 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Snow Princess
- Price: $39.99
- Genre: Preschool
Common Sense Media says
Cooperation and fun in a great preschool game.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this is a game based on the Dora the Explorer TV movie and DVD of the same name. If your children are Dora fans, they will love this preschool-friendly video game. It is fun, provides a no-fail environment, and is constantly changing. It even has a special mode where parents or older siblings can help by picking up a second controller. Plus two-person race games are cooperative instead of being competitive.
What's it about?
If you're looking for good preschool games for the Wii, Dora the Explorer: Dora Save the Snow Princess is a great choice. Based on the TV movie and DVD of the same name, this game has been specifically designed for preschoolers. Kids join Dora on an adventure to rescue the Snow Princess, a fairytale character who has been imprisoned in a tower by a wicked witch. The quest takes kids to five different locations (levels) where they will explore snowy expanses and underground tunnels, swing on snowflake chains, race down mountain slopes on snowboards, jump on giant mushrooms and snowflake catapults, and scramble across moving clouds and icebergs. Along the way, kids will meet old favorites like Swiper the Fox as well as make new friends like Pegasus, the flying horse, who takes Dora for a ride.
Kids play this game by holding the Wii remote on its side and directing Dora and her friend Boots by tilting the controller to the left or right. To make Dora jump or interact with objects, kids push the "2" button. The game also incorporates over 20 different Wii remote motions to make things happen in the game including flapping your arms to make the Pegasus horse fly and tilting the Wii remote back and forth quickly to make Dora climb a ladder. Kids can also help Dora build a snowman by pointing the Wii remote at the screen and then making circular motions.
Is it any good?
This game is so good because it creates an inviting world to explore. Preschoolers will hear the original voice talents from the Dora the Explorer TV show and all directions are spoken or shown on screen. They will interact with the familiar characters of Map and Backpack, who help them along the way. When gaming, they can't fail, a key factor in good preschool video games. For example, when jumping from one moving cloud to another, you have to push the "2" button, but timing that push is irrelevant. It is impossible for Dora to fall off and get hurt.
The adventure stays fresh by constantly introducing new characters and new ways to use the Wii remote. Frequently, visual demos pop up in the corner of the screen to show kids what to do with the Wii remote. For example, when Dora's path is blocked by a pile of snow, a video shows kids how to hold the controller as if it were a broom to make a sweeping motion. Also good is the game's helper mode, where a parent or older sibling can join in with a second controller at crucial times. In addition to the adventure, kids can play race games cooperatively with a friend.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how this game is similar to the Dora TV show. Does that familiarity make you like the game more? Which animals did you like finding? The Ice Swans, Pirate Piggies, or the penguins?
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AGE
TERRIBLE
Just looking at Dora's face makes me want to barf up blood.
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AGE
Perfect for 4 year people and maybe 3
i'm a bit surprised about this game because i thought it would suck but it is actually a great game.
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AGE
Wii Version: An excellent starter game with great controls
When speaking about the Wii version of this game, the controls are a huge plus. Tilting the remote in direction you want to move instead of the standard D-Pad control, makes this very accessible to any preschooler. Also, certain puzzles can only be solved by mimicking Dora's movements with the Wii-mote, getting the child up and moving. Great game that helps foster problem solving and confidence when they achieve milestones.
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AGE
Another stinky dora game
you must think I'm pathetic, reviewing Dora, but it just another paice of the franchise.
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Kid, 5 years old
March 24, 2009
AGE
i like it
i enjoyed it a lot!
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Kid, 11 years old
March 19, 2011
AGE
Fine
I'd let a one year old play this
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AGE
great for young children who experience problems using the Wii remote in other games
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy, princesses and fairies |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Preschool |
| Developer: | 2K Play |
| Release date: | October 29, 2008 |
| Price: | $39.99 |
| ESRB rating: | E for (No Descriptors) |
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