Disney Build It: Frozen
By Mieke VanderBorght,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Limited builder may be beloved by fans; prepare to spend.

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Disney Build It: Frozen
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What’s It About?
Kids build and decorate a snow globe in DISNEY BUILD IT: FROZEN. Four worlds -- only one of which comes with the initial purchase -- offer building choices from ice castles to various log cabin-like structures. Building consists of dragging an available structure to a clear area and dropping it. Once they choose a building, kids pick from three colors that are assigned randomly to various parts of their new building. Each building also has a few special features that kids drag from a dock to specified spots. Once finished, kids get bonus items such as snowmen, trees, and more. Then they watch as characters (Elsa and Sven are free) randomly wander around the snow globe or request specific building projects. Other areas and characters in the snow globe are available through in-app purchases.
Is It Any Good?
Kids have disappointingly few opportunities for real creative expression in this highly prescriptive, Frozen-branded app. Certainly, kids who love everything Frozen will enjoy the chance to enter into the Frozen fantasy world. Unfortunately, there's no narrative to carry kids along, and the building opportunities leave little room for personalization or creativity. For example, there are often only two options for building decorations, and they can be positioned only in predetermined places. The building process also doesn't always make sense: Often it's entirely unclear what the decoration choices even are supposed to be. Or, why choose colors before making the building? And why not have any control over where each color goes? Once it's built, there's no way to interact with the characters or buildings other than to drag them to new areas. One upside is that combining props in groups of four creates something new -- four little ponds make a big pond -- so there's some novelty to keep kids going. While kids may have fun making choices and responding to character "requests" for new structures, they'll inevitably want to see what the other areas and characters offer, so if you download this one, be prepared to spend more than the purchase price and don't expect your kid to have much control or creative opportunities.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about your rules about in-app purchases. Are they allowed to buy more content? Make sure your expectations are clear before downloading.
Talk to your kids about branding. Why are they interested in this game? Would they be as interested if it didn't feature familiar characters? Why do companies make so many products with highly beloved characters?
Encourage kids to build off the screen or draw it using blocks or paper and crayons. They can imagine their own Frozen-themed universe or come up with something entirely unique.
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
- Pricing structure: Paid (with optional in-app purchases)
- Release date: March 10, 2016
- Category: Entertainment
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More
- Publisher: Disney
- Version: 1.0
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 7.0 or later
- Last updated: July 26, 2016
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