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Parents' Guide to

Branches of Power

By Chad Sansing, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Creative simulation teaches kids the legislative process.

Website https://www.icivics.org/games/branches-power
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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?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1 ):

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.

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