On the face of it, as a simple-format life simulation game, BitLife doesn’t appear too dangerous.

Relying on few visuals, the multiple-choice format is easy to navigate, which makes it simple for children to quickly understand how to play. Not all life simulation games are created equal, however, and BitLife differs from games such as The Sims in its simplistic, text-based approach. Within a life simulation game, your child chooses their own destiny, and is invited to make their own decisions – learning from successes and failures.

Kids may enjoy sharing the different scenarios they’re faced with, and their own individual outcome.Īnother appeal of life simulation games is the fact that there’s no right or wrong way to play them. Their popularity rests in putting people in charge: simulation games mimic many aspects of real life, and it’s appealing for kids and adults alike to be in control of how, and when something happens to their in-game character.īitLife also has a social aspect to it, in which the user is encouraged to share milestones and events with their friends on social media. And while the majority of activities the user can engage with are run-of-the-mill, there are also more immoral decisions and activities to be encountered, such as whether to engage in criminal activity.įrom The Sims to Animal Crossing, kids have been playing life simulation games for decades.

The profiles and storylines behind the life simulator are all made up – BitLife is like a role play app, and while this simulation might sound relatively innocent, the app introduces more mature themes as the character grows, such as the character’s sexual activity and alcohol use. They can buy properties, go for workouts at the gym, and tend to their garden – all activities the average person might experience during their lifetime. While playing, users can decide what they want to do with their free time, what they want to spend money on, and who they want to form relationships with. Such is life, the game follows the player from childhood through to adulthood, and invites them to make a series of decisions which will affect their future, such as what to study at college. BitLife is a single player life simulation game in which users make decisions based on a series of multiple choice questions presented to them as they get older (within the game).

Bitlife