Choices, Choices: How To Pick The Right Game For Your Kids

Online digital spaces can be tricky to navigate. Knowing which areas of the internet are as kid-friendly as they may say is a new challenge for guardians. Nowadays, when we’re talking about digital spaces, it is almost impossible not to acknowledge video games at the same time. Whether they are on mobile devices or home computers, they are – for a lot of us – part of our daily life. Kids will be confronted with them at some point, and it can be difficult for guardians to gauge which games they should let them play. 

Well, fear not! Our social media series Hero or Zero helps parents learn more about what it is their children could be playing and if it is really age appropriate. Some of these games are popular enough you probably have heard about them, others are hidden gems and tackle important themes about our planet, culture and empathy. But you may wonder, how do we decide if a game is kid-friendly? Well, let’s have a look!

The WoU rating system

When deciding if a game is appropriate for children, we look past age ratings or how cute the graphics are. Many games that are marketed to kids include risky features such as monetization, online chats, or gameplay that becomes much bigger than it may seem at first glance. That's not what we’re looking for, right? In the Hero or Zero? series, we focus on the main concerns guardians have regarding video games. We look at the entire gameplay loop, including how it encourages (or not) spending, how it handles online interactions, and whether it contains inappropriate content kids may encounter while playing. Once we have looked at both the good and the bad, we can decide whether a game is truly safe for children. Difficulty can be subjective, but some issues like toxicity, unsafe online features, or monetisation that’s too aggressive will tend to make these games earn a Zero – simply because we don’t want to put kids at risk of making the wrong decisions.

What we’re looking out for

We start by asking ourselves a simple question: is this game actually fair for the age it’s aimed at? Some games are challenging in a good way while others are too punishing. We love seeing games made for kids that focus on learning and creativity instead of in-game purchases. We also look closely at how violence is presented. This can be about weapons, or aggressive themes such as the potential for sexual language and cyberbullying. Context really matters here. Games that normalize harmful behavior without clear boundaries are flagged, especially when they say they are aimed at younger players. In addition, we pay attention to online features which are one of the biggest concerns for parents. Does a game include open and non-moderated chats, allowing interaction with strangers we don’t know anything about, or do they have moderators and moderation tools? We also look at whether online play is optional or forced. Games with bad moderation and public chats tend to become a Zero as kids may not know how to be safe in those spaces. Regarding monetisation, we always look at in-game shops, loot boxes, pay-to-win mechanics, and how often ads and pop-ups appear. If a game puts pressure on children to spend money, or uses manipulation techniques to make progress frustrating without spending, it will be considered a Zero – no matter how fun it looks.

The green flags we love to see

It’s not all doom and gloom though. A game will tend to be deemed a Hero when it clearly puts children first. These usually have simple controls, optional or restricted online features, and minimal advertising while playing. Having parental controls and gameplay that rewards curiosity, creativity, and problem solving are all big positives (we’re sure you’d agree here). Extra points will also be given to games that teach important life lessons while remaining fun. We will always value games that promote qualities like friendship, teamwork and empathy. Those that picture other cultures and perspectives to encourage curiosity about the world and respect for diversity. We’re on a mission to showcase those that focus on protecting the environment and taking care of animals to spark lovely conversations at home and inspire children beyond the screen. When a title combines all of this, we’re certain it’s a true kid-friendly game.

Hero or Zero: some of the games we’ve reviewed so far

Brawl Stars, WEBFISHING and Fortnite are great examples of games that leaned more towards a Zero because of some of their in-game features. Excessive and colourful ads to catch the eye, chat rooms with no moderation, and games pushing you to spend money by collaborating with famous IPs known worldwide, we couldn’t say they were completely safe for young players. On the other hand, games such as Spilled!, Minami Lane and Kabuto Park are all about protecting the environment, being curious towards other cultures, and even making kids interested about what’s outside by catching cute bugs – these are our definition of safe kid-friendly games. 

In the end, we want to see games that truly deserve a place in a child’s world, ones that can light a spark beyond the screen and teach the future generation about the things that matter most to our collective.