Common Sense Media Review
By Chad Sansing
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Creative simulation teaches kids the legislative process.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
What's It About?
BRANCHES OF POWER asks players to switch between executive, legislative, and judicial avatars traveling a symbolic political landscape to develop issues (empty lots) into laws (golden towers). Players must manage ten issues into laws by game’s end. The executive holds press conferences to raise citizens’ awareness of each issue. Then the legislator holds town hall meetings to gain the support of particular voter factions with different values like competition and cooperation. Once enough people support the issue, the legislator drafts a bill. If the bill passes, is Constitutional, and veto-proof, then its law is home free. Otherwise, players must use the other branches to challenge the law so it’s revised before time runs out.
Is It Any Good?
Branches of Power is a clever take on the law-making process. It doesn’t quite capture the complexity of checks and balances, however, in that the legislative branch seems the most substantial and powerful. The executive’s press conferences are goofy, and the judicial branch doesn’t factor into the game at all if the player passes sound laws. While playing the game, you might feel like the executive and judicial branches serve the legislative branch and the law-making process, rather than protect the Constitution and citizens’ rights.
That being said, the legislative branch’s town hall and law-making portions of the game really shine and demonstrate the values-driven, political give-and-take of effective Congressional compromise. Moreover, the game’s sequencing of the law-making process is accurate despite its uneven presentation of the individual steps.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about civic-participation in law-making.
Families can talk about what kinds of personal traits a leader needs to handle many responsibilities at once.
Families can also discuss why people have different ideas of "good" and "bad" rules.
Website Details
- Subjects : Social Studies : citizenship , government , power structures , the economy , timelines
- Skills : Thinking & Reasoning : applying information , decision-making , problem solving , Creativity : combining knowledge , Self-Direction : achieving goals , initiative , time management
- Genre : Educational
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate