We also loved this game, but can't find it anymore. My 7 yo daughter Tiana sure hopes that they bring it back.
Tools for this page
Emerald Island
(2008, Video Games - Massively Multi-player Online Game (MMOG), Rated E, Play it on: Mac/Windows)
-
Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 5, age appropriate for kids over 6; suggested age 8. -
Is it any good?
-
Common Sense says
Eco-focused MMO in which kids' in-game actions do real good.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 8 and Up
The good stuff
-
Educational value:
What to watch out for
-
Violence & scariness:
-
Language:
-
Consumerism:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Emerald Island was written by Jinny Gudmundsen
Parents need to know that this is a massively multiplayer online game (MMO). While there are two kinds of chats available, neither is activated until a parent consents to their use. On option is Restricted Chat where kids can only use a limited, predefined menu of phases to communicate. For older kids, parents can authorize the use Safe Chat, where kids can type messages limited to words from within the Emerald Island Safe Chat dictionary, which prohibits inappropriate language and the sharing of personal information. While free to play, the subscription membership offers a more robust experience including a wide range of parental controls. These controls allow parents to set the maximum daily play time within the game, restrict play time to specific hours of the day, determine whether their child can trade items within this world. For Earth Day, the game is partnering with www.TreesForTheFuture.org so that when kids plant trees within the game, real trees are planted in the real world as well.
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 why planting a garden is helpful to the Earth. Why are some seeds rarer than others? Is that true in real life? What was your favorite quest? Do you like playing the minigames or going on quests more? Why?
More on Emerald Island
What’s the Story?
EMERALD ISLAND (www.EmeraldIsland.com) is a massively multiplayer online game (MMO) where kids enter the game as an animal avatar that they design. Tasked with fighting off eco-destroying rodents known as PiRats, kids go on a series of quests to save this world from pollution, deforestation, and other ecological disasters. Upon entering this world, kids are provided with a home and land on which to plant a garden. This world is populated with other kid players as well as non-player characters who act as your guides throughout the world. As with most virtual worlds, you can change the look of your avatar, safely chat if parents approve, and decorate your crib. But the focus of this game is completing eco-themed quests and planting a garden to raise crops for sale and to keep the habitat "green."
Close
Is It Any Good?
Emerald Island is a fun world to explore. Many MMOs can be confusing for kids, but Emerald Island eases this discomfort by providing cute, in-game movies that explain the game play and stationing many characters within the game whose sole purpose is to help you play. By exploring the minigames scattered throughout the world, growing vegetables to sell, and doing quests, kids earn coins to buy things in this virtual world which can include furniture for their home, and land in which to grow a bigger garden.
Most quests have an ecology message, and the economy within the game requires you to plant a garden, so kids will learn about ecological issues and how to grow different kinds of plants by playing the game. During the weeks surrounding Earth Day (April 22), in-game actions of planting trees results in real world actions of tree planting by Trees For The Future, so kids can do good in the real world by playing this game. While still a little buggy, this is an MMO that kids ages 6-12 will enjoy.
ClosePublisher’s Details
Released on 11/1/2008, price $5.95/month, online enabled
ESRB rating: E (for (Mild Cartoon Violence))
ESRB rating: E (for (Mild Cartoon Violence))
Our Members Say
See all 6 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Good role models
- Safety isn't an issue
Emerald Island no longer there
- I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Easy to play
We loved this game. note that I said loved past tense. Since this game has been sold to another company we have not been able to log on in over a week. We had to start our characters over due to the transition. If your computer is slow it tends to make the game slow but other than that we didn't have any troubles until they changed owners. Now we can no longer play. I tried contacting the company but their email in box was full and can no longer accept emails. We are very disappointed.
- I rate this title on for age 4 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Safety isn't an issue
- Easy to play
The perfect site for kids under 8
This site seems to be tailored to the uptight parents on this site. IMO, kids should be allowed to play as soon as they are able to read the instructions. really, it teaches great lessons, like "plant a tree" and "help people". Throwing cartoon apples at bad guys is laughable violence.if that's the worst your four year old has seen, then you are way overprotective, i think.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
Give Recommendations, Get Them, Too!
Become a member and get recommendations from other parents based on your child's age.Tell us your child's age:
Already a member? Log inOur Members Rate It
Ratings at a Glance
| 50% | of parents say kids find it easy to play |
| 50% | of parents feel the site is safe |
| 50% | of parents say there are good role models |
| 50% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 50% | of parents say it's educational |
Do you play it? 
For Your Family
Get age-based recommendations for your kids:
Customize based on your child's age
