Clash Royale
Common Sense says
- iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android
- Free
- Strategy Games
Parents say
Kids say
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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 Clash Royale is a "freemium" tower-defense game that pits players against other real-world opponents in a medieval cartoon battle. It's tough to play the game without a great deal of patience or real money because rewards and upgrades require either lots of time or cash to unlock. There's also in-game, unmoderated chat that lets players communicate directly with one another; during the review period we saw lots of swearing and sharing of personal information. Read the app's privacy policy to get a sense of what kinds of data are collected and shared by the developer.
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User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
BAD GAME
Please stop!
Stop Being Salty and learn how to play
It's a really good game.
What's it about?
CLASH ROYALE is a real-time action strategy game where players choose from a deck of cards featuring a variety of medieval fantasy combatants to attack enemy towers and defend their own from real-world opponents doing the same. Gameplay involves simply dragging desired cards onto the battlefield to spawn characters, at the cost of an ever-regenerating magical elixir. Destroying an opponent's main tower or the most minor towers at the end of each two-minute battle results in a chest full of gold, gems, and character cards, which can all be used to make better decks and upgrade to stronger combatants. Outside of battle, players can unlock loot chests (either by waiting a preset amount of time or by paying gems to open immediately), customize battle decks, join a clan of fellow players to chat and donate or request specific cards, or visit the in-game shop to buy more cards, upgrades, or in-game currency.
Is it any good?
As a way to kill some time and get a quick thrill, it succeeds; however, it's designed to be addictive with its balance of free and paid content, fast adrenaline rushes, and the promise of rewards. Unlike some others of its kind, this incarnation of the pay-or-wait strategy incorporates card collection and special powers, which adds some interest. Yet the entertainment value is fleeting and as frequently frustrating as it is exciting. There are many better fantasy games, better tower-defense games, and better card-based strategy games out there but none that keep players itching for a fix half as effectively as Clash Royale does.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about protecting yourself online. What kinds of information are and are not OK to share with strangers on the Internet? How should kids respond when someone makes them feel threatened or uncomfortable?
Talk about your rules about in-app purchases and waiting vs. paying. Can your teen buy upgrades or pay to avoid waiting? What's the value in learning to wait?
Discuss good sportsmanship and patience in the face of defeat when you can't see your opponent in person, as Clash Royale features no shortage of one-sided games and rude players. (Especially if your kids seem like they're into massively online games, this could start a good conversation about how not to be one of "those" players.)
App details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android
- Price: Free
- Pricing structure: Free (with in-app purchases)
- Release date: March 3, 2016
- Category: Strategy Games
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Size: 109.00 MB
- Publisher: Supercell
- Version: 1.2.2
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 7.0 or later; Android 4.0.3 and up
- Last updated: October 14, 2019
Themes & Topics
For kids who love strategy games
Our editors recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.