Common Sense Media Review
By Chris Morris
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fun, interactive storybook has less violence than the film.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Star Wars Journeys: The Phantom Menace
What's It About?
Players can read or listen to the story of The Phantom Menace, panning the screen back and forth to see everything being discussed and to unlock bonuses by tapping the screen. These bonuses begin to unlock biographies of characters in the story, something that can be completed by flying in pod races in a game portion of the app. In this area, players must maneuver a pod racer through one of three obstacle-filled courses, beating opponents and time trials by either using their device's accelerometer or through touch controls at the bottom of the screen.
Is It Any Good?
While Star Wars: The Phantom Menace is hardly a new film, it never had a decent storybook app. Disney does a good job of rectifying that with this, the first in its Star Wars: Journeys lineup. The story is told succinctly, and each page has enough interactive elements to keep young kids happy, without parents having to worry about the more violent moments of the film being recreated. The included pod racing game has varying degrees of difficulty, making it fun for both adults and kids. And the unlockable biographies of characters lend a sense of purpose to flying the races and hunting for unlockables in the story.
It's still the weakest of the Star Wars films, but it's a fun way for Star Wars obsessed kids to relive the film and participate in its most memorable moments as they wait for the next installment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the importance of family, and how Qui-Gon loved Anakin as a son even though they aren't related by blood.
Families can also discuss the story's violent moments and whether they were important to the story.
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android , Kindle Fire
- Pricing structure : Paid
- Release date : May 1, 2014
- Genre : Books
- Publisher : Disney
- Version : 1.1
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 6.0 or later
- Last updated : October 7, 2021
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