For more on Tropico 4, check out our full Tropico 4 review. Or, for more of the best Xbox 360 games for a 10 year old, why not try our Family Game Finder
Welcome to your very own tropical island paradise! In Tropico 4, you play as a dictator on a tropical island that you can run for yourself. Deep, complex, and requiring a lot of political nous, along with some sharp management skills, you'll have to build your island up from a collection of shanties to a bustling metropolis, all whilst trying to keep the various political factions on your island happy - not to mention external forces, like the USSR, the USA, and mother nature.
Slow paced and thoughtful, Tropico 4 isn't a game that's going to appeal to fans of shooters and explosions. It's a game of planning and strategy as you grow your economy by building farms and gathering resources, before expanding your island, and building houses, hospitals, factories and museums, whilst attempting the impossible task of trying to keep everyone happy. As is often the way, one decision will please one faction but upset another (for example, build a church and you'll please the religious faction, but may upset the less religious types) - all you can do is try to keep most of them on side, lest you have to quell an uprising.
With a lot of menus to navigate, and a reasonable amount of reading required, this certainly isn't a game younger children will be able to cope with. The topics it deals with are similarly complex, and balancing incoming and outgoings, managing trade, and keeping the populace happy requires a lot of patience and thought. If you're looking for a game that'll stimulate an older child/teen's grey matter without directly being about puzzles, Tropico 4 would be a great choice - it's certainly not a game you can just coast through without thinking.
In terms of questionable content, there's not a lot wrong with Tropico 4. There's no swearing in the game, and violence is also incredibly light, being restricted to when you call in the army to deal with a rebel uprising - there's gunfire, and people go down, but no blood.
Sadly, there's no multiplayer modes in Tropico 4, as it's an entirely simple game.
Age Ratings
Format Reviewed: Xbox 360
