The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition

App review by Christopher Healy, Common Sense Media
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 12+

Adventure game with witty, complex written instructions.

iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad Role-Playing Games
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Parents say

age 12+

Based on 1 review

Kids say

age 11+

Based on 1 review

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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 The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition is a remake of a popular old PC game, but with new painted graphics and added voiceover acting. (The "Special Edition" refers to the ability to switch back and forth between the new updated version and the old pixelly, soundless version.) The story involves a naive young man's quest to become a pirate, which requires him to become a thief, swordsman, and treasure hunter. The plot has some mature themes (mostly involving intimated lust between the hero and the female governor) and some slapstick violence. The humor in the game, while not necessarily inappropriate, will probably go over the head of younger players. Some parents might find the swordfighting scenes problematic, in that you must win a duel by insulting your opponent ("You make me want to puke!" etc.). The villains of the tale are a band of ghost pirates, but they're not presented as being all too scary.

Community Reviews

Madi1001
Madi1001 Adult
January 16, 2011
age 12+

Great game for lots of ages.

Constantly you have to think logically about what to do next to continue the game's storyline, but the game itself is fun, creative, and exciting. A must get!
See all 1 parent review

Is It Any Good?

The script for THE SECRET OF MONKEY ISLAND: SPECIAL EDITION is incredibly witty and pokes fun at not only pirate cliches, but also at the common conventions of computer games. There are many laugh-out-loud moments. The real fun of the game is in figuring out what to do next at any given point in the story -- something which is unfortunately hard to do sometimes. There are also points when the game moves incredibly slowly: Some of your tasks seem endless (especially learning to swordfight), and it always feels like whatever you need to get is all the way on the other side of the island. Far too much time is spent walking from place to place. Still, if you're willing to invest the time, the story is great fun and the game itself is a classic that worth experiencing.

App Details

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