Being a parent can be a wonderful and rewarding experience, especially when your children are well-mannered and full of imagination. However, this does not mean that parenting doesn’t come with its setbacks, as making sure your child is developing correctly can be a long and stressful process.
These days, children are exposed to a variety of damaging materials that can greatly affect their mental health and development. So we understand why certain parents wish to protect their children from content they consider to be violent and traumatising.
Currently, one of the most popular gaming apps among children is ‘Dumb Ways To Die 2: The Games’ - an app that is known for its cartoonish characters, vibrant backgrounds and graphic scenes of avatar death. But does that mean the game has no educational value at all? Let’s take a look at ‘Dumb Ways To Die 2’ and all that the app has to offer.
What Is Dumb Ways To Die 2?
Considered one of the most successful gaming apps currently available, there is a lot of excitement around the ‘Dumb Ways To Die’ franchise - and we can totally see why! The original ‘Dumb Ways To Die’ app was released in 2012 and was produced by Metro Trains Melbourne to promote railway safety.
The original app was accompanied by a three-minute animated music video that quickly became a viral sensation. Since then, the app has seen success and popularity across the world, leading to the release of its sequel in 2014.
Currently, the ‘Dumb Ways To Die’ franchise encompasses three gaming apps, as well as several spin-offs and numerous merchandise.
As we previously mentioned, ‘Dumb Ways To Die 2: The Games’ was originally released in 2014 and was designed to be played on smartphones and tablets.
However, the gaming app will work on any electronic device that has an app store. When it comes to child-friendly and educational content, ‘Dumb Ways To Die 2’ is not the worst or the best and has proven somewhat effective in conveying its original message.
How Do You Play Dumb Ways To Die 2?
Unlike other gaming apps currently available on the market, ‘Dumb Ways To Die 2’ is unique in that you are not given an avatar, with the main focus of the game being to save the various characters from painful and ‘dumb’ deaths.
However, in contrast to the original game, ‘Dumb Ways To Die 2’ is much grander in its scale and encompasses a whole world that takes on an Olympicesque appearance.
This means that many of the obstacles in the game have an athletic theme, with the imaginary world providing a series of tasks for every season, from winter to spring.
Because of this, you have to save the characters from skiing accidents and other sport-related deaths. However, you may also encounter a fair share of fantastical obstacles that you will need to overcome, such as painting a dragon’s nails or escaping a medieval torture device.
You can beat these obstacles by following the instructions on the screen, which can include anything from tapping your phone to help a character escape from bees or blowing into your microphone to make an aeroplane fly.
The more deaths you prevent the faster the game becomes, which can make the overall playing experience more stressful and difficult. It is also important to remember that you only have three lives when playing the game, after which the game will end and declare you as the loser.
How Educational Is Dumb Ways To Die 2?
As we previously mentioned, the original ‘Dumb Ways To Die’ app was created by Metro Trains Melbourne as part of a campaign to promote railway safety, with the original game featuring several train-related tasks.
However, it seems the franchise’s subsequent sequels have moved away from this message, which is interesting when you consider that a train features heavily in the sequel’s world-building and narrative.
This is unfortunately one of the biggest setbacks when it comes to ‘Dumb Ways To Die 2’ as the game has lost any educational message and does not convey the same integrity that made the original app so unique.
So if you are wondering if this game has any educational value, then we would argue that it doesn’t. Not only has ‘Dumb Ways To Die 2’ forgotten its original message but it now focuses more on the gameplay and characters.
However, there could be an argument made for the game’s educational value in regards to the various deaths the user has to prevent. In some cases, the obstacles in the game could be seen as educating players about the dangers of eating harmful substances and playing with sharp objects.
The only issue here is that the game’s starting age is fourteen, which means most players will already have an understanding of these concepts.
How Graphic Is Dumb Ways To Die 2?
With a name like ‘Dumb Ways To Die 2’ - you may assume that the gaming app features a fair amount of graphic and bloody violence. Although, this is not entirely the case, as the game chooses to execute its deaths using cartoon characters and features very little blood or excessive gore.
However, this does not mean that the game does not contain any violence at all, as many of the adorable characters often find themselves being cut in half, mauled by wild animals or impaled on sharp objects.
Although the severity of the violence taking place may be lost on children due to its cartoonish realisation, you may want to avoid letting your children use the app until they are the recommended age of fourteen years old.
Beyond this, the game does not feature any graphic violence and is more enjoyable when you successfully complete the tasks and prevent the characters from dying.
What We Like About It
Although ‘Dumb Ways To Die 2’ is known for its tongue-in-cheek approach to death and violence, it does also offer come creative and clear visuals, especially when you first open the app and find yourself greeted with a map of the imaginary world.
The characters themselves are also unique and distinctive in their design, with their vibrant appearances making them fun to watch and observe during gameplay.
The obstacles you must overcome are also clever and visually appealing, especially when it comes to the more fantastical elements that this iteration of the game introduces.
Personally, we believe that the game is best played when with a group of friends, as each member can take turns trying to complete the various tasks.
Beyond this, the gaming app does not drain power from your device and will typically consume 2 percent of your battery during every session. However, this number will vary depending on how many times you play the game in succession.
What We Didn’t Like About It
We know this may sound like a broken record at this point, but the severe lack of educational value that the game provides greatly reduces its appeal and makes it into an app that is probably best enjoyed as a silly game and nothing more.
If you want your children to play a more educational alternative, then the original ‘Dumb Ways To Die’ may be suitable. Although you must also remember that even the original game was not entirely successful at conveying its educational message.
Outside of this, the game’s obstacles can sometimes be very difficult to overcome which can make the overall playing experience frustrating and uncomfortable. You may also notice that your smartphone or device will not immediately react to your actions, which can leave the player feeling cheated and annoyed.
However, the game still comes with its merits and can definitely be enjoyed by both parents and children alike, regardless of whether it is educational or not.
Is Dumb Ways To Die 2 Worth It?
Like many gaming apps currently available on the market, ‘Dumb Ways To Die 2’ is completely free and can be easily downloaded onto any electronic device that comes with an app store. For this reason, the worth of the game really comes down to your own preferences and the type of media you want your children to consume.
If you are the kind of parent who doesn’t want your child exposed to any violent content, then you may need to research the app first before making your final decision. Beyond that, the game can be easily downloaded whenever you want and is always available if you think your children are ready to give it a go.
Our Final Thoughts
Although ‘Dumb Ways To Die 2: The Games’ is more epic in scale than its predecessor, it loses any educational value or integrity that the original app strived to create. Now the gaming app focuses entirely on gameplay and provides the user with a range of obstacles that they need to overcome to beat the game.
The app does not drain your device’s battery and can provide necessary entertainment when needed. However, if you are searching for an educational gaming app for your children to enjoy, then we don’t recommend downloading this one.
As the cartoonish violence and gore now greatly outweighs the original message of railway safety and will not teach your children anything of note.
