Petz Catz Playground

Review

Common Sense Media says

Adopt and care for young kittens in cute virtual pet 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.

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Quality
 
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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Petz Catz Playground lets players take care of pet kittens and tend to all the responsibilities involved therein. Players will need to feed their pets, entertain them, and also let them go to the litter box. If players do not take care of these tasks, their cats will become visibly sad, but nothing worse than that ever happens. The controls are very intuitive and designed to be as accessible as possible for young gamers. The here's no real conflict in the game, nor anything else that should be of concern for parents.

  • Positive messages3
    This game teaches players the fundamental responsibilities of caring for a pet, such as making sure it is cleaned and well fed, and rewards players to doing so. The message that comes across is that it is good to care for others and that taking care of your responsibilities is a  positive thing.
  • Positive role models3
    The cats in the game are not the real role models, you are. And as the caregiver, you are encouraged to be a nurturing, helpful person who treats animals kindly. 
  • Ease of play4
    This game is very easy to pick up and play. When a cat needs to be fed or go to the litter box, or wants to be played with, there are easy-to-understand indicators that inform the players. Actions are performed through simple point-and-click controls. As long as gamers are familiar with the DS system they should have no problem understanding every part of this game.
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What's it about?

PETZ CATZ PLAYGROUND is more of a "sandbox" game than one with a specific storyline. That is, it gives players freedom over how to play the game, instead of presenting them with a plot to follow. Players know that they are responsible for the well-being of multiple cats, and that taking good care of them is the only way to succeed. It's a positive message, but players will be more concentrated on having fun with their pets than thinking they are just doing chores or work.

Is it any good?

 

Petz Catz Playground is the latest entry is a long-running series of virtual pet games for the Nintendo DS from publisher Ubisoft. The developers have done a lot to try to perfect the feeling of owning a real pet, and this game fits well into the mold. Kids are encouraged to play the game well by letting players literally see their pet cats become happy -- and by giving players kudos when they take good care of the animals. It is a great game that focuses on making players feel happy and proud of themselves for taking care of their responsibilities and having a pet that always appreciates their good work.

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What families can talk about

  • Parents can talk about tending to real-life responsibilities versus tending to virtual ones. Why is it important to remember to focus on your friends and pets in real life? 

  • What additional responsibilities would you have with a real-life pet, beyond what's in the game?

  • What happens if we neglect our responsibilities?

This review was written by Mark Raby

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This review was written by Mark Raby
Platforms:Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Simulation
Developer:UbiSoft
Release date:October 26, 2010
Price:$29.99
ESRB rating:E for Comic Mischief
This review was written by Mark Raby

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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.
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