Science Snoops: The Monarch Case
© 2007 Kinder Magic Software
In this clunky program with good content, you take on the role of an assistant research scientist whose assignment is to figure out why the Monarch Butterfly population is in decline (note that the Monarch butterfly population really is in decline, by the way, possibly due to deforestation in Mexico). Starting with a job application and interview, you become an employee of the 3D Science Snoops Institute, where you read e-mail messages, watch videos, listen to actors, and complete 23 tasks in order to solve the mystery. The actors interact with you as virtual co-workers—a nice touch. The e-mail is a nice interactive touch as it can be received as well as sent. Gameplay can be saved and easily retrieved at a later time. Another nice feature is the printable feedback that tracks your progress and corrects errors. Initially this game was tricky to figure out, (for example, when moving from one room to another). Also, the actual science part took a while to get to, due to the application and interview process. There is also a lot of reading, and material is sometimes presented quickly and in bulk. Solving the case could take in excess of four hours. This program would be better suited for a classroom environment where a group could work together over a series of meetings rather than an individual working alone. See also Science Snoops: The Space Case.
$60, Macintosh, Windows, Windows, Mac OSX
Teaches: science, biology, ecology
CTR Rating: 82%