 | 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. |
Scribblenauts Remix
- iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
- Price: $4.99
- Category: Puzzle Games
Common Sense Media says
Vocabulary-building word puzzle game shines on iOS.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Scribblenauts Remix is the first iOS installment in this popular puzzle series that encourages and rewards players for using their imagination. Faced with puzzles, players must write in the objects they wish to use, giving lots of leeway as to where things can go. (The game has a vocabulary of thousands of words.) The game is largely a "Best of" collection of content from the first two games in the series, so fans who have both might be a bit disappointed. Because of the game's open nature, players can opt for a peaceful or violent solution. And the sometimes difficult nature of the puzzles makes this app less than optimal for younger players. Users can share high scores via the Game Center social network, but participation is optional.
What kids can learn
Kids can learn logical thinking, exercise their creativity, and boost their spelling skills as they brainstorm innovative solutions in this puzzle game app. They'll put their imaginations to work as they type in their proposed solution, and use the object they've requested to solve the puzzle. If the object doesn't do the job, they can keep trying until they find one that does. Kids are validated for choices that could work even if they aren't the best possible answers. Scribblenauts Remix is a welcome departure from the true/false, right/wrong framework that can make kids feel boxed in and limited.
Subjects
- Arts
- Hobbies
- Language & Readingletter or word recognition, spelling, vocabulary
- Math
- Science
- Social Studies
Skills
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Creativitybrainstorming, developing novel solutions, imagination
- Emotional Development
- Health & Fitness
- Responsibility & Ethics
- Self-Direction
- Tech Skills
- Thinking & Reasoningproblem solving, solving puzzles, thinking critically
What's it about?
The app presents a variety of colorful, brainteasing puzzles. Kids type in words to conjure up objects, then use those objects to solve the puzzle. For example, in one puzzle, players need to get a star off a tree. They can summon an ax and chop the tree down, or create a ladder to climb it, or type in "jetpack" to fly to retrieve it. Even if they don't arrive at the "best" answer, if their chosen object works, they can solve the puzzle and move to the next.
Is it any good?
The Scribblenauts series is one of the most unique to come along in years, so it's delightful to see it make its debut on iDevices. SCRIBBLENAUTS REMIX is a best-of game, combining the highlights of the first two Nintendo DS titles (along with 10 new puzzles) and the offering a wonderful mix as a result. Veteran players know the drill, but newcomers to the game will be astonished at the wide variety of ways they can solve puzzles. (It is, in fact, just as fun to play with the game's dictionary to come up with ideas as it is to solve the puzzle.)
Some of the puzzles are tough, but an integrated clue system will help people along. The real joy in the game, though, comes from seeing how creative you can be in your answers. Climbing a ladder up a tree to get a star is easy and obvious, but it's so much more fun to ride a friendly dragon to the top to retrieve it. If you're not playing this, you're doing yourself a disservice.
What kids can learn
Kids can learn logical thinking, exercise their creativity, and boost their spelling skills as they brainstorm innovative solutions in this puzzle game app. They'll put their imaginations to work as they type in their proposed solution, and use the object they've requested to solve the puzzle. If the object doesn't do the job, they can keep trying until they find one that does. Kids are validated for choices that could work even if they aren't the best possible answers. Scribblenauts Remix is a welcome departure from the true/false, right/wrong framework that can make kids feel boxed in and limited.
Subjects
- Arts:
- Hobbies:
- Language & Reading: letter or word recognition, spelling, vocabulary
- Math:
- Science:
- Social Studies:
Skills
- Collaboration:
- Communication:
- Creativity: brainstorming, developing novel solutions, imagination
- Emotional Development:
- Health & Fitness:
- Responsibility & Ethics:
- Self-Direction:
- Tech Skills:
- Thinking & Reasoning: problem solving, solving puzzles, thinking critically
How kids will learn
With the freedom to explore different solutions, kids can unleash their creativity. If objects they summon aren't quite right, they can try again until they solve the puzzle. The simple act of typing in guess words gives kids spelling practice. And if they misspell words, they're offered suggestions. Each puzzle allows many creative solutions so that thinking outside the box is rewarded. Replay value is high, too, since there are many possible correct answers.
How parents can help
- Help kids think about categories of objects. For example, if they need a container, you could say, "A bucket is a container. What are other types of containers?"
- For kids who are stumped, ask questions about object properties: "Do you need something that's flat? Long?"
- Make a dictionary available to kids for spelling help.
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- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
A different kind of videogame
This game is great because the goal is so different from other video games. You aren't following a pre-designed path or figuring out the "right" way to beat the level. You have to come up with ideas of your own. That makes it hard to get at first--my son initially said "this is boring, it doesn't tell you what you have to do." But when I suggested he could give the guy almost anything he wanted--like maybe a flamethrower (just saying)--the lightbulb went on and the challenge shifted to how outlandish he could make his solutions. The limitation is the player's own imagination and vocabulary, and I think there's even been a couple of times when it helped teach my son how to spell a word correctly.
Now we actually have the most fun just playing around without a goal, seeing what crazy & funny things we can populate the empty levels with. And then blowing them up.
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| Category: | Puzzle Games |
| Platforms: | iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad |
| Price: | $4.99 |
| Size: | 136.00 MB |
| Publisher: | Warner Bros. Entertainment |
| Version: | 1.0 |
| Release date: | October 12, 2011 |
| Minimum software requirements: | iOS 4.0 or later |
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