Goosebumps Horrorland
© 2008 Scholastic, Inc.
Explore an abandoned theme park full of creepy rides and tests of skill in this game, such as Bumper Carnage or the Roller Ghoster -- where you have to lean to the left or right (holding the Wii Remote like handlebars) to avoid derailing. This is actually the second "GooseBumps Horrorland" software title. The first was released a decade earlier (for the PC) in 1996. As you explore the park, you can talk to mascots for hints, earn tokens and unlock new rides. You also score points by doing well in the games, which require a wide variety of movements in order to win. In general, the racing games have you holding the Wii Remote like handlebars to steer or lean, and the running or strategy games use the controls to move a cursor or choose the best answer. This switching between Wii controller modes can be confusing, which is obviously not a problem for the PS2 and DS versions. There's a lot to discover, with 30 games to unlock -- including mazes, a minigolf course, a guessing game called The Wheel of Misfortune, and a target game called Batting Gage. Once they've been mastered, they appear in the first arcade menu, so that it is easy to login and jump right to a favorite activity. Twelve of the activities are designed for two players, although most of this title is a one-player style scavenger hunt. Prices are $40 for the Wii version, $30 for the PS2 and Nintendo DS, which share a very similar design. The bottom line? While the various games differ in quality, there is something for everyone in this theme park, with a nice mix of skill practice and playful scariness. Borrow it or buy it. Created by Elastic and Gusto Games for Scholastic.
$40, Wii*, Nintendo DS*, PlayStation 2
Teaches: logic, spatial relations
CTR Rating: 92%