Editing Entertainment Software Rating Board

{{Real world}}
[[File:ESRB logo.svg|200px|right]]
The '''Entertainment Software Rating Board''' ('''ESRB''') is a non-profit organization that assigns age and content ratings for video games and mobile applications in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

==Rating system==
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!colspan="2"|Image
!rowspan="2"|Rating
!rowspan="2"|Intended age group<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ratings Guide|url=https://www.esrb.org/ratings-guide/|publisher=Entertainment Software Rating Board}}</ref>
|-
!1994-1999
!1999-present
|-
|[[File:ESRB eC-old.png|75px]]
|[[File:ESRB eC.png|75px]]
|'''Early Childhood'''<ref group="note">As of 2018, "Early Childhood" ceased to be used due to its rarity.</ref> ('''eC''')
|3-5
|-
|[[File:ESRB K-A.png|75px]]
|N/A
|'''Kids to Adults'''<ref group="note">"Kids to Adults" was changed to "Everyone" in 1998, as this was the desired name for the rating in the first place.</ref> ('''K-A''')
|rowspan="2"|All ages
|-
|[[File:ESRB E-old.png|75px]]
|[[File:ESRB E.svg|75px]]
|'''Everyone''' ('''E''')
|-
|N/A
|[[File:ESRB E10+.svg|75px]]
|'''Everyone 10+'''<ref group="note">Created in 2005, this is why no ''Sonic'' games prior carry the Everyone 10+ rating.</ref> ('''E10+''')
|10+
|-
|[[File:ESRB T-old.png|75px]]
|[[File:ESRB T.svg|75px]]
|'''Teen''' ('''T''')
|13+
|-
|[[File:ESRB M-old.png|75px]]
|[[File:ESRB M.svg|75px]]
|'''Mature 17+''' ('''M''')
|17+
|-
|[[File:ESRB Ao-old.png|75px]]
|[[File:ESRB AO.svg|75px]]
|'''Adults Only 18+''' ('''AO''')
|18+
|-
|N/A
|[[File:ESRB RP.svg|75px]]
|'''Rating Pending'''
|N/A
|}

==Age ratings for ''Sonic'' games==
===Early Childhood===
{{Main|:Category:Rated eC games}}
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog's Gameworld]]''
*''[[Sonic's Schoolhouse]]''

===Kids to Adults===
{{Main|:Category:Rated E games}}
*[[Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (16-bit)]]
*[[Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit)|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (8-bit)]]
*[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit)|''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' (8-bit)]]
*[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2|''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' (16-bit)]]
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog CD]]''
*''[[Sonic Chaos]]''
*''[[Sonic Spinball]]''
*''[[Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine]]''
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 3]]''
*''[[Wacky Worlds Creativity Studio]]''
*''[[Sonic & Knuckles]]''
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble]]''
*''[[Sonic Drift 2]]''
*''[[Knuckles' Chaotix]]''
*''[[Tails Adventure]]''
*''[[Sonic Labyrinth]]''
*''[[Sonic the Fighters]]''
*''[[Sonic 3D Blast]]''
*''[[Sonic Blast]]''
*''[[Sonic Jam]]''
*''[[Sonic R]]''

===Everyone===
{{Main|:Category:Rated E games}}
*''[[Sonic Adventure]]''
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure]]''
*''[[Sonic Shuffle]]''
*''[[Sonic Adventure 2]]''
*''[[Sonic Advance]]''
*''[[Sonic Adventure 2: Battle]]''
*''[[Sonic Mega Collection]]''
*''[[Sonic Advance 2]]''
*''[[Sonic Pinball Party]]''
*''[[Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut]]''
*''[[SonicN]]''
*''[[Sonic Battle]]''
*''[[Sonic Heroes]]''
*''[[Sonic Advance 3]]''
*''[[Sonic Mega Collection Plus]]''
*''[[Sonic Gems Collection]]''
*''[[Sonic Rush]]''
*''[[2 in 1 Combo Pack: Sonic Mega Collection Plus/Super Monkey Ball Deluxe]]''
*''[[2 in 1 Combo Pack: Sonic Heroes/Super Monkey Ball Deluxe]]''
*''[[Sonic Riders]]''
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis]]''
*''[[Sonic Rivals]]''
*''[[Sonic and the Secret Rings]]''
*''[[Sonic Rush Adventure]]''
*''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games]]''
*''[[Sonic Rivals 2]]''
*''[[Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity]]''
*''[[Sega Superstars Tennis]]'' ([[Nintendo DS]])
*''[[Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood]]''
*''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games]]''
*''[[Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing]]'' (Nintendo DS)
*''[[Sonic Classic Collection]]''
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I]]''
*''[[Sonic Free Riders]]''
*[[Sonic Colors|''Sonic Colors'' (Wii)]]
*[[Sonic Colors (Nintendo DS)|''Sonic Colors'' (Nintendo DS)]]
*[[Sonic Generations|''Sonic Generations'' (console/PC)]]
*[[Sonic Generations (Nintendo 3DS)|''Sonic Generations'' (Nintendo 3DS)]]
*''[[Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games]]''
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II]]''
*''[[Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed]]'' (Nintendo 3DS)
*''[[Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games]]''
*''[[Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal]]''
*''[[Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice]]''
*''[[Sonic Mania]]''
*''[[Sonic Mania Plus]]''
*''[[Team Sonic Racing]]''
*''[[Sonic Colors: Ultimate]]''
*''[[Sonic Origins]]''
*''[[Sonic Origins Plus]]''
*''[[Sonic Superstars]]''

===Everyone 10+===
{{Main|:Category:Rated E10+ games}}
*''[[Shadow the Hedgehog (game)|Shadow the Hedgehog]]''
*[[Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (2006)]]
*''[[Sega Superstars Tennis]]'' (console/[[PC]])
*''[[Sonic Unleashed]]''
*''[[Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection]]''
*''[[Sonic and the Black Knight]]''
*''[[Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing]]'' (console/[[PC]])
*[[Sonic Adventure 2 (2012)|''Sonic Adventure 2'' (2012)]]
*''[[Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed]]'' (console/[[PC]])
*''[[Sonic Lost World]]''
*[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U|''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' and ''Wii U'']]
*''[[Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric]]''
*''[[Sega 3D Classics Collection]]''
*''[[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games]]''
*''[[Sonic Forces]]''
*''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''
*''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020]]''
*''[[Sonic Frontiers]]''
*''[[Sonic X Shadow Generations]]''

===Teen===
{{Main|:Category:Rated T games}}
*''[[Sega Superstars]]''
*''[[Sega Genesis Collection]]''
*''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''
*''[[Sega Mega Drive Classics]]''

===Miscellaneous===
*''[[Sega Smash Pack Volume 1]]'': E-T
*''[[Nintendo GameCube Preview Disc]]'': RP-T
*''[[Interactive Multi-Game Demo Disc March 2002]]'': E-T
*''[[Interactive Multi-Game Demo Disc Version 11]]'': RP-T
*''[[Interactive Multi-Game Demo Disc Version 14]]'': RP-T
*''[[Interactive Multi-Game Demo Disc Version 15]]'': RP-M
*''[[Interactive Multi-Game Demo Disc Version 31]]'': RP-T
*''[[Interactive Multi-Game Demo Disc Version 32]]'': RP-T
*''[[Interactive Multi-Game Demo Disc Version 33]]'': RP-M
*''[[Interactive Multi-Game Demo Disc Version 34]]'': E-T
*''[[Dreamcast Collection]]'': E-T

==Trivia==
*So far, not a single ''Sonic'' game has been rated above Teen.
**However, discounting crossovers, no ''Sonic'' game has ever been rated above E10+.
*The [[PlayStation 3|PlayStation Network]] version of [[Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (2006)]] was rated Everyone 10+ until 2013.
*Due to its dark nature, ''[[Shadow the Hedgehog (game)|Shadow the Hedgehog]]'' was originally going to be rated Teen, with the game containing red blood, violent scenes, and more instances of cursing. The Everyone 10+ rating was created during the game's development, causing some changes between pre-release and the final version.

==Notes==
<references group="note"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Plain link|http://www.esrb.org/|Official website}}
*{{WP link|Entertainment Software Rating Board}}
[[es:Entertainment Software Rating Board]]
[[Category:Advisory rating organizations]]