 | 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. |
Scooby-Doo and the Spooky Swamp
- Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, PlayStation 2
- Price: $19.99–$39.99
- Genre: Action/Adventure
Common Sense Media says
Zoinks! Scary villains and more fighting than usual.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the plot of Scooby-Doo and the Spooky Swamp revolves around Scooby-Doo and Shaggy working for a voodoo-priestess-type stranger they meet in a swamp -- so that they can earn a promised snack from her. There's a good deal of cartoony fighting in the game and some scary-looking villains. However, there's also a nice mix of puzzle play, some of which can be quite challenging. One chapter of the story features Mexican characters who speak in exaggerated accents.
What's it about?
SCOOBY-DOO AND THE SPOOKY SWAMP is a sequel of sorts to last year's Scooby-Doo First Frights. Like its predecessor, this game features younger versions of the Scooby-Doo gang solving mysteries and battling supernatural baddies. The story begins with Scooby and Shaggy following a yummy aroma into a swamp where a strange voodoo priestess promises to feed them if they help her out. So the two drag in their friends of several related mystery adventures, in hopes of gathering the items the swamp girl has asked for. The game is built around two-player co-op play, and works very well in that format.
Is it any good?
Scooby-Doo and the Spooky Swamp feels a bit stale after last year's First Frights. A lot of the gameplay is identical, but the storytelling isn't as tight (and the plot here is pretty ludicrous, even for Scooby-Doo). Still, there are some very good points to the game. Most notable among them is the great co-op play. A second player can hop in and out whenever he wants, and the game has puzzles built around the different skills of each character. There's also a really fun reward system that allows you to buy costume pieces that you can mix and match to dress up your character at any time (even mid-level). Spooky Swamp is worth playing for Scooby fans; just don't expect to be blown away.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the violence in the game. Scooby-Doo cartoons aren't known to feature tons of fighting, but this game does. Would there have been a better way for the developers to translate a Scooby-Doo adventure into video game format?
Also, are the Mexican characters in the game presented as stereotypes? What about the swamp girl? Even if these depictions aren't negative, can they still be troublesome?
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| Platforms: | Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, PlayStation 2 |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Developer: | Warner Bros. Games |
| Release date: | September 14, 2010 |
| Price: | $19.99–$39.99 |
| ESRB rating: | E10+ for Animated Blood, Cartoon Violence, Comic MIschief |
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