Common Sense Media Review
By Marc Saltzman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Mild cartoon violence aplenty in TV tie-in game.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I Don't Know
What's It About?
Based on the animated Adventure Time television series, ADVENTURE TIME: EXPLORE THE DUNGEON BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW lets you play as your favorite characters from the show, including Finn, Jake, Ice King, Marceline, and many more. With the exception of the Nintendo 3DS version, up to four gamers can play cooperative multiplayer on the same TV or PC; it's the first Adventure Time game that lets you play as multiple characters in the co-op mode. The story -- which has our heroes traverse a deadly 100-level dungeon to fight evil -- was penned by TV series creator Pendleton Ward and features all the voice actors from the hit show.
Is It Any Good?
It's certainly not the best game of the year, but younger fans of the TV series should enjoy slaying enemies together with up to three siblings or friends in front of the same television or computer screen (note: the Nintendo 3DS game is virtually the same but without the multiplayer element). Choosing to play as your favorite character from the show -- such as stretchy Jake or brave Finn -- is a blast, though there's a bit of redundancy between the dungeons, and the game's pixelated "retro" visuals won't appeal to everyone. As you work toward saving Candy Kingdom, gamers also can unlock a ton of extra content, new characters and abilities, and some secrets along the way. Silly and quirky like the TV show it's based on, Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I Don't Know isn't a bad co-op adventure -- especially for the relatively low price of admission.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Does mild violence in a video game make kids more violent in real life? Or does this fantastic, cartoon-like setting distance itself enough from the real world? Parents might consider reading CSM's report entitled Media and Violence: An Analysis of Current Research.
Did you play this game because you like the TV show on which it's based?
Game Details
- Platforms : Nintendo Wii U , PlayStation 3 , Windows , Xbox 360
- Subjects : Language & Reading : following directions , Hobbies : collecting
- Skills : Thinking & Reasoning : applying information , decision-making , strategy , Self-Direction : achieving goals , time management , Collaboration : cooperation , meeting challenges together , teamwork
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : D3Publisher of America
- Release date : December 3, 2013
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Animals , Fantasy
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate