In a world of violent video games, where dexterity of the thumb and index finger is infinitely more important than the flexing of the cerebrum, there must be a place for children and their parents to interact and actually learn something from that overpriced multimedia computer/gaming system. Take a deep breath and enter the ROMper Room, where learning is a four-letter word — cool.
A brave little bird takes on an sleepy sorcerer in the meteorological epic Mango Plumo’s Weather Adventure. Canadian developer QA International has put together a colorful romp geared toward 5- to 7-year-olds who want to learn why clouds form, the origin of a rainbow and the creation of wind.
Using a character and a screen full of “hot spots” that produce a result when the player clicks on them (a frog croaks when touched, for example), the game combines computer-generated backgrounds with traditional cartoon animation, plenty of learning opportunities and a fun story to stimulate the brain.
After the sleep-deprived evil wizard Hocus Pocus immobilizes everything that might make noise near his castle in the clouds — even Santa feels his wrath — the nasty fellow takes Mango Plumo’s family hostage during one of his fits of anger. The red bird Mango manages to avoid capture and, with the help of the player and the Merlin-like Professor Funnybone, must collect seven keys from around his island to release his clan.
After the child personalizes a suitcase, he enters the high-pitched bird’s world and must immediately build a customized plane because the little fellow has not quite perfected the ability to fly.
Once created, the aircraft’s instrument panel pops up on the lower part of the screen and becomes the menu bar to navigate the island’s panoramic landscapes. A flight controller engages the craft, and pilots can choose to listen to a news broadcast or songs, check on how many keys they have acquired and view a map to decide where to fly next.
Players click on a multitude of creatures, objects and meteorological phenomena to get a lesson from the Professor, play a game or collect a key.
The seven lessons from the Professor do a great job of explaining the science of precipitation, lightning and cloud formations through a narrative and supporting animation.
Each of the six games features three difficulty levels and five rounds and provides more diversion than education. The games include identifying cloud shapes that Mango reveals using a flashlight while in a barnyard setting, character puzzles that use clouds as pieces and a difficult memory exercise involving moving objects into their original position after the wind blows them away.
Players who don’t want to focus on the adventure simply can go back to their suitcase to quickly find all of the games, lessons, a printable story-driven progress report and 11 away-from-the-computer experiments, such as measuring rainfall, understanding the importance of wearing a hat in cold weather and how to conserve heat.
Mango Plumo’s Weather Adventure offers a well-rounded and clever teaching approach to science that will be thoroughly enjoyed by the young Bob Ryan in the family.
Mango Plumo’s Weather Adventure, QA International, $29.99, hybrid for PC or Macintosh systems.
ROMper Room is a column devoted to finding the best of multimedia edutainment. Write to Joseph Szadkowski, The Washington Times, 3600 New York Ave. NE, Washington, DC 20002; call 202/636-3016; or send e-mail (jszadkowski@washingtontimes.com).
DOUBLE DELIGHT
HERE ARE TWO MULTIMEDIA OR ENTERTAINMENT ITEMS FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY TO TRY:
• MESSAGE BAND BY TIGER ELECTRONICS, STAND-ALONE PRODUCT, $12.99. Passing a note in class gets a high-tech upgrade thanks to the company known for the Furby and its Thin Tronix line of accessories. This wristband, as thick as a piece of cardboard, can record up to six seconds of an audio message. It comes in several colorful designs and contains a non-replaceable battery that should handle 1,000 recordings.
Also available is an update of Alexander Graham Bell’s communication device, as wide as a skateboard and only 1 inch thick. The Poster Phone ($29.99) features large numbers, can be mounted on the wall and actually works through a decent speaker and microphone to allow the user to carry on a hands-free conversation. Additionally, six phone numbers can be put into a speed-dial feature and activated by pushing a personalized part of the foam-backed phone. The device requires three AA batteries.
• The Incredible Hulk by Vivendi Universal Games for GameBoy Advance, $29.99. Based on the origins of Marvel Comics’ Green Goliath, not director Ang Lee’s new film, this third-person action game has the player pummel an unending supply of puny soldiers while trying to find his quiet place in the universe. Considering the game is rated E, I was surprised by the amount of on-screen violence involved as the smashing simulation rewards the player with special moves and increased health for punching, stomping and barging into opponents as intensely as possible.
Shown in a three-quarter over-the-top perspective, the pinkie-nail-size jade giant must work through 33 levels by destroying walls, throwing crates and barrels and disturbing everything he can find. For the money, it’s the best translation of a hand-held superhero game currently on the market, thanks to comic-book-like illustrations between levels, exclamations in bold type during successful barrages and legendary supervillains to battle such as the Leader, Abomination and the Executioner.
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