Description:
Sir Topham Hatt is facing infrastructure problems: the island of Sodor needs more lines if it is to accommodate its increasing number of rail travelers, and Sir Topham has asked for your help in Building the New Line. Load the CD-ROM, sign in, and meet Thomas and all his familiar friends. Choose "Junior" or "Senior" Engineer mode, depending on ability (or confidence!), and start laying your track. Once your track is in place, move through the activities to deliver cargo and add landscaping features such as trees, bridges, tunnels, and so on. Once you have your track laid out to your satisfaction, advance to "Play Mode" and bring your new line to life. Your engine can now travel around the track, interacting with all the other familiar personalities and sights of Sodor. Click on the items you put in place in build mode and complete the resulting activities. For example, click on the hay bales in the Farm Yard and watch as they spill on the track. Get your engine to help clear them away, so the track is safe and debris-free. Switch tracks, control your speed, and visit the Works if you need any maintenance. Similar to previous CD-ROMs in the Thomas & Friends series, the sound and graphical quality of the package is great, and all the characters are faithful reproductions of their book and screen counterparts. The package is fun and will amuse as well as challenge first PC users, as they learn mouse control and hand-to-eye coordination, as well as other basic PC skills (clicking, moving, cause-and-effect of onscreen activities). There are plenty of rewards to keep little ones interested, and lots of fun to be had along the way. (Ages 3 to 5)--Susan Naylor
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