Tools for this page
Print

Neighborhood Games

(2009, Video Games - Party Games, Rated E, Play it on: Nintendo Wii)
  • 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 0, age appropriate for kids over 6; suggested age 6.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Eclectic party game looks good but has shoddy controls.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 6 and Up

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    Most of the games are digital facsimiles of real-world activities, such as bocce ball, shuffleboard, and horseshoes. Consequently, players have the opportunity to learn the rules of these games and how to play them.
  • Messages:

    This is a party game designed to be played competitively amid groups of up to four people.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    One of the games is a barnyard water gun fight.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    One of the games is a digital version of a branded backyard game called Ladder Golf.
 

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Neighborhood Games was written by Chad Sapieha

Parents need to know that Neighborhood Games is a collection of short, family-friendly games based on real-world activities, such as horseshoes and lawn darts. Players unfamiliar with these backyard sports will have the opportunity to learn their rules while playing the game. Very mild cartoon violence takes place in water gun fights between kids set in a playful barnyard environment.

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 diversity of games featured in this particular collection. Which stand out as your favorite and least favorite? Can you detect a pattern in the ones you like? Do you tend to gravitate toward games in which you excel, or that have accessible controls? Did your opinion of the real-world versions of these games affect how much you enjoyed their digital reproductions?
Did this review help you decide?
Do you play it? Review It!

More on Neighborhood Games

What’s the Story?

NEIGHBORHOOD GAMES is a collection of 24 quick and simple activities with roots in real-world backyard pastimes. The single-player mode features five categories of games, including lawn darts, bocce ball, basketball, horseshoes, and shuffleboard. Beat the computer in any game and you'll unlock a new variation (win in horseshoes, for example, and you'll be able to play battle horseshoes and, eventually, horseshoe herding). With each victory, players take home new clothes for their customizable avatars. Defeat the computer three times and you'll be declared a "Master" of that activity.

The five classic backyard games featured in solo play are also available in multiplayer, along with nine others: golf, tennis, football, water gun fights, remote control truck races, remote control plane flying, a slingshot challenge, a batting game, and a digital version of the branded backyard game Ladder Golf, which involves tossing balls connected by a rope at a three-rung ladder. Up to four players can take part in most of the games, with tournaments organized as either best-of-three matches or winner-moves-on competitions.

Close

Is It Any Good?

The Wii has no shortage of backyard game compilations, but most of them are mediocre at best. At first glance, Neighborhood Games looks to stand out from the pack, offering a large and highly diverse collection of activities. What's more, it has a pleasant aesthetic targeted directly at children. The neighborhood settings are detailed and realistic (you can occasionally hear car alarms going off in the background and see moving vans driving along the street behind play areas), and the customizable, big-headed kid avatars animate and emote nicely.

Alas, the experience is scuttled by unresponsive motion controls -- an unfortunately common issue among Wii party games. The majority of games (lawn darts, bocce ball, horseshoes, Ladder Golf, and all of their variations) make use of an underhand tossing motion, but the software has a tendency to register wildly varying levels of movement; make what feels like three identical tossing motions and you'll likely wind up with three very different results. It can be extremely frustrating. Thankfully, some of the other activities -- including the slingshot challenge, water gun fights, and the batting game -- feature less irksome interfaces.

Close

Publisher’s Details

Released on 1/12/2009, price $29.99, not online enabled
ESRB rating: E (for Mild Cartoon Violence)

Want more? Get Common Sense recommendations delivered to your inbox.

Our Members Say

Do you play it? Review It!

  • What did you think about Neighborhood Games?
  •  I think this game is

    for ages

  •  I also give it

  •  Any concerns?

  •  Any highlights?

  •  Love it? Hate it?

  • or to post a review

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Oklahoma
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 4.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models
    • Safety isn't an issue
    • Easy to play

    good game but

    i agree with the wiiviewer the contles were easy for me eceppt for the basketball round like he said i dont know whats stupider the guy who put his hoop next to a bonch of cars or the guys who parked by a hoop

  2. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    Lives in North Carolina
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 1.0

    this place is fun you get to play games in fact on the weekend you might not go to bed until 5:oo in the morening you'll have lot's of fun and dont worry this games are not rated r so you get to pick games your age if you wont i think the other games are for teens like some of the titles that look for older but in way the games are fun you'll have lot's of fun all i can say is enjoy!

  3. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    Lives in North Carolina
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 1.0

    this place is fun you get to play games in fact on the weekend you might not go to bed until 5:oo in the morening you'll have lot's of fun and dont worry this games are not rated r so you get to pick games your age if you wont i think the other games are for teens like some of the titles that look for older but in way the games are fun you'll have lot's of fun all i can say is enjoy!

  4. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    Lives in North Carolina
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 1.0

    this place is fun you get to play games in fact on the weekend you might not go to bed until 5:oo in the morening you'll have lot's of fun and dont worry this games are not rated r so you get to pick games your age if you wont i think the other games are for teens like some of the titles that look for older but in way the games are fun you'll have lot's of fun all i can say is enjoy!

  5. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 4.0

    Neighbhorhood games, I liked it, found the controls very accurate

    I really enjoyed this game. The CommonSense review was pretty good but I disagree with the comment about the unresponsive controls. I found them to be very accurate. Perhaps they're not "dumbed down" enough for small children but once you get the hang of it you can place the darts and such very well. I was able to play through till the last level in Water darts for instance, a game where you have to throw darts at targets in a pool, some of them add points, some subtract. Every 40 or so seconds the pattern changes, the good targets get smaller and closer to the bad ones and you have to get more points to pass to the next level. Once you get down the differences in throw effort needed to place the darts it becomes second nature. Overall I really enjoyed the variety in this game and theres alot of fun to be had. What was suprising for a game that seems to be geared towards kids is how much real gameplay was here and the appeal for regular gamers. This is one you'll want to play with your kids, and maybe even when they're not around with your own friends. This game definitly shines best in multiplayer with 3 or 4 players. Its also very reasonably priced, hard to go wrong with this one.

More Great Stuff For Your Kids

  • New in Theaters

    Fantastic Mr. Fox

    Fantastic Mr. Fox

    Offbeat family adventure may charm adults more than kids.

  • Tech Tip

    Learn the basics with our latest video.How to Text

    Learn the basics with our latest video.

  • Must See TV

    Glee

    Glee

    Edgy-but-quirky comedy's music, message will win teens over.

  • Pick of the Week

    Bestselling Books

    Bestselling Books

    Popular new reads kids are buying today.

  • Download This

    "Wash Your Hands" (CD single)

    "Wash Your Hands" (CD single)

    "Acccchhhoooo!" A funny reminder to help kids fight the flu.

Give Us a Minute, Get a Lot of Common Sense!
  • Age-appropriate best bets for your kids
  • Weekly email alert with the latest picks, reviews & advice
  • Post your own reviews and share them with friends

This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.
A screen name protects your privacy
To post a review or comment you must become a Common Sense Member. It's easy!

Set-up your account
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.

Choose a screen name
It will appear when you post your own reviews and recommendations.
A screen name protects your privacy

Tell us your children's ages
You'll see the movies, games, books, shows, music, and sites our editors select just for them. As your children get older, our picks will grow with them!Why we ask for this
We never display your children's names, (or nicknames) to anyone, but you. Providing your children's ages allows us to personalize information on our site, so you get better information, faster.
is
until
(optional)
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
Add another child

We can make Common Sense just right for you. With a little info about you and your family, you'll get the most out of our site.

Set-up your account
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.

Tell us your children's ages
You'll see the movies, games, books, shows, music, and sites our editors select just for them. As your children get older, our picks will grow with them!
Why we ask for this
We never display your children's names, (or nicknames) to anyone, but you. Providing your children's ages allows us to personalize information on our site, so you get better information, faster.
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
Add another child

Choose a screen name
It will appear when you post your own reviews and recommendations
A screen name protects your privacy
Register to add this school to your profile. You'll be able to see and share reviews from parents, teachers, and kids at your child's school.
I'm already a Common Sense member.
Kids under 13 must use a screen name