A Surprise for Horace

Reviewed by Kim Moon
Published by Simon & Schuster Interactive

Age Group: Age 2 to 5, Age 4 to 8
Type: Thinking Games, More Fun
Price: $27

PC version requires:
Windows 95 or 98, P 90, 16 MB RAM, 4 X CD-ROM drive, hi-color

Mac version requires:
PowerMac, 16 MB RAM, 4 X CD-ROM drive, hi-color

Description:

Die-hard Wimzie fans will be delighted with this program. Horace is feeling kind of low, so Wimzie and the gang decide to throw him a surprise party to cheer him up and make him feel special. The only problem is that they have "lost" the presents and the child is asked to help find the gifts. The hunt begins as the player clicks away in search of a fireman's helmet, harmonica, somersault medal, and a portrait of Horace drawn by Wimzie. The player must find these and other treasures by searching the house and, of course, hotspots provide entertainment even when they do not yield one of the gifts. Wimzie comes out and gives advice, and the little monster pops up screeching, "click, click." (If my daughter clicked that once and dissolved into helpless laughter, she did it a thousand times.) In the kitchen, kids can "chow down" on cake and cookies (with very satisfying chomping noises) and slurp their juice. In Wimzie's room, the player can cause a "scary storm" as Wimzie discusses her own fear of storms. These features give the player a sense of adventure as they tour Wimzie's house.

From game to game, the items are hidden in different places. The player is also allowed to choose a level based on their ability. On level one, you must find the items. On level two, you must find them in a specified order and on level three, they sometimes roll away to a new hiding place when you find them. When all of the objects are found, the party begins!

Features:

  • Clickable hotspots
  • Three ability levels
  • Random placement of objects

Technical Aspects:

This program, for the most part, ran smoothly. The graphics are superb and the program even plays the Wimzie "theme song." We had some trouble with the program during play, but it could usually be remedied by exiting and making sure all other applications were closed.

Report and Conclusions:

If your child is an avid Wimzie fan, they will be delighted by this program. My kids enjoyed it for the first few plays but soon became tired of the game because of our frequent technical difficulties (which could have been caused by some internal conflict with our computer.) The age range on this game is a very accurate guide. Kids older than five would probably become bored quickly and those younger than three would probably have difficulty remembering where they had already searched.




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