Facebook’s Messenger Kids app gains dark mode, voice effects, more; PAC-MAN coming to Gaming

Zac Hall | Dec 6 2021 - 10:13 am PT

Facebook is updating its Messenger Kids app this week with three new features including dark mode and voice effects. Each update is available first on iOS and coming later to Android. Facebook is also introducing a new way to interact with PAC-MAN on its gaming platform.

Messenger Kids is Facebook’s messaging app for users under 13 years old. The app includes a dashboard for parents to manage contacts, view blocked accounts, and monitor messages.

This week iPhone and iPad users will start seeing dark mode support and the ability to start two-player games from chat. The latter feature is activated after entering a chat thread and tapping the orange controller “Play” tab on the bottom right corner.

Lastly, Facebook is rolling out effects for voice messages including robot, ghost, gorilla, mouse, and seashell. Look for this feature in the weeks to come.

Messenger Kids is available for iPhone and iPad through the App Store.

And in related news, Facebook proper is bringing the classic game PAC-MAN to its gaming platform with creator tools for custom maze building:

Play solo or through co-op multiplayer in groups of up to four people, working together to complete each maze while still competing against each other for the highest point total. In addition to PAC-MAN COMMUNITY’s built-in mazes, players can also create their own levels and challenges through the Maze Creator tool.