American Girl Kit: Mystery Challenge!

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Doll-based mysteries aren't interactive enough.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

Find out more

Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

Find out more

Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this is a game based on the American Girl doll Kit Kittredge. While there are both a movie and book about this doll, this Nintendo DS game doesn't relive either version. This is a game about solving a series of mysteries, but unfortunately, it doesn't allow players much interaction in the process of being a sleuth.

  • Not applicable.
  • This game is based on the American Girl dolls franchise, and the Kit Kittredge doll.

What's it about?

AMERICAN GIRL KIT: MYSTERY CHALLENGE!, a video game played on the Nintendo DS, offers fans of the American Girl doll, Kit Kittredge, an opportunity to help her solve six mysteries. By controlling Kit's movements around her house, yard, and neighborhood, she can look for clues and talk to people to collect evidence. In one of the mysteries, Kit uncovers who left the chicken coop open so that some of the chickens escaped. In another, she finds some missing pearls.

Unfortunately, the gameplay is awkward. You move Kit by using the DS multi-directional controller, but to talk to someone, you must pick up the DS stylus to tap a person on screen. There are other actions that require you to put down the stylus and use the "A" button.


Is it any good?

 

On the plus side, this is a game that requires children to read. And it automatically keeps track of testimony and physical clues you find. You must use logic to solve the mysteries because you have to charge someone and support your claim with three pieces of evidence.

But the negatives are plenty with the most glaring problem that you have no interactivity when talking to others. The narrative just rolls along without any input from you. And all this moving around with little of no interactivity gets boring quickly


Sign Up Message
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
Each week we send a customized newsletter to our parent and teen subscribers. Parents can customize their settings to receive recommendations and parent tips based on their kids’ ages. Teens receive a version just for them with the latest reviews and top picks for movies, video games, apps, music, books, and more.
Please enter an email address.
Please check your email address for possible typos.
Sorry, you must be 13 or older to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Sign me up!

What families can talk about

Families can talk about which of the six mysteries they liked best. What was the Great Depression? What did Kit's family do to get out of their financial difficulties? Do any of your relatives remember what it was like to live during the Depression?


This review was written by Jinny Gudmundsen
Teen, 16 years old
November 30, 2008
 
I laughed
the game is super!!!

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 14 years old
May 29, 2009
 
kit kitriged
i think it is a very good games

Flag as inappropriate 

This review was written by Jinny Gudmundsen
Platforms:Nintendo DS
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Role Playing
Developer:THQ
Release date:June 30, 2008
Price:$29.99
ESRB rating:E

This review was written by Jinny Gudmundsen

Contact us to give us more feedback on our learning ratings.

 

Review It

Share your review with others

Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.

Tell us what you think about our new Learning Ratings.


About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

 

vote now

Will you play American Girl Kit: Mystery Challenge!?


Already played it? What do you think?

 

Been There? Tell us about it