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Wasteland

Review · Adventure · Commodore / Amiga · Apple II · Classic Macintosh

Wasteland

Reviewed: 17 May 2026

Commodore / Amiga · Apple II · Classic Macintosh · macOS · PC · iOS · Linux

Interplay Entertainment · 1988

Ludograph rating

A

Recommended

75 /100

06010030BenefitLow riskB 60 · R 2
The Ludograph reading, plotted from the published benefit and risk sub-scores.

Growth (BDS)

60

Risk (RIS)

2

Daily limit

120min

Age guidance

13+

Developmental benefits

B1Cognitive
0.80
B2Social-emotional
0.43
B3Motor
0.35

Wasteland offers deep strategic gameplay, rich character development, and extensive problem-solving opportunities, fostering critical thinking and reading comprehension. Its challenging nature encourages persistence and adaptive learning.

Design risks

R1Compulsion-loop pressure
0.03
R2Monetization
0.00
R3Social risk
0.00

The game features moderate violence and a grim post-apocalyptic setting. While not designed with manipulative compulsion-loop mechanics or monetization, its unforgiving difficulty may require emotional regulation.

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 · 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 Wasteland safe for kids?

Ludograph gives Wasteland a rating of 75/100, recommended for ages 13 and up. It scores well on developmental benefits with manageable risks.

What age is Wasteland appropriate for?

Ludograph's rubric recommends a minimum age of 13+ for Wasteland, based on benefits, risks, and content review.

How long should kids play Wasteland?

Our session recommendation for Wasteland 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 Wasteland?

The game features moderate violence and a grim post-apocalyptic setting. While not designed with manipulative compulsion-loop mechanics or monetization, its unforgiving difficulty may require emotional regulation.