Parents' Guide to Five Nights at Freddy's 3

Game Mac , Windows 2015
Five Nights at Freddy's 3 Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Chris Morris By Chris Morris , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 12+

More of the same, but just as scary as its predecessors.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 12+?

Any Positive Content?

  • Five Nights at Freddy's 3 Game: Screenshot #1
  • Five Nights at Freddy's 3 Game: Screenshot #2
  • Five Nights at Freddy's 3 Game: Screenshot #3

Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 17 parent reviews

Parents say that the game is a spooky and entertaining experience, particularly when played at night, but opinions vary on its appropriateness for younger players. While some reviews commend the game's fun story and new elements, others criticize it as being less scary than previous installments, with concerns about dark imagery and difficulty for younger audiences.

  • spooky gameplay
  • mixed reviews
  • dark imagery
  • age concerns
  • fun story
Summarized with AI
 

 

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age 11+

Based on 85 kid reviews

Kids say that while some enjoy the deeper lore and elements of terror in this installment, many find it to be the weakest in the series due to its easy mechanics and lack of truly effective scares. There is a mix of reactions to the game's violence, with some feeling it can be disturbing for younger audiences, especially regarding the backstory and designs of certain characters.

  • weakest in series
  • easy mechanics
  • mixed reactions
  • disturbing elements
  • deep lore
Summarized with AI
 

 

See all 85 kid reviews

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What's It About?

In FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S 3, you're once again the hapless security guard being stalked by zombie-like animatronic bad guys. This time, though, it's not at a pizzeria; it's at a horror-house attraction based on the incidents of the previous two games. There's only one enemy to worry about this time, Springtrap, but he's wily. (Other characters also appear and offer quick scary bursts, but they're not fatal in the game's world.) Springtrap will crawl through air shafts and explore rooms trying to find you while you attempt to monitor his activities and movements to distract him from your control panel. As usual, though, the cameras (and ventilation this time) are fuzzy -- and will need to be rebooted from time to time, giving Springtrap time to hide or attack.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 17 ):
Kids say ( 85 ):

The rapid pace of the sequels compared to the original Five Nights at Freddy's might make you worry about the quality of this installment. You shouldn't. The jump scares are just as terrifying now as they were the first time you saw them. Plus, there are enough subtle changes here that the game still feels fresh. (That's helped immensely by the well-thought-out story that's told by the phone calls you listen to.) The scares from older characters get a bit tiresome, though, since they don't serve the same purpose as in past games. But the gut-wrenching feeling you get when you spot Springtrap staring at you or drawing close to your location is terrifyingly real. And even if you see your own demise coming, you'll still jump when it happens. That the game is still able to make you do that after three rapid-fire installments is a testament to its quality.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about wanting to do or play something that's too grown-up. Why should you wait until you're older?

  • Talk about when it's fun to be scared -- and when it's not.

Game Details

  • Platforms : Mac , Windows
  • Pricing structure : Paid
  • Available online? : Available online
  • Publisher : Scott Cawthon
  • Release date : March 2, 2015
  • Genre : Survival Horror
  • Topics : Fantasy
  • ESRB rating : NR
  • Last updated : November 6, 2025

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Five Nights at Freddy's 3 Poster Image

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