Stage Fright
By Christy Matte,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Cute monsters with gentle messages with two payments.
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Stage Fright
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What’s It About?
STAGE FRIGHT is a singing game show where monsters sing for your approval. Choose one of the 10 monsters (in the fully unlocked version) and watch them perform. There are plenty of things to tap on and discover while you watch. At the end of the song, choose a green or red sign to show whether you liked the performance or not, and you'll see either a celebration or a monster prank. Each monster has a different theme: One sings about not eating everything in sight while kids can tap objects to have him eat them (the app keeps track of how many of each you choose). Another lonely monster just wants to hang out with his balloon friends, but he's too sharp and they pop when they get close. A third monster wants to eat ice cream but needs kids to help her catch the scoops as they fly through the air. Choosing red or green signs doesn't change anything other than the ending of the performance.
Is It Any Good?
The singing monsters are adorable and their messages are generally positive, but the lyrics may be hard for some kids to understand, and parents may not expect to pay twice. Stage Fright is like the musical version of an eBook: There's a basic level of interaction, but no overarching activity (i.e., you never get to crown a winner). As such, there's a lot of repetition. Still, there's plenty to amuse, discover, and entertain little ones, and the experience is feel-good, even when monsters get the red sign. If there's a big complaint, it's the approach of asking parents to pay for an app and then requiring an additional purchase to unlock the bulk of the content (7 out of 10 of the monsters). If you get past that, however, you'll no doubt end up with delighted giggles as one monster swallows a dump truck or another one comes out to toss Halloween candy toward a performer. Overall, Stage Fright is simply silly fun and kids will gobble it right up.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about being different as they talk about the monsters in Stage Fright. Have you ever felt different or left out? Why? What could you do if you saw that a friend was feeling different or left out?
Talk to your kids about screen use and limits. How can kids enjoy digital media in balance with other activities?
Challenge kids to write their own songs about being themselves. What would the music sound like? What are the lyrics?
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
- Pricing structure: Paid ($0.99 for the app with 3 monsters, additional $2.99 to unlock the remaining 7 monsters)
- Release date: October 26, 2017
- Category: Kids' Games
- Topics: Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires, Music and Sing-Along
- Publisher: Nerd Communications
- Version: 1.0.1
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 6.0 or later
- Last updated: November 22, 2017
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