Barbie Mermaid Adventure CD-ROM (Windows, Mac)

In BARBIE MERMAID ADVENTURE CD-ROM, Barbie is hosting a magical celebration. Unfortunately, the glimmering rainbow shell that was to provide the lighting for the celebration has faded. Players help Barbie explore three underwater areas to find the three magical dolphins who can relight the rainbow shell.

Players will find routine mazes, a game of Pong, a match-the-pattern game, and an uninspired logic activity about rocking baby fish to sleep. They will collect gems and shells to decorate jewelry and a performance stage. They can arrange a song by placing cute instrument-wielding marine animals in an order that they find pleasing.

Barbie Mermaid Adventure CD-ROM is loaded with purple and pink graphics and is sugary sweet, but it isn't very challenging for girls over 6. And while it's fun to see Barbie depicted as a mermaid, the games and activities presented in the software are ho-hum at best.

While the activities do increase in difficulty the more they are played, they are never very challenging and are most appropriate for girls ages 4 and 5. This belongs in the mundane bin of girls' software.