 | 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. |
Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
- PlayStation 3
- Price: $59.99
- Genre: Role Playing
Common Sense Media says
Compelling story with strong role models, loss, and battles.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a fantastical role-playing game (RPG). It features one central character who bands together with a group of friends to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey. The storyline contains a major tragedy in the life of the young protagonist Oliver. Because of the well-executed story, players come to care deeply for Oliver, so this tragedy is something that will stick with them for the duration of the game. It helps explain Oliver's mindset as he travels the world and attacks creatures that block his way. Combat is slightly detached, since Oliver is not actually involved in the battles; instead, he sends out creatures called "Familiars" to fight on his behalf. It is all very colorful and fantastical in nature. There is occasional mild use of profanity and one creature who smokes a pipe. The most impactful content, though, is the emotional roller coaster that players will follow with Oliver.
What kids can learn
Kids can learn how to deal with tragedy, overcome obstacles, and become an emotionally stronger person. The storyline in Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is all about turning a life-changing event into something positive. By playing, kids can experience how others deal with tragedy and simulate how to overcome obstacles in life.
Subjects
- Language & Readingfollowing directions, reading, reading comprehension
- Math
- Science
- Social Studies
- Arts
- Hobbies
Skills
- Thinking & Reasoning
- Creativity
- Self-Direction
- Emotional Developmentdeveloping resilience, empathy, moving beyond obstacles, persevering
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Responsibility & Ethics
- Tech Skills
- Health & Fitness
What's it about?
NI NO KUNI: WRATH OF THE WHITE WITCH is about a boy named Oliver who lived a pleasant and regimented life, until one day his world was turned upside down by an immensely tragic event. Rather than giving up on life, however, Oliver decides to embark on a journey to save his kingdom -- a journey that will end up molding not only who he is, but also everyone around him. His impact on the world ends up being much greater than if he had just stayed home, proving the very powerful message that no matter what life throws your way, you can turn it into something infinitely positive.
Is it any good?
Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is the kind of game that exemplifies not only what is great about its genre, but also the video game industry as a whole. In an industry that is filled with either mindless combat and mission-solving, or games that have incredibly cheesy or boring storylines, this game is the rare gem that has a truly masterful and well-executed story, and uses the interactive nature of video games to truly pull players right into the middle of that story. The combat system is just as uniquely satisfying as the overall experience of the game, allowing players to develop their own specific strategy not because they're forced to, but because it happens naturally as they progress through the game. Each player will develop his or her own style of combat, making everyone's gameplay experience one-of-a-kind. Anyone who appreciates video games and a good storyline will enjoy this game; it is as simple as that.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Parents can talk about the violence and combat in this game. Is the impact different when you're battling fantastical creatures as opposed to humans?
What is the worst tragedy you have had to cope with so far in your life? How did you overcome it?
Try to come up with an example of when you were able to turn a bad situation into a positive one.
What kids can learn
Kids can learn how to deal with tragedy, overcome obstacles, and become an emotionally stronger person. The storyline in Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is all about turning a life-changing event into something positive. By playing, kids can experience how others deal with tragedy and simulate how to overcome obstacles in life.
Subjects
- Language & Reading: following directions, reading, reading comprehension
- Math:
- Science:
- Social Studies:
- Arts:
- Hobbies:
Skills
- Thinking & Reasoning:
- Creativity:
- Self-Direction:
- Emotional Development: developing resilience, empathy, moving beyond obstacles, persevering
- Communication:
- Collaboration:
- Responsibility & Ethics:
- Tech Skills:
- Health & Fitness:
How kids will learn
Kids learn by being pulled into this game's captivating story and identifying with the central character's challenges. Players can reflect on their own emotional development as they watch the story unfold. The storyline and emotional development comes from cutscenes and other dialogue. Players are presented with tutorials and helpful strategies to ensure that they can get through the battles and make their way through the entire story.
How parents can help
- Ask kids to come up with an example of when they were able to turn a bad situation into something positive.
- Discuss with kids how they can help others who are in bad situations. How about volunteering?
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- Parents
- Teens & kids
Teen, 17 years old
February 24, 2013
AGE
Awesome... O:)
great anime art styled J-RPG, cant wait for the price to drop, i rented the game at family video and i loved it. :D
What other families should know:
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Parent of 6 year old
March 3, 2013
AGE
Great first RPG for younger players, tons of fun for parents too
Spoilers.
This is a great first JRPG for families with children on the younger side of the gamer spectrum (7-10). There is one very difficult scene in the beginning involving the death of the character's mother. If you have a child that is sensitised to that issue, just start the game without them, and bring them in at the first playable level and narrate the story so far.
The great thing about No No Kuni is that there is a lot of discussion on people's emotions and motivations. The villains are not two dimensionally evil; they turn out to be characters who started off with good motives but bad things happened to them and they gave in to despair. This game also presents a good opening to talk about depression if you need to.
For the novice player playing with a parent there are a lot of ways to build up skills, like controller mechanics, party management, map reading while the parent handles the difficult fights. Kids can have great time naming and feeding familiars. Your major problem is going to be working out who gets the controller!
Standard RPG violence (monster fights) nothing too gruesome.
What other families should know:
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Parent of 8 year old
April 1, 2013
AGE
Great fun for father and son.
What a marvelous game. The art is amazing (created by the Studio Ghibli team). Great story, art, music, and adventure for parents and kids alike. The fighting can get a bit monotonous and difficult at times, a parent can be helpful for those under 10.
What other families should know:
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy |
| Platforms: | PlayStation 3 |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Role Playing |
| Developer: | Namco Bandai |
| Release date: | January 22, 2013 |
| Price: | $59.99 |
| ESRB rating: | E10+ for Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling (PlayStation 3) |
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