Common Sense Media Review
By Christopher Healy
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Toy-based game has surprisingly inappropriate material.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Playmobil Pirates
What's It About?
Captain One-Eye, the hero of PLAYMOBIL PIRATES, is a down-on-his-luck bucaneer who witnesses the kidnapping of a mermaid by corrupt soldiers and vows to rescue her. He must then journey from island to island, hunting down pieces of a treasure map that will help him find Blackbeard's treasure, which he can then use to buy a seacraft powerful enough to take on the soldiers' warship. Along the way, there are many mini-missions, including deep sea diving, tossing life preservers to shipwrecked pirates, gambling with skeletons, and engaging in trading games to earn money. The sea is open for exploration, allowing players to wander away from the linear storyline whenever they want to.
Is It Any Good?
As a pirate game, Playmobil Pirates, scores on many levels -- the storyline is original and intriguing, the seafaring exploration is enticing, the minigames are almost all a lot of fun. As a Playmobil game, though, it gives a parent pause, seeming far more mature than the average Playmobil fan. Rum, for instance, may be a big part of real pirate lore, but couldn't they have at least called it "grog" in the game? And when a line like, "Ask him where the damned wood is!" pops up, you have to wonder what they were thinking. In the end, Playmobil Pirates is a good game marketed to the wrong audience.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can discuss the ethics of a game in which authority is challenged by the "heroes." The pirates engage in criminal behavior, but they also perform heroic and selfless acts. The soldiers, who are normally seen as heroes, are here presented as kidnappers and thieves. Can we root for heroes who break rules and laws?
Parents can also talk to their children about gambling. What are the dangers of gambling? While it's possible to win big while gambling in the game, it's also possible to lose all the money you've worked to collect. Is gambling worth the risk? What about gambling in real life? Why is gambling in the real world illegal in most places?
Game Details
- Platforms : Nintendo DS , Nintendo DSi
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Dreamcatcher
- Release date : December 28, 2009
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : June 26, 2022
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