Star Wars: Imperial Academy

Review

Common Sense Media says

Violent shooting game offers shallow sci-fi experience.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Star Wars: Imperial Academy is a shooting game in which violence is the one and only objective. However, the game is set in the sci-fi Star Wars universe and is easily distinguished from real life; also, players are always shooting enemies instead of protagonists or innocent bystanders. Players are scored based on how many enemy troops they hit with their laser gun, and must hit enough of them to continue on in the game. This game also includes the option to purchase "key cards" in-app; they range from $4.99 to $49.99. It can create some privacy concerns if players opt in to the Plus+ network.

  • Ease of use4
    Fairly simplistic point-and-click controls make it easy to tap and shoot down any enemy that appears on screen.
  • Violence3
    The focus of this game is entirely on shooting down enemy troops and scoring the most points possible from that killing. Players shoot laser beams at fictitious enemies, ranging from heavily armored space soldiers to non-human robots. However, the scenery in the game is highly realistic, and the sound effects are blaring. It is designed to create a feeling of intensity, and with the aim of the game being to shoot as many enemies as possible, the overall violence content is rather striking.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism3
    In-app purchases of "key cards" range from $4.99 to $49.99. The game is based on the Star Wars franchise, and also contains ads.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
  • Privacy & safety3
    Some privacy concerns. Players can opt in to Plus+, an interactive network that allows users to upload real avatar photos, share status messages, share first and last name, and send challenges to friends. Users can connect with friends via Facebook, Twitter, email contacts, or by searching the Plus+ network.
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Is it any good?

 

STAR WARS: IMPERIAL ACADEMY enters a very long legacy of Star Wars video games, many of which are expertly crafted and provide hours of adventure. This game falls short of that legacy. It is nothing more than a basic point-and-shoot game, and although the scenes are meant to be action-packed and intense, after a while they come across as redundant. With barely any story attached to the experience, there is very little done to add flavor or context to the game. The end result is a game that just leaves players shooting storm troopers and enemy soldiers to no end. It is a shallow experience and really devoid of any real value. In any other Star Wars game, this type of gameplay would be just a small fraction of the entire game's experience, but on its own it fails to provide a lasting worthwhile experience.

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This review was written by Mark Raby
Kid, 11 years old
February 9, 2011
AGE
10
 
Violent, But Not That Violent
It's a violent game, but I think a 10 year old can take it. Relay, the only thing violent about it is the shooting.
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Helped me decide (5) | Had useful details (2) | Read my mind (6)
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Educator
February 14, 2011
AGE
12
 
violent shooter app is OK for older kids
lots of shooting and killing a little bit of blood
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide (4) | Had useful details (4) | Read my mind (4)
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See all user reviews
This review was written by Mark Raby
Category:Action Games
Platforms:iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
Price:Free
Publisher:ngmoco, LLC
Version:1.1
Release date:December 4, 2010
Minimum software requirements:iOS 3.0 or later
This review was written by Mark Raby

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About our rating system
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.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
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