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The Backyardigans

(2009, Video Games - Preschool, Rated E, Play it on: Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 3, age appropriate for kids over 4; suggested age 4.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Fine but somewhat repetitive preschool TV show game.

In this game kids can:   improve hand-eye coordination, play in a virtual world, play music

Why We Rated This on for Ages 4 and Up

The good stuff

  • Ease of play:

    During the steering levels, of which there are three, navigating around obstacles takes a bit more dexterity than anything else in the game and could cause frustration for some very young children. The rest of the controls should pose no difficulty for preschoolers.

  • Educational value:

    Preschool concepts -- color and shape identification, number order, rhythm, following directions -- are imparted through the gameplay.

  • Messages:

    The game reinforces that pretending and using your imagination is fun, and a good way to spend time with friends. Learning basic concepts (shapes, colors, numbers, etc.) can help you accomplish things.

  • Role models:

    The Backyardigans are good friends, with powerful imaginations, and they put their creativity to use to dream up fantastic adventures.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    During the pirate adventure, Pablo and Austin have a "duel," which consists of shouting "Arrgh!" and shaking spyglasses at one another. In the superhero adventure, the characters playing heroes and villains blast each other with "superpowers." These mostly consist of energy-type rays zooming from one character to another. Being hit by these rays shows no effect whatsoever. Austin throws a shield, Frisbee-style, at the villains; this also does not actually hit anybody and causes no damage.

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    The booklet contains three pages of ads for other Nick Jr video games.
 

What Parents Need to Know

This review of The Backyardigans was written by Christopher Healy

Parents need to know that this three-episode collection of Backyardigans adventures freatures the endearing characters from the Nick Jr preschool series and provides players with an opportunity to use basic early-education concepts in order to advance the story. Each adventure can be completed relatively quickly and, while the scenery and storylines change from adventure to adventure, the actions the player must perform remain basically the same.

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 the value of imagination. How can the adventures the Backyardigans undertake seem so real to them when the stories only exist in their heads?
  • Parents can also use the game as a jumping off point for reinforcing basic preschool concepts, such as numbers, shapes, and colors.
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More on The Backyardigans

What’s the Story?

THE BACKYARDIGANS game, just like the TV series, follows five animal friends who play together in their backyards, which they imagine to be different wild and exotic environments. In this game, the friends act out three different adventures -- pirates on a treasure hunt, superheroes stopping supervillains from stealing a giant key, and space garbagemen hounded by space junk collectors who want to swipe trash from them. As classic as the themes of those first two may be, no one can accuse that third story of being clichéd. Close

Is It Any Good?

The Backyardigans is a fine, if unexceptional video game for preschoolers. The characters and stories are cute, and all the right early-learning concepts are called upon during play. But the adventures are over quickly and the same activities -- guiding a vehicle around obstacles, hitting numbers in order to create dance steps, shouting words into the microphone when cued -- are repeated from story to story. Too often, the game actions are unconnected to what's actually going on in the story, like matching shapes in order to hoist a sail. The addition of a freestyle music game helps add an extra fun element. In the end, though, this game is best for fans of the TV show who  will enjoy the chance to interact with beloved characters. Close

Publisher’s Details

Released on 11/5/2009, price $29.99, not online enabled
ESRB rating: E (for (No Descriptors))

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