Slugterra: Dark Waters
Freemium sci-fi shooter is fun but doesn't stand out.
Slugterra: Dark Waters
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Slugterra: Dark Waters is a freemium sci-fi action-adventure game based on a TV show where players control a variety of characters through alien worlds using weapons that shoot a variety of cute slug-like creatures as ammunition. It's possible to play through the game without ever spending any real-world cash, but players will probably have to watch plenty of advertisements and grind through the same battles many times to earn enough coins to buy power-ups. The game's violence is cartoonish and doesn't feature any kind of gore, but it's impossible to play without killing some enemies. Be sure to take a look at the app's privacy policy for information on the kinds of data are collected, stored, and used by the developer.
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What’s It About?
SLUGTERRA: DARK WATERS is an action-adventure shooter game based on the animated TV show Slugterra. Players control Eli Shane, a slug-slinger who uses a variety of blaster weapons to fire slugs as ammunition at his enemies -- minions of the evil Dr. Blakk -- as they try to capture the slugs for their own weapons. Along the way, Eli gains companions and power-ups to help him on his quest. The game features a combination of tap-to-move adventuring and third-person combat. Much of the content is free or can be purchased with in-game coins, which can be collected during story missions, but players can buy most power-ups, items, and multipliers in the store using in-app purchases.
Is It Any Good?
Overall, this is a successful action game, but it's not as exciting or innovative as other options. The game's story is fleshed out enough to drive the missions, but it ultimately feels pretty shallow and a bit self-contradictory: Eli's fighting to keep the slugs from being weaponized, all while using weaponized slugs himself. Combat doesn't take much skill, which makes the game pretty accessible but doesn't give the same satisfaction as something more complex. The game's art and environments are well done, but everything feels a bit like we've seen it before. In short, it's solid enough and no doubt will delight fans of the series, but newcomers might get bored quickly.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about limits on in-app purchases and putting in time doing repetitive tasks to earn rewards vs. paying to get them immediately. What are your rules about buying online?
Also discuss the use of violence in exploration and resolving conflict. Do all adventures have to include violence, or are there other ways of dealing with danger on new frontiers? Is it OK to use violence and destruction if it means saving a companion or helping people?
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire
- Pricing structure: Free (with optional in-app purchases)
- Release date: April 21, 2016
- Category: Action Games
- Topics: Adventures, Space and Aliens, Wild Animals
- Publisher: Apps Ministry
- Version: 1.5.0
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 9.1 or later; Android 4.0 and up
- Last updated: July 11, 2020
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