Parents' Guide to

Machinarium

By Chris Morris, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Challenging robot adventure surprises with touching story.

App iPad Puzzle Games
Machinarium Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • Machinarium App: Screenshot #1
  • Machinarium App: Screenshot #2
  • Machinarium App: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 5+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Rogelio Marrero Youtube
Rogelio Marrero Youtube Adult
October 6, 2021
age 2+

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=machinarium+

This title has:

Easy to play/use
1 person found this helpful.
luzdubos
luzdubos Parent
December 23, 2015
age 8+

Brain tester

My 8 year old kid love it. Some puzzles are really hard, but with the hints and guide, they can be easily solved, so the kid does not get bored if his stuck. I have to confess I also play it and it was very fun. We spent quite some time thinking and talking about how to solve some of the puzzles and minigames. A lovely game!

This title has:

Easy to play/use
1 person found this helpful.
See all 2 parent reviews

What’s It About?

Using only clever animation and in-game sound effects, kids will have to determine exactly what the problem is and how best to solve it as they work their way through the adventure/puzzle adventure Machinarium. For players who get particularly stuck, the game offers one hint per level. In one early level, for instance, players will have to get past a guard by using scattered trash to create a fake uniform.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (6):

MACHINARIUM is unlike anything you've played in the app store. Its minimalist interface and hand-drawn graphics might catch your eye, but its clever story and sly humor make it unforgettable. It's a point-and-click adventure/puzzle game -- and those puzzles can be real brain stumpers -- but it's one with heart and emotion that's communicated through subtle, understated means, a rarity in this over-the-top gaming world. The game, originally released on PC, won several awards from respected industry sites -- and it makes a wonderfully smooth transition to iOS devices.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • When kids are stuck, offer suggestions on different ways to think about the problem.

  • Let kids know that the kind of creative thinking they're using in the game is helpful in real life, too. Remind them that when a problem seems insurmountable, there may be a creative solution.

App Details

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