Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure: DS Gateway to Pixie Hollow MMOG

Disney Fairies: Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure is a Nintendo DS game from Disney Interactive, released to coincide with October’s straight to DVD Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure. Aimed squarely at tween girls (all the fairies are female), the DS game is a harmless enough distraction until you realize its true purpose as a gateway to Disney’s Pixie Hollow online game.

Image: Disney Interactive Games

Disney sent over a review copy of the DS game along with a one month membership to Pixie Hollow (see, there’s no attempt to disguise that relationship) and I passed Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure over to my daughter Natasha (9 going on 10) to try out. I don’t want to be accused of stereotyping but I was pretty sure the boys wouldn’t be interested in playing this one; that was verified when they sniffed around it for a few minutes, grimaced and went back to their Star Wars. The game itself has several different aspects. There’s a story mode based on the DVD that follows the movie’s plot and requires the gamer to use the DS touch screen to help guide Tinker Bell in her quest for the lost treasure, completing basic mini games along the way. That’s a very simple task that can be completed within an hour or two. The other aspect involves creating and customizing your own fairy, then using her to complete another series of mini games disguised as odd jobs such as painting butterflies or collecting dew drops.

Here’s where things get interesting, though. The fairies, along with their customized outfits, home furnishings and various goodies they earn or pick up during the game, can be transferred to the web-based Pixie Hollow game. A basic Pixie Hollow account is free, but access to the more compelling features requires a paid membership. In our case, Natasha played the DS game for a few days, but quickly got hooked on Pixie Hollow. She hasn’t picked up Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure in weeks, but she’s been on Pixie Hollow daily which, I suspect, is mission accomplished.
Disney Fairies: Tinkerbell and The Lost Treasure
Rated E for Everyone
MSRP: $29.99

Wired: Ability to upload content to Pixie Hollow MMOG, graphics are bright and nicely animated, extensive fairy customization options.

Tired: Ability to upload content to Pixie Hollow means $30 game can become an ongoing $5.95/month membership, definitely not aimed at boys, gameplay not very challenging.