Nearly every kid under the age of,
say, 60 has a cherished Fisher-Price toy in her
history. For me, there was no contest. It was always
the garage, complete with parking elevator, smooth
ramps and those groovy yellow and black gates.
Before I get too far back in memory lane, let me
tell you I'm indulging in these recollections to
make a point: Don't dismiss either the toy or this
computer program for girls. We dig it, too! It's too
much fun to be classified as just a boy toy.
Now, of course, Fisher-Price has
taken my beloved garage and made it a virtual
dreamland (they call it Auto Land) in FISHER-PRICE
BIG ACTION GARAGE. This game travels far beyond the
garage to a race track, body shop, car wash and
other places where fun four-wheeled gear-heads hang
out. Friendly motor hosts, such as Bernie Rubber and
Olivia Octane, help young players learn the ropes in
each of the six activity centers.
The game begins as Tommy Treads
enlists the player's help in getting parts to get
his pal, K.C. Coupe, running at top speed. Your
little driver's job: to take control of Tommy and
drive around Auto Land in a race to gather parts.
We first headed to Cliff's Quick
Lube where Fred said he'd give us some oil -- but
only in exchange for a little help with the engine
he was working on. Young players will enjoy the
challenge of using the mouse to check the oil and
change the spark plugs. (Be sure to move the ratchet
back and forth to tighten it all up!) We earned more
parts at the race track, the Spooky Garage (it's
full of parts but haunted by pesky
"car-boo-raiders"), Diesel's Palace and the Comet
Car Wash.
As you might expect from a
Fisher-Price program, creativity, role playing and
listening skills are all integrated in the
activities and the storyline. So, instead of just
randomly picking up garbage in the Auto Park, a
player must complete a pattern to help Ralph
Recycling Truck do his job. Free play is encouraged,
too, as players can choose any activity center at
any time.
My five-year-old son, Theo, seems
to spend a good deal of time hanging out at
Wheelie's Body Shop, where a gray primed car offers
a tempting canvas. Theo chooses a car body type and
then selects his favorite spray paints (camouflage
and flames being particularly appealing schemes for
a preschool grease monkey). The rattling sound of a
mixing ball in the spray can is quite authentic
(thank goodness the smell isn't included!), adding
to his full-throttle bliss as he shakes along with
the groovy, early '60s-inspired music track.
System Requirements:
IBM Compatible
Windows 98/95, 486/66Mhz or faster
4x CD-ROM drive Windows-compatible sound card 256
colors
Macintosh
System 7.5.1 or higher 16MB RAM or higher (w/12 MB
free)
4x CD-ROM
Minimum 14" 256-color monitor
Four-wheel fun for little drivers (Ages 4 to 6)
Subjects: Logic/Problem Solving; Art/Creativity
Review by Linda Johns of
www.tutorhouse.com
