BattleBlock Theater
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that BattleBlock Theater is a side-scrolling platformer and fighting game with cartoon violence. The player's small, block-like character can suffer a broad range of deaths, from slow drowning and electrocution to spike impalement and being swallowed whole by a reindeer raccoon. Tiny dry bones sometimes go flying after an avatar's death. Violence aside, it offers a positive social and cooperative gaming experience, encouraging up to four gamers to play and laugh together in the same room, as well as an outlet for digital creativity via a level editor.
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User Reviews
Interesting concept simply not up to snuff with Castle Crashers creator.
A positive game for kids
ages 10
What's it about?
Cartoony cats are portrayed as evil and sadistic in BATTLEBLOCK THEATER, a downloadable game for Xbox Live Arcade. The felines take a group of blocky protagonists prisoner when they wash up on the cats' strange island. The cats force the players' heroes to traverse dozens of deadly side-scrolling obstacle courses for their amusement, leaping over liquid-filled chasms, avoiding beams of electricity, and dealing with enemies ranging from kung fu kittens to weird reindeer raccoons, all the while keeping an eye out for gems, strawberries, and balls of yarn that can be used to buy new avatar items and offensive abilities in the prison gift shop. Beyond the campaign lies an arena mode containing eight team-based and competitive game types for up to four players, as well as a level editor that allows players to quickly and easily build and share their own challenges with players around the world.
Is it any good?
You're unlikely to find an XBLA game with more content than this polished little platformer. The story mode -- which has a wickedly funny narrator -- lasts nearly 10 hours and offers a very different experience if you play with friends, who can throw each other across gaps and help lug each other up onto high ledges.
The Arena mode, meanwhile, is essentially a Super Smash Bros. game in miniature, with no less than eight different modes, ranging from a world coloring challenge to king of the hill contests. And the easy-to-use level editor offers hours more fun, both in creating and sharing your own playlists of up to 15 themed levels and playing those crafted by other gamers. Even if only one of the game's three pillars of play appeals, it's still well worth the $15 investment.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about the impact of violence in media. This game features frequent violence, but it doesn't involve humans, is very cartoonish, and stops short of blood and gore (though players will see tiny bones). What age do you think it's appropriate for?
Families can also discuss social gaming. Do you like to play games alone or with friends? If the former, are there times you wish you could share your experience? If the latter, are you occasionally frustrated when your gaming pals keep you from doing what you want to do? Are there games that can satisfy both types of gamer at the same time?
Game details
- Platforms: Xbox 360
- Subjects: Hobbies: building, collecting
Arts: drawing - Skills: Collaboration: cooperation, meeting challenges together, teamwork
Tech Skills: digital creation, using and applying technology
Thinking & Reasoning: strategy - Price: $15.00
- Available online? Not available online
- Developer: Microsoft Studios
- Release date: April 3, 2013
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- ESRB rating: T for Blood, Violence, Crude Humor
For kids who love unusual games
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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.