Cleverly
humorous and graphically dazzling, this activity center software
program based on the hit movie Monsters Inc. has much going for
it. For one--and unlike many Disney Interactive activity centers
based on movies--this title contains a tremendous number of
activities. For another, many of them are quite fun. Best of all,
kids need to draw upon logical and strategic thinking skills in
order to succeed at them. Another "plus" to be said for
the game is its format--kids need to work through each activity
for a pre-determined amount of time before opening the next in
line. This gives kids a sense of purpose, and ensures that each
activity will be given a fair shot. Of course, kids can return to
any "open" activities whenever they want. Difficulty
levels increase automatically, but can be changed manually as
well.
The
setting for the game is Monsters, Inc. Players become employees of
the company and start, naturally, in the mail room ("All trainees
start in the mailroom," players are told). Opportunities for
advancement at this company, where "We Scare Because We
Care" is the motto, are plentiful. In fact, if kids have
"what it takes", they can work through all the
departments, earning key cards one by one, and moving up the
ranks.
In the
mailroom, kids sort mail according to color, shape, and stamp
class. As levels advance, the variables added make sorting the
mail more challenging. Once mastered, kids move on to the Door
Vault, where they must direct Sullivan through doors in an attempt
to find the giggling, teasing little girl. Then it's on to the map
room, where kids match flags on a map of the world to the correct
countries, and, as levels advance, to a country's language. In the
monster day care, they must quiet and appease monster babies with
toys, spiked soothers, and (ick!) diaper changes. A
favorite activity is found in the Tryout Room--trainees attempt to
be "Master Scarers" by navigating through a dark room
towards a mechanical child. The goal, of course, is to scare the
kid. The challenge? To get to the bed where the mechanical kid is
sleeping, trainees must navigate in near darkness, avoiding such
obstacles as squeaky toys, musical instruments, and cats. Each
time players mistakenly step on a square with one of these items,
they must start all over again, but before they do, they get to
peek at the room's layout with the lights on. Gradually, kids
figure out a strategy to make it all the way. Other
activities include filing paperwork into folders, serving up
made-to-order lunches for the monsters in the cafeteria, and
parking monsters' cars in the lot.
Kids
should enjoy the characters, graphics, and humor of the game. They
don't need to do too much in order to advance through the
activities. The downside? What to do, at times, can be confusing
for younger users (the game is designed for children ages 5 and
up). Characters do offer instructions, but kids have to wait to
hear them--a help icon would have come in handy.
Pros:
- Moderately educational
activities--children need to strategize and draw on
logical thinking skills
- Plenty of
activities
- Pleasing graphics,
musical soundtrack, and characters.
- Cute premise
|
Cons:
- Confusing at times.
- The box says ages 5-up,
but 7-9 is probably more appropriate.
|
Back
For Win/Mac |
By: Disney Interactive |
Ages 6-10 |
Published: 2001 |
|
|