Get Started...
Android
iOS
Mac
Switch
Switch 2
PC
PS4
PS5
Xbox One
Xbox X|S
Please enter a valid email address
Please choose a platform
:
How does your child play this? Alone, with friends, with family? How did they discover it and what kept them coming back for more?
:
To verify your input please enter your email to create an account.
Email:
Play Overview
That Dragon, Cancer (2016) is a game about a family with a young son who has terminal brain cancer. It sounds off-putting and morbid but this living biography invites you to join the family and find hope, faith and love in the face of an insurmountable challenge. It’s a unique collage of poetry, phone calls, diagnosis rooms and home movies full of raw emotion.
In game form, lightness combines with weight and sadness to create a unique perspective on cancer and losing a child. The mature theme and simple click-to-move interface make it an ideal first game. If you get stuck you can simply move to the next scene, which is always unlocked.
You can play the game on your own or with your family if they are mature enough for the topic, by taking turns to play a particular level while the others offer suggestions on how to progress or which parts of the game to investigate next. The emotive material and intimate engagement with this family’s story make it important to take time to discuss the game. After playing, you can engage further in the story with a documentary, Thank You for Playing, about the family behind the game.
Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked That Dragon, Cancer 5 years ago. It was re-examined by Thom Robertson and updated 3 weeks ago.
In game form, lightness combines with weight and sadness to create a unique perspective on cancer and losing a child. The mature theme and simple click-to-move interface make it an ideal first game. If you get stuck you can simply move to the next scene, which is always unlocked.
You can play the game on your own or with your family if they are mature enough for the topic, by taking turns to play a particular level while the others offer suggestions on how to progress or which parts of the game to investigate next. The emotive material and intimate engagement with this family’s story make it important to take time to discuss the game. After playing, you can engage further in the story with a documentary, Thank You for Playing, about the family behind the game.
Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked That Dragon, Cancer 5 years ago. It was re-examined by Thom Robertson and updated 3 weeks ago.
There are lots of games similar to That Dragon, Cancer. Here are some we picked for you:
Play Style
This is a Narrative game with Adventure and Point-and-Click elements. This is a single-player game.
You can play this game in the following styles:
Duration
Play Time: This game will take between 2 hours and 3 hours to complete. The game is divided into chapters that in total take about 2 hours to complete. Revisiting scenes and experiencing every aspect of the game, like the messages and art displayed at the hospital level from real-world cancer patients, will take considerably longer for those who wish to linger.
Benefits
Age Ratings
In addition to the rating parents should note the weighty subject matter both for younger children as well as older players who this may be a sensitive subject for.
Skill Level
11+ year-olds usually have the required skill to enjoy this game. Although younger players have the skill to play this, because of the subject matter it's more likely to be enjoyable for older teenagers and adults.
Costs
Game Details
Release Date: 12/01/2016, updated in 2016
Out Now: Mac and PC
Skill Rating: 11+ year-olds
Players: 1
Genres: Narrative (Adventure and Point-and-Click)
Accessibility: 27 features
Components: 3D First-Person
Developer: Numinous Games (@Numinous_Games)
 |
Written by parents for parents, the database complements the in-depth discussion about video game addiction, violence, spending and online safety in the Taming Gaming book. We are an editorially independent, free resource without adverts that is supported by partnerships. |
© 2025 Family Gaming Database