Playmobil Pirates (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)
common sense media says
Toy-based game has surprisingly inappropriate material.
parents & educators say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that while Playmobil Pirates is an enjoyable adventure game starring cute Playmobil figures, there is a lot of very un-cute behavior in it -- fighting, gambling, drinking, mild swearing, and so on. None of it is worse than what you might see on television, and most of it would be expected in a game based on pirates, but as a game based on a toy series that is generally aimed at much younger kids, the salty elements can come as a real surprise.
Educational value:
One way to make money in the game involves buying items from one island and selling them at the market of another island. There's a genuine financial lesson in purchasing low-priced items in the right markets and finding the right customers to sell them to in order to make a profit. Kids can also learn a bit about navigating a map through the game.
Positive role models:
Although the protagonist performs several selfless acts during the game (rescuing shipwrecked pirates, saving a captured mermaid, etc.), he gambles, fights (and apparently kills) soldiers, and aids rum smugglers. Good as his intentions may be, he's still a pirate.
Ease of play:
Controls are simple to learn and generally easy to handle. The main exception is the unbalanced difficulty in swordfighting against gun-weilding soldiers.
Violence:
The player's pirate uses a sword to slash and stab at pirate-hunting soldiers (who are out to steal Blackbeard's gold). In addition to swords of their own, the soldiers use guns against the player as well. Characters who are hurt cry out, and those who are "killed" disappear from the screen. In naval battles, ships fire cannonballs and sink one another. Your pirate can also get stung by jellyfish.
Sex:
A Playmobil mermaid wears a seashell bra top, but it is not remotely sexual.
Language:
Seeming very out of place in a Playmobil game, the words "damn" and "hell" appear in written dialogue.
Consumerism:
Every character and vehicle in the game is styled after Playmobil toys and the Playmobil name is, of course, right there in the title.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
The pirates trade in rum (some of which is smuggled), and that particular alcoholic beverage is mentioned throughout the game.
More on Playmobil Pirates
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Most useful reviews by all members
motoMomma
parent of 8 year old
parent of 8 year old
"Awesome pirate game" my boy says.
My 7 yr old loved this game. Plays with his Playmobile pirates so he was excited to play the game. He definitely had moments of frustration for sure when an expensive ship got sunk but then he'd have to be patient and save for future ship purchases.
He says too he developed "strategies" to sink ships. (He's looking over my shoulder)! So some good proud learning moments. ;)
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