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ActRaiser (1990)

Review · Action · SNES

ActRaiser (1990)

Reviewed: 18 May 2026

SNES

Quintet · 1990

Ludograph rating

A

Recommended

73 /100

Automated review
06010030Benefit →Low risk →B 60 · R 8
The Ludograph reading, plotted from the published benefit and risk sub-scores.

Growth (BDS)

60

Risk (RIS)

8

Daily limit

120min

Age guidance

13+

Developmental benefits

B1Cognitive
0.86
B2Social-emotional
0.13
B3Motor
0.65

ActRaiser offers a unique blend of action and simulation, fostering strong cognitive skills such as problem-solving, strategic thinking, and spatial awareness. Players engage in both fast-paced combat requiring hand-eye coordination and thoughtful town-building that encourages planning and resource management. The game's adaptive challenges ensure continuous engagement and learning transfer.

Design risks

R1Compulsion-loop pressure
0.17
R2Monetization
0.00
R3Social risk
0.00

While ActRaiser is largely free of modern manipulative design, it does contain mild fantasy violence and some potentially unsettling monster designs. The narrative presents a clear good vs. evil dichotomy, which, while not overtly harmful, offers a simplified view of morality.

Content (not in risk score)

R4.1Violence Level
0.67
R4.2Sexual Content
0.00
R4.3Language
0.00
R4.4Substance References
0.00
R4.5Fear / Horror
0.33

Content risk is displayed separately and does not affect the time recommendation.

Regulatory design checks · DSA — Assessed: meets criteria·GDPR-K — Assessed: meets criteria·ODDS — Assessed: meets criteria

  • DSA:What Ludograph checks: whether the game's design gives minors the transparency the EU Digital Services Act expects: plain terms, honest defaults, and clear reporting routes.: Estimated from review data. No dark pattern or child-targeting concerns found.
  • GDPR-K:What Ludograph checks: whether age assurance and consent flows are designed for under-16s, in the spirit of GDPR Article 8.: Estimated from review data. No privacy or child-targeting concerns found.
  • ODDS:What Ludograph checks: whether paid random-reward drop rates are disclosed, as required in China, Japan and South Korea.: Estimated from review data. No paid random-reward mechanics found, so drop-rate disclosure requirements do not apply.

These reflect Ludograph's assessment of the game's design practices against each framework's criteria, not a legal compliance determination.

ReviewedMay 2026Report a data error →How scores are calculated →

Parents ask…

Is ActRaiser (1990) safe for kids?

Ludograph gives ActRaiser (1990) a rating of 73/100, recommended for ages 13 and up. It scores well on developmental benefits with manageable risks.

What age is ActRaiser (1990) appropriate for?

Ludograph's rubric recommends a minimum age of 13+ for ActRaiser (1990), based on benefits, risks, and content review. That is stricter than ESRB E10+, because our assessment weighs behavioral design risks, not just content.

How long should kids play ActRaiser (1990)?

Our session recommendation for ActRaiser (1990) is up to 120 minutes per day. It is derived from the game's own structure (natural stopping points, compulsion-loop design, monetization pressure, and social dynamics), not from a universal screen-time dose.

Session recommendations are design-based heuristics. Evidence linking specific daily durations to child outcomes is limited, and context matters as much as time; treat this as a starting point for household rules, not a clinical threshold.

What are the main risks of ActRaiser (1990)?

While ActRaiser is largely free of modern manipulative design, it does contain mild fantasy violence and some potentially unsettling monster designs. The narrative presents a clear good vs. evil dichotomy, which, while not overtly harmful, offers a simplified view of morality.