| Product: |
BBC Multimedia Noddy - The Magic of Toytown (PC) |
| Date: |
10/10/00 (764 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Brilliant!
Disadvantages: Some "album-fillers!" ;
My toddler Lucy now loves this CD Rom, she's played "Toddler Rabbits" (see other review) to death. Ever since going to Butlins in Skegness in the Summer (also see other review!!), she has been completely bonkers on Noddy. First it was the videos, books and recently the magazine. We then had to purchase the BBC Multimedia CD Rom.
The CD cover features "9 Bumper Activities" and "Bumper" they certainly are, providing lots of fun for ages 3 - 6, though Lucy is still only just 2 and she loves it.
On the main menu, Noddy will introduce each menu choice. There is a "parental help" click box, which tells parents or teachers about the activity and gives suggestions for encouraging the child's learning.
The Activities: From the main menu, the user can go to the Cinema, Storytime, Toytown Tour, Tessie's Studio or Funtime.
The cinema plays 2 Noddy videos, which are quite long, about 10 minutes. Lucy won't sit still for this long, but the animation is very smooth. The video can be paused, rewound or fast-forwarded by clicking on the video-type controls with the mouse.
Storytime is like one of those "Talking Books", where a voiceover tells the story and the child can interact with it. My favourite bit is where the train zooms over the hill, but there are other humorous touches. This interactive element is not as good as "Bananas in Pyjamas" or "Harry's Haunted House" if you are familiar with these CD's, but fairly good nonetheless.
Toytown Tour: The child can "sit" with Noddy in his little car as he zooms around Toytown, collecting bits and bobs which have been left behind. When there is something to be found, the car goes "parp, parp!", which gives the child a (completely obvious!!) clue. Unfortunately, this game always crashes on my home computer, but works on the school one. The game is quite funny, though.
Cartoon Collage: I can't see the point of all this, definately aimed at older children this one, as I can't even understand it.
Invisible Paint: This is a "souped up" Spot the Difference game, the child nominates 3-5 objects to hide with the invisible paint, for some adult or other child to attempt to find. Quite good fun, but one of those games which can be better played with a tin tray, objects and cloth (a la Playschool!)
Artbox: A great program, this. This is an art package, but with Noddy bits and bobs. The child can paint the Noddy pictures on screen, or print them out to colour in, or print them out coloured in! (such variety!) Also, the best bit is the card making facility which I only just discovered today. By using the special clipart, you can make brilliant Christmas cards, Birthday cards, "Sorry" and "Thank you" cards and all sorts of other cards. Brilliant!
Snap: The computer program plays Noddy tunes, while the child studies the cards. The music completely puts my daughter off, as she wants to dance along to the music, and hasn't quite got the hang of "snap!" yet.
Who Said That?: Again, another matching game, which is really annoying.
Maze: By far the best game on here, for adults to play! I'm completely addicted. Basically, you have to control Policeman Plod around a maze, chasing after the Wicked Goblin. He tries to steal the cakes and you have to rescue him. The background music is brilliant, and gets faster as the levels get harder. I still have hysterics every time the Goblin says "Oh Nooooooooo!" when you grab a cake off him, and Plod says "I've got iiiiiiit!". Plod also keeps running out of breath, which is a great touch.
All in all, a fantastic CD, much like an album really, where some tracks are clearly album fillers, and others are outstandingly Top 10 material!
Summary:
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