Bob the Builder: Can-Do Zoo: "Yes We Can" Download That Game!
Company: Brighter Minds
Long before I loved zapping space aliens or raiding tombs, I was playing games that tested my math and typing skills. Carmen Sandiego was the greatest Geography teacher I ever had... Edutainment may now be more appropriately labeled as "Serious Gaming," but to kids everywhere, a game is just a game. Call it what you will, every child will take the measure of a game by its entertainment value. The "Edu" part is what parents care about. Bob the Builder is a good brand on television and it turns out that Bob is a nice gaming asset now, courtesy of Brighter Minds Media and Gamelab. Download-ready, Bob the Builder: Can-Do Zoo is a nice option for parents that want their kids developing more than hand-eye coordination in the gaming arena. This title offers a series of mini-games with an educational slant toward pre-school kids, the same target audience for the popular show. Fun extras like a Sticker Book Mode will add to the replay value for kids.
The gameplay details we've seen thus far include a mix of activities where kids will help Bob and his crew put together a zoo for some animals that were delivered prematurely to the Bobland Zoo. Each set of activities can be dialed up or down in terms of difficulty. Just like the Drew Carey Show ("the show where everything's made up and the points don't matter"), Can-Do Zoo emphasizes fun over scoring points or competition. Kids receive coaching if they end up stuck during a level and earn stickers when they finish. The instructions are always very clear and the visual style is bright and cheery. If the voices during the game aren't directly from the show, they're good imitators. Kids will love the interaction with Bob and the machines that make up his team.
Brighter Minds Media is well established as a producer of family content, including brands such as Caillou, Care Bears, and Marvel. They have partnered with folks like PBS Kids and Cartoon Network to produce kid-friendly material in categories such as DVD games, books, and boxed software. Bob the Builder: Can-Do Zoo will be Brighter Minds' first game available for download. Partnering with developer Gamelab puts Brighter Minds in good company, since other Gamelab titles in this category include Diner Dash, Miss Management, Jojo's Fashion Show, and Shopmania. Drafting a veteran developer familiar with this genre will go a long way toward helping Brighter Minds pull off the transition to casual gaming. In return, Gamelab will benefit from association with a company that knows how to do educational software that is also fun.
The cross-platform option for PC and Mac means that Bob the Builder: Can-Do Zoo will be available to a wide audience of Pre-K gamers. As the parent of a 5-year old, I can attest to how difficult it has been to find fun, educational content that is branded in a way that compels kids. Lots of generic material has been available, and there has been a fair amount of boxed content in stores. What's missing is the immediate gratification of a downloadable game, coupled with a compelling brand that really speaks to younger gamers. Brighter Minds and Gamelab seem to have a nice thing going with Bob the Builder: Can-Do Zoo, and we look forward to seeing more when the game emerges this summer.
-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock
Related Links: Brighter Minds Media Web Site Bob the Builder Web Site Gamelab Web Site
Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix Ikariam