Boom Karts
Once you get used to the controls, it's off to the races.
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Boom Karts
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Boom Karts is a racing game for iOS and Android devices. Despite the name, this isn't a violent game -- crashes, for instance, don't result in injury or damage. Players are periodically given weapons that they can aim at other players, though it's not required for success. If they run into walls or other items, they won't immediately die or damage their car, which can encourage them to try again and correct previous mistakes on the course. Players aren't forced to buy anything, but they can purchase in-app currency -- which they'll see some pop-up ads for -- in amounts that range from $1.99 to $99.99. Otherwise, there's no inappropriate content included in the game.
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What’s It About?
In BOOM KARTS, gamers race other players around a track in real time. They'll get bombs and other weapons to toss at objects and power-up items to help them drive faster. They steer using arrows on either side of the screen. If they hit something and spin, they'll see a warning if they get confused and start going the wrong way. As they try to complete island-themed and other courses, they may be able to use special moves, such as drifting, and will unlock new car models and other features as they advance levels.
Is It Any Good?
The controls in this racing game are fairly sensitive, so it may take some getting used to before you're successful, but once you do, there's a lot of fun to be had. It doesn't take much motion for your car to spin out, but players can get back on course fairly quickly in Boom Karts. If you have a hard time turning back in the right direction, the app will even automatically reset you to the middle of the course's lanes. Players also get to drive through different settings that generally feature decent graphics. They'll zoom over a bridge in a city scene, for instance, and weave through train tracks in a mining town.
The clothing gamers can unlock as they play isn't particularly necessary or exciting, but other elements, though, such as engines, will help with races. Weapons probably didn't need to be included -- you're moving too fast to use them much of the time, anyway, and being able to fire a rocket at another player doesn't exactly send a good sporting behavior message to younger players. The app gets some points for not locking players out of the game quickly to encourage them to spend some cash on extras, though. Driving into hot lava, water, and other potentially dangerous situations won't end a round, and players aren't given a limited number of lives, so they shouldn't find themselves having to repeat levels over and over again to try to get past them. They might not place first in each race -- but even if they don't, there's still plenty of fun to be had trying to get to the finish line in Boom Karts.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about safe driving and the kind of driving that's done in Boom Karts. What kinds of things can you do in games that would be too dangerous in real life?
Does it make sense to spend money on the experience if you can earn currency by playing the game? How can this be used as a lesson about spending and money management?
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android
- Pricing structure: Free to try
- Release date: January 18, 2022
- Category: Racing Games
- Topics: Cars and Trucks
- Publisher: Fingersoft
- Version: 1.12.0
- Minimum software requirements: Requires iOS 13.0 or later or Android 5.0 and up.
- Last updated: February 10, 2022
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