Botanicula - Amanita Design

This review of Botanicula was completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 27 February 2017.

About the app

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

ACCM review

This review of Botanicula 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

Level 6

App description

Botanicula is an adventure game played within the ecosystem of a tree. Five little tree creatures have to go from branch to branch collecting various items, overcoming obstacles and solving puzzles. The first level requires the friends to find 3 feathers, which they need to give to a large creature, which is blocking their path. The levels increase in complexity. At level 5, the friends have to get past several quite scary spiders, which seem to multiply, making the task quite difficult.

Players will need gross motor skills and good puzzle solving skills to play this game.

Reviewers comments

This game was originally designed to play on a PC or Mac and doesn’t translate well to an iPad. Some of the tasks are very complex and while clicking on a mouse might open up various pathways, tapping on the screen doesn’t seem to do the same thing. The tasks are not intuitive and younger children would have difficulty following this game in an app. It is however, quite beautifully illustrated and teaches children about the various creatures that live within a tree. The spiders are quite scary and therefore it is not recommended for under 5’s. Children 5-8 will need some parental guidance and/or co-playing.

In App purchasing

None

Online information

It isn’t necessary to connect to the Internet to play this game, however pressing a button will take you to a page of links to: the developer’s website, Facebook and Twitter pages; the App store to rate and review the app; buy further games and the soundtrack by the developer.

Gambling

At 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

None

Gender stereotypes and sexual references

None

Coarse language

None

Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents

There are some scary creatures in the app, particularly the spiders, that could frighten younger children.

 

Other

N/A.

Got a suggestion?

You can contact us if you have suggestions of other children's apps to review.