Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus CD-ROM is based on the
storyline of the movie of the same name, although it doesn't follow
the story completely. The goal of the game is to build the Wand of
Light, which involves finding three things: a measure of courage, a
ring of love, and a gem of ice. The Wand of Light is the only thing
that can defeat the evil Wenlock, who has turned the King and Queen
(Annika's parents) into stone and her sister, Brietta, into a
Pegasus. Annika is Barbie's character, and kids play as the
princess.

A crystal bell is always available to children as they play the
game. Clicking on the bell icon pulls up instructions as to what to
do next. The first task of the game is to find Shiver, Barbie's
polar bear cub sidekick. This little mission helps acquaint children
with the controls of the gamethey direct Barbie using the arrow
keys on their keyboard.
The next set of tasks involves practicing jumping, flying, and
skating before Barbie can begin the adventure. Once complete (and it
takes a while), kids lead Barbie through the Forbidden Forest, where
mini-games and puzzles need to be played and won before advancing
forward. Aidan, who lends Barbie/Annika a hand in the movie, is
absent from the game.
The main issue we have with this game involves a mismatch between
the challenge level of the games and the skills required to use the
controls. The games are quite easy and appropriate for children ages
5-6 and perhaps 7. However, kids need to direct Barbie using the
arrow keys, which is a rather awkward undertaking for children this
age.
Important: A DirectX 9.0-compatible 3D video card is a
minimum requirement for this game. If you don't have these graphics
requirements, the game may run, but the graphics will be poor and
choppy. See also:
More screenshots from
the game Our Rating:
B
more information:
For more information, user reviews, or to buy:
Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus
Reviewed: October 2005
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