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Software and Games : Software Categories : Children's Fun & Learning : Characters & Brands : Favourite Characters

• BBC Balamory

  Avanquest Software

  
  What's the story in Balamory? Invite your kids to join Miss Hooly, Pocket & Sweet, PC Plum, Archie, Spencer and Edie Mcredie in virtual Balamory and they will learn as they play. Based on the popular BBC TV children's programme, the BBC Balamory CD-ROM opens with the colourful introductory song viewers know so well. Children are then presented with a variety of games to test basic pre-school and early years skills.

  For younger children (3-4 years) the favourite will no doubt be Josie Jump's Hide and Seek game, where they must find Josie in a field of people, then click on her to make her jump. Equally rewarding for the smallest players is Spencer's Colour Challenge, where youngsters use basic mouse skills and number recognition to match colours with areas of the drawing--a kind of virtual colour by numbers.

  All players will love Edie's Delivery Dilemma, which involves Pac-Man-like gameplay as youngsters work against the clock, using the arrow keys to direct Edie's bus around the town and picking up fruit dropped by the delivery van so that Pocket & Sweet can sell it in their shop. PC Plum Investigates asks children to sort through the evidence that is all mixed up on the policeman's desk, so he can sort out his cases--tasks such as "click on the things that are the same colour as the sea" make this game accessible to most players.

  Slightly older children, (4-6 years) might like to try Archie's Word Wonder, where they must fill in the missing letters on words so that Archie's Word Machine can produce words for Miss Hooly's stories. The only criticism here is that words are sounded out by name only, and not phonetically, but otherwise this is a fun, testing game. Children of school age will also enjoy Pocket & Sweet's Shopping Spree--a fun shopping game that involves helping Penny and Susie put together all their orders, then adding up the cost at the end. If players tire at any point, they can take a break with one of six Miss Hooly stories.

  The production quality is superb: colours are bright and images crisp and the clips from the show run perfectly. Each game is introduced and narrated by the corresponding character from the show, with original voiceovers, and the games are fun, educational and pitched perfectly at the target age-range. There are three difficulty levels for each task, to avoid frustration and aid development. Help is on offer on every screen, and children as young as three or four years old, who possess basic mouse skills, will be able to play the easier games unaided, and the others with assistance. Instructions are read out and printed on-screen, so children can follow as they listen, thus developing valuable reading skills. Great thought has obviously gone into matching characters with tasks, and the variety of games played and skills tested makes this a fantastic all-round package. --Lucie Naylor

  
   

• Favourites: Pingu - A Barrel of Fun!

  Avanquest Software

  
  Once again, the BBC has produced a superlative software package for youngsters aged between three and six years old.

  Though this is a fairly large age gap to bridge, the content on Pingu: A Barrel of Fun achieves it effortlessly. For the younger end of the age group, there are shape-sorting, number- and letter-matching, sound- and colour-recognition puzzles to crack. For five- and six-year-olds, the "hard" rather than "easy" skill option will give plenty to amuse. For example, in the easy letter game, players must choose the initial letter of a given everyday object, whereas in the hard version, players must spell the whole word. (Hover over the letter and you get the name of the sound; once you've placed it, the voice-over tells you the name of the letter--an extremely sound educational approach.)

  The sound game, a real highlight of the package, is an aural pelmonism, where players must match sounds to make the symbols disappear. In the harder version, the organ grinder plays a tune and players must match the sounds in the correct order. Though most sounds are everyday (telephone, cow, pig) there are some more exotic sounds (lion) that children may not recognise, but they can match them to the pictures shown.

  For older players, there is a selection of five games to choose from, each with an easy, medium and hard skill option. In "Ice Flow", you must get Pingu across the water without wetting him so he can deliver birthday presents: a kind of basic Pingu Frogger! "Snow Maze" is reminiscent of a simple Pac-Man, but the added bonus is picking objects up along the way that you can build up into your own original picture at the end. "Fish Tennis" is bordering on the surreal--a kind of elementary tennis reminiscent of the original Atari game, but with Penguins not paddles and fish not balls! "Building Blocks" sets players a puzzle not unlike those in the Krypton Factor--matching shapes together to build up an overall object within a template. In the easy version, each shape is cut into three pieces; in the medium version it is four or five pieces and in the harder one, seven or eight. The only let-down to the game section is "Music Time", a recording synthesiser which allows you to play nursery rhyme tunes, sing along or record your own composition. Though the idea is great, the mouse dexterity required to make it work effectively is probably beyond the target age group, and the resulting sound quality on a home PC is poor.

  That said, this is a minor blip in an otherwise fantastic package. It is easy to load, has great graphics that perfectly reproduce the TV programme, and while younger players may require supervision and help, they will still enjoy their favourite character, even if mastering the finer points of the package is beyond them. Whether your child is a fan of Pingu or not, there is plenty for him or her to get their teeth into. From early learning to elementary gaming skills, Pingu: A Barrel of Fun will definitely last the three years of the target age range and players will continue learning all the time. And, once your children has turned six, a simple and effective Uninstall option means your hard drive won't be clogged up forever. --Lucie Naylor

  
   

• Favourites Tweenies Ready to Play

  Avanquest Software

  
  Hey, hey, are you ready to play? It's time to come and play with the Tweenies software. Jake, Milo, Bella and Fizz are all waiting to improve your little one's writing, art, reading and listening skills, as well as develop early gaming talents.

  Tick, Tock, Tweenie Clock, Where Will It Stop?
  Immerse your youngster in the colourful and familiar Tweenies world, brilliantly represented in sound and graphics on your PC. Everyone will love "Messy Time", with the three different print and play games, as well as instructions on how to make finger puppets, masks, badges and spinners. Then there's "Doodles Mail"--write to the Tweenies via Doodles, receive a reply, and see little faces light up. Watch favourite characters during "Telly Time", and join in the action songs in "Song Time". "News Time" will test pre-school general knowledge and Tweenies trivia, while "Playtime" encourages early gaming skills with "Catch", "Flying Rocket" (an arcade-style game) and "Snap". Then, if you're sitting comfortably, there's the old faithful, "Story Time".

  Clear, colourful and easy to use, the Tweenies software will appeal greatly to children from the age of three, but there's plenty to keep the five- and six-year-olds happy as well. Language development, numeracy, creativity, elementary computer skills and good old-fashioned fun are all encouraged, and the whole package is designed to support Key Stage 1 in English, Art, Maths and Information Technology. Whether you select your own activities, or let the Tweenie Clock pick at random, child appeal is absolutely guaranteed. Though simple in principle, all the games and learning activities have the repetitive quality toddlers love and thrive on. This is every bit as good as the TV show with one major advantage--it lasts much longer. --Lucie Naylor

  
   

• Reader Rabbit Nursery

  Avanquest Software

  
  
   

• Sponge Bob Square Pants

  Avanquest Software

  
  
   

• Zoombinis Maths Journey

  Avanquest Software

  
  Zoombinis Maths Journey features uncommonly fun reasoning games that require serious problem solving and maths work. This CD-ROM employs basic fundamentals of mathematical thinking while keeping children thoroughly entertained throughout.

  Not too long ago, Zoombinis enjoyed the good life. Though they all looked slightly different--different eyes, noses, hair, feet--such differences meant nothing to the Zoombinis. And so they lived happily on Zoombini Isle, making small, useful products, which were prized the world over.

  So begins this unsuspectingly addictive CD-ROM, yet the perils that face this cheerful society are not as fearsome as the amount of time you'll potentially spend on this pursuit. Beware the chubby, chattering Zoombinis if you don't want to get hooked to your computer for at least 90 minutes a session.

  Adored by educators and parents alike, Zoombinis Maths Journey challenges children to employ such basic fundamentals of mathematical thinking as organising information, reasoning of evidence, finding and making patterns, and systematic testing of hypotheses. The journey follows four puzzle-filled trails, each exploring related mathematical ideas. The fundamental data and variables for all this work are the variations in the Zoombinis' features. Their "feet", for example, can be shoes, skates, whirligigs, or coiled springs (the sound effects for these items are particularly great), while their "eyes" may be heavily lidded, enhanced by eyeglasses, blocked by dark shades, or limited to just a single eyeball. Sorting and arranging these variables in order to solve puzzles requires concentrated effort from the players and the game rewards them well with inventive scenarios that evolve in fabulously curious ways as skills are gained. This may not sound like much, but when Arno the Pizza-Eating Tree Troll, who has been yammering for the perfectly topped pizza his entire lifetime, suddenly demands a perfectly topped ice cream sundae, too, it is a staggering, giddy surprise.

  The product is full of so many little joys, it's hard to demand improvements. Still, it'd be a great thing if version 2 would feature something other than the monotonous, ping-ping-ping soundtrack that's featured here. But that's minor. In the end, the creators' promise that this CD-ROM will "encourage kids to develop a lifetime habit of associating fun with learning" is spot on. (Ages 9 and up) --Jean Lenihan, Amazon.com

  
   

• Favourites Bob the Builder Can we Fix It?

  Avanquest Software

  
  Can We Fix It?. Of course we can, and with this BBC software package little builders will be better equipped than ever!. Featuring the chirpy Bob and his mechanical multitude of talented friends, this fun package is a mixture of educational encouragement and pure out-and-out fun.

  Once loaded, you are invited to move the cursor around Wendy's office to select your tasks: hover over the phone, and it rings with a plumbing job; go near the fax, and a job comes in for Roley. Keep moving around, and you will find enough jobs to keep little fingers and minds busy for hours.

  In "Hedgehog Rescue", the aim is firstly to help Lofty the Crane build a tunnel to save the scared hedgehogs from crossing the road. Children must match pipe shapes to tunnel shapes, and construct the route. The next, more difficult game, involves Wendy herding the hedgehogs into the tunnel--easier than it sounds, since one particularly persistent hedgehog seems unwilling to go.

  In "Travis' Race Day", choose between Scoop or Dizzy to a head-to-head around an obstacle-strewn track. Guide your challenger by mouse or arrow keys--again, not as easy as it sounds, and a great developmental aid for hand-to-eye co-ordination.

  "Can We Build It?" involves knocking down an unsafe bridge, then using colour recognition to match the bricks to rebuild it. Roley needs a hand with unruly tarmac in "Bubble Trouble", when you must guide him over the bubbles to even out the road. And in "Scary Spud", you must move Spud around the screen to scare off the crows. But the crowning glory is "Wendy's Birthday", where guests first decorate her cake then join in the fun line dancing. Also included on each game is "Where's Pilchard?", a hide-and-seek game for the shy, blue cat.

  Accompanied throughout by Neil Morrisey's narration and the superb music from the TV show, (also now a CD single), this package builds on many elementary educational skills to make little builders into fully fledged Bobs. And while it is not that quick to load (missing plug-ins are provided, but it may take some time) it is well worth the wait.

  Testers of around two years old found this package fun and evocative of their favourite TV character, though they did require constant supervision and most of the games were beyond mastering. This is a superb educational aid and lots of fun. (Suitable for ages 2 to 6).--Lucie Naylor

  
   

• I Spy School Days

  Focus Multimedia Ltd

  
  
   

• REVIVAL: LEGO Creator

  Focus Multimedia Ltd

  
  At first acquaintance, the basic "gaming environment" wherein LEGO Creator's players build their virtual bikes, choppers, cranes and so on, and direct their dinky, cutesy, usually pre-built minifigures, seems a little bit odd and unsettling--even bleak. Bleak enough to confirm the prejudices of parents and others who would consider computerised LEGO a travesty of the hands-on, real-world ethos of the original construction game.

  However, after a while, the cleverness of this CD ROM comes to the fore. In the virtual LEGO Creator world you don't just build things and then take them apart; you can make them fly at the touch of a button, give them apposite or ludicrous sounds, change their colour with a single mouse-click, even blow them up (flamboyantly) using the special DESTRUCTA bricks.

  You're then able to pilot your figures and vehicles through the very world you have created, guided by an integral LEGO Creator Wizard--who is a bit like a permanently untiring, mega-brainy parent. All in all then, a rather fine and intelligent toy, albeit not one for the very young, or very active, or very easily dismayed. -- Sean Thomas

  
   

• Favourites Teletubbies Favourite Games

  Avanquest Software

  
  Crafted with brilliant colours and the lazy-summer-day pace of the celebrated series, Teletubbies 2: Favourite Games delivers the goods for the toddler set. From the first scene, where the baby-face sun rises across the computer screen, kids will be entranced. Parents will like it too--mostly for the developmental skills the teletubbies teach.

  The CD-ROM is based around five games, including "Tuning In," "Gymnastic," and "Making Tubby Custard" (which features appropriately silly sound effects). "Hide and Peep" takes the traditional hide and seek game and adds bright red curtains. "Roly Poly" was a particular favourite; when you click on a teletubby it sends Laa-Laa, Tinky Winky, Dipsy, and Po rolling down gorgeous green hills.

  A very big pointer triggers the game's actions, and children should be able to use it easily in developing computer skills. These games also help children to learn how to match (from the hiding game) and create ordered sequences (in the case of the custard game). In addition, the game designers have built in considerate additions for the recommended age group, two to four years old. For example, to quit the game parents need to hit the escape key--a good choice for little fingers that might otherwise click an exit icon by mistake. Charming and colourful--like the television show come to life--Teletubbies 2: Favourite Games will please and delight. --Simon Priestly

  
   

• Fimbles Fimbling Fun!

  Avanquest Software

  
  If your child is getting that Fimbling Feeling, try Fimbles Fimbling Fun, one of an excellent range of CD-ROMs and console games produced by the BBC. It includes lots of songs, stories and video clips from the popular TV programme. Let your child join the Fimbles and their friends for fun and enjoyment in a world of make believe.

  There are lots of learning situations, all designed with fun in mind. Objects must be found: a suitcase, a pebble, a feather, a shimmy shaker, and blue footprint, all of which lead to various activities, including a music game, a maze game, a collage, a suitcase game, stories, tickling games, songs and discovery sequence videos. All these wonderfully exciting activities will lead children to meet Florrie, Pebble, Ribble, Rockit, Roly Mo, and Baby Pom, and if any help is needed, Bessie is always on hand to tell children what everything on the screen does.

  Also included are activities designed specifically for adults to play and do with children, so that the learning and fun can be developed after the CD-ROM has been switched off. These include printing out and colouring in, finding games, and more. All of the games can be played at different levels of skill and difficulty to cater for a range of abilities. The BBC has developed this CD-ROM in line with the national curriculum at the foundation stage, and recommends that it is suitable for children aged 2 years and above. Skills which can be practiced and developed include mouse control, listening, following directions, observation, cause and effect, and creativity.

  Accompanying the package is a first-rate, colour instruction booklet which is extremely well set out and it should be read by parents or helpers before play is commenced. --Susan Naylor

  
   

• Bob the Builder Castle Adventure (PC)

  Avanquest Software

  
  Based on the ever popular TV series, Bob the Builder: Castle Adventure sees Bob and friends take a trip to a medieval castle where they embark on a series of fun activities and games. Taking its theme from the Knights of Can a Lot feature-length film, it has you and your child guiding Bob, Lofty, Wendy, Spud and all your favourite characters through 10 activities. Starting at the Gatehouse, there are four castle sections. These offer maze games, moat games, castle wall games and dungeon games. There are also clips from the film included in the software. You get to hear the voices of Neil Morrissey, Richard Briers and Brenda Blethyn throughout.

  The interface is child friendly, being colourful, clean and easy to follow. The software is developed in line with the National Curriculum Foundation Stage, with three different skill levels to cover a range of ages and abilities from three years upwards. To start the game you set up a player and have the opportunity to choose a shield. This enables you to have several players using the software without uncovering bonuses, or completing activities and therefore spoiling surprises for a particular child. The games themselves are straightforward, with clear instructions, but good fun. You can replay as many times as you like and when you have completed a task you earn a star. When all tasks are completed you unlock some additional activities. You can also print out a certificate for your child to say that they have helped Bob fix the castle. Nice job, Bob! --Heather Wilson

  
   

• LEGO Island (PC CD-ROM)

  Focus Multimedia Ltd

  
  
   

• Zoombinis Mountain Rescue

  Avanquest Software

  
  Zoombinis are little blue guys and gals that inhabit a kingdom reminiscent of JRR Tolkien's Middle Earth, and ingeniously teach maths principals using puzzles instead of numbers. In the Zoombinis Mountain Rescue CD-ROM a group Zoombinis gets trapped in a cave, and it's up to players to organise a search party that can withstand the logical travails of a journey through this perilous and quirky terrain. There are nine "obstacles" along the rescue route. Players cross a bridge of turtles by sorting Zoombini search-party members by nose colour, hairstyle or other characteristics. Deducing (again based on features) which Zoombini can snowboard down which path furthers the mission as well. The search party is held up briefly in a cafeteria where it must use logic to wait on Norfs who drop oblique hints about what they want, or don't want to order. Each game will stretch your child's ability to use forethought and analysis to assess a situation. Even the easiest of the three levels is designed to be challenging, so be prepared to help out along this creative and strenuous path.

  The genius of this Windows-only program is that it turns sophisticated mathematical concepts into engrossing activities. We played a game called "Boolie Boggle" endlessly--Boolies either smile or frown, and in this game, the object is to change frowns into smiles by bumping Boolies with pinballs. Pretty easy until you start getting chains of Boolies and chains of pinballs. Soon your mind is throbbing as you try to figure out what a sequence of three pinballs will do to two frowning Boolies. "Binary addition" sounds pretty intimidating, but that's exactly what "Boolie Boggle" is teaching. "Algebraic thinking" and "information-age maths" are among the other things this program teaches--mercifully, it manages it with little creatures and 3-D mazes instead of formulas and numbers.

  As this journey unfolds, members of the search party drop off due to mismatched noses, wrong path choices and other errors. Fortunately, there is a practice mode where kids can play the games without sacrificing their Zoombini friends. Puzzles change elements, so there's no way to "learn" a level then repeat it by rote. There is also a very thorough parents' guide, which is helpful for parents who have, err, forgotten about binary numbers. Zoombinis Mountain Rescue is a gentle, yet challenging program that will probably even work its subtle magic on maths-phobes. --Anne Erickson

  
   

• Reader Rabbit Reading - Ages 4-6

  Avanquest Software

  
  
   

• Reader Rabbit Thinking - Ages 4-6

  Avanquest Software

  
  
   

• Reader Rabbit Year 2

  Avanquest Software

  
  
   

• Reader Rabbit Junior

  Avanquest Software

  
  
   

• Scooby Doo The Scary Stone Dragon

  Avanquest Software

  
  
   

• Thomas & Friends - The Great Festival Adventure (PC)

  Mindscape