Gaia Online calls itself for "online hangout" for teens. This article reviews this website and tells you if it is worth your kid & # 39; s time.
Design
The first thing that captures your attention when you visit Gaia is the bright, perky anime theme. Borrowed heavily from Japanese comics, the design has a flourish of bright colors, clean lines, and a very effervescent feel to it. Considering that this is a website aimed at teenagers, the design feels very appropriate.
Features
Number of over 151, these forums cater to virtually every subject and interest - from photography and surfing, to hip - hop and cooking. You will be hard pressed to find a subject not Covered under the Gaia Online forums. Incidentally, Gaia Online is also another one of the most popular message boards on the internet with over a million posts per day.
When you first sign up for Gaia Online, you will be prompted to create your own avatar in the form of a "chibi" character. "Chibi" is a Japanese term for a small man or child, and in anime, it refers to a small, childlike character. The chibi characters are diverse in their looks, and you will definitely find something appealing among the wide selection.
Avatar Arena & # 39 ;, buy houses, furniture, and houses for their avatars, and take part in role playing games in the & # 39; Barton Town & # 39;
This virtual currency can be gained by participating in the forum, posting answers to other members & # 39; questions, playing games, take part in role playing quests, or even buying it outright with actual cash. In fact, you can buy pre-paid Gaia cash cards at select Target stores in the US.
Gaia Online has a vibrant virtual world called & # 39 ;. Gaia Towns & # 39;. Members can buy homes for their avatars in these towns and interact with other members through games and chat rooms. You can also furnish and decorate your house and get it rated in the & # 39; House Arena & # 39;
Other features of Gaia include an expanding games section with a wide selection of card and arcade games, and an '39' Art Arena 'where members can showcase their creative talent.
Content
Porn and sex is a strict no-no, no one, and any posts about these subjects are quickly removed by moderators and staff members.
Community
Gaia Online & # 39; s strongest point is its friendly community. Its forums are among the most trafficked on the internet, and you can not find dozens of answers to a question within a few hours of posting. Members are very helpful and there are a very few rotten apples (or & # 39; trolls & # 39;). The moderators and staff members are quite active and remove any objectionable posts at a moment.
Website Performance
The site loads up fairly quickly even during peak traffic hours. The games section may may post a problem on older computers because of heaviness use of Flash and Shockwave, but on the whole, Gaia Online runs very smoothly, with very few outages.
Final Words
It's not suitable for children below 13, Gaia Online is something for everyone. but older teens will find a lot to love on this website.
