Pokemon

Common Sense Media says

Meaningful life lessons amid barrage of marketing hype.

Age(i)

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17

Quality(i)

 
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What parents need to know

Positive messages

Good guys win. Teamwork works. "Know your opponent, know yourself and you will be unstoppable."

Violence & scariness

Some battles with explosions, fire, and light flashes -- but nothing graphic. Robberies and such happen, but police show up and bad guys always get defeated.

Sexy stuff

Some mild suggestions of romantic interest between boy and girl characters, but nothing else.

Language
Not applicable
Consumerism

The site is all about Pokemon products and events -- cards, competitons, games, movies, shows. While content on the site itself is "free," players earn tokens by playing the games that they can "spend" on the site to buy stuff for their avatar. 

Drinking, drugs, & smoking
Not applicable
Privacy & safety

Kids' names and birthdates are required for registration process, but not shown on their profile.

Parents have to create an account for the child to register, and they must give approval for the child to have an account.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this action-packed game, news, and video site has some good lessons in betwen all they hype. You can make your own Trainer avatar and play games, learn about in-person organized Pokemon game activities in your area, watch the Pokemon TV series, and learn about new video games and movies.

Parents say

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AGE
5
QUALITY
 
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Kids say

See 8 kid reviews
AGE
6
QUALITY
 
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Is it any good?

QUALITY
 

Clear simple games, seasons' worth of Pokemon shows and tons of information on the hundreds of Pokemon characters create a one-stop shop for all things Pokemon. If kids can tune out the sales pitch and get through the
marketing hubbub, they may actually learn from the organization and
negotiation skills that Pokemon play requires. Even better, they can get info on in-person events to meet more Pokemon fans in their area.

Families can talk about...

  • Families can talk about the amazing marketing machine Pokemon creators have built. How much

  • money and time do you consider worthwhile to spend on Pokemon cards,

  • video games, movies, and toys? Do you think you can still have fun with

  • Pokemon without buying everything targeted at you? Read Kids' Social Sites and the Buying Bug.

  • Families can talk about getting involved locally with other kids at local Pokemon events.

Website details

Genre:Fan Sites
Pricing structure:Free

This review of Pokemon was written by

Dana Villamagna

About our rating system

  • ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
  • PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
  • OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
  • NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids of any age.

Find out more

Quality

Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Learning ratings

  • Best: Really engaging, great learning approach.
  • Very Good: Engaging, good learning approach.
  • Good: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
  • Fair: Somewhat engaging, okay learning approach.
  • Not for Learning: Not recommended for learning.
  • Not for Kids: Not age-appropriate for kids; not recommended for learning.

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When you use our links to make a purchase, Common Sense Media earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes. As a nonprofit organization, these funds help us continue providing independent, ad-free services for educators, families, and kids while the price you pay remains the same. Thank you for your support.
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Kid, 11 years old July 13, 2010
AGE
10
QUALITY
 

pokemon is the best

love it: good!!!!!!
What other families should know
Too much swearing
Great messages
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Kid, 9 years old March 11, 2011
AGE
5
QUALITY
 

ok

ok
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Kid, 8 years old August 23, 2010
AGE
4
QUALITY
 

Nothing wrong with this site

The show gives positive messages. Worried parents might think that when one of the monsters defeat each other, they are dead. But they are just knocked out for a little while, that's all.
What other families should know
Educational value
Great messages
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