 | 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. |
Smurfs' Village
- iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
- Price: Free
- Category: Simulation Games
Common Sense Media says
Young kids will like sim, but beware of push to buy extras.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that in order to get the most out of Smurfs' Village, players need to spend real money to buy extras. Parents should also be aware that if they have not restricted in-app purchases in their settings, kids can buy Smurfberries if they know their parents' iTunes password. With a wagon of Smurfberries costing $100, the charges can quickly add up. While the game can be played without buying "Smurfberries" to speed things up or gain access to special items, the game is built to make buying enticing. This is a so-called "velvet rope" app that is appealing to younger players through both its cartoon tie-in and its ease of use. The app allows for players to visit friends' villages, but to do so, they need to connect the app to their Facebook account.
Is it any good?
SMURFS' VILLAGE is one of the better, more interesting free build-a-village sims available for the iDevices. It's got a genuine storyline built into it, creative use of the Smurf characters (this feels like a real Smurf game, not just a city-sim with Smurfs layered over it), and a bunch of mini-games thrown in -- which is a rarity in these types of sim games. If you build a bakery, for instance, you can play a baking game for extra experience points. Unfortunately, it's got the same sort of sneaky salemanship that apps of this genre share -- meaning that impatient players will be enticed into spending real money on items that make the game move faster (and in this case, those costs can be stiff with a wheelbarrow of Smurfberries costing $49.99) -- but if you accept such marketing tactics as a given in these games, then you'll truly appreciate the innovations that Smurfs' Village brings to the genre.
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Adult
November 17, 2010
AGE
Complete and total scam of an App
Parents need to know that this "FREE" app automatically charges your iTunes account WITHOUT prompting you for your agreement OR consent to the purchase for items that are part of the game. After my son played with this app for 5 minutes the other day I received a bill from Apple for $69.97. Apparently - by simply picking up the buckets of smurfberries you will incur (WITHOUT NOTICE) a charge of $4.99 and God help you if you pick up the wheelbarrow of smurfberries - that set us back $59.99! WITH NO NOTICE. DO NOT DOWNLOAD THIS APP.
What other families should know:
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Teen, 15 years old
August 15, 2011
AGE
Cool!
I love this game!! It's really fun! The only thing I don't like is that smurfberries cost real money and I don't mind its still fun!!
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Parent of 3 and 5 year old
November 17, 2010
AGE
This game takes advantage of iTunes password caching
A lot of parents are learning about the 15 minutes caching of iTunes passwords through this app. The kids get to play Smurfs' Village and can buy berries within the app without having to confirm with password if they do it within 15 minutes of the purchase of the app.
I've described the problem and what you can do about it here: brickmark*/2010/11/in-app-purchases-for-kids/
What other families should know:
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Kid, 8 years old
March 19, 2011
AGE
perfect for age 8
Great app, but don't let them buy smurfberries because they'll buy lots of smurfberries and you'll be mad at them saying things like "No no no". I also have it but i wait for Jokey to have a gift and that's how I get smurfberries personally.
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Kid, 12 years old
March 3, 2012
AGE
Hate the game and a waste of money from stupid smurfberries
I got the game twice but deleted it both times because it gets boring and they always push you to buy smurfberries. good if you like constant remoinders about collecting money
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Kid, 11 years old
June 29, 2012
AGE
SO MUCH CONSUMERISM!
This game pushes people to buy smurfberries (they should really use a better name like Smurf Dollars that is more mature). And the smurfberries cost a lot. I think the company shouldn't charge people 5$ for 50 smurfberries just like in Snoopy's Fair and Dream Park. This game is otherwise fun.
What other families should know:
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Adult
March 2, 2013
AGE
good, but bad
peaceful, build a town/delayed gratification levels & goals/achievements game, although somewhat addictive
What other families should know:
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| Category: | Simulation Games |
| Platforms: | iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad |
| Price: | Free |
| Publisher: | Beeline Interactive, Inc. |
| Version: | 1.0.0 |
| Release date: | November 11, 2010 |
| Minimum software requirements: | iOS 3.0 or later |
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