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Toy Shop

(2008, Video Games - Simulation, Rated E, Play it on: Nintendo DS)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 6, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Simple, fun business sim about running toy store.

updated 07.04.08

Why We Rated This on for Ages 8 and Up

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    An excellent way to introduce kids to business simulation games. It teaches simple business strategy – the economics of making a profit by buying (creating) and selling.
  • Messages:

    Characters are cartoonish and culturally diverse, although interaction is limited and scripted. The main characters are children learning how to run a profitable business, so they are good role models.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness :

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Toy Shop

Parents need to know that this is a simulation game in which players will create and sell toys. The steps are simple and suitable for the younger child, but because the gameplay is so easy, it provides quick rewards. Once the toy shop is set up, the inventory fills automatically, so you may find that kids are more drawn into playing the mini-game of building toys than running the business. Even so, this game does a good job of teaching supply and demand to young kids.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how kids decide to set prices within this game. What was your strategy to run a profitable toy business? Did you try different strategies with this game? Did you notice how at first, when building toys, simply pressing the correct buttons asked for in the minigame could result in failure? Does that track how, in real life, practice and experience improve your skills at doing a job?
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