Welcome to Pixalate’s CTV & Mobile App Manual Reviews According to COPPA, a series containing the detailed factors the Trust & Safety Advisory Board educators used to assess an app’s child-directedness.
The educators manually review thousands of mobile apps available in the Google Play & Apple App Stores as well as connected TV (CTV) apps from the Roku Channel Store and Amazon Fire TV App Store using the COPPA Rule factors shown below & make those results available to the public at ratings.pixalate.com.
This post takes a look at a game which is available from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Our reviewer discusses how the subjective factors set forth in the COPPA Rule apply to the app and factor into the reviewer's determination as to whether the app is child-directed or general audience (i.e., it is not targeting children).
The teacher will indicate the factors they relied upon in their assessment using the 10 factors shown below that reflect the 10 child-directed factors in the COPPA Rule.
At first, this game seems like a type of endless runner game, but upon playing it is a bit more complicated. Two monkeys are tied together with a rope and the player alternates between jumping each monkey. Not only do the players need to ensure that both monkeys make it onto the narrow platforms, trees, bridges, and other landing pads but they also need to make sure they avoid obstacles like alligators, birds, and porcupines. The length of the rope and where the other monkey is located also factor in; if one monkey falls it can drag the other down. The game is a lot harder than it seems at first and might frustrate younger children, but I think upper elementary-aged children would appreciate the complexity.
Rather than background music, there is a soft soundtrack of jungle noises accompanying the game. Chomping sounds from alligators, water splashes, and other sound effects increase the excitement of the game. Different unlocked characters also make different noises, such as monkey noises or knights on horseback shouting “tally-ho” and “save the king.”
The design and animation of this app are very child-friendly. The pixel art animation style is very similar to Minecraft and will appeal more to children than adults. Players also can unlock other characters such as space monkeys, other jungle animals, and even wizards. The main jungle theme and colors, along with the “floor is lava” and cave challenge themes further add to the appeal for children.
General gameplay doesn’t appear to be designed with different levels to pass but instead seems to be a true endless runner where you just go until you fall or hit a fatal obstacle. Coins can be collected within the game and are also awarded based on how far you got and how well you did within the game. These coins can be used to purchase boxes or spin a prize wheel that both award a new character that can be used in the game.
Players can also play in challenge mode, where they progress through different levels and earn new characters upon completing each level.
Banner advertisements are displayed on the bottom of the home screen and throughout gameplay. Video ads are played each time the characters die and the gameplay restarts. Additional video ads can be played to continue a level after dying or earn extra rewards.
Ads seem to be mostly mixed-audience apps general audience items and local services. Location data is clearly shared with advertisers on the Android app, as some of the banner ads are for nearby local businesses.
Monkey Ropes is rated 4+ in the Apple App Store, E in the US Google Play Stores, and PEGI 3 in the European Google App Stores. The reviews reflect a mixed audience with reviews that seem to be a mixture of kids and adults who are playing or writing about their children playing.
Privacy
According to the privacy policy, which does not have a publication date listed, PlaySide Studios does not knowingly collect any information from children under 13. However, there is no age gate in place to determine the age of users and prevent the collection of data from minors. The privacy policy indicates that they “may require you to provide [them] with certain personally identifiable information.” However, they do not disclose what personally identifiable information they will collect and under what circumstances. They also indicate that they work with third parties that may also collect information from users, however, the policy seems to indicate that these third parties are restricted to the Apple App Store and Google Play Stores.
Find Pixalate's full catalogue of reviews in our CTV and Mobile App Review Page
Screenshots of Monkey Ropes
Pixalate’s Trust and Safety Advisory Board was created to bring in individuals with experience using child-directed apps in the classroom to review and assess which apps are child-directed. This manual review process serves to quality check Pixalate’s automated review process. See our full methodology for more information.
Disclaimer
This blog post published by Pixalate is available for informational purposes only and is not considered legal advice. By viewing this blog post, the reader understands and agrees that there is no attorney-client relationship between the reader and the blog publisher. The blog should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in the applicable jurisdiction(s), and readers are urged to consult their own legal counsel on any specific legal questions concerning any specific situation. The content of this blog post reflects Pixalate's opinions with respect to factors that Pixalate believes may be useful to the digital media industry. Pixalate's opinions are just that, opinions, which means that they are neither facts nor guarantees; and this blog post is not intended to impugn the standing or reputation of any entity, person or app, but instead, to report findings pertaining to mobile and Connected TV (CTV) apps.
