This app is OK for children in my opinion. This comment from Common Sense Media’s forum includes both sides of the scale in the same comment! Others are creeped out by it – there’s Gacha Life-themed porn videos using the characters, which is a good reason to be leery. Some believe the app is a wonderful outlet for creativity and safe from creepers. When you read the app reviews, there are a strong mix of opinions. What do parents need to know about Gacha Life and Club? There’s even a mini age-verification, which is great. *Apple just doesn’t get it – Gacha Club requires users to be 10+ when opening the game for the first time. What club will you join? Get the party started and create your own anime styled characters and dress them up in your favorite fashion outfits! Choose from thousands of dresses, shirts, hairstyles, weapons, and much more! After designing your characters, enter the Studio and create any scene you can imagine! Add pets, objects, and choose your favorite background! Customization is 100% free, there are no in-app purchases! (From the Apple App Store) for GACHA CLUB: Just a new location (a club), new backgrounds, and new characters. GACHA CLUB is the sequel app with a similar, role-playing premise. This might present a screentime challenge for parents.Are you ready to start a new adventure? Create your own anime styled characters and dress them up in your favorite fashion outfits! Choose from hundreds of dresses, shirts, hairstyles, weapons, and much more! After designing your characters, enter the Studio and create any scene you can imagine! Choose from over a hundred backgrounds to create the perfect story! Its content isn’t too concerning (other than some scary zombies), but kids seem to want to play for hours and hours. Screen time Concerns – finally, kids tend to become extremely addicted to this game. Common Sense Media has compiled links for 12 family-friendly Minecraft channels on YouTube here. The problem is that far too many Minecraft channels on YouTube contain inappropriate content, language or both. Parents just need to be careful there.Ĭareful with YouTube – we find that many kids like to watch YouTube videos of other people’s Minecraft worlds. Like anything where humans get involved, there are some websites that promote skins that are very inappropriate. Players can download “skins” online to put on Steve to dress him up in an endless number of outfits. Who’s this Steve Guy? “Steve” is the first-person player used by Minecrafters. Online games are known to be popular arenas for sexual predators to groom kids and teens. The risk of running into another player with bad intent was minimal when networks were limited to the same Wi-Fi signal, but with the ability to now play with strangers, parents must be much more vigilant if they allow use of the “Multiplayer” app. Stranger Danger – There is now an app called “Multiplayer for Minecraft PE” which allows players to enjoy online play against other Minecrafters without being on the same Wi-Fi signal. You can read more about it in this blog post from our friends at Protect Young Minds, but Mojang has never sanctioned X-rated content. Here’s a GREAT, 2-minute video from Common Sense Media with the “Top 10 things parents need to know”. Players can link up with other players using the same Wi-Fi signal in a local area network. The creative mode is great for beginners, with the focus on building, while “survival” mode is where Steve is hunted by scary creatures, including zombies, creepers, and must kill them in order to survive (minimal blood). The Mode Matters – The Pocket Edition has a “creative” and “survival” mode. What Parents Need to Know about Minecraft: The game can be used on PC’s, gaming systems (e.g., XBOX) and smart devices with the “pocket edition.” It has its own vocabulary that parents will want to be familiar with, so read this glossary.ĪPP Store rating: 9+ (Apple App Store) and 10+ (Google Play) Using low-tech graphic and a no-frills character named “Steve” who is sometimes pursued by zombies, Minecraft has created a juggernaut. The premise is simple – build things with blocks. Description: Minecraft is an insanely popular game with tween and middle school boys and girls.
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