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Sports & Games
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Green, Yellow, Red: The Forgotten Color-Coded System That Rated Arcade Games
Long before the ESRB, arcades had their own rating system. The American Amusement Machine Association used simple color-coded stickers—green for all ages, yellow for mild content, and red for strong themes—to guide parents and players in the golden age of arcade gaming.
The Wild West of the Arcade Floor
Picture the neon-soaked, cacophonous arcades of the late 80s and early 90s. Before every home had a powerful gaming console, these were the proving grounds for new technology and gameplay. But as graphics became more realistic, so did the content. Games like the ultra-violent NARC (1988) began to blur the lines of what was considered acceptable, creating a challenge for arcade owners and a source of concern for parents.
A Splash of Color to Guide the Way
In response to these growing concerns, the American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA), along with the Amusement and Music Operators Association (AMOA), proactively introduced a simple, intuitive solution: the Parental Advisory System. Long before the ESRB's familiar letter grades, this system used three colors to advise players:
- GREEN: Suitable for All Ages. These were your Pac-Man and Tetris machines, games that anyone could enjoy without concern.
- YELLOW: Parental Discretion Advised. This category was for games with mild content, like the cartoon combat of Street Fighter II.
- RED: Recommended for Mature Audiences. This sticker was reserved for games with strong content, such as the graphic violence found in Mortal Kombat or NARC.
This industry-led attempt at self-regulation was a crucial first step. However, its implementation was often inconsistent, with many arcade operators choosing not to display the stickers. For many who grew up in that era, the system remains a piece of forgotten history, prompting reactions like this sentiment shared online:
I was an arcade rat in the 80s and 90s and I have absolutely no memory of this. It's fascinating to think there was a system in place before the big congressional freakout over Mortal Kombat.
The Controversy that Changed Everything
The AAMA system was put to the ultimate test with the release of Mortal Kombat in 1992. Its digitized actors and gruesome "Fatalities" caused a media firestorm and a moral panic. The game, often bearing a red AAMA sticker, became exhibit A in the case against video game violence. This controversy, along with that of the console game Night Trap, led to the 1993 US Senate hearings on video game violence. The pressure was on for a more unified, industry-wide solution.
The Legacy of a Forgotten System
While the AAMA's color-coded stickers were a noble effort, they were ultimately overshadowed. In 1994, the video game industry established the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) to provide standardized ratings for console games. The ESRB's more detailed system quickly became the North American standard, and the simple green, yellow, and red stickers faded into obscurity. Though it was short-lived and is now little more than a trivia fact for gaming historians, the AAMA's rating system was a critical precursor to modern content ratings, representing the industry's first major attempt to provide guidance in the ever-evolving world of interactive entertainment.