Whale Trail

Review

Common Sense Media says

Delightful tap-to-jump game with cool, colorful challenges.
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

Not yet rated

Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Whale Trail is a colorful tap-to-jump game similar to Tiny Wings. The player helps Willow the Whale fly through the air, collecting bubbles to stay alive and get points and avoiding bumping into clouds or sinking back into the sea, where an evil enemy awaits. A short trailer is available on YouTube. Like most tap-to-jump games, the game mechanics are simple to learn, but the trick of mastering the timing requires skill and patience, hence the "addictiveness" of the game. When Willow the Whale bumps into a cloud, there are flashes of lightning and you see Willow's skeleton, which could be startling for younger kids. Users can share high scores via the Game Center social network, but participation is optional. Users must login to Game Center, however, to track their own achievements and progress.

  • Ease of use4
    There are simple instructions and an optional tutorial to explain game play. Unlike Mighty Fin, there are not different levels in this game. Instead, the difficulty increases (and the scenery and challenges vary) within the game each time it's played. There are 43 different achievements, which can serve as goals if the game gets repetitive. Game Center is required to track these achievements.
  • Violence1
    Some elements of the game could be frightening for younger kids. When the player bumps Willow into a cloud, there are bolts of lightning and you see Willow's skeleton, as if he is being electrocuted. A few of the achievements suggest violence, such as "cloud massacre." When Willow deliberately smashes clouds during a frenzy, the clouds simply dissipate with a poof.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language0
    One of the achievements is named "dirty banker" (for getting 1,000,000 points).
  • Consumerism1
    On the info page, there is a link to purchase the game soundtrack.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
  • Privacy & safety4
    Minor privacy concerns. Players can opt in to Apple’s Game Center to track scores and achievements. Players can send and receive friend requests using an email address or Game Center nickname, revealing the first and last name associated with each party’s Apple ID and, in the case of email requests, the sender’s email address. With iOS 5, players can opt to have a private or public profile, which can include a photo. With a public profile, your real name is visible to all other players, and Game Center will recommend you to other players using your real name. With a private profile, only your friends can see your real name, and Game Center will not recommend you to other players.
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Is it any good?

 

For kids who enjoy tap-to-jump games, this is a great bargain. The colorful scenery and creative challenges make playing really enjoyable. The music and sound effects enhance this magical world, in an almost retro way, reminiscent of "Yellow Submarine." There are also several elements of gameplay that keep things interesting, such as maintaining enough fuel, flying in loops, and smashing clouds during "frenzies." Eventually, the game can get repetitive, but kids will enjoy trying to win the creative achievements. If you want to track the achievements, just make sure to pay close attention to the privacy controls within Game Center.

This review was written by Liz Panarelli

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This review was written by Liz Panarelli
Topics:magic and fantasy
Category:Arcade Games
Platforms:iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
Price:$.99
Size:17.80 MB
Publisher:ustwo
Version:1.0.3
Release date:October 20, 2011
Minimum software requirements:iOS 4.1 or later
This review was written by Liz Panarelli
 

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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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