Parents' Guide to

Little Inferno

By Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Players burn possessions in dark, anti-consumerism puzzler.

Game Mac, Nintendo Wii U, Windows 2012
Little Inferno Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • Little Inferno Game: Screenshot #1
  • Little Inferno Game: Screenshot #2
  • Little Inferno Game: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 4 parent reviews

Hihihihidash
Hihihihidash Adult
December 31, 2021
age 6+

For kids

I know it’s very violent and it’s about burning possessions. But I’m a 21 year old man and I recently bought my 10 year old brother this game and when he was 5-7 he used to play it on my Laptop it’s very kid friendly and I don’t see how it could be 13+.

This title has:

Easy to play/use
Too much violence
loremi
loremi Adult
January 5, 2016
age 12+
Little Inferno is an addicting game that is geared towards older kids. It has great physics and is fun to play with, and it's fairly addicting. It can be mildly disturbing, and it has a couple things related to drugs and alcohol such as "Mommy Meds" and midlife crisis wine, but they're in there for humor. They're by no means advocating anything. It does have some environmental and anti-consumerism themes, but overall, the main message is, "Don't waste your life and time. Get out, meet people, explore. Use the time you have wisely. Make your life worthwhile." As for age, I'd recommend it for ages 12-13 and up. In short, it is an excellent indie game with a deep meaning, and is, in my opinion, worth every penny.

This title has:

Great messages
Easy to play/use
Too much violence
See all 4 parent reviews

What’s It About?

Players begin LITTLE INFERNO as lucky recipients of the titular product: a fireplace for kids in which children are encouraged to burn all of their possessions -- then buy more and burn those, too. As players continue feeding the fire they are rewarded with coins used to purchase more burnable objects from catalogues. If they burn specific objects at the same time they'll earn badges and unlock new catalogues. While this is going on, letters begin appearing in the mail from a mystery sender suggesting that there may be more to the activity of burning than meets the eye. The only way to learn more is to keep on buying and burning…

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4):
Kids say (6):

Made in part by two of the fellows who helped create indie hit World of Goo, Little Inferno is deceptive. On the surface it's simply a game with a slightly dark and sinister vibe about kids burning stuff. Dig a little deeper, though, and you'll find a sly, subversive commentary on our consumer culture and a dreary foretelling of its impact on the environment.

The most interesting thing about it, perhaps, is how much fun the simple act of burning stuff in the fireplace can be. There's really not much here beyond throwing things into a fireplace and watching them burn in different ways, but this activity is surprisingly mesmerizing, satisfying, and even a bit addictive. And what does that say about us, even if we are in on the joke? It's a decidedly unusual and weirdly engaging bit of interactive entertainment, but probably best appreciated by older players.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about consumerism. Buying and owning things can be fun, but how do you ensure you're not overdoing it? How do you know you aren't spending more money than you can afford on non-necessities?

  • Families can also discuss the environment. How long do you think our world can support billions of people obsessed with buying and disposing of non-essential objects? Do you think people should change?

Game Details

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