Parents of avid video gamers may well heave a sigh of relief as the Australian Government Classification Board made good its promise to include video games in its list of monitoring. The first casualty of the expanded law which took effect January 1, 2013 was the upcoming Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge meant for Nintendo's Wii U console.

In a statement, Lesley O'Brien, classification board director, said the game earned the classification because it contains "violence that is high in impact because of its frequency, high definition graphics, and emphasis on blood effects."

"Under the Guidelines for the Classification of Computer Games, R 18+ computer games will have a high impact and it is for this reason that these games are not suitable for under 18s," Ms O'Brien added.

An updated version of a title released last year, which earned an MA15 rating, the new Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge includes a slew of DLC and enhancements that apparently upped the level of violence.

"The classification guidelines for video games are now more closely aligned with the guidelines for film and TV which makes it easier for parents to make informed decisions about the interactive content they choose to buy and play," Ron Curry, CEO of Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA), said.

"It's great to finally see Australian adults have access to video games designed specifically for mature audiences, after more than10 years working with government, families, businesses and the broader community to introduce an R18+ category."

Introduced to parliament in February 2012, the R18+ bill acquired the nod of the Lower House of Australia in March, and of the Senate in June.

Essentially, the R18+ category seeks to inform consumers, parents and retailers which games are unsuitable for minors to play, thus be prevented from purchasing the said video game material. The reforms likewise educates adults what games they can play within the bounds of the law.

Under the new legislation, R18+ joins the existing video game classifications which include G, PG, M and MA15+.

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge has yet to be released on March in Australia. It is however already available in North America, which gave it a classified M (17+) rating, and will be launched in Europe tomorrow, Saturday, with an 18+ rating.

See here the official trailer of the Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_D0mBxvW7k0