Challenges and obstacles are a normal part of life. We all encounter them. How we deal with those challenges and obstacles can say a lot about the people we are. Some people are able to tackle those problems head-on, without …
Continue ReadingFIFA Soccer 12 is a must for fans of soccer, or “football” as this fine sport is known in the rest of the world. That’s because this video game is not just for for video game enthusiasts, but also for …
Continue ReadingIf there’s one thing the iPad is good at it’s games, and this one from Sega, based on a 2009 arcade game, is a great example. Kids who are trapped on a car ride, or waiting at an airport, or anyplace where there is nothing to do and time is passing far too slowly will find […]
Continue ReadingOne of my favorite eBook apps to date is Nosy Crow’s The Three Little Pigs, so naturally I was very excited to have a look at their latest app, Cinderella. Again bringing the high production values to an eBook, I appreciate that Nosy Crow is developing a signature look and feel. The illustration and animation […]
Continue ReadingLet me get this out of the way right up front: I’m not really much of an RPG fan. I think I probably would enjoy playing role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons but I never did as a kid and …
Continue ReadingAt the beginning of this year, I wrote about Daniel Lieske’s gorgeous graphic novel The Wormworld Saga, an adventure story that was designed to be read on the screen, with continuous scrolling from the beginning of each chapter to the …
Continue ReadingArgh, matey! Oh, I know Talk Like a Pirate Day has come and gone, but this fantastic app from Kidoodle Apps will have you and your kids celebrating all year. It was created by two parents who wanted their son to have fun playing with the latest tech gadgets while using his imagination at the same time. They […]
Continue ReadingNeed a new iOS app to sponge up all your free time? Look no further: Kickin Momma is here to help. Featuring the Swarmites from Hothead Games’ Swarm, Kickin Momma has a very weird premise: momma wants jewels, and it’s …
Continue ReadingWith my recent move, I had to pack up all of my board games and nearly all of my books (along with my computer), so my iPad was my primary source of entertainment for a few weeks. (Plus most of …
Continue ReadingRecently, I was sent a copy of Wreck This App to check out on my iPad. It is an interactive adaptation of Keri Smith’s bestselling book Wreck This Journal. Published in 2007, Wreck This Journal has sold more than 400,000 …
Continue ReadingI’ve mentioned before that I really love Kickstarter. So far I’ve backed about 20 projects, from board games to coffee joulies to gadgets to video games. I haven’t done as many art or music projects, but I’m sure it won’t …
Continue ReadingI’ve been trying for days to spit out this review. But every time I think about all the things I love about this book, which is every thing, my brain starts to scream, “SQUEE! OMG OMG OMG NERDGASM!” I wouldn’t consider that a very constructive review, as it doesn’t tell you anything about why this […]
Continue ReadingWhen Ticket to Ride was released on the iPad in May, I thought it was a fantastic adaptation of the game, but it was missing a few key features that would make it even better. In particular, the lack of …
Continue ReadingThe summer months are a time when we dads get to spend a little more time with the family because the kids are out of school. Yes, it’s a little more taxing on the family agenda (and your wallet), but …
Continue ReadingI’ve mentioned before that I’m a big fan of “casual games.” Sure, I like shooters and games with longer storylines, but generally I just don’t have the time to sit down and see a long game from start to finish. …
Continue ReadingBelow is a transcription of segments of the interview. You can listen to an MP3 of the entire interview (about 23 minutes), or use the embedded player by clicking the tab on the left). The audio version has a few …
Continue ReadingOverview: Sydney wants its coffee, and Cape Town is offering big bucks for a shipment of apparel. Unfortunately the labor strike in Europe is going to make it hard for you to pick up that lumber you were expecting, and …
Continue ReadingIf you and your kids like making faces, there’s a fun new app that you’ll really love: Create a Monster by Just Fun pairs an easy-to-learn interface and lots of bizarre parts to help you create oodles of weird creatures. …
Continue ReadingI keep finding myself in conversations with people who are down on technology, especially as it tramples over the sacred ground of books. It was the mood at Book Expo this year, and it seems to be the mood among the parents and educators I’ve been talking to recently. What they’re missing is that we’re […]
Continue ReadingBeau Yarbrough, a journalist in Hesperia, CA and father of an almost-four-year-old son, has compiled a list of games that his boy enjoys. Yarbrough, a longtime gamer and former Public Relations Coordinator at Blizzard Entertainment, is also the owner/creator of …
Continue ReadingYes, that is, in fact, Ticket to Ride on the iPad. Days of Wonder announced today that their popular train-building board game is now available as an iPad app, which lets you play solo games against up to four AI …
Continue ReadingSeymour Science, “the dean of children’s science writers,” has launched his first mobile app. SCIENCE FUN TO GO features in-app purchase of original eBooks for kids on both the iPhone/iTouch/iPad and Android platforms. You can download Simon’s original eBook, FUN FACTS ABOUT PETS, for free-it’s available exclusively for either the NookColor device or the NookKids […]
Continue ReadingA Present for Milo takes full advantage of the iPad’s interactive playground, perfectly blending story, animation, sound, and game-like exploration. The good news for readers is Milo is helping define an emerging art form, the story app.
Continue ReadingLast year I questioned whether the future of board games would eventually incorporate things like OLED screens built into the hex tiles and digital interactivity in place of wooden meeples and bits. I was doubtful, and defended the analog side …
Continue ReadingSee this screen? Don’t be fooled by its innocent—almost cute—appearance. This is the face of your downfall. Okay, maybe I exaggerate, but just a little. Remember Trainyard? It was an elegantly-designed puzzle app that probably ate up hours of your …
Continue Reading… and the rest Like nearly everyone else, I’ve played a lot of Angry Birds since last spring when I reviewed it, and I’ve been amazed at the number of updates they’ve released. I even paid for Angry Birds Seasons …
Continue ReadingScarlett and the Spark of Life, despite being probably the shortest of these three games, might be my favorite. I should note first that it’s probably not suitable for younger kids—I’d say maybe 10-12 and up, depending on your tolerance …
Continue ReadingMovie tie-in video games are notoriously awful. I’ve played some of the Harry Potter games, and you’d think that using the Wii remote like a magic wand would be great fun, but they always fell short of hooking me in. Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 changed all that. Being a Harry Potter nerd and a […]
Continue ReadingFruit Ninja, everyone’s favorite fruit-slicing game for the iPhone and iPad, just keeps getting better. Early on they introduced Zen Mode: no bombs, no lives, 90 seconds of combo-scoring glory, and included an HD version for the iPad. Then they …
Continue ReadingIn the spooky new iPad app, Midnight Mysteries: Salem Witch Trials, the ghost of Nathaniel Hawthorne comes to you for help. There were mysterious circumstances surrounding his death, and as you investigate you’ll find yourself caught up in stories of land grabs, betrayal, and, of course, accused witches. (MumboJumbo provided a review copy of the […]
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