans of the very first game might still enjoy them, as with most Nintendo properties, Link’s adventures are designed to appeal to younger gamers. As such there’s no swearing, very little blood, and certainly no graphic nudity. That’s not to say it’s all 100-percent kid-friendly though. Link does go around solving problems with his sword, after all, and those fairies are rather — mature.

Recommended Videos

It’s those same fairies who are partly responsible for the rating having a couple of caveats this time around. The “mild suggestive themes,” noted on the ESRB’s ratings page, are because of their “moderate cleavage and/or exaggerated breast size.” There’s also references to how a “young hunk,” like Link can handle a bow.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

As for the alcohol references, there are a couple we’re told. At one point in the game a character can be seen drunkenly hiccuping, while a shop owner serves drinks which he claims are “definitely just for adults.” It’s not clear if Link can acquire any of those drinks, nor what happens if he does drink them, but it seems like that would have been mentioned in the ESRB report if it was possible.

None of the noted content has had too negative an effect on the game’s rating, however, as it has still been granted an E10+ rating, which isn’t even the highest rating for a Zelda game. Twilight Princess and its remaster were both given a Teen “T” rating, as per Polygon.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will launch on the Nintendo Switch when it debuts on March 3. A Wii U port will also be released on the same date.

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale is a freelance evergreen writer and occasional section coordinator, covering how to guides, best-of lists, and…
NYT Crossword: answers for Thursday, February 27
New York Times Crossword logo.

The New York Times has plenty of word games on its roster today — with Wordle, Connections, Strands, and the Mini Crossword, there's something for everyone — but the newspaper's standard crossword puzzle still reigns supreme. The daily crossword is full of interesting trivia, helps improve mental flexibility and, of course, gives you some bragging rights if you manage to finish it every day.

While the NYT puzzle might feel like an impossible task some days, solving a crossword is a skill and it takes practice — don't get discouraged if you can't get every single word in a puzzle.

Read more
Wordle Today: Wordle answer and hints for February 27
Someone playing Wordle on a smartphone.

We have the solution to Wordle on February 27, as well as some helpful hints to help you figure out the answer yourself, right here. We've placed the answer at the bottom of the page, so we don't ruin the surprise before you've had a chance to work through the clues. So let's dive in, starting with a reminder of yesterday's answer.

This is just one of the great NYT games you can play daily, so let us help you solve Connections, Strands, Crossword, and the Mini Crossword too!
Yesterday's Wordle answer
Let's start by first reminding ourselves of yesterday's Wordle answer for those new to the game or who don't play it daily, which was "AWARD." So we can say that the Wordle answer today definitely isn't that. Now, with that in mind, perhaps take another stab at it using one of these Wordle starting words and circle back if you have no luck.
Hints for today's Wordle
Still can't figure it out? We have today's Wordle answer right here, below. But first, one more thing: Let's take a look at three hints that could help you find the solution, without giving it away, so there's no need to feel guilty about keeping your streak alive -- you put in some work, after all! Or just keep scrolling for the answer.

Read more
NYT Connections: hints and answers for Thursday, February 27
New York Times' Connection puzzle open in the NYT Games app on iOS.

Connections is one of the best puzzle games from the New York Times. The game tasks you with categorizing a pool of 16 words into four secret (for now) groups by figuring out how the words relate to each other. The puzzle resets every night at midnight and each new puzzle has a varying degree of difficulty. Just like Wordle, you can keep track of your winning streak and compare your scores with friends.

Some days are trickier than others — just like other NYT Games favorites The Mini and Strands. If you're having a little trouble solving today's puzzle, check out our Connections tips and tricks guide for some good strategies or check out the hints for today's Connections puzzle below. And if you still can't get it, we'll tell you today's answers at the very end.
How to play Connections

Read more