Splitter Critter - RAC 7 Games

This review of Splitter Critter was completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 25 January 2018.

About the app

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

ACCM review

This review of Splitter Critter 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

19 levels across 3 different planets

App description

Splitter Critter is a puzzle style game where players must guide aliens back to their ship by determining where to split the planet landscape and forge a new path for the aliens. Players can explore different planets with hostile aliens (not scary) to avoid and a variety of obstacles to navigate.

Players must utilise mental rotation skills to determine where and at what angle to “split” the image to shift the ground and allow the alien/s to reach their ship. There are dangers to avoid and increasingly complex landscapes to manipulate across a variety of planets and biomes. If players are stuck, a question mark appears, and clicking on it guides them with a dotted line of where to split the screen. There are several levels to complete on each planet before a new planet is presented and a new set of aliens can be guided to safety.

Reviewers comments

The objective of this game is to align the landscape so that the friendly aliens can avoid being eaten by other hostile aliens whilst navigating increasingly complex terrain to reach their ship. Players can engage with the changing landscape of different planets as well as other mechanics such as laser beams, reflective surfaces, liquids and moving platforms. Mental rotation, strategy, planning and visual and fine motor skills are all required to determine the effect of dissecting the landscape at a specific angle and location to shift and realign it. Whilst the game can be played from around 4 years, younger players may be frustrated by the increasing difficulty of levels. 

The app also allows players to practice sequencing skills as players must decide the order of manipulating sections of the landscape to get the aliens to their ships. Fine motor skills, visual acuity and planning are required to play and younger players would benefit from parental co-play to guide play until the mechanics of the game are understood. Parental co-play can also be used to develop language skills by discussing the placement of splits and the effect of different angles to manipulate the landscape. These discussions would also benefit early numeracy skills as the game uses principles of geometry.

In App purchasing

None.

Online information

No personal details required to play although the app does prompt you to log in to Game centre if you wish but this can simply be cancelled.

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

N/A.

Other

N/A.

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