Parents' Guide to Terraria

Game PlayStation 3 , PlayStation Vita , Windows , Xbox 360 2013
Terraria Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Chad Sapieha By Chad Sapieha , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 11+

Finicky but fun Minecraft-style game set in a 2D world.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 11+?

Any Positive Content?

  • Terraria Game: Screenshot #1
  • Terraria Game: Screenshot #2
  • Terraria Game: Screenshot #3

Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 45 parent reviews

Parents say that the game offers a rich and engaging experience that includes exploration, crafting, and combat with a variety of bosses. While some reviews express concerns about mild violence and gore, many parents find it acceptable for children aged 9 or older, especially with options to disable certain effects, and they emphasize that it is not simply a clone of Minecraft, but rather a unique and complex game in its own right.

  • fun gameplay
  • mild violence
  • creative exploration
  • suitable for older kids
  • unique features
  • game settings
Summarized with AI
 

 

See all 45 parent reviews
age 9+

Based on 220 kid reviews

 

 

See all 220 kid reviews

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What's It About?

Clearly inspired by Minecraft, TERRARIA is a sandbox adventure game that is proudly without narrative or scripted objectives. Players are plopped into a two-dimensional world with nothing but a few tools and a will to live to see the next day. To that end, kids go about harvesting materials -- wood, stone, flammable jelly from slime monsters -- to create the basics of human survival, including a shelter, a chair, and torch for light and warmth. Essentials looked after, the world is then theirs to do with as they please. Mining new materials and crafting new items leads to ever more useful and complex recipes, allowing players to go from mud and wood huts to enormous mansions and castles, or even giant pixel art murals. The Xbox 360 edition we tested supports solo play, online play, and local two-player cooperative play.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 45 ):
Kids say ( 220 ):

Terraria's 2D setting -- it's primary differentiator from Minecraft -- doesn't actually change the sandbox mining game formula all that much. You may be limited to digging and building on a flat plane, but the activities of harvesting materials, crafting items, and then placing them in the world to build things should prove quite familiar. And also a lot of fun.

That said, players should be aware that this game isn't quite as accessible as others in its genre. Movement and aiming are stiff and unforgiving and can lead to frustrating demises. Also, it takes time to grow accustomed to the game's awkwardly designed menus, which make working with recipes and ingredients and moving items around more complicated than necessary. Plus, occasional technical problems -- like the minute or so of extreme choppiness that follows after booting up a game in the Xbox 360 edition we evaluated -- don't help matters much. But while it may take a few hours to warm to, Terraria can prove quite rewarding for those tenacious enough to stick with it. It can be a great outlet for Lego-like creativity.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about creativity. What sparks your imagination? How do you like to act upon your ideas? Is there a particular media in which you like to express yourself, or do you prefer using whatever is at hand?

  • Families can also discuss conservation. As you played the game, did you notice what happens to the world around you? How do you deal with resource depletion and forest clear-cutting? What is the logical end to your continuing growth and expansion?

Game Details

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