Clash of Clans is a free-to-play strategy game where you build villages and work with others in your clan to pay for additional features. The primary aim is to earn trophies by attacking other people’s villages, or by successfully defending your village from attack.
Children enjoy playing Clash of Clans because it’s fun. They can be creative in how they build their village and they can play with their friends. The strategic nature of the game also develops their problem-solving skills.
There is a ‘global chat’ where users can talk with each other. Users have reported that this global chat can contain inappropriate language and behaviour including bullying from other players. Keep in mind that this function is also available within clans and similar issues can arise.
Age Restrictions
Core Functions
- Players build their village by purchasing items and characters in the shop with gold, elixir, or gems (different currencies which apply to various items).
- Once their village is built, players must increase its strength to defend it from attacks. This can be done through purchases and upgrades.
- Players also have the option to attack other villages to gain valuable in-game items and trophies. Multiple troops can be ‘deployed’ to attack goblin hideouts or other players.
- After a player has rebuilt the ‘Clan Castle’ in their village, they are able to join a ‘clan’. This builds an alliance between their own village and selected players’ villages.
- Clans are able to participate in clan wars, share in rewards, and much more.
Safety Settings
- Filter Clan Chat can be switched on in settings to filter any offensive language from in-game chats.
- Players can be individually ‘muted’ in chats.
- Users can be reported for inappropriate behaviour.
Risks
- Clash of Clans is popular with people of all ages. Players have the option to request to join another clan. If they do not have friends who play the game, they could find themselves interacting with strangers on the app.
- Players can only earn small amounts of in-game currency without paying. This means it may take them longer to build up their village. They may feel pressured into purchasing currency or items from the shop.
Top Tips
- The app does offer incentives to spend money on items and ‘bundles’. It may be helpful to restrict in-app purchases on the device, but you could also suggest you child uses household chore money to purchase.
- Join in the game with children and create a clan so you can play together.
- Advise children that they should only join clans with people they know offline and remind them not to give out any personal information in the app.
- Show them how to report a user for inappropriate behaviour.