Common Sense Media Review
By Chris Morris
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Robust building sim doesn't get bogged down in details.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Virtual City
What's It About?
A stranded motorist is informed she has inherited a trucking company. She must manage her company well to help the city thrive. Kids tap on the garage to buy trucks and determine routes. Each level includes goals like transporting pies to a neighboring city or improving the environment with a recycling plant. Kids must repair and maintain resources as well as create new ones.
Is It Any Good?
VIRTUAL CITY manages to take the best aspects of the Sim City franchise and strip those out for a portable gaming audience. The game is challenging, but not impossible -- and gives players the choice between playing a task-driven game or building a city in any manner they choose. The game looks great, and developers have clearly taken pains to optimize the app for the iPad's larger screen in the HD version of the app. The larger screen makes it easier to control the game, particularly when there's a lot happening at once -- but it comes at a higher cost than the phone version, which is virtually the same.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Take kids to tour a local trucking company.
Help kids plant a tree in your neighborhood.
Encourage kids to plan and budget for gift giving or personal expenses.
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android , Kindle Fire , Nook HD
- Subjects : Hobbies : building , Language & Reading : following directions , reading comprehension , Social Studies : the economy , Math : money , statistics , subtraction
- Skills : Thinking & Reasoning : analyzing evidence , decision-making , Self-Direction : achieving goals , effort , time management , working efficiently , Creativity : combining knowledge
- Pricing structure :
- Release date : December 13, 2011
- Genre : Simulation Games
- Publisher : G5 Entertainment
- Version : 1.1
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 3.2 or later; Android 2.1 and up
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
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