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Pajama Sam: Don't Fear the Dark

(2008, Video Games - Role Playing Games, Rated E, Play it on: Nintendo Wii)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 4, age appropriate for kids over 6; suggested age 6.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Charming game about overcoming common kid fear.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 6 and Up

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    Gameplay requires kids to use logical thinking and memory skills.
  • Messages:

    Pajama Sam is a great role model because he is polite to everyone, creative, and willing to face his fears.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Pajama Sam: Don't Fear the Dark was written by Jinny Gudmundsen

Parents need to know that this is a remake of the award-winning 1996 Humongous Entertainment software title Pajama Sam in: No Need to Hide When It's Dark Outside. While not as interactive as most Wii games, this game delivers an engaging story with gameplay that teaches kids logical thinking. Sam is a young boy that is a good role model for little kids because he is clever at solving problems, always polite with others, and always faces down his fears. One minigame requires you to answer geography and science questions appropriate for first and second graders.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about things that scare you and how you go about dealing with those fears. Are you too afraid of the dark and what is lurking in your closet? If you pretend you are a superhero, does it help you to tackle fearful situations? What else can you do to overcome your fears?
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More on Pajama Sam: Don't Fear the Dark

What’s the Story?

PAJAMA SAM: DON'T FEAR THE DARK for the Wii is a remake of the 1996 award-winning computer game from Humongous Entertainment. Kids join Sam, a footed-pajama clad little boy, as he ventures into the depths of his scary closet to find and confront Darkness. To gain the courage to go into the Land of Darkness (his closet), Sam transforms himself into superhero Pajama Sam by donning a red cape and mask and carrying his trusty lunchbox and flashlight. His closet is depicted as a beautifully drawn dark world where baseball bats grow out of the ground, inanimate objects talk, and carrots rally to form the Salad Liberation Front to free fellow vegetables from the confines of the refrigerator.

Kids play the game by pointing the Wii remote as the screen and clicking the "A" button on objects to make them animate or talk. You can also pick up certain objects by pointing-and-clicking. You direct where Pajama Sam goes by pointing to pathways and arrows that show up on the screen. As you meet charming anthropomorphized characters, you will find that they need your help with logic problems before they can help you to find Darkness. Close

Is It Any Good?

What makes this game so much fun to explore is that the characters and settings are so imaginative. You will meet a boat who is afraid of the water and a refrigerator who sings opera.

But this game is basically a port of the PC game to the Wii. Majesco has not spent any time developing new gameplay that would use the unique Wii motion-sensitive controllers. There are very few minigames, and your interaction is simply point and click. Even so, this is a captivating adventure for young children because the Pajama Sam story is so strong. It feels as if you are playing inside a Saturday morning cartoon. Close

Publisher’s Details

Released on 08/26/2008, price $19.99, not online enabled
ESRB rating: E (for everyone)

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