Parent's Guide: One Piece Unlimited World Red - Age rating, mature content and difficulty

One Piece: Unlimited World Red is a third-person action adventure set in the world of the animé and manga series, that sees players taking the Straw Hat Pirates on a new adventure. Starting out as the team visits Trans Town with the aim of reuniting Pato the raccoon with his long lost friend, things soon take a turn for the worst, as most of the crew end up being abducted! From there on in, it's up to Luffy to save his crewmates, whilst uncovering an evil plot which pits them against a variety of familiar enemies...

The story takes place over multiple episodes, each of which takes you through a linear series of areas, battling enemies in button-mashing battles before coming up against, and defeating, a boss. There are also some basic "puzzles" to do (mainly focused around finding a combinations of secret words to access another area) as well as plenty of exploring, collectable items to be found, and (in some areas) even fishing or bug catching.

In terms of things younger players may struggle with, there are only a few things parents should keep in mind. The first is that the battle system may be a bit complex for some players, as whilst the basics are easy to pick up, the complexities - like the way the various skills work, and the block/counter system - are harder to master, and can lead to plenty of deaths until you've got the hang of it. Luckily, the main story does have an Easy mode for the battles, which does make things a bit easier, although it strangely doesn't apply to the side quests.

It's also a big help if you're familiar with the One Piece series before you start playing, as it can be a little bit disorientating to be thrown into a world full of complex characters you've never heard of, with little to no backstory to follow. While it certainly helps, though, it isn't a requirement, as the majority of the game can be easily enjoyed without having much more than a basic knowledge of the overall plot and the Straw Hats.

The only other thing parents may want to bear in mind is that while there is voice acting, it's only in Japanese, which does mean that an amount of reading is necessary if players are to keep up with the story and the events happening, or understand the tutorials which explain some of the more complex parts of the battle system.

Understandably, Unlimited World Red takes its cues from the animé and manga, so if your child already reads the comics or watches the show, and you're OK with the content there, there's nothing to worry about here.

Bad language is only moderate and infrequent, with a few utterances of b***tard being as strong as it gets. Topics like sex are a mostly a no-show, with there being only minor sexual references, like the two party members who are referred to by some of the female characters as perverts, though this is as far as it goes.

The outfits that are worn by the female characters can also be revealing, with one sporting a bikini top (and an impossibly sized chest) by default, and another who wears a revealing outfit with an open front.

Age Ratings

Format Reviewed: Nintendo 3DS