Pocket Build
By Christy Matte,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Build without boundaries in Minecraft-style sandbox.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this app.
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Pocket Build
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Based on 1 parent review
Very fun
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What’s It About?
POCKET BUILD is a sandbox building app where kids collect resources and then use them to buy characters, buildings, trees, and other objects to decorate their worlds. The characters collect more resources (wood, food, gold) to purchase more items. There's also a "sandbox mode" where kids have all items unlocked (no need to save). Kids can start with a range of worlds starting from completely empty to having a homestead. They can add all sorts of objects and creatures, including goblins, dragons, and giants to make whatever type of environment they can imagine. The characters have automation features that may have them working, dancing, or just roaming around. This adds some life to the worlds so kids don't have to micromanage everything. For those who want to experience their words first-hand, there's a first person mode where kids navigate as one of the characters and can chop trees and collect food. If kids want to collaborate, there are other user-generated worlds to explore or add to a personal account so kids can build on each other's world, and kids can share their own worlds, too.
Is It Any Good?
This app lets kids build without goals, time limits, or outside pressure. Pocket Build is relaxing, low-key, and somewhat mesmerizing. Whether you work for your resources and spend them wisely, or unlock it all in sandbox mode, there's simply no stress to get anything in particular done. Now, this isn't for everyone. Some kids prefer concrete tasks to complete so they feel like they are progressing. Pocket Build isn't for those kids. But for those who like lining everything up "just so," and picking out just the right tree for a particular outcropping, this will occupy them for hours on end. There are some drawbacks, however. It's hard to tell what some objects are, placing things doesn't always go as intended, and mining is painfully slow early on, but those are easily overlooked as you watch your characters dance or chop wood. All in all, this little game is delightful in its simplicity.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about saving up resources for bigger purchases in Pocket Build and similar apps. Are there some examples of times you do that in your family? What do you save for?
How do you like this app in comparison with other apps you could play? As you balance your time on- and offscreen, would this be an app you'd choose to use? Why or why not?
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: spatial reasoning, Creativity: imagination, making new creations, Collaboration: cooperation
- Pricing structure: Paid ($1.99)
- Release date: February 4, 2020
- Category: Simulation Games
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures
- Publisher: MoonBear LTD
- Version: 2.96
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 9.0 or later
- Last updated: February 26, 2020
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