Common Sense Media Review
By Chad Sapieha
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Kinect physics puzzler makes razing castles a hoot.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Wreckateer
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
Goblin-infested castles fall brick by brick in WRECKATEER, a downloadable physics-based puzzle game available only through Xbox Live Arcade. Players assume the role of a rookie wrecker and travel to 60 different keeps overrun with green creatures. A ballista (think giant crossbow) fires a wide variety of ammunition -- bombs, winged balls, floaty rocks -- capable of razing castles to the ground. Each turn begins with a player stepping forward with hands out to grab ammunition loaded in the ballista. They step back to set tension, raise or lower their arms to mark trajectory, and move left and right to aim. Once the shot is in the air, flight angles can be fine tuned by waving your arms, and special abilities can be enacted by raising your hands. The goal for each level is simply to score enough points to earn a bronze, silver, or gold medal and progress to the next challenge. A multiplayer mode allows two players to play competitively in the same room.
Is It Any Good?
The physics can be a little wonky, and the graphics aren't much more sophisticated than those of an iPhone game, but Wreckateer can be a real blast. Steering a wrecking ball in just the right way to fly through power-ups en route to smashing into castle spires -- and creating a big mess of virtual debris in the process -- is both satisfying and entertaining. There's not much of a story, but that doesn't really matter. The fun comes from figuring out the perfect shot to maximize your score and earn better medals, and working toward completing challenges like hitting a certain number of power-up icons or ramming balls into goblins before hitting walls. Many Kinect games are downright mediocre, but Wreckateer stands out as one of the most enjoyable and habit-forming motion control experiences available to Xbox gamers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the different pleasures that come with building and destroying things. It's easy to understand why creating something is fun, but why do we often also enjoy tearing something down? Do you prefer games in which you construct things or those in which you demolish them?
Discuss different types of puzzles. Do you like word conundrums? Math problems? Riddles and mysteries? Physics-based games? Why might you prefer one kind of brainteaser to another? Does it have solely to do with your skill?
Game Details
- Platform : Xbox 360
- Subjects : Science : gravity , momentum , physics
- Skills : Thinking & Reasoning : analyzing evidence , solving puzzles , strategy , Self-Direction : achieving goals , Health & Fitness : movement
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : Microsoft Studios
- Release date : July 25, 2012
- Genre : Puzzle
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate