Common Sense Media Review
By Paul Semel
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Simple but challenging physics-based arcade game.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Rider
Privacy Rating Warning
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
What's It About?
There's no story to RIDER. Instead, you have to ride a Tron-looking motorcycle over a jump-filled course as far as you can -- the kicker being that holding your finger on your tablet or phone's screen not only sends your bike forward but, when it's in mid-air, also rotates the bike counter-clockwise. The hope is that you'll spin it far enough around so that it lands on its wheels, not on its roof or edges, since the latter will cause it to explode, ending your turn. It's a lot trickier than it sounds, but that's what makes this physics-based arcade game so fun.
Is It Any Good?
While this physics-based arcade game may seem simple, it actually has a lot of variety and challenge where it counts. In Rider, you have to drive a motorcycle as far as you can on a course full of jumps. The kicker to this is that pressing your finger down on your phone or tablet's screen doesn't just make your bike go, it also makes it spin counter-clockwise when you take a jump. Just make sure you land upright, otherwise your motorcycle will explode, ending your turn. While this may sound simple enough, what keeps it challenging is that the tracks get progressively more complex, requiring you to do things that would be impossible in real life, such as driving up the inside of a loop-the-loop. There are also gems you can grab, spinning saw blades to avoid, and other hazards that may require you to give your bike a bit more juice. Which is why Rider serves as a cautionary tale of what not to do on a motorcycle, but also a fun way to spend time when you're not riding your bike.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about money management. Does it bother you that this game has so many ads? Do you think they did that so you'd pay for the ad-free version?
Discuss physics. What does Rider teach us about physics or about the physical world?
Talk about motorcycle safety. Given how often you crash and burn in this game, do you now understand why people should always wear helmets when riding motorcycles?
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android
- Pricing structure : Free
- Release date : February 13, 2018
- Genre : Action Games
- Publisher : Ketchapp
- Version : 1.2.1
- Minimum software requirements : Requires iOS 8.0 or later; Android 4.0.3 and up
- Last updated : June 19, 2019
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
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate