Shockwave

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Fun, free games -- but be prepared for some product plugs.
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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Learning2
Best: Really engaging, great learning approach.
Very Good: Engaging, very good learning approach.
Good: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
Fair: Somewhat engaging, okay learning approach.
Not for Learning : Not recommended for learning.
Not for Kids: Not age-appropriate for kids; not recommended for learning.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that although some games feature violence -- for example, driving over zombies in a hearse -- most Shockwave games are pretty tame. You need to register to comment on the games; however, you can play them for free. Kids need to be 13 or older to sign up for a free membership. And they only get one shot: Enter anything younger than 13 and then try to register again with an older age once, and you'll be denied.

  • Some games involve zombies, vampires, and other creepy characters; in others, players shoot cannons. But the violence typically isn’t very gory.
  • A streaking game features a character with a black bar over his groin area trying to avoid getting caught while running through sporting events.
  • The site says posts that aren’t “R-rated” will appear shortly after being submitted -- which sounds like they’re being reviewed. However, words like “damn” and creative spellings like “f***ck” can slip through. Users are able to report abuse.
  • Ads for cable TV/Internet services, cell phones, and other products are on each page, and many free games are preceded by ads. Some games are also based on book and movie characters.
  • Users can connect to the site through their Facebook account, but you don’t need to register or enter personal information to play free games that are housed on the site. Account settings automatically make your friend list and site activity public and allow friend requests from other Shockwave members, unless you manually uncheck the options. Even if you do, according to the site’s privacy policy, your site behavior and other user info may be tracked and shared with third parties.

What kids can learn

2

Kids can learn basic skills like spelling, reading, problem solving, and patterns by playing games on the site that focus on those skills. Game categories include puzzles, strategy, time management, and words, so skill-based games are easy to find. The "Family & Kids" section has skills-based games for younger kids. Focused on fun, Shockwave has hidden educational gems.

Subjects
  • Arts
  • Hobbies
Skills
  • Emotional Development
  • Communication
  • Collaboration
  • Responsibility & Ethics
  • Tech Skills
  • Health & Fitness

What's it about?

SHOCKWAVE -- owned by Viacom, which also owns MTV and Nickelodeon -- features more than 1,800 word puzzles, car racing, and other games. Games are either played directly on the site or downloaded. Easy-to-understand instructions are available on each page; however, most young users should be able to figure out how to play without having to read anything. Registered users can share their thoughts about games in comment posts. Basic registration is free; paid memberships offer extra amenities, including ad-free games. 


Is it any good?

 

SHOCKWAVE.COM was founded in 1998 and has been owned by MTV/Nickelodeon’s parent company Viacom since 2006. Users can play strategy, adventure, word puzzle, and other games for free on the site -- although there’s a 60-minute daily limit -- or pay to download individual games (prices start at 99 cents). You can also opt for a paid subscription, available for $9.95 a month or $59.40 a year, to ensure kids will bypass the site’s frequent ads. And Mac users, take note: Many of the downloadable games only work on PCs.


Explore, discuss, enjoy

  • Families can talk about how some of the site games start out with a commercial. But there's other advertising on the site, too. Did you notice companies promoting their products on the site in other ways?

  • Can you play games and use a site like this where there are a lot of ads without feeling like you have to buy anything?

  • Should you set time limits on using a site that offers dozens of games? How much time is too much time to spend online? How can you mix up time using the Web with time playing outside or doing other activities?


This review of Shockwave was written by

What kids can learn

2

Kids can learn basic skills like spelling, reading, problem solving, and patterns by playing games on the site that focus on those skills. Game categories include puzzles, strategy, time management, and words, so skill-based games are easy to find. The "Family & Kids" section has skills-based games for younger kids. Focused on fun, Shockwave has hidden educational gems.


Subjects
  • Language & Reading: following directions, letter or word recognition
  • Math: patterns, sequences
  • Science: physics
  • Social Studies:
  • Arts:
  • Hobbies:
Skills
  • Thinking & Reasoning: solving puzzles, strategy
  • Creativity:
  • Self-Direction: identifying strengths and weaknesses, time management
  • Emotional Development:
  • Communication:
  • Collaboration:
  • Responsibility & Ethics:
  • Tech Skills:
  • Health & Fitness:

What's it about?

SHOCKWAVE -- owned by Viacom, which also owns MTV and Nickelodeon -- features more than 1,800 word puzzles, car racing, and other games. Games are either played directly on the site or downloaded. Easy-to-understand instructions are available on each page; however, most young users should be able to figure out how to play without having to read anything. Registered users can share their thoughts about games in comment posts. Basic registration is free; paid memberships offer extra amenities, including ad-free games. 


How kids will learn

Kids can learn basic physics through games like Dragonbomb and Rolling Tires, and business and math in House Flip. Spell words with random letters to win in Word Sailing. Other games reinforce memory, logic, and reasoning in a fun and engaging way. Several sections include a mix of just-for-fun games and activities that reinforce language and other abilities.

 


How parents can help

  • Play one of the site’s more academic games with kids.
  • Challenge kids to a multiplayer game and discuss online interaction/safety.
  • Explain the real-world concepts behind games (like Dragonbomb’s focus on physics).
     

This review of Shockwave was written by
Kid, 9 years old
April 5, 2011
 
Depends....
You see it has everything you can think of. From diner games to violent games.
What other families should know:

Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 9 years old
September 11, 2011
 
Know your kid
Its a good site if your kids know which games not to play. Not for like 6- 8 year olds without a parent watching the whole time.
What other families should know:

Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 10 years old
September 11, 2011
 
Kisharoo's Review on Shockwave.
Personally, as a young ten year old child, I DO play the game. However, my mother looked over the website and told me which games I could and could not play. The shooting and violence games are ones that I recomend that children under 13 should stay away from. Trust me. The games are fun, and a few have an educational value. The Moderators look over every review post! It's very safe, because you can only review a game - you can't send "Personal Messages". You can have friends, but that's harmless since you can't chat with them unless you are very clever. I do have an account, but I just lied about my age;; no biggie. My mother supervises me while I play the games, and if the picture of a game has bad clothing, or bad content, I don't play it. I recomend that you should KNOW your child. Are they more emotional? Are they scared of gore or blood? Moderate what they play, and set guidelines. Some of the games can be inapproperiate, but you can still let them play, and tell them that if they play a certain game, that they will be punished. That they will not be allowed to play the game anymore. I am mature and smart for my age. If your children AREN'T like that, then you should think twice before letting them play the games {{If they are also younger than 13}}. Pretty much, if they can look at PG-13 movies or television shows, and love it, then they can handle this. The internet always has iffy things for children of ANY age. Teach them what to do and what to NOT do, and tell them to ask you before signing up for anything. To me, it's really fun! There are new games every week! Just ignore the ads, since some of them may be iffy, and ignore the things telling you to pay. If you do pay, however, it's not a bad price! ~Kishy
What other families should know:

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Kid, 11 years old
May 30, 2011
 
Amazing for mature people of any age
Great Games
What other families should know:

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Kid, 11 years old
April 29, 2011
 
Pathetic!
I HATE THIS WEBSITE!!!!!!! They always swear such as "b---h", "h--l", "s--t", "pi--y", "c--k", "bulls--t", "a-s", "crap", "poop", "butt", "sucks", "holy s--t", "d--n", "d---k", "d--k" and without ultimate safe chat, people can type all of those swears and even the f-word! It is a game where all you do is get a stupid avatar and make it get drunk and then shoot people with a gun! If you are somebody who hates the new shows on nickelodeon, than you probably hate this website with one of the most pathetic games on the internet!
What other families should know:

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Kid, 10 years old
May 30, 2012
 
Learning1
Great for responsible kids.
This site does have a little mix of good and bad games, but nothing too bad! Just have an adult you trust pick out the games you can play! I noticed ads, they were annoying! And language? Some people in the comments. You can report them though! Have fun on this site!
What other families should know:

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This review of Shockwave was written by
This review of Shockwave was written by

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