There are plenty of games rated "M" for mature. "A" for Adult Only. Et cetera.

"Mature," as far as media is concerned, continues to stand for boobs, fart jokes, excessive bass output, and boobs.

I easily appreciate all of those things, but I don't think that appreciation started anywhere near the onset of maturity. It was present long, long before that.

Where is this definition coming from? Since when are the basest, most distinctly juvenile lowest-common-denominators the basis of maturity?

It was just one of those things, I guess. I picked it up in middle school. You know, sixth grade? Where we all suddenly learned how to swear? It was so exciting! Grownup words! Wait, why was that?

All the 'mature' movies are full of 'mature' language. Four-letter words that apparently grant age and wisdom to those who use them. The forbidden fruit! The tree of one-syllable wisdoms! Of course we flocked to them. We were taught that these things reflected maturity, adulthood, superiority. Obviously, we embraced them.

Where did that all start? Why is that our definition of maturity? Why is a dark and brilliant title like Shadow of the Colossus rated 'T for Teen' and the steaming pile of BMX XXX is 'M for Mature?' Is Shadow of the Colossus thus immature by comparison? The artsy, novel approach to toppling behemoths under the guise of a nameless hero requires less intellect than boobs on bikes?

Honestly, now. I played Xenogears obsessively around that age. The sheer scope of the story blew my mind. The implications about society and religion were harsh to say the least, and may very well have contributed to the wealth of cynicisms I live with today. That game was T for Teen. Was there nothing Mature about it or its effects? The game simultaneously heaped criticisms and yet blessings upon the foundations of human faith systems. It made bold, frightening predictions about humanity's Nietzchean ambitions combining with omnipotent technologies.

That game is for 'ages 13+.'

Towards the end of the Dreamcast's lifespan, I hurried to import the UK release of Shenmue II, as the domestic release had been cancelled. Looking back I realize how lucky I was; when it finally got dubbed and brought to the Xbox in the US, the voicework was so abominably bad that the story was impossible to take seriously. No, my PAL import was subtitled, and the tone and feeling of the acting conveyed the story excellently. I'm not an anime/otaku snob, and I rarely complain about such things, but Shenmue II US is terrible.

With a story to truly take in and take seriously, however, Shenmue II is a mindblowing experience. The narrative is incredibly deep and fruitful in that the main character is intentionally very simplistic. You are forced to be his personality and to make his choices. His lessons, and even mundane training are things you must learn for yourself in order to proceed. Chinese culture and philosophy is delved into with heavy-handed metaphors and characters. Playing this game prompted me to seek out further reading and independent learning on these subjects, eventually influencing my choices for a college minor.

Shenmue II is 'E for Everyone.'

The Guy Game asks you trivia questions and rewards you with boobs. That's 'M for Mature.'

Boobs; maturity.

In-depth journey through eastern philosophy and the development of self; great stuff for the kiddies.

I don't blame games for this, I don't even blame the ESRB. The ratings guidelines are just enforcing what society is accustomed to; crude, perhaps 'obscene' things are reserved for grownups, and legitimate expressions of art and wisdom have no such ties to a 'mature' audience. Dirty words are a great hotbutton. They're words. Single syllables. Shorthand syllables for terms and concepts that I assure you these kids already know how to express. To paraphrase; "I am aware of the hypocrisy!"

I won't decry the whole notion. Sex is sex. Violence is violence. These aren't things that we want running rampant. These are actual concepts, actual premises that we don't want to see communicated to the wrong audiences. We don't want children exposed to full perceptions of brutality or carnality.

But Xenogears? A game that tells its player to question the foundations of a belief system? A game that predicts increasingly terrible developments for mankind because of irreverent ambition and the demise of altruism?

Why is that not 'mature' but blood and gore is? Violence is a human urge from the most basic immature levels. Sex is even more so.

With labels and standards like these, the censors will always have easy targets. Real art and real ideas will get out there but will be ignored. Garbage games that rely entirely on juvenile ideas and derivative mechanics will fill headlines and sell millions. Second Sight and its brilliant style and story go unheard of by the average gamer but 25 to Life flies off shelves because Jack Thompson and the NIMF promise blood and bad language.

"Mature" games and the fanatics who hate them are keeping mature games from getting the credit (and the sales) they deserve.

Censors, stop being afraid of little Billy saying 'damn' and throwing punches and start worrying about little Billy questioning the reality, history and social norms he's being taught at home.

Statistically, a mind warped by video games will show up in the voting booth before it shows up in prison.