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===Videogame Rating Council=== {{Main|Videogame Rating Council}} In 1993 American media began to focus on the mature content of some video games, with games like ''[[Night Trap]]'' for the [[SEGA CD]] receiving unprecedented media scrutiny. By far the most controversial title of the year, however, was Acclaim's [[Mortal Kombat (video game)|''Mortal Kombat'']]. Parents and senators alike were outraged by the level of graphic violence depicted in the arcade version of the game. In response, Nintendo decided to replace the blood in the game with "sweat" and the arcade's gruesome "fatalities" with less violent finishing moves.<ref name="ForsYard">{{Cite web |url=http://homepage.mac.com/greggillis/1993_01.html |title=SEGA! 1993 |work=[http://homepage.mac.com/greggillis/index.html Fors Yard - A Chronological Retrospective Of The SEGA Genesis] |accessdate=2010-010-25 |last=Mills |first=Greg |date=November 1996}}</ref> SEGA instituted America's first video game ratings system called the [[Videogame Rating Council]] (or VRC) for all their current systems. Ratings ranged from the family friendly GA rating to the adults-only ratings of MA-13, and MA-17. This let SEGA take a different approach with their release of ''Mortal Kombat''.<ref name="ForsYard"/> At face value, the blood was completely gone, not even sweat remained, and most were finishing moves toned down even more than the SNES version. However, all the arcade's blood and uncensored finishing moves could be enabled by entering the "Blood Code".<ref name="1UP_MK">{{Cite web|url= http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=3&cId=3152604|title=Purple Reign: 15 Years of the Super NES|author=Ray Barnholt|date=2006-08-04|work=[[1UP.com]] |page=4|accessdate=2007-07-13}}</ref> Inclusion of the code let SEGA get away with the low rating of MA-13, rather than MA-17, while the SNES version shipped without a rating at all.<ref name="1UP_MK"/> Despite the ratings system, or perhaps because of it, the Genesis version of Mortal Kombat was well received by gaming press, as well as fans, outselling the SNES version four to one,<ref name="MK1Video">{{Cite video|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00yLMQN3-Ls |title=Controversy! |publisher=Play Value |time=4:51 |accessdate=2011-09-02}}</ref><ref name="MK1">{{Cite web|url= http://www.racketboy.com/retro/sega/genesis/2007/11/best-games-that-defined-sega-genesis-megadrive.html|title=Games That Defined the SEGA Genesis / Mega Drive|date=2007-11-20|work=[http://www.RacketBoy.com/ RacketBoy.com] |accessdate=2010-03-05}}</ref> while Nintendo was criticized for censoring the SNES version of the game.<ref name="ForsYard"/> With these rating systems in place, Nintendo decided its censorship policies were no longer needed. Consequently, the SNES port of ''[[Mortal Kombat II]]'' was released uncensored.<ref name="1UP_MK"/>
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