Hello Kitty Party
© 2009 Majesco Entertainment
Boppy and well-designed but potentially headache-inducing, this collection of 25 minigames is organized into six happy themes, all available through six numbered tabs on the top of the touch screen. The result is a no-fail set of games, and plenty to do. In the Invitation Game children play a spin on whack-a-mole that requires some fast decisions. In Button Factory, they sort the buttons on a moving conveyer belt, in order to create outfits for the party. On the last tab, you can paste together a simple outfit and take a picture. Each game is timed, and you are given instant feedback about your choices. We liked that it was easy to escape at any time, and that there is a wide variety of game options. We didn't like the music, lack of preferences, or the fact that there is no integration of the games. While there is no worrisome content, the game does have some strong gender stereotypes, with a distinctly pink feel to it. All in all, you can't go wrong with the wide selection of challenging games. If one is too hard, there's another waiting. Created by Barnstorm for Majesco Entertainment.
$30, Nintendo DS
Teaches: classification, sorting, music, patterns, logic
CTR Rating: 92%