It’s been years since The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild changed everything about open-world design, but parents are still staring at that little black-and-white box on the corner of the case. E10+. Is it safe? Is it too hard? Honestly, ratings are kind of a blunt instrument.
Most people see a Zelda game and think "whimsical adventure." They think of green tunics and catchy ocarina tunes. But the Breath of the Wild rating reflects a shift in how Nintendo treats its flagship fantasy world. It’s lonelier. It's more desolate. It’s a world where the apocalypse already happened, and you’re just walking through the ruins.
Understanding the ESRB Breath of the Wild Rating
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) slapped an E10+ on this one for "Fantasy Violence" and "Mild Suggestive Themes." That sounds pretty standard, right? Basically, it means the game is suitable for everyone aged 10 and up. But what does that actually look like in practice?
You aren't going to see blood. When Link hits a Bokoblin with a Broadsword, there’s a colorful puff of purple smoke and maybe some "thwack" sound effects. It’s stylized. It's safe. However, the game earned that "10+" bump over previous titles like Wind Waker because the combat is visceral. Enemies are smart. They flank you. They kick your shield away. For a younger kid, the difficulty spike can feel like a different kind of "violence"—a frustration that isn't present in more hand-holding titles.
Then there are the "Suggestive Themes." Most of this comes down to a few specific characters. The Great Fairies, for example, are giant, flamboyant women who emerge from flower buds and occasionally blow kisses or drag Link underwater to upgrade his gear. It’s played for laughs. It’s campy. But for the ESRB, that's enough to nudge the needle past a standard "Everyone" rating.
The PEGI Perspective and Global Differences
If you’re in Europe, you’ll see a PEGI 12 on the box. Why the jump? European raters tend to be a bit more sensitive to "implied" danger and the atmosphere of a game.
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Breath of the Wild is haunting.
There are moments where you are climbing a mountain in a thunderstorm, and the music just... stops. All you hear is the wind. Then, a Guardian—a massive, multi-legged ancient robot—targets you with a laser. The music shifts to a frantic, stressful piano trill. For a seven-year-old, that's terrifying. It isn't "gore," but it is genuine tension. The PEGI 12 rating acknowledges that the psychological weight of the game’s world is a bit heavier than your average Mario platformer.
What the Rating Doesn't Tell You: Difficulty and Ethics
Ratings don't measure how hard a game is. They should, but they don't.
I’ve seen plenty of parents buy the game because the Breath of the Wild rating says it’s okay for their eight-year-old, only to find the kid crying twenty minutes in because they keep dying to the first camp of monsters. This game doesn't tell you where to go. It doesn't explain its systems very well. You have to learn through failure. You burn to death in the heat. You freeze in the cold. You blow yourself up with your own bombs.
There’s also the matter of the "Blood Moon." Every so often in the game, the sky turns a deep, bruised red. Ashes fall from the air. A cutscene plays with a gravelly-voiced narrator explaining that the spirits of fallen monsters are returning to their bodies. It’s creepy. It’s genuinely effective horror-lite. If your child is prone to nightmares, the rating won't warn you about the vibe of the Blood Moon, but it's something to keep in mind.
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Alcohol and Tobacco? Not Really.
Sometimes ratings get triggered by weird technicalities. In Breath of the Wild, there’s a bar in Gerudo Town called "The Noble Canteen." You can’t actually drink alcohol, but characters sit around talking about "Noble Pursuits," which are clearly cocktails. Link is a minor (technically 117, but he looks 17), so he gets denied. This contributes to the "Mild Suggestive Themes" or "Use of Alcohol" descriptors in some regions, even though it’s mostly flavor text.
It's world-building. It makes the desert city feel alive. Honestly, it’s less suggestive than your average Disney movie, but the ESRB has to check their boxes.
Breakdown of Content Warnings
- Violence: Constant swordplay, archery, and explosions. No blood, no dismemberment. Monsters vanish into smoke.
- Fear: Sentient machines (Guardians) and ghosts of dead kings. The atmosphere is often melancholy and lonely.
- Language: Virtually non-existent. You might get a "darn" or "blast," but it's cleaner than a PG movie.
- Nudity: Link can run around in his underwear. Some female characters (Great Fairies) wear very revealing, though non-explicit, outfits.
Why the E10+ Rating is Actually a Badge of Honor
Nintendo could have made this an "E for Everyone" game. They know how to do that. They could have lowered the damage enemies deal or made the world brighter. They didn't.
By sticking with the E10+ territory, the developers were allowed to explore themes of loss and failure. Zelda, the character, is shown in flashbacks crying because she feels like a failure. She’s grieving her father. She’s struggling with her identity. These are "older" themes. They resonate with teenagers and adults in a way that Zelda games haven't always managed.
The rating is a sign of maturity. It’s an invitation to a world that treats the player like an adult, even if they’re still in middle school.
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Practical Steps for Parents and New Players
If you’re still on the fence about whether the Breath of the Wild rating fits your specific situation, don't just look at the box. Do these things instead.
First, watch a video of someone fighting a Guardian. If the sudden tension and the "scary" music seem like too much, maybe wait a year. The laser-targeting mechanic is the primary source of stress in the game.
Second, understand the "Pro Mode" in the settings. You can turn off the mini-map and the HUD. This actually makes the game less overwhelming for some people because it removes the "to-do list" feeling, though it makes navigation harder.
Third, talk about the "Game Over" screen. In this game, you will see it hundreds of times. Unlike older games where losing meant starting over, here you just pop back a few minutes. Explain that "dying" in the game is just a way to learn a new mechanic. It de-escalates the frustration.
Lastly, if you're worried about the suggestive themes with the Great Fairies, just be in the room when your kid visits a Fairy Fountain for the first time. It’s usually more "awkward" than "inappropriate." You’ll know within ten seconds if it’s something you care about.
The reality is that Breath of the Wild is one of the most rewarding experiences in modern media. It’s a masterclass in curiosity. The rating is just a guideline, but the actual content is a beautiful, sometimes harsh, lesson in persistence.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app to set time limits, as this game is notorious for "just five more minutes" syndrome that lasts three hours.
- Turn on the "Screen Brightness" auto-adjust; many of the "scarier" night sequences are much easier to handle when the screen isn't washed out by glare.
- If the difficulty is the main concern rather than the rating, suggest starting with The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, which carries a softer "Everyone" rating and more approachable puzzle mechanics.