 | 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. |
Viewtiful Joe
- Nintendo GameCube
- Price: $40
- Genre: Action/Adventure
Common Sense Media says
Stylish action game is for mature players.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that there's a significant amount of violence and suggestive material -- background images on some levels include ads for XXX shows, strippers, nearly topless women, etc. Also, strobe-like flashing effects and the style of the animation may be difficult to watch -- parents should read the precautions listed for players prone to seizures.
What's it about?
VIEWTIFUL JOE infuses comic book storytelling with high-octane action. As the hero, you are Joe, an average guy with a passion for superhero movies and your girlfriend, Sylvia. But one day, fiction becomes reality as Sylvia is kidnapped and pulled through the movie screen into a different reality. Leaping to her rescue, you are pulled into the movie as well. Saving her will not be easy, but you are aided by the training of Joe's favorite hero, Captain Blue, who encourages you to fight for justice and good.
As you progress through the early levels of the game, Captain Blue helps you develop your superhuman powers, called "VFX" power. Slow down and speed up time to deliver powerful combinations against your enemies. And there are a lot of enemies -- battles become more and more intense as the game develops. Although the game does utilize puzzles and has some unique ways of involving combat into solving these puzzles, there is a significant amount of fighting.
Is it any good?
The enemies in Viewtiful Joe are distinctly not human, and blood is not a factor. Most enemies appear as half-built robotic creatures; as they are attacked they begin to disintegrate. Parents may want to watch out for the almost subconscious suggestive themes: In the background of the second level are advertisements for strippers and XXX clubs with nearly topless women on billboards.
On a technical level Viewtiful Joe is inventive and classy -- with a unique style of animation and a great soundtrack, Joe looks good and plays well. However, at times the strobe-like flashing effects and the style of the animation may be difficult to watch. The game controls are well thought out and easy to learn, and in-game tutorials help players learn the controls as they play.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the differences between movies and real life. Have you ever fantasized about becoming part of a movie? Which one, and why?
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AGE
An excellent return to classic gaming, though the difficulty level is high.
In my humble opinion, Viewtiful Joe is one of the best games available for the GameCube. It is a return to old-school, two-dimensional platforming that is a joy to watch and play. Joe's VFX powers (Slow, Mach Speed, and Zoom) make the gameplay suprisingly deep, and the comic book graphics look great. However, this game is not designed for young children. Besides the mild cartoon violence and suggestive themes (one of the characters is named "Sexy Sylvia, for obvious reasons), the difficulty level is very high compared to many recent games, and many young gamers will likely get turned off quickly by the fact that they can and will lose lives many times. Overall, however, this is a fun game with a high replay value and amusing story. A worthy buy.
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AGE
Old-School Parody for Teens
Viewtiful Joe is a great game, which instantly reminds any gamer who had a sense of the good ol' days. It's a lot of fun for teens, and can be enjoyed by younger gamers if parents take the time to talk to them about topics they find to be questionable.While the game does feature some portraits with nude women, they are VERY cartoony version of the kind of drawing you can see in a normal art book. I can only recall one level which featured these, and while they were fairly obvious, they were still in the background. The game also features some billboards with advertisements for some questionable clubs, but they aren't very obvious unless you're examining the background and landscaping.I'd encourage parents to not take this stuff too seriously...I felt this content was a parody, which teen gamers will get a kick out of. In a world with GTA: Vice City, this is a dose of irony, Capcom style.As for violence...all enemies are robots, that simply fall apart when you fight them. It's not disturbing at all, and even amusing at times.If you want a great game that's challenging yet simple, VJ won't disappoint.
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AGE
Great for teens
Though, Viewtiful Joe has two modes, one suitable for younger kids and one for older, teens, the game defaults to the second mode which contains elements that some concerned parents may have issues with.
That said, the game is visually stunning and game play is both fun and interesting.
Try the game with your kids.
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| Platforms: | Nintendo GameCube |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Developer: | Capcom |
| Release date: | January 14, 2004 |
| Price: | $40 |
| ESRB rating: | T |
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