Common Sense Media Review
By Christopher Healy
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sweet, intriguing story for kids who enjoy a slower pace.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Witch's Wish
What's It About?
The story of WITCH'S WISH follows a young girl named Vicky who longs to enroll at magic school, but can't afford to. One day, she helps a strange woman escape from police officers and that woman teaches Vicky how to use a \"magic board\" to cast spells by drawing different symbols on it (players recreate this with the DS touchscreen). Once she's got some spells under her belt, Vicky becomes somewhat famous about town, helping out people in need -- from putting out fires and rescuing cats to cleaning dirty shelves. Of course, as this is a video game, there's also a dark force at work in her town, which she will ultimately have to contend with.
Is It Any Good?
Witch's Wish is a heavily story-based game that moves at a relatively slow pace. This might turn off kids who are too used to constant action in a video game. But for kids who are keen on games with engrossing narratives, Wtich's Wish can prove quite rewarding. There are sections, especially earlier in the game, when you will spend minutes at a time just watching the story, waiting for your chance to interact, but when you do, it's pretty fun. Using the touchscreen to choose and cast spells works very well, and there's no penalty for choosing incorrectly -- you just try again with a different spell. Witch's Wish will not cast its spell on everyone, but its the type of different and original game that could prove to be a favorite for the right kind of kid.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what they would do if they could use magic. It is a question asked repeatedly in the game, as characters ponder whether or not the world would be better off with or without magic. What do you think?
The lead character is a girl, but do you think boys would still be able to have fun playing this game? What about Vicky and her story is relatable for both boys and girls?
Game Details
- Platforms : Nintendo DS , Nintendo DSi
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Natsume
- Release date : May 25, 2010
- Genre : Adventure
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : September 3, 2020
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