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Games for kids
By JULIE CHURCH Zoo TycoonCompany: Microsoft Price: $34.95 System: Windows Zoo Tycoon is similar to the popular Roller Coaster Tycoon software. But instead of running a theme park, players build and manage a zoo. More than 175 landscape and design materials are available, including snow, sand, waterfalls and rocks. Players choose from more than 40 different animals and must learn about their natural habitats and behaviors through information provided in the program. If they don't choose habitats suitable to the animals' natural ones, the animals suffer. They are also responsible for feeding and caring for the animals and the human visitors (by designing restrooms and concession stands); protecting patrons from the animals through the use of fencing and barriers; and turning a profit by making the facility interesting to the customers so they'll return. Older elementary school and middle school children who love animals or building will enjoy this program. The 9- and 12-year-olds who tested this program are Roller Coaster Tycoon enthusiasts and really enjoyed it. They even argued over who got to play. -- JULIE CHURCH, Times staff writer Ultimate RideCompany: Disney Imagineering Price: $39.99 System: Windows Unlike some other roller-coaster software, where players design a theme park and manage it, the Ultimate Ride focuses on designing and riding the coasters. Three track types are available and multiple camera angles make it easy to switch views. Animated props, realistic sound and MP3 music support lend to its appeal. Outer space, Medieval and futuristic 3-D environments add variety to the coaster designs. Once a coaster is created, a virtual ride is available (for those who can stomach it). The view on the monitor is as if you are sitting in the seat of the coaster you've designed, and you feel as if you are riding the coaster. Coaster designs can also be shared with other enthusiasts through an Ultimate Ride Web site dedicated to users' designs. This program is probably too complex for young children, but with a little patience, it can be mastered by older children and adults. It tends to lock up our Pentium III PC much more often than other programs, which is quite frustrating for the 9-year-old trying to play with the program. -- JULIE CHURCH, Times staff writer Monsters Inc. Scare IslandCompany: Disney/Pixar Price: $29.99 System: Windows A hit movie does not necessarily make for great software. This program is based on the new Disney/Pixar children's movie about monsters who work at Monsters Inc., a gigantic corporation that captures the screams of little children and turns them into energy. Players become Sully or Mike, the main monster characters in the movie, and go on training missions through an increasingly challenging 3-D environment called Scare Island. Their goal is get 30 scares by beating the Nerves, robotic children the monsters created to challenge their scaring ability. The game is designed for children 8 and older. An 11-year old who has seen the movie felt the game was too easy at first, but got more challenging as it progressed. He was impressed with the sound effects but thought the quality of the graphics was poor and the monsters looked odd. He also thought there should be more characters from the movie than just Mike and Sulley for players to select. He was disappointed that most of the game did not follow the movie. -- By JULIE CHURCH, Times staff writer
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