 | 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. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Monday Night Combat
- Xbox 360
- Price: $15
- Genre: Third-person shooter
Common Sense Media says
Strategic shooter is set in a fight-to-the-death game show.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Monday Night Combat is a third-person shooter set inside a futuristic game show in which contestants fight to the death. It’s pure fantasy, but the lethal combat is presented as a sensationalized sport. The Players use guns, swords, and other weapons to defeat a mixture of human and robotic foes, though there is no blood or gore. Note that this game supports open voice communication during online play, a feature Common Sense Media does not recommend for pre-teens.
What's it about?
The penultimate entry in Microsoft’s 2010 Summer of Arcade series of downloadable games, MONDAY NIGHT COMBAT is a mixture of over-produced sports television, third-person shooting, and, of all things, tower defense strategy. The object of the game is simple: Don’t let opposing bots destroy your Moneyball. If you’re playing in Blitz mode, that means installing, maintaining, and upgrading turrets that will protect your zone. If you’re playing as part of a group online in Crossfire mode, you’ll need to divide your time between defending your base and leading bots into enemy territory.
Is it any good?
It’s a bizarre blend, but Monday Night Combat is undeniably fun. The turret defense strategy is filled with subtleties and takes time to master, and the class-based combat, which forces players to learn new abilities for each soldier (like the assassin’s cloaking power or the sniper’s trap-laying skill), is solid. With just a couple of different game modes you may think the action would become tedious, but arenas are loaded with unique features that players can spend money to activate, such as jump pads, making the tactics required between matches sufficiently different.
But it’s not perfect. If you play alone, it can be difficult to balance time fighting and managing turrets. Plus, a couple of the character classes are a bit wonky (the massive tank, who hobbles around in a giant shell of armor and can take loads of punishment, doesn’t seem to hit as hard as he should given his name and the enormous weapon he carries). But it’s fun. And completely different. Definitely worth a try for fans of action or strategy looking for a fresh twist on their favorite game types.
Online interaction: This game supports online competitive and cooperative play with open voice chat. This leaves the door open for players to share personal information and younger gamers to be exposed to inappropriate language from other players.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about combat as sport. This game takes the concept to its extreme, but what about modern sport? Is there a difference between a physical game like football and one such as boxing or mixed martial arts, in which the indisputable goal is to hurt people?
Families can also discuss the differences between fantasy and realistic combat. Is the former safer for younger players than the latter? Why?
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- Teens & kids
AGE
MNC is a fairly simple tower defense like game. The main difference is that you are also trying to attack the opponents "tower". There are a variety of well-balanced characters, all of which are very unique and interesting to use. Two games are never the same, and as a result, the game never seems to get boring. Although you CAN play single player, this is a game made for multi-player.
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AGE
its ok
i found mnc a good game i just never found my self attracted to this game its just that with other games like. cod. portal. smb. i i found myself playing alot this one i didnt play much its a good game i dont hate it its just that i never played it
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AGE
ok for everyone
it is a game i think kids should play and is not bad at all
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AGE
e.g. Perfect for older kids, iffy for tweens
it is a good game
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Kid, 12 years old
October 8, 2011
AGE
monday night combat needs a commercial break
A mediocre Xbox Live Arcade game. The game's fun and all, but it's far too repetitive to the point where you could sit back and watch the bots win. And considering the fact that you can only upgrade skills to a 3rd level, all of this being monitored by the world's most annoying announcer, MNC is a baffle upon how it blew up so much. Maybe it was its endless consumerism fun, maybe it was its strategic tower defensive style, something could've caused it all! Anyways, for tower-defensive fans, I'd recommend this game, but not if you're a seriously picky gamer.
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AGE
Perfect for tweens
It is endless fun and makes you think
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| Platforms: | Xbox 360 |
| Available online? | Available online |
| Genre: | Third-person shooter |
| Developer: | Microsoft Studios |
| Release date: | August 11, 2010 |
| Price: | $15 |
| ESRB rating: | T for Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence |
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