Parents' Guide to Poki

While this site offers a variety of games from many developers, the quality of the games can be inconsistent, with some lacking clear (or any) instructions, which reduces the fun for the site. Poki presents a large collection of games that can be played in a browser in a visual setting, with images showing off the newly added options. But making the info for each title more consistent so that the text communicates what gameplay involves, what keys make characters move, and other important information would help gamers decide what they want to play -- and understand how to get started. Adding information that explains which titles reinforce math, strategy, and other skills would also help younger players get more out of their gaming experience.

That said, the site does have a decent number of games to play, and some can be entertaining. Players can, for instance, access online versions of classic board games like Connect 4, try their hand at soccer, or try to win a matching game. In addition, users can't comment, and games are played within the browser, which should mean younger players won't end up on a site with free-for-all content. But Poki wasn't designed specifically for kids -- and while there are some age-appropriate games, kids can easily find options that feature shooting, animals stabbing other animals, and other questionable imagery. Given the number of violent games and ads, parents may not be particularly eager to let their children spend much time on the site without discussing which games they plan to play; even taking that approach, supervising kids' usage would probably be a good idea. Poki may give players access to loads of games, but its lack of info, questionable quality, and heavy amount of violence mean that only older gamers should take a look with parental guidance.