Common Sense Media Review
By Paul Semel
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Twitchy, greedy, annoying game quickly crashes to earth.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Wind Rider!
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
WIND RIDER! doesn't have a story. While you're shown using a wing suit to fly over a city, and against other people that challenge you to fly close to buildings and mountains, you're never told why you're doing this. Are you a thrill seeker, or someone with a death wish? Who knows? Who cares: All players need to know is that they have to try to come in first place, beating their competition as quickly as possible without smashing into solid obstacles.
Is It Any Good?
While this could've been a fun and interesting arcade aerial racing game, its greediness in pushing ads and its constant glitches make it more frustrating than fun. In Wind Rider!, you don a wing suit and get into a race with computer-controlled opponents, but you'll only win if you fly through some circular targets. This is relatively easy to do, thanks to this game's simple touch controls; or rather, it would be if they worked right. This game constantly seizes up mid-flight, pausing for a fraction of a second before jumping ahead, which can mean the difference between threading the needle and slamming head first into a skyscraper.
It's also greedy, and allows you to buy your way to the winner's circle. Along with a banner ad that constantly runs along the bottom, and static ads on the main menu, there are video ads after each round you can watch to double your winnings, which you can then use to increase your maximum speed, your acceleration when you fly through a target, and the amount of money you earn per round. Even worse, while the game itself has no music or sound effects, the video ads do, and the video ads sometimes run even when you tell them not to. All of which makes Wind Rider! as irritating as it is disappointing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about advertising. This game has numerous ads throughout, including some that play when you don't want them to. Does this bother you, or do you accept it as part of mobile gaming? Why do you think the makers did this?
Do you think flying in a wing suit over a city or very close to buildings would be safe in real life? Do you think someone might get the wrong idea from this game?
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPad
- Pricing structure : Free
- Release date : September 27, 2018
- Genre : Racing Games
- Publisher : Voodoo
- Version : 1.63
- Minimum software requirements : Requires iOS 8.0 or later; Android 4.1 and up
- Last updated : March 29, 2021
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