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Medieval Games

(2009, Video Games - Mini Games, Rated E10+, Play it on: Nintendo Wii)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 7, age appropriate for kids over 9; suggested age 10.

  • Is it any good?

    2.0

  • Common Sense says

    Mini-games with a control scheme only an ogre could love.

In this game kids can:   battle others, play multiplayer games, play with others, whack cartoon characters

Why We Rated This on for Ages 10 and Up

The good stuff

  • Ease of play:

    This game is unnecessarily hard to play. The difficulty of the controls varies between minigames, but some of it is outrageously difficult. Medieval Games also features some of the most counter-intuitive movement controls (in any of the minigames that actually require your character to run around) on the Wii.
 

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    A baron's homely daughter, who hopes to win a beauty contest and marry the prince, is the butt of much mockery because of her looks.

  • Role models:

    The characters are all over-the-top caricatures of fairy tale archetypes, and as such they don't display the most positive of personal attributes. There's a whole lot of boasting and vanity from these folks, all meant to be humorous.

  • Violence:

    Swords, maces, and lances are used against either other players or fantasy monsters, like ogres and dragons. Characters hit by such weapons yell things like, "Ouch!" and "That hurt!" but no one is killed. The most damage done to anyone is being knocked down. Players can also slap other players across the face to initiate a duel. Players are sometimes comically launched from a catapult to move to another place in the game world. Cows are also used as weapons, launched from catapults at opponents. One of the characters is an executioner. His profession is never mentioned, and he carries no axe (though he makes reference to it), but his job is obvious from his outfit.

  • Sex:

    There is some off-color humor, mostly coming from animals -- such as a pig waving its bottom at the camera.

  • Language:

    Medieval-themed smack talk, but nothing profane.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Medieval Games was written by Christopher Healy

Parents need to know that while the design, setting, and accoutrements of Medieval Games are farcically fun, like the Shrek movies, the gameplay itself leaves much to be desired. Kids could easily get discouraged and quit the game. For children who can get past that, though, Medieval Games does tap into a lot of elements that fantasy-loving children enjoy. The fighting in the game is cartoonish as worst. There's also much ado about beauty as the prince seeks a bride and the king holds a pageant from which a new wife will be chosen.

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 use of caricatures in the game. Are these characters realistic in any way? Can you relate to them? Do you think we're meant to admire these characters, or laugh at them?
  • Parents can also discuss good sportsmanship. When playing with others, how can you be competitive and still be a good friend?
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More on Medieval Games

What’s the Story?

While essentially a collection of sword-and-sorcery-themed mini-games, MEDIEVAL GAMES also contains three storybook "board games." Players roll dice and move around a gameboard, a la Mario Party, playing the mini-game directed by the space they land on. Each of these storybook games tells a chapter of the main story: The prince of Veloria is required by law to marry, so his father the king sets up various festivals and tournaments, through which he plans to find him a suitable bride. The mini-games try to hit as many fairy-tale staples as possible. Some examples include, using a battering ram, archery, sword dueling, jousting, dodging an ogre's hammer, mixing potions, and wrestling pigs (okay, that last one's not much of a staple). Close

Is It Any Good?

There is potential for Medieval Games to be a fun party experience, but only when the mini-games are played individually. That way, players can avoid the ones with near-unusable controls. Unfortunately, many of the games need to be unlocked through playing the three "board games." The biggest problem with the board games is repetition. Each one uses only 3 or 4 of the minigames, meaning the players end up racing horses or shooting arrows at fruit over and over again in the course of a single game. It's probably best to try the game first with a rental, to see if you're intrigued enough to want more. Close

Publisher’s Details

Released on 10/21/2009, price $29.99, not online enabled
ESRB rating: E10+ (for Mild Cartoon Violence)

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