GreenSpace

Review

Common Sense Media says

Leisurely building sim with positive environmental message.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that GreenSpace is an environmentally-conscious building simulation played through the Facebook social network. The game is free to play, but players can purchase and use the game's premium currency, RocketFuel, to advance faster. GreenSpace is less aggressive than many other Facebook games about tempting players to spend real-world currency or add a lot of Facebook friends to complete quests. While the game and its positive message will appeal to players younger than 13, Facebook requires kids to be at least 13 to sign up for an account.

  • Positive messages5
    The game boasts a positive, though slightly heavy-handed, pro-environment message. Players slowly clean up a filthy planet strewn with garbage, while building "green energy" structures like solar panels and windmills.
  • Positive role models3
    Players work for a corporation that tasks them with cleaning up a planet by replacing mountains of junk with sustainable greenspace. There's not a lot of interaction with actual characters, but the player should feel like they're making a positive impact on their surroundings. 
  • Ease of play4
    The game requires a bit more brain-power than some Facebook sims, because players have to strategically place power grids to ensure their buildings have enough power to run.
  • Violence0
    Not applicable.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism1
    Players can purchase a premium currency called RocketFuel to speed up the game, or purchase bundles of credits (which can also be earned in-game and are used to construct new buildings).
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
  • Privacy & safety4
    Some mild privacy concerns. Players are prompted to share in-game achievements on their Facebook wall. Players can also add Facebook friends as neighbors, but the temptation to add strangers isn't as strong as some other games.
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What's it about?

In GREENSPACE, players control a robot who has the daunting task of cleaning up a junk-infested planet -- one dirty diaper at a time -- and installing environmentally-friendly buildings, decorations, and power sources to make the planet inhabitable for humans again. New buildings produce resources, but only if they're attached to a power grid, which requires an extra layer of planning because players must clear junk in such a way as to accommodate the strategic placement of power grids.

Is it any good?

 

GreenSpace isn't just another "me too" building sim on Facebook -- it tries hard to set itself apart, and succeeds thanks to a few subtle but effective twists on the regular formula. There's not much of a story to motivate players, and the giant grid of junk can seem overwhelming at first, but GreenSpace gradually reveals itself as a game where players aim for slow, methodical progress. Once the junk is gone, it's gone, unlike many Facebook sims where debris and weeds must be constantly pruned back; and so there's a very real sense of accomplishment in changing one small patch of brown earth to healthy green grass and knowing that it will stay that way. By avoiding some of the dubious tricks designed to make Facebook games more addictive (like crops that wither, or debris that respawns), GreenSpace is actually a more enjoyable and "game-like" experience.

What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about what "green energy" means, including some real-world examples, like wind mills and solar panels.

  • Families can also talk about initiatives to clean up garbage in their local communities, and make plans to join in!

  • Does playing games about community issues appeal to you? If so, why?

This review was written by Erin Bell

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This review was written by Erin Bell
Topics:robots
Platforms:Facebook
Available online?Available online
Genre:Simulation
Developer:RocketOwl
Release date:December 6, 2011
Price:Free with Microtransactions
ESRB rating:NR
This review was written by Erin Bell
 

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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.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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