Common Sense Media Review
By Erin Bell
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Leisurely building sim with positive environmental message.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
GreenSpace
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
In GREENSPACE, players control a robot who has the daunting task of cleaning up a junk-infested planet -- one dirty diaper at a time -- and installing environmentally-friendly buildings, decorations, and power sources to make the planet inhabitable for humans again. New buildings produce resources, but only if they're attached to a power grid, which requires an extra layer of planning because players must clear junk in such a way as to accommodate the strategic placement of power grids.
Is It Any Good?
GreenSpace isn't just another "me too" building sim on Facebook -- it tries hard to set itself apart, and succeeds thanks to a few subtle but effective twists on the regular formula. There's not much of a story to motivate players, and the giant grid of junk can seem overwhelming at first, but GreenSpace gradually reveals itself as a game where players aim for slow, methodical progress. Once the junk is gone, it's gone, unlike many Facebook sims where debris and weeds must be constantly pruned back; and so there's a very real sense of accomplishment in changing one small patch of brown earth to healthy green grass and knowing that it will stay that way. By avoiding some of the dubious tricks designed to make Facebook games more addictive (like crops that wither, or debris that respawns), GreenSpace is actually a more enjoyable and "game-like" experience.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what "green energy" means, including some real-world examples, like wind mills and solar panels.
Families can also talk about initiatives to clean up garbage in their local communities, and make plans to join in!
Does playing games about community issues appeal to you? If so, why?
Game Details
- Platform : Facebook
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : RocketOwl
- Release date : December 6, 2011
- Genre : Simulation
- Topics : Robots
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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