Common Sense Media Review
By Chris Morris
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Glitchy app a disappointing tie-in to Olympic Games.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
London 2012 - Official Mobile Game
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
First, kids create their avatar, choosing hairstyles, skin tone, and more. They then compete in a variety of Olympic sports (mostly track and field and swimming-related) by tapping and swiping the screen. For the 100-meter dash, for instance, kids tap the screen as fast as they can with alternating thumbs. You need stamina for efficient training (and to compete in medal events), and you have a limited amount. Once you're out of it, it takes 10 minutes to recharge. False starts result in an immediate disqualification -- and lost stamina.
Is It Any Good?
London 2012 - Official Mobile Game strives to be the heir apparent to Wii Sports and the arcade classic Track & Field. Unfortunately, it falls short of that goal. It's certainly entertaining to pound your device's screen with your fingers/thumbs, but the game's responsiveness is average (and not where it needs to be for a reflex title like this). And the tacked-on in-app purchase elements seem like an obvious money-grab (a premium version provides more currency, stamina, and experience points).
Also, the app is plagued with minor technical glitches that are annoyances. If you're going to play, get the free version.
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android
- Subjects : Hobbies : sports
- Skills : Health & Fitness : gross motor skills
- Pricing structure :
- Release date : July 13, 2012
- Genre : Sports Games
- Publisher : NEOWIZ Internet Corp.
- Version : 1.0.3
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 4.0 or later; Android 2.2 and up
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
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