Do you remember the small figures that were popular in the toyshops in the seventies? Your children can join the Playmobil figures in hunting for treasure, and help save a kidnapped mermaid.

“Playmobile Pirates” mixes several genres: strategy, adventure and platform. You can set sail on a pirate ship, sink other ships, look for hidden treasures and save a kidnapped mermaid. You play the role of a pirate who fights against a string of soldiers. Through little platform games you have to fence your way from level to level. On your way you collect coins, which in the end can be used to buy your own pirate ship. There are also a lot of mini-games presented by Bony Bill. These vary a lot when it comes to how much fun they are. Sometimes you use the pinwheel to save other pirates in distress at sea by throwing them a lifeline. You can also dive for treasures, but watch out for scary stinging jellyfish. It can be a little difficult to steer the pirate ship to begin with, but when you get the hang of it, it’s a lot of fun, before it unfortunately gets a little repetitive. You visit a lot of islands on your way, and many need your help. On the top screen it is clearly marked where you’re going, which is a very good help to progress in the game. A negative aspect is that the best ship turns out to be the most difficult to sink others with. But all in all this is a fun and engaging game. It takes a long time to play through all the missions, so you can look forward to many hours of good entertainment.

Child suitability:
The game contains fencing between the Playmobil figures, but the violence isn’t explicit and the soldiers just disappear when you’ve beaten them. The game is mainly aimed at boys between the ages of seven and eleven. For those who like pirates, strategy and platform games this is a good choice.

Score: 4

Suggested age: Suitable for children from 8 years.

Format: Nintendo DS

PEGI: 3