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Over the Hedge

Review · Action · PlayStation 2 · Game Boy Advance · Xbox

Over the Hedge

Reviewed: 12 May 2026

PlayStation 2 · Game Boy Advance · Xbox · GameCube · Nintendo DS · PC

Activision · 2006

Ludograph rating

B

Good

63 /100

Automated review

Over the Hedge encourages problem-solving, spatial awareness, and strategic thinking as players navigate environments and combat enemies.

06010030Benefit →Low risk →B 46 · R 0
The Ludograph reading, plotted from the published benefit and risk sub-scores.

Growth (BDS)

46

Risk (RIS)

0

Daily limit

120min

Age guidance

9+

Developmental benefits

B1Cognitive
0.46
B2Social-emotional
0.47
B3Motor
0.45

Over the Hedge encourages problem-solving and strategic thinking as players navigate environments and combat enemies. It promotes empathy through its narrative of protecting woodland creatures and their home. The game also features mild teamwork elements through character switching.

Design risks

R1Compulsion-loop pressure
0.00
R2Monetization
0.00
R3Social risk
0.00

The game contains mild cartoon violence and some elements of fear/horror due to the presence of an 'evil exterminator' and mind-controlled animals, though these are presented in a lighthearted, comedic manner. There are no significant monetization or social risks.

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.

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

Parents ask…

Is Over the Hedge safe for kids?

Ludograph gives Over the Hedge a rating of 63/100, recommended for ages 9 and up. It offers solid benefits but needs parental guidance on the risks.

What age is Over the Hedge appropriate for?

Ludograph's rubric recommends a minimum age of 9+ for Over the Hedge, based on benefits, risks, and content review. That is more lenient than ESRB E10+: industry ratings reflect content intensity, while ours also weighs how the game is designed to be played.

How long should kids play Over the Hedge?

Our session recommendation for Over the Hedge 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 Over the Hedge?

The game contains mild cartoon violence and some elements of fear/horror due to the presence of an 'evil exterminator' and mind-controlled animals, though these are presented in a lighthearted, comedic manner. There are no significant monetization or social risks.