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Roblox and beyond: A look at six popular online games for kids

Written by C Spire | Aug 21, 2023 9:56:40 PM

If your kids are online, there is a 100 percent chance they’re playing Roblox, Minecraft, Among Us or one of the other games you’ll find below. Here’s your opportunity to get ahead of the curve and learn which ones have in-game chat and more.

 

Roblox
Roblox is a gaming ecosystem phenomenon with billions of sessions logged across games that attract more than 10 million active players every month. Its two most popular titles are the role-play games Adopt Me! and Work at a Pizza Place, which encourage interaction among players in non-competitive environments. Players can buy, sell and create virtual items like skins using Robux.

In-Game Purchases: Yes
Chat: Yes
Platform(s): PC, Mac, iOS, Android, Amazon Devices, Xbox One, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive
Common Sense Media Score: 4/5 stars (ages 10+)

 

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Revenge
Generations have grown up playing Super Mario games, which makes Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Revenge a great game to play with family. Players can explore eight worlds that feel both familiar and fantastic as characters Mario, Toad, Luigi, Peach or Rosalina. Bowser’s Revenge is a separate, bonus adventure with its own set of objectives, which players must complete while avoiding the looming presence of Fury Bowser.

In-Game Purchases: No
Chat: No
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
Common Sense Media Score: 5/5 (ages 8+)

 

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Minecraft
Minecraft is one of the best-selling video games of all time, with 200 million copies sold across all platforms and 126 million monthly active users. Players can create elaborate homes and buildings using supplies they find around them and explore a world made of their own creativity in a 3D space. There are multiple play modes, including Survival, in which players have to gather natural resources, and Spectator mode, which enables players to observe without interacting. The popular franchise has spun off many special editions.

In-Game Purchases: Yes
Chat: Yes
Platform(s): Windows 10, iOS, Android, Amazon Kindle Fire, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch
Common Sense Media Score: 4/5 stars (ages 8+)

 

Among Us
The ultimate PC-based multi-player game of teamwork and betrayal, Among Us surged in popularity in past two years as friends and family often met online instead of in person. In the game, four to fifteen players staff a spaceship hurtling through outer space. You and your co-players complete tasks to get to your destination, but someone—or multiple players—are saboteurs in disguise. The objective is to root out the enemies before it’s too late.

In-Game Purchases: Yes
Chat: Yes
Platform(s): Mobile, PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Common Sense Media Score: 4/5 stars (ages 10+)

 

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Players in the Animal Crossing: New Horizons role-playing game work to create a thriving community while enjoying the day-to-day activities of life on their own island paradise. Other popular titles in the series include Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, made for iOS/Android mobile devices, and Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer for Nintendo 3DS.

In-Game Purchases: Yes
Chat: Yes
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
Common Sense Media Score: 5/5 stars (ages 7+)

 

Fortnite: Battle Royale
The popular last-player-standing survival game franchise Fortnite is back with its latest edition, Fortnite: Battle Royale. Players skydive onto an island and scavenge for gear to defend themselves from other players in an always-evolving, multiplayer world. Although the premise of survival is often violent, the action isn’t gory.

In-Game Purchases: V-Bucks
Chat: Yes
Platform(s): PC, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch
Common Sense Media Score: 4/5 stars (ages 13+)

 

Upgrading your internet with C Spire Fiber and WiFi is easy. Check for availability in your neighborhood here.

 

Family Online Safety Pledge
Make sure your kids understand that being online comes with responsibilities. This pledge provides guidelines to help your kids and teens use their devices and the internet safely.

 

More Resources for Parents
Read more helpful articles about restricting content, limiting screen time and setting boundaries for social media in the C Spire Parents’ Resource Center.