Review · Educational · PC · Web
SMB
Reviewed: 10 May 2026
PC · Web
James Earl Cox III · 2017
Ludograph rating
C
Mixed
47 /100
SMB is a challenging platformer that builds problem solving, spatial awareness, and strategic thinking, but its high difficulty may cause frustration.
Growth (BDS)
31
Risk (RIS)
0
Daily limit
120min
Age guidance
–
Developmental benefits
| B1 | Cognitive | 0.44 | |
| B2 | Social-emotional | 0.00 | |
| B3 | Motor | 0.45 | |
SMB (Super Meat Boy) is a challenging platformer that requires precise timing and quick reflexes, fostering significant improvements in hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and reaction time. The game's level design encourages problem-solving and strategic thinking, as players must figure out the optimal path and execution for each stage. The adaptive difficulty, with increasingly complex levels, ensures a continuous learning curve and encourages players to adapt their strategies.
Design risks
| R1 | Compulsion-loop pressure | 0.00 | |
| R2 | Monetization | 0.00 | |
| R3 | Social risk | 0.00 | |
The primary risk associated with SMB is the potential for frustration due to its high difficulty. While the game provides quick restarts, repeated failures can lead to emotional regulation challenges for some players. There are no social or monetization risks.
Content (not in risk score)
| R4.1 | Violence Level | 0.00 | |
| R4.2 | Sexual Content | 0.00 | |
| R4.3 | Language | 0.00 | |
| R4.4 | Substance References | 0.00 | |
| R4.5 | Fear / Horror | 0.00 | |
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.