Zurk's Learning Safari

Reviewed by Jodee Ewbank
Published by Soleil Software

Age Group: Age 2 to 5
Type: Science
Price: $29.95

PC version requires:
486, 4MB RAM, 2x CD-ROM

Mac version requires:
Version is available.

Description:

Zurk's Learning Safari is one of many titles for preschoolers offering a broad range of topics under one umbrella; it has some features which are unique and very appealing, although it is not head and shoulders above its competitors.

There are six activities: Hide and Seek, Wildlife Adventure, Puzzles, Alphabet Book, Magic Box and Alphabet Soup. Hide and Seek offers two beautiful scenes from the African plains with 60 animal stamps, either hidden by the program or free moving for the child to hide for a friend. As the manual suggests, one can't help but discuss the way animals camouflage themselves in the environment. Wildlife Adventure is also unique, a story of a lost lion cub who needs help to get home. The usual cursor becomes the cub itself, a unique experience for the child not yet acquainted with video games. Again, the graphics are lovely.

From there, the choices and the graphics are run-of-the-mill. The puzzles, 5 in all, are typical jigsaw style puzzles. Alphabet Book and Magic Box are very minimal activities. Alphabet Soup, a cute game of letter matching, takes some time to play but is repetitive. Young children may not stay interested long enough to finish the game.

Features:

  • Beautiful graphics of Africa's wildlife
  • Various early learning topics
  • Activities lead kids to want to learn more.

Technical Aspects:

There were no difficulties running this program and it installed easily.

Report and Conclusions:

Compared to other titles, Zurk's Learning Safari is interesting for its graphics, but its content is limited and its teaching methods are not outstanding.

You can download a Mac demo.
You can download a PC demo.