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Pushmo

Review · Puzzle · Nintendo 3DS

Pushmo

Reviewed: 09 Apr 2026

Nintendo 3DS

Intelligent Systems · 2011

Ludograph rating

B

Good

66 /100

Pushmo is an outstanding puzzle game that significantly challenges and develops problem-solving, spatial awareness, and strategic thinking.

06010030BenefitLow riskB 50 · R 3
The Ludograph reading, plotted from the published benefit and risk sub-scores.

Growth (BDS)

50

Risk (RIS)

3

Daily limit

120min

Age guidance

6+

Developmental benefits

B1Cognitive
0.76
B2Social-emotional
0.17
B3Motor
0.35

Pushmo is an outstanding puzzle game that significantly challenges and develops cognitive skills. Players will engage in complex problem-solving, spatial reasoning, strategic thinking, and critical analysis as they manipulate the environment to rescue characters. The 'Pushmo Studio' feature fosters creativity by allowing players to design and share their own puzzles, extending the game's replay value and encouraging innovative thinking. The game's adaptive challenge system ensures continuous engagement and learning transfer.

Design risks

R1Compulsion-loop pressure
0.07
R2Monetization
0.00
R3Social risk
0.00

Pushmo presents minimal risks. Its core gameplay is focused on puzzle-solving with no in-app purchases, competitive elements, or online social interactions. The risk scores reflect this safe and contained gameplay experience.

Content (not in risk score)

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

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

Regulatory design checks · DSAAssessed: meets criteria·GDPR-KAssessed: meets criteria·ODDSAssessed: 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.

Parents ask…

Is Pushmo safe for kids?

Ludograph gives Pushmo a rating of 66/100. It offers solid benefits but needs parental guidance on the risks.

How long should kids play Pushmo?

Our session recommendation for Pushmo 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 Pushmo?

Pushmo presents minimal risks. Its core gameplay is focused on puzzle-solving with no in-app purchases, competitive elements, or online social interactions. The risk scores reflect this safe and contained gameplay experience.