Compare this game
Metroid

Review · Action · Game Boy Advance · NES

Metroid

Reviewed: 30 Apr 2026

Game Boy Advance · NES

Nintendo · 1986

Ludograph rating

C

Mixed

48 /100

Automated review

Metroid is an action-platformer that encourages problem solving and strategic thinking through exploration, with mild violence and atmospheric fear.

06010030Benefit →Low risk →B 32 · R 5
The Ludograph reading, plotted from the published benefit and risk sub-scores.

Growth (BDS)

32

Risk (RIS)

5

Daily limit

120min

Age guidance

7+

Developmental benefits

B1Cognitive
0.46
B2Social-emotional
0.00
B3Motor
0.45

Metroid offers a challenging and atmospheric experience, encouraging players to explore and strategically approach problems. Its focus on exploration and overcoming obstacles can enhance spatial awareness and critical thinking. The game's strong sense of ambiance and complex gameplay can be highly engaging.

Design risks

R1Compulsion-loop pressure
0.10
R2Monetization
0.00
R3Social risk
0.00

The game contains mild violence against alien creatures and a sense of fear/horror through its atmosphere and creature design. As a single-player experience, it offers no social interaction benefits.

Content (not in risk score)

R4.1Violence Level
0.33
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.

Avg playtime~9 hReviewedApr 2026Report a data error →How scores are calculated →

Parents ask…

Is Metroid safe for kids?

Ludograph gives Metroid a rating of 48/100, recommended for ages 7 and up. It delivers genuine benefits but carries design risks that deserve a close look.

What age is Metroid appropriate for?

Ludograph's rubric recommends a minimum age of 7+ for Metroid, based on benefits, risks, and content review. That is stricter than ESRB E, because our assessment weighs behavioral design risks, not just content.

How long should kids play Metroid?

Our session recommendation for Metroid 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 Metroid?

The game contains mild violence against alien creatures and a sense of fear/horror through its atmosphere and creature design. As a single-player experience, it offers no social interaction benefits.