Max and the Magic Marker (DS)

Review

Common Sense Media says

Glitchy controls make this a lesser version of great game.
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 Max and the Magic Marker is a clever physics game that requires kids to use a lot of brainwork in order to succeed in the adventure. There's a little bit of very cartoony violence against evil blob creatures. However, it's worth noting that this DS version has glitchier (and thereby more difficult) controls than the Wii, PC, or app versions of the same game.

  • Positive messages4
    The story itself is one that champions the power of imagination. Plus, there's the secondary message that knowing a thing or two about physics can be useful.
  • Positive role models3
    Max is a smart and resourceful hero. He may have to fight a monster every now and then, but there's no hand-to-hand combat -- Max uses his brain to do away with the baddies.
  • Ease of play2
    Some glitchiness with the controls mars this DS version of the game. There's an odd delay between drawing a line and seeing it appear on the screen. Sometimes the inability to move the camera without moving Max can cause a problem in seeing where you have to go. And occasionally, Max can get stuck between objects.
  • Violence & scariness1
    The evil glob creatures (Gobos) need to be squashed sometimes in order to get past them. Smaller ones vanish, while larger ones sometimes leave a splotch of purple goo.
CloseExpand to see more details

What's it about?

In MAX AND THE MAGIC MARKER (DS), a young boy sketches out a colorful world on paper and then sees (or imagines) his new land being attacked by evil blob creatures called Gobos. So Max jumps into his own drawing to rid his imaginary world of Gobos and save the day. As he makes his way through classic 2-D platform-jumping game levels, you must use the DS stylus to draw items that will help him (stairs, bridges, rocks to crush enemies, etc.).

Is it any good?

 

Max and the Magic Marker is still a creative and clever physics game that gives players a lot to think about as they traverse its puzzling 2D levels. But the DS version doesn't hold up quite as well in comparison to previous versions of the game. For one thing, the graphics simply aren't as good. They look strangely low definition. And while the stylus-on-touchscreen method sounds like it should be the best possible control scheme for a game about drawing with a magic marker, it doesn't work all that great. There's a bizarre lag between moving the stylus and seeing the line appear. And having to touch buttons while using the stylus is always a challenging maneuver in any DS game. Other occasional glitches mar the game a bit as well, such as barely being able to see the other side of a chasm that you need to draw a bridge across, or having to restart a level if Max gets stuck between two platforms. If you've got an iPad, the app version feels like the ideal incarnation of Max and the Magic Marker.

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 the physics lessons learned within the game. How can kids apply such lessons to real life?

  • While it is minimal and very cartoony, there is still some violence in the game. How does squashing blobs compare to the fighting in other video games? Is it any better or worse?

This review was written by Christopher Healy

There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title below.
This review was written by Christopher Healy
Topics:magic and fantasy
Platforms:Nintendo DS
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Puzzle
Developer:Easy Interactive
Release date:October 28, 2011
Price:$29.99
ESRB rating:E for Comic Mischief
This review was written by Christopher Healy

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.

Screenshots

  • 1 of 3
  • 2 of 3
  • 3 of 3

Tell us what you think about our new Learning Ratings. We value your feedback.

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.
Our child development rating guidelines

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors

More games with drawing
For kids who love creative games
Browse more games
 

vote now

Will you play Max and the Magic Marker (DS)?

Game on
Press pause
Game over

Already played it? What do you think?

I recommend it
It's a pass
 
More from Common Sense Media
Age-appropriate reviews
Top advice and articles

Been There? Tell us about it