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Vicky The Viking: The Big Trial

Tivola

If you want to be a Viking then you'll have to test your mettle by performing a series of difficult tasks. Vicky the Viking--The Big Trial invites you to shoot arrows and test your courage in many other ways.
Vicky has a tough overbearing father who doesn't think much of his son. On the eve of a major journey to a new land, Vicky pleads with his father for the chance to accompany him. At first his father scornfully rejects the idea as it will require a great deal of courage, perseverance and strength. But eventually he agrees that Vicky can join the rest of the crew if he demonstrates his strength and successfully completes a number of challenging tasks.
Vicky the Viking--The Big Trial is a lively title and it begins with our hero firing arrows into a colourful target. Vicky is intelligent and friendly and quickly introduces you to all the different characters in his village. The colourful Viking characters chat among themselves and you simply click to make the action continue. Vicky is led to different locations such as the edge of the sea where he has to perform a range of tasks. Each of the games is at three levels of difficulty. In the arrow contest, you click to fire arrows at moving targets. You can quickly repeat the instructions, adjust the level if you get stuck and it's easy to travel to another location.
This is an engaging and exciting title for children over four years old. Vicky talks frankly about his worries about not being able to have the courage to perform the tasks and children will be quickly drawn in to help him. This entertaining title also passes on the valuable message that brains are always more valuable than brute strength. --Justin Hunt
Max & The Haunted Castle

Tivola
The Little Prince

Tivola

A classic and much-loved children's story is given a vivid interactive finish in The Little Prince, a CD-ROM that will thrill young readers and their parents. With elegant animations and a low-key, whimsical delivery, this CD-ROM tells the tale of a stranded pilot and his friendship with a strange young man who lives alone on a small asteroid with only a rose for company.
As an interactive storybook, The Little Prince is absolutely gorgeous. Antoine de Saint Exupéry's story is ideal for a multimedia format, since much of the tale centres around the act of drawing pictures. Kenneth Branagh's cheerful and appealing reading of the text is enhanced with sketches that not only appear on narrative cue, but interact with users--changing colours at the click of a mouse or sweeping the book's text aside to highlight the simple, but beautiful illustrations.
The Little Prince offers an intriguing mix of the simple and the sophisticated. While the humour in the story will be more appealing to older players, the games and activities in the program are extremely simple; for the most part, they are composed of animations that come alive at a single click. One game involves maintaining the ecosphere of the Little Prince's home, asteroid B-612, by destroying young baobab plants and watering his rose. Another involves making regular visits to see a wild fox, which will eventually become tame enough to play hide-and-seek with players. Little is required in either of these games except diligence and patience. The animations are simple and repetitive, and many players will tire of them quickly. However, this may only serve to refocus their attention where it deserves to be: on the story itself.
The Little Prince does justice to the original book, adding motion to the illustrations while remaining faithful to the creator's original vision. It also adds an audience-participation element that a simple home-video rendition could not provide. Though it is neither a traditional CD-ROM nor a video game, this presentation will delight its users thoroughly. --Alyx Dellamonica
TIVOLA - Physicus Save The World With Science!

Tivola
Masters Of The Elements

Tivola

Trouble is afoot in the high mountain of the Masters of the Elements. One of these great beings, the Master of Chance, has lost his cat. As Time, Gravity, and Chance's other friends search for the wayward beast, their powers are leaking away and the natural order of things is falling apart. Unless you can find the cat and the Masters' lost rings, chaos will result.
Aimed at players aged eight and over, Masters of the Elements is a first-person role-playing game devoted to teaching basic physics concepts through virtual experimentation. Players learn about gravity and force through a virtual juggling activity, attempt to recharge a battery that will run the Master of Time's toy train and perform many other tasks in order to turn u p the missing cat. Each small game offers a gentle lesson in the workings of the universe, one which helps in the larger quest.
This game requires an odd mix of arcade-style finesse and puzzle-solving skills. The clues to the science conundrums are all available for players to decode, but their solutions are subtle, and implementing the experiments can take care, grace and a lot of repetition. Mouse commands are sometimes on a hair-trigger--move a millimeter too far or shift a juggling pin too quickly, and the whole activity might collapse. This makes Masters of the Elements an excellent game for children who enjoy using the computer in the company of helpful parents.
The masters for whom the game is named are supreme rulers over Time, Gravity, Electricity, Warmth, Light, and Chance. They are also cheerfully drawn storybook characters with ample humour and appeal. This game never lectures players on the aspects of the concepts it teaches, and still delivers applicable lessons in how the fundamental forces of nature work. What's more, the artwork is pleasantly unrealistic, stylised in a fashion that will please those tired of a harsher graphics aesthetic. Ultimately, these features make Masters of the Elements a terrific package for kids who enjoy solving problems and thinking independently. --Alyx Dellamonica
Great Games Compendium 3

Tivola
Robinson Crusoe

Tivola

After a brutal storm wrecks his ship, a bedraggled Robinson Crusoe successfully manages to drag himself ashore-he's the sole survivor and it's your task to help him escape in this animated story CD-ROM.
From the start Robinson Crusoe is a gripping game, brilliantly narrated by Martin Jarvis. It opens with stirring dramatic music as Crusoe talks of his desire to travel the oceans of the world despite the strong opposition of his father. Unfortunately lightening strikes his ship and from the moment you see Crusoe arrive alone on the beach, you have to take on his role. Stranded alone on the Island of Despair, you have to keep your spirits up and carry out various tasks to prevent yourself from starving or becoming the victim of a savage wild animal.
Your first task is to get on board the shipwreck. Using your mouse button you have to collect all the pieces you need to build a raft that will then hopefully take you and the remaining food and water ashore. The scenes are very atmospheric and well illustrated and you even have to wait for a low tide before you head for the wreck.
This game comes with clear instructions on how to navigate your way through the adventure. By clicking on a book icon, you can find tools or objects to make life on the island easier. When you hold down the mouse button you can enjoy panoramic views of the island as if you were actually standing there. And like Crusoe, you have to constantly beware of the cannibals. --Justin Hunt
Max On The Moon

Tivola

Ever fancied a trip to the moon? In Max on the Moonyou get the chance to build your own rocket so you can go on an exciting virtual tour of the galaxy.
Mona the astronaut is stranded on the moon in her rocket. But she cannot return to earth because the man in the moon has stolen her ignition keys! Fortunately Max learns about her plight while he's having afternoon tea with Uncle Pong, the inventor, and, with your help, he sets out to help her.
Max on the Moonis a charming story that will capture the imagination of youngsters. As the characters talk the text is underlined and you are encouraged to participate to take the story forward. By clicking on a window, you send a meteorite flying into Uncle Pong's room and a letter is read aloud and highlighted. Max decides to fly to the moon in a rocket to rescue Mona but not before you have built it for him. Building a rocket is not easy and it takes some time. But you have a clear guide to help you and it will certainly help children develop their hand-eye coordination skills. Once the rocket is finished you push the ignition key and it takes off into space.
While children are following the story, they are continuously given fresh opportunities to learn: whether it's hearing Uncle Pong counting down to the launch of the rocket or listening to the narrator explaining the strange weightlessness of space. Another strong feature of this engaging story is the music and the quality of the drawings. As Max travels through space in his rocket, he sings a catchy song. And as you are working on puzzles, soothing bird songs play in the background. Designed for children between the ages of three and seven years, this interactive story book also lets you switch between hearing words in English, French, German and Spanish. --Justin Hunt
Oscar The Balloonist: Flies Into The Mountains

Tivola

Oscar Flies Into The Mountains is a gentle and accessible introduction to nature. The information on the CD-ROM is provided in a humorous way, and there is a good mix of familiar animals such as bears and cows as well as lesser-known members of the animal kingdom like wood grouse and whistling marmots. Once you've chosen your own rucksack you can join Oscar the balloonist as he flies high through the cold mountains.
Oscar's balloon is decorated with the four seasons of the year. If you click on the winter picture, you are quickly taken to a snowy landscape where the animals introduce themselves. A couple of eagles talk about the joys of flying and show you pictures of their newly hatched children.
The stag, Randolph the Red, talks in an upper-crust accent about his favourite does and admits to having several girlfriends. Unfortunately he knows that one day he will no longer be the leader. Depending where you click, he will talk proudly about his antlers or how his coat keeps him warm when it snows.
Each time you choose an animal, the screen goes dark and you are given a few verbal clues about what they are and where they live before they are revealed. The animals talk in a friendly, good-humoured way and provide a brief insight into their lives--where they live, what they like to eat, who they like and what makes them afraid. (Ages 4 to 8). --Justin Hunt
Max and the Magician

Tivola

Max and the Magician is a richly creative title for three to seven year olds. At the beginning of the CD-ROM, to get you in the mood for the magic that follows, you are invited to click on a multi-coloured hat and immediately a rabbit jumps out. Offbeat and entertaining magical events spring up throughout the story as you click on objects like floating magic wands. Chuckling frogs appear at windows and mice pop out of drawers. There is even a shelf in Mervin's house for spells that went wrong.
Ignoring the circling bats, Max goes deep into the dark forest to find Mervin the magician. But something terrible has happened. He discovers that Mervin has been transformed into a toilet brush. Mervin (who can still talk) bounces around and explains angrily that it is all the work of a wicked witch. Your job is to help Max find all the bits of the magic formula--which are scattered around the house--to break the spell. To find them, you enter a world of interactive magic books and are given the chance to test out Mervin's impressive spell machine.
Occasionally it is difficult to know how to help Mervin and you find yourself stumbling around with your mouse button clicking on tables and drawers for spells to happen. However the fact that it is not always obvious where to go adds to the adventure. Gently illustrated and available in English, German, French or Spanish, Max and the Magician is likely to appeal to young budding wizards everywhere. --Justin Hunt
Max & The Pirates

Tivola

With Max and the Pirates kids will uncover buried treasure, try on eye patches and learn how to prevent scurvy with the help of this fanciful CD-ROM. They'll also practice reading, hone spatial abilities and deductive reasoning--even dabble in French, German and Turkish if they're interested.
Like the other Max offerings from Tivola, Max and the Pirates unfolds like an interactive picture book. A woeful pirate interrupts Max's vacation: he needs help reassembling something called a "pirate machine". Once assembled, the machine will reveal who is the most terrible pirate in the world. Max agrees to board the pirate ship, the Santa Loosetooth, to help find the parts of the mysterious machine. Aboard the ship he meets some memorable characters: the Captain's daughter, Nina, a young buccaneer who punctuates her salty comments with belches; Dr. Breakwater, with his colourful Band-Aid collection; and Peter Galley, the cook whose favourite recipe is Drowned Eggs. Max travels from room to room aboard the ship. Clicking objects within each room reveals a game, a humorous moment, information or one of the ten parts needed to rebuild the pirate machine.
Like other Max programs, the delight is in the details. The doctor's bag contains fruits and vegetables: he tells Max he packs a supply to help keep scurvy at bay. The cook takes Max on an underwater seafood harvesting adventure where they encounter a Poodlefish that's propelled by its own flatulence. ("Taste as bad as they look", the cook declares). Kids can click on pirates who shout "Yo!" in different notes and record a crude , yet pirate-ly, sea shanty. We won't tell you who the pirate machine reveals to be the most dastardly pirate on the seven seas, but we can tell you that other adventures that await after the machine is rebuilt. This programme gets high marks for creativity, humour and adventuresome learning. Max and the Pirates is a treasure. --Anne Erickson, Amazon.com
Snoopy: Where's the Blanket Charlie Brown?

Tivola

The famous Peanuts characters need your help. Linus has lost his security blanket and no one knows where it is. Where's the Blanket Charlie Brown?is packed with fun games and you'll enjoy plenty of laughs with Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang.
Where's the Blanket Charlie Brown?is a fun, well-animated and clearly explained title. It's easy to install and in a neat touch Peanuts characters appear on your screen as the files are installed on your computer. As you log on, you can opt to be either Charlie Brown or Lucy and then you enter the story and help search for the missing blanket.
With music playing in the background, you can play games and watch Peanuts characters writing and reading letters aloud. One of the funniest moments is when Lucy spots Snoopy through the key hole busily knocking up a pizza in the kitchen. You can click to get Snoopy chopping salami and then watch him polish off a couple of pizzas.
In one game, you are invited to hunt with Lucy for Snoopy and you can opt to play it at different levels. He pops up and you have to try to click on him.
Suitable for children over four years old, the Peanuts characters talk in the way they do in the famous US cartoon strip. With his head slumped in his hands, 'blockhead' Charlie Brown talks aloud in his trademark way about the maths problems he's trying to figure out. In this fun title you share in the humorous lives of the Peanuts characters. It's a must for Peanuts fans everywhere.--Justin Hunt
Simsala Grimm: The Frog King

Tivola

The Frog King is an entertaining cartoon-like interpretation of the traditional fairy tale from the Grimm Brothers. Each step of the way, you are invited to take part in interactive games including fending off lightening flashes from the witch and avoiding being eaten by a hungry stork. Clear symbols run along the foot of your screen to explain exactly how to find your way around and you can easily adjust the volume, go back to the last picture or make the games easier to play.
At the start the hero of the tale Prince Edward finds his coach stuck in the mud and tries to move it but then the cold-looking witch appears and the trouble starts--he's turned into a frog and to cast off the spell he must find a princess who is prepared to kiss him. To add to the fun, two cheerful characters, Yoyo and Doc Croc, speak and take part in the story, offering to help the characters.
This is an imaginative title and it invites young children to enter the real world of fairy tales. This title works well as a mixture of narration and games. Younger children will probably need to be supervised by parents as it's no easy task convincing a beautiful princess to kiss a frog. --Justin Hunt
Tales from the Brothers Grimm: Rumpelstiltskin

Tivola

Rumpelstiltskin is a fun and entertaining adventure story for children aged between three and seven years. The cartoon-like quality of the graphics is impressive and the CD-ROM manages to successfully strike the right balance between telling the story in an entertaining way and introducing interactive games to keep youngsters hooked.
A poor struggling miller has had a terrible harvest and he cannot afford to pay his taxes to the king. But the cruel Sir Randolph has no time for his excuses and decides to take the miller's beloved daughter in exchange. To add insult to injury, as Sir Randolph is leaving, he turns around and snatches the poor miller's last sack of grain. However you are given a chance to intervene and save the miller's daughter, Sissi.
Using the arrows on your keyboard you are invited to play a game to try to hide the two brave fun-loving characters, Yoyo and Doc Croc, in the sack so that they may attempt to rescue the poor miller's beautiful daughter. You have to guide them across moving bales of hay and safely into the sack.
The CD-ROM is simple to install and the instructions are clear and easy-to-follow. At the start you click on an old leather-bound book to enter the real land of Grimm's fairy tales. The book flies out of a window in a shower of magical stars and the narrated adventure begins. The games (such as helping Rumpelstiltskin find his magic tune) are set at different levels and you are encouraged to feel that Sissi's very life could be at stake if you put a foot wrong. --Justin Hunt
TKKG: Deadly Chocolate (Super Sleuth Series)

Tivola Electronic Publishing
Millie Metre and Her Adventures in the Giant's Belly

Tivola

Millie Metre and Her Adventures in the Giant's Belly is a charming and imaginative way for young children (aged four to eight) to learn about nutrition and the importance of a balanced diet. It's an easy-to-follow CD-ROM and to get started you simply click on a piece of fruit.
A giant has terrible stomach ache and thinks it might have been something he has eaten. So Millie Metre kindly offers to hop into a space capsule and journey into his body to see what's wrong. In the giant's enormous mouth, she meets Herbert Swallow, who is in charge of the mouth and throat area. At first he thinks Millie is an unhealthy lump of sugar. Realising she wants to help, he explains that she must find all the parts of the Golden Nutrition Pyramid to understand what will make the giant feel better.
During her journey Millie meets characters like the extremely sensitive Fussy who is based in the stomach. There is also Bulk, the baby in the giant family. You can move a magnifying glass around his body and if for example you pull it down onto the large intestine, you will go straight to meet Chloe, the Loo lady. There are also a number of fun games hidden in Bulk's stomach such as Flying Food and the Fruit and Vegetable jigsaw. As Millie spends time with characters on her journey through the body, they sing catchy songs to her which all help to make it exciting and fun for youngsters to learn about food and nutrition. --Justin Hunt
Webmaster - Master of the Elements 2

Tivola

The Dream Wide Web is the environment in which you find yourself: it's a virtual World Wide Web where the Webmaster has their homepage, and it's the game's starting point. One point of note--getting started was somewhat marred by the game's insistence that your computer run in 256 colour mode, a unpromisingly low specification. Despite this the graphics are rather good with something of a "Blade Runner" atmosphere with piles of discarded monitors hiding in the murk, writhing cables and gloomy tunes.
Your task is to vanquish the evil Hacker who has subjugated the inhabitants--now to be found living underground as Subterraneans, who can be called upon to help if you post messages on the Newsgroup boards. The Hacker's hench-entities are Getties, a sneaky and vicious bunch who will do anything for a chocolate caramel. Pushing these through the door of your CD-ROM drive is unlikely to help, however. Instead, you must find cards and the card combinations that let you breach the four firewalls (other combinations are antidotes for the viruses that come from the swamp) using the search engine and information centre that are all part of the game.
To move around you use a white glove-shaped cursor that lets you push, pull, pick things up and generally navigate. It's a tiny bit like wearing a virtual reality glove, an innovative idea that's easy to learn, helped by on-screen prompts.
This is a novel and potentially absorbing game, and if you crack all the firewalls and your telephone bill can stand it, you can choose to play a final online round against the Hacker. --Mark Whitehorn
Max & Marie Go Shopping with Soft Toy

Tivola
Oscar The Balloonist Dives Into The Lake

Tivola
Whales & Dolphins Quiz

Tivola