Parents need to know that slither.io is an arcade-style game played against other people who are currently online at the same time. Similar to Agar.io, the main objective is to grow your snake into the biggest of the day by eating light pellets as you avoid other snakes slithering around the screen. If your head touches another’s, you explode into dots that other snakes can eat. Players see each other’s usernames as well as top scores, and Wi-Fi or data use is required to play. From the home screen, it’s also possible to share scores via social media. Note: Even though there’s nothing sexually explicit about the game and there’s no chat option, some profanity in usernames and a sexually explicit username were observed during this review. Read the app’s privacy policy to find out about the types of information collected and shared.
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
First, enter a username to gain access to the slither.io game screen, where you’ll see a tiny worm with your username nearby. Short swipes move the snake to “eat” small orbs of light, which causes the snake to grow. Increase speed by double-tapping the screen and holding the snake. If you hit another snake, yours explodes and dissolves into light, which then can be consumed by others. The bigger your snake grows, the more difficult gameplay becomes. Players can see their current length, longest length, and top-ranking players in the upper-right corner of the screen. At the end of the day, the player with the highest score can post a message for all to see.
IS IT ANY GOOD?
This just-for-fun arcade game uses a bit of strategy, but lagging, ads, and frustration can put a damper on the fun. It’s a bit maze-like, and players navigate the small passageways in between the snakes and figure out how to make it more possible for snakes to bump into you. It’s unfortunate that even though there’s nothing sexually explicit about the game and there’s no chat option, users can (and do) choose profanity and sexually explicit words for usernames. Creating an option for kids to play offline against the app (not real people) or limit play to friends only would make slither.io more kid-friendly. Also, while growing snakes can be tons of fun, it can also get frustrating: Seasoned (and predatory) snakes show up to eat you, and sometimes gameplay slows down and can affect how accurate the controls are, which can end with your snake exploding
RATING AND CONTENT
Recommended for ages 10 and older
Quality: 3 out of 5
Ease of play: 3 out of 5
Violence: 0 out of 5
Sex: 0 out of 5
Language: 0 out of 5
Drinking, drugs, and smoking: 0 out of 5
Consumerism: 2 out of 5 (Are products/advertisements embedded? Is the title part of a broader marketing initiative/empire? Is the intent to sell things to kids?)
APP DETAILS
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, Android
Price: Free
Release date: April 4, 2016
Category: Arcade Games
Size: 24.70 MB
Publisher: Steve Howse
Minimum software requirements: iOS 6.0 or later; Android 2.3 and up
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Common Sense Media is an independent nonprofit organization offering unbiased ratings and trusted advice to help families make smart media and technology choices. Check out our ratings and recommendations at
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(c)2016 Common Sense Media
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Common Sense Media is an independent nonprofit organization offering unbiased ratings and trusted advice to help families make smart media and technology choices. Check out our ratings and recommendations at
———
(c)2016 Common Sense Media
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
