Parents' Guide to

Carnival Island

By Chris Morris, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Move controller makes all the fun of a carnival feel real.

Game PlayStation 3 2011
Carnival Island Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • Carnival Island Game: Screenshot #1
  • Carnival Island Game: Screenshot #2
  • Carnival Island Game: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 5+

Based on 1 parent review

babygoofball
babygoofball Adult
September 2, 2018
age 5+

Great for family fun

The games are simple enough for my 5 years old to learn, but difficult to master. You don't need to be great at the games to unlock contents, but insanely difficult challenges are available, so it's a game suitable for casual and hardcore gamers alike. The controls are sensible as well. You can play with only one move controller but it also supports multiple controllers if you have them. Recommended for anyone looking for relaxing mini games for the family.

This title has:

Easy to play/use
See all 1 parent review

What’s It About?

When two unnamed children find a pair of tickets to an island carnival, they discover it is in a state of disrepair, having lost its color and liveliness. As they play the mini-games, however, they restore the carnival to its previous magical state. Visually, this is shown by transforming it from a black and white (and grey) state to a colorful one that feels more alive. As players win stuffed animals, those companions come to life to cheer them on. Players can also play any game that supports multiple players from the Party mode (with up to four able to play at once).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (1):

The Midway makes a smooth transition to the PlayStation 3 in CARNIVAL ISLAND, with some familiar favorite games as well as modern spins on them to make them a bit livelier. The game is incredibly upbeat, which is a nice change of pace, but it's also a lot of fun for both kids and adults, making it a great family gaming choice. Instructions are spoken aloud, so kids who can't read still know what to do if they play by themselves, also. While it's easy to play for long stretches, adults might find the games to be a bit repetitive, even with the variations, but kids won't be able to get enough.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about which style of the classic carnival games do they like more -- the original version or the variations? Also, are the games more fun in a video game or when you're playing in real life?

  • Families can also talk about how these games cost money at a real carnival and why parents can't pay for endless replays, as is possible in this game.

  • This is an active game. Have you played others?

Game Details

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