Cars Toon: Mater's Tall Tales
Parents say
Based on 3 reviews
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Cars Toon: Mater's Tall Tales
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 suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that the plot to Cars Toon: Mater's Tall Tales is essentially one long running gag about fibbing. Mater's stories are so outrageous that no one believes him, but the players are given some room to wonder if he might be telling the truth. The games themselves feature some moments of danger that might be too intense for very young children, but on the whole they are quite kid-friendly.
Community Reviews
Disappointing
Report this review
Way too easy for my six year old.
Report this review
What’s It About?
CARS TOON: MATER'S TALL TALES is a video game adaptation of a series of Pixar cartoons that feature characters from the movie Cars. Mater the towtruck treats his friends to hard-to-believe stories that are supposedly from his own history, and those tall tales are acted out in a series of mini-games. Players create their own car characters that join Mater in his flashbacks, working alongside him as heroes in his stories. Over the course of the five "tall tales," you'll get to put out fires, perform stunts, dodge bulldozers, race against "ninja cars," flee from UFOs, and more. With coins you earn after each game, you can customize your vehicle with cool, flashy, or goofy accessories.
Is It Any Good?
You might not expect much from a video game based on a cartoon based on a movie, but Cars Toon: Mater's Tall Tales is a fun and very well put together collection of mini-games for young kids. Experienced gamers might well think of the activities here as being too simple, but they're not really the intended audience. Young kids (and their parents) who are looking for an enjoyable, not-too-daunting gaming experience will get a major treat from this game. The thirty mini-games available here offer a load of variety and a surprising amount of originality. And the customization feature offers a very nice reward system -- doling out coins to all the players, not just the winner.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about lying. What is the difference between a "tall tale" and a lie? Is one worse than the other? Is it ever okay to lie?
Also, this game is designed for families to play together. Can video games be a good activity for parents and children to experience together? How can playing games together help family relationships?
Game Details
- Platform: Nintendo Wii
- Available online?: Not available online
- Publisher: Disney Interactive
- Release date: October 19, 2010
- Genre: Mini-games
- ESRB rating: E for Cartoon Violence
- Last updated: August 30, 2016
Our Editors Recommend
-
Cars: Mater-National Championship
Fun and accessible racing game for kids.
-
MySims Racing
All-ages kart racer is fun on the Wii, better on the DS.
-
Madagascar Kartz
Amiable movie tie-in racer offers chaotic fun and laughs.
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