Masters of the Elements
© 2000 Viva Media (formerly Tivola)
Kids were immediately drawn to this unusual CD from Tivola. Even the process of getting into the program is unique. A certain chain of events must occur before kids gain access, starting with the waking of a mole and ending with the spinning of a ring. Instead of a menu with a direct link to each game, there are rooms and other places to explore, each one with puzzles of logic, timing, gravity and even electricity. While the activities are refreshingly novel, success in both finding and solving the puzzles does not come easily. In fact, with help available only in an onscreen readme file, most adults and kids simply gave up after just a few tries. Juggling the juggling pins was fun but too tough, and we never successfully placed the bowling balls on the seesaw. How to get out of some activities without quitting wasn't always clear, and we weren't able to grasp the system behind the program's navigation. Although this may be a program that one grows to love after lots of attempts, without a solid help system in place, we'd only recommend it for the most persistent of puzzle-loving children.
$19.99, Win, Mac OS (CD-ROM)
Teaches: logic, problem solving, strategy, gravity, electricity