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Final Grade: A System Requirements:
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Black Hammer Productions brings us the sixth I
SPY game in I SPY Fantasy based on the best-selling book of the same name. The I
SPY books from which these games are based on have become such a hit
with kids that it was only logical that they would be turned into
games that kids can play. No longer an image in a book, these games
add animation, music, voice and sound effects to bring the stunning
images in the books to life. I SPY Fantasy is targeted for kids in
the age range of 6-10 and it promises to help them in many different
skill areas from reading, problem solving, vocabulary and other areas.
Learning and fun are all wrapped up in one neat package. I am sure
that kids will find much to like in I SPY Fantasy especially playing
in the three fantastic worlds presented in the game.
The game is
spread across three fantasy worlds: a space colony, a medieval
castle and an underwater environment. Once you enter
your
name at the beginning of the game you can select to play in any
of these three worlds at any time, each with its own mission and
exciting
riddles to complete. In the space colony you must collect six fuel
crystals to power a space shuttle so you can get back home. In
the medieval castle you must save a princess that has been imprisoned
and guarded by a fierce dragon. But before you can do
this you must find the six keys that will open her prison door.
You will eventually have to deal with this dragon yourself when
you find
all the keys and then must collect some specific items to create
a magical potion that will defeat it. In the underwater environment
you must find the six lost pages of a mermaid's book that will
lead you to buried treasure.
In order to accomplish the mission in each world, you will have
to decipher riddles. Each world has six different scenes with
riddles that must be solved. The riddles will be read to
you and will ask
you to find particular items that have been hidden within the
scene you are looking at. Once you find an item being asked
for, a narrated
voice will tell you what you have found and highlight the name
of
the item you have found in the riddle that appears at the bottom
of the screen. Once you find all the items in a particular scene
you are given a vital item that will help you complete your mission
in that world. In the medieval castle you will obtain one of
the six keys you need to unlock the room the princess has
been thrown
into when you complete a particular scene in that world.
In the medieval
castle for example there is a wizard's lab and one riddle you will
be presented here might ask, "I SPY an egg,
two moons, three mice," and you will have to find these
items within that scene. You will have to look very closely
because some
items are hidden very well. Each world can be replayed twice
once you complete it for the first time but you will be given
even more
challenging riddles the second and third time around in each
area. This should please kids who will enjoy replaying each
of these worlds
as well as the increase in challenge that they will provide.
I
SPY Fantasy is very
easy to play and understand. It lives up to its claims by helping
to build valuable learning skills
within
your
kids and allowing them to have fun while doing it as well.
Kids will enjoy the three different fantasy settings, its
impressive visuals,
the thrill of solving an adventure in each world and especially
finding all the items that are hidden in each of the scenes
in
the game.
I know I had lots of fun myself as I was
playing through this game and it even got me interested in
reading the books that these games are based on. Readers
of the I SPY books should find this game most entertaining and others
will find what
is so amazing about the popularity of these books and discover
why they have been turned into a series of games. I SPY
Fantasy is highly
recommended and retails for only $20 and for that price alone
you should buy this game for your children, especially considering
the degree of replayability, fun and learning that it offers. |
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