Playbyte
By Chris Morris,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
An easy way to learn game creation, with some small risks.
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Playbyte
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What’s It About?
In PLAYBYTE, players are given the opportunity to create their own game in one of three general themes -- get to a goal, collect all items, or beat the boss. How creators guide players to these goals is up to them, as is the story they want to tell. They can add non-player characters (chosen from their phone's emojis). They can add obstacles and sound effects and determine what happens when the lead character (a smiling yellow emoji in a cowboy hat) collides with the environment or dies. The use of emoji in the game allows Playbyte to be inclusive and diverse, but it's ultimately up to the player to ensure that games are. Completed games are available for anyone to play, accessed much like Tik Tok videos, with the player scrolling up and down on their phone or tablet to find one that interests them. Feedback can be left in the form of hearts or comments. Users can also follow their favorite makers to get alerts when they create new games.
Is It Any Good?
Encouraging STEM skills in kids without it being preachy can be challenging, but this app succeeds in making coding interesting and fun, without seeming like an extension of schoolwork. Game creation in Playbyte is easy, but once you've played a few titles from people who have mastered the skill, you'll want to make your own creations more involved and challenging. You might want to beef up the story element. Or you might want to start over and create a new title in a different universe. While it's nice to get hearts and comments, the real joy is in creation, which is a nice change of pace.
The games themselves are rudimentary by design, but that doesn't mean they can't be fun. And because they utilize a smiling, cowboy hat-wearing emoji as the hero, they're accessible to pretty much anyone. Non-player characters, companions and other faces on screen are emojis, which can be set to a wide variety of races. There's the possibility you'll encounter harsh language or inappropriate content, since it's all user-generated content, but the reporting system is easy to understand and most games included don't aim to shock its players. Overall, Playbyte is fun -- and it makes learning fun. And these days, that's a rare combination.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the thought process that goes into creating a game. Where do you get inspiration -- and how do you make it your own?
What do you do if you see something iffy or upsetting online? What do you think your reaction might be? How should kids (and adults) handle something they find to be questionable in a game or on a website?
App Details
- Devices: iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad
- Pricing structure: Free
- Release date: October 5, 2021
- Category: Other
- Topics: STEM
- Publisher: Playbyte Inc.
- Version: 1.5
- Minimum software requirements: Requires iOS 14.0 or later
- Last updated: October 20, 2021
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
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