Revolution's parental controls

Nintendo Revolution will include a "play control system" when it launches in 2006, says Nintendo, so that worried adults can prevent youngsters playing unsuitable games. So, hey, Nintendo's going to make games unsuitable for children! We knew that wasn't a fishing rod that bloke was swinging in the controller video.

Anyway. Revolution will use a system similar to the one employed in Microsoft's Xbox 360, which reads age ratings off of game discs. A password-protected parental control option will prevent nippers getting their mitts on games in 3+, 7+, 12+, 16+ or 18+ brackets - the PEGI scale, basically - depending on the owner's selection.

Naturally there'll also be an option to remove the limitations when daddy or mummy want to use the "fishing rod".

"Even though most Nintendo games are appropriate for all ages and the game ratings are clearly displayed on the front of every game package, this added feature encourages parents to take responsibility for the games their children play," said Jim Merrick.

This isn't the first thing Nintendo's done like this recently either - its Wi-Fi Connection online service, which allows DS owners to go head to head in games like Mario Kart (well, just Mario Kart and Tony Hawk's American B4stard1sat1on-of-the-English-language, for now), prevents actual chat between players for fear of abusive behaviour.

That said, Nintendo has yet to respond to our requests for comment on what happens when Ellie draws a penis on the front of her Mario Kart. Come to think of it, Ellie has yet to explain that, either. Els?