Fruit Splash Mania - TeamLava

This review of Fruit Splash Mania was completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 11 March 2014.

About the app

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

ACCM review

This review of Fruit Splash Mania 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

Levels 1 – 26

App description

In this puzzle-style game, the player must connect lines of three or more of the same fruit to collect the specified amounts.

Reviewers comments

Within this game, players start with an allocation of lives and gems. The player must connect lines of three or more of the same type of fruit. The connected fruits are then cleared from the puzzle. Progress towards the goal is updated in the top left corner. The aim is to collect the number and type of fruit specified.  The number of moves allowed is limited. When the player achieves the goal, bonuses are added and total points are calculated.  The player moves to the next level. From time to time, bonus gems or other useful items may be awarded. There are many levels, each level becoming more difficult, with new challenges and obstacles. The fruit sometimes flash, giving hints as to possible moves. Longer lines create Bomb Fruit and Blasters, which clear more fruit and earn more points. Helpful Boosts are unlocked at various points of the games – some are free, more can be bought with gems. When a player fails to collect the right number of fruit within the allocated number of moves, they can spend gems to buy extra moves. Otherwise they lose a life and can try again. When they run out of lives, they can wait a specified time for more lives or purchase more with gems.

The instructions are very clear. In the earlier levels, the player receives a generous number of moves in which to collect the specified amount of fruit.

A possible learning benefit could be that the player must plan the best combinations of moves to collect the required fruits within the allowed number of moves.

 

In App purchasing

Gems can be purchased (for $0.99 to $51.99).  The iTunes preview page gives detailed instructions how to disable this function.

Online information

If players log into Facebook they receive 20 gems.  When the player runs the game in Facebook, the app receives the player’s public profile and friend list. The app requests to post to Facebook for the player, but this can be skipped. A leader board is shown, which displays the player’s profile picture and rank against other cartoon character players.

Gambling

None found in the game. Players are able to click on a symbol which offers them a page of free games to install and play, which may include slots and bingo games.

Advertising and product placement

This game regularly offers to install another game by the same developer, which is sometimes presented as a “Featured Challenge”. Players are able to click on a symbol which offers them a page of free games to install and play. These games may include slot and bingo games, a fashion design game and a kingdom building game in which players fight other players from around the world.

Gender stereotypes and sexual references

Players are able to click on a symbol which offers them a page of free games to install and play, which may include a fashion design game.

Coarse language

N/A.

Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents

None found in the levels reviewed.

Other

Violence and scary material: If the player does not complete a level successfully, the large shadow of a menacing wolf frightens a young female cartoon character.

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