Parents' Guide to Family Farm Adventure

Players oversee a number of activities in this app, ranging from planting, harvesting, and selling corn to embarking on a quest for a certain type of flower. Many tasks in Family Farm Adventure are tied to a character's needs and contain more than one element that needs to be completed for players to collect stars, coins, or other payment. Some building and other work takes place in the background in timed increments.

The game has an admirably generous approach to doling out in-app currency for at least the initial levels. Just as your energy seems like it's going to run out, the game may prompt you, for instance, to check the juice bar to find more, allowing you to continue without having to wait or buy anything with actual cash. Performing work in different parts of the island offers a change of scenery, and the game graphics in general feature a nice amount of detail. The main character is shown hacking away bushes once you agree to pay a certain amount of energy for that to be done, for example. Increasingly challenging activities crop up as you advance, such as being asked to clear orange trees that are hidden under fog, which requires you to remove nearby brush to find them. Players also will be responsible for following up on some tasks throughout the game -- such as assembling a bouquet with the sunflowers you've grown and harvested to fulfill a customer's request. While new, potentially ongoing activities like that are clearly introduced, players don't always get a reminder about them -- so they'll need to use time management skills and initiative to get everything done. The gameplay, though, doesn't feel overwhelming. There's a digestible amount of things to do, and completing items earns gamers rewards and other positive reinforcement -- which could potentially help make their Family Farm Adventure experience something that takes root and grows over time.