Kerbal Space Program
Mild overall intensityWhat's in it
Failed rockets explode and the small green Kerbal crew can perish in crashes, shown as bloodless, comedic cartoon mishaps with no gore.
Who can reach your kid
What it is
Kerbal Space Program is a physics-based space flight simulator in which you run the space program of the Kerbals, a race of small green cartoon aliens. You assemble rockets, planes, and rovers from a parts catalog and try to fly them to orbit, land on moons and planets, build stations, and complete missions, all governed by realistic aerodynamics and orbital mechanics. The only 'content' beyond building and flying is comedic failure: botched launches and crashes blow craft apart and can kill the Kerbal crew in cartoonish explosions, with no blood or gore. There is no combat, no romance, no strong language, no substances, and no gambling or purchases. The base game is single-player with no chat or online interaction, though optional user-made mods (installed separately) can add features.
How it's framed
The game frames spaceflight as an earnest engineering and problem-solving challenge with a light, comedic tone. Crashes and Kerbal deaths are played for slapstick rather than shock, and success is measured by learning orbital mechanics and completing missions; nothing rewards cruelty or wrongdoing.
Details
- Developer
- Squad
- Publisher
- Private Division
- Released
- Apr 27, 2015
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