Alien Buddies - Artgig Studio

This review of Alien Buddies was completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 23 July 2017.

About the app

This section contains details about the app provided by an ACCM Reviewer.

ACCM review

This review of Alien Buddies contains the following information:

• The level to which the game was reviewed
• App description
• Reviewers comments
• In App purchasing
• Online information
• Gambling
• Advertising and product placement
• Gender stereotypes and sexual references
• Coarse language
• Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents
• Other

The level to which the game was reviewed

There are 4 games to play with multiple play options within each game. Three or four options were played within each of the games.

App description

This preliteracy skills game includes colour, shape, letter and number recognition, problem solving and sequential counting. The matching game has eight short rounds where players can choose to match colours, shapes, letters or numbers, with audible guidance assisting game play. Kids can also vary the matching challenge by choosing visual or auditory cues – i.e. a colour appears on the spaceship allowing players to visually match the alien colour to their ship or players tap on the ship to hear the colour name and drag and drop the matching colour alien into the ship. The puzzle and dot-to-dot games include 18 activities each and there are eight sticker scenes for kids to express their creative flair. The puzzle game can be played with 4, 6 or 8 pieces and the dot to dot uses numbers to 16 with a choice of progressively highlighted numbers to guide players or no guidance.

Reviewers comments

This pre-schooler game provides some opportunity to adjust it to player skill, which may assist to extend interest. For example, the alphabet and number matching game allows players to match identical lowercase or uppercase letters or match the lowercase letter to its uppercase counterpart. The Puzzle game can be played with 4, 6, or 8 pieces providing levelled shape recognition and manipulation while developing reasoning and problem solving skills. Fine motor and mental rotation skills are also required to drag and drop the shaped piece into the correct space. The Dot to Dot game reinforces sequential counting with audio feedback of counting and the free play Sticker game allows players to save their scene to the device camera roll.

In App purchasing

Apps by the same developer can be purchased from the home screen by tapping on the icon for three seconds with no further safeguard. It is recommended that parents disable in app purchasing on their device.

Online information

• Cellular data settings
• Identity details
• Camera

Players can take pictures of their sticker scene and save it to their device camera roll. Although it can be played without WiFi/cellular once downloaded, the app uses cellular data by default for in app purchases of additional apps by the same developer. This can be turned off in the app settings of your device. In the additional apps section, players can enter an email address to receive more information from developers.

Gambling

At the time of review, the reviewer found no simulated gambling content. If you discover simulated gambling content in this app, please contact us with the details so we can update our review.

Advertising and product placement

Additional apps made by the same developer are advertised on the home screen.

Gender stereotypes and sexual references

Nothing noted.

Coarse language

Nothing noted. 

Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents

Nothing noted.

Other

None. 

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