Terraria

Game review by Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media
Terraria Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 11+

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

PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Windows, Xbox 360 2013
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Parents say

age 9+

Based on 42 reviews

Kids say

age 9+

Based on 207 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this game.

Stands out for .

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Terraria is a sandbox-style mining, crafting, and building game similar to Minecraft. There is a bit of mild monster combat that involves slaying one-eyed flyers, slimes, and shuffling zombies, but the focus here is on exploration, discovery, and creation. Kids will need to use reason and call upon their understanding of the real world to figure out how to craft and build the things they need and want, from a simple shelter to -- if they choose -- to a sprawling mansion filled with details and luxuries. With no story or concrete objectives, it's up to players to choose what to do and how to do it.

Community Reviews

TriLightning
TriLightning Adult
July 11, 2020
age 9+

This site is really wrong

Disclaimer: I am not a parent, I am here to clear stuff up First off, this game is nothing like Minecraft and has so much gameplay that gets fun the more you play. It looks like they haven’t defeated one, ONE boss. They make it look like it has barely anything to do with fighting, even though it’s they main point. Yes, there is gore, but there is also a setting to turn that off, making them turn into a cloud. Even if it does have sexual innuendos, KIDS WONT UNDERSTAND THAT, THATS WHY ITS THERE. The reason why I put it at nine+ was also because you still fight I giant wall of flesh, a cult, and a moon lord, don’t forget it’s still a PG game ( 6-12 in Australia ) Two. STOP GETTING ANNOYED AT ONE TINY SPRITE IN THE GAME, A CHILD WONT NOTICE ANYTHING ABOUT THE DRYAD AND THE LOST GIRL ( forgot the actual name of the enemy and only know it’s morph, sorry ) Three. Even though it has magic, why is that a problem? Most RPG games have a type of magic system and this game seems to ace it. No it is not Satan’s spawn because it has a dungeon and a tiny cult that really just spawns a boss. 4. Karen, no. Just because there is money means your kid gets addicted to money, the goblin tinkerer is also not a gambling system, you only now spend real money on the game and Tmod loader. ( haven’t talked about mods cause I use the PS4 version of the game ) Now that that’s gone here is a short paragraph that shapes the game on how I see it A godly game that was forged by the depths of hell and the heights of heaven ( This is a figurative sentence to show how good the game is in a lot of mindsets, this is just a disclaimer for that one person ) End

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
6 people found this helpful.
ParentGuArdignasmndjfdf
ParentGuArdignasmndjfdf Adult
October 21, 2020
age 13+

Good game, and i dont think you guys realize it wasnt intended for kids.

Really good game, same with the brand new 1.4.1 update, it brings alot of new content along with new bosses to fight, sure it has violence but it wasnt intended for kids anyways. If your kid really wants this but you dont want the blood just disable it in the settings! So many fun references for everyone and enjoyment, you can have a baby shark reference, a gordon ramsey reference, a jojo reference, references to other films and franchises. The game is downloadable on really about any device you have, even your Nintendo DS. The bosses can be slightly imtimidating, but it wont harm your child, (no nightmares, etc) So what is terraria? Terraria is a game where you build your own house, explore a large world, and fight enemies to gain stronger and more powerful items to become stronger and more powerful, you can also have a full on CITY, with tons of townsfolk, and you can invite your friends to play with you It can even be educational sometimes, you learn a bit more about ores you never thought existed, like Cobalt, titanium, platinum, orichalcum, adamant, or as terraria calls it adamantite, all found in caves. So my rating? 10/10. about 3-5 hours of content to explore

This title has:

Great messages
Easy to play/use
Too much violence
3 people found this helpful.
See all 42 parent reviews

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?

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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