Description:
Nearly any fan of Dora the Explorer's TV show will enjoy this structured "adventure" in which players help the program's intrepid heroine achieve the noble goal of returning her library books on time. While not exactly suspenseful, the program is ideal for children ages 3 to 5 who are just learning how to use a computer. Over a soundtrack of catchy Latin music, the player helps Dora and her perky friends overcome a series of seven obstacles, and collects sticker prizes along the way. The program is unlikely to hold the attention of more computer-savvy kids as it is very predictable, structured, and slow paced. But its emphasis on teamwork, and opportunities to practice color, shape, and number recognition--not to mention learn a little Spanish--make it worthwhile. Only a minute or so into the program most adults will find Dora's incessant cheerfulness a bit old as she shouts out a steady stream of encouragement. But for kids, this aspect may not be so hard to take. Dora's pack of friends from the TV show all appear in the program, along with the Fiesta Trio, a dancing frog-snail-and-bug band. The seven games that make up the plot of the program emphasize basic skills and concepts. They include locating Dora's books by color, sorting through her backpack for objects, and solving simple pattern-recognition problems. There are three levels of difficulty--each varies according to how much Spanish is used and how advanced the number and pattern problems are. One drawback is that if a child gets stuck there is no way to ask for specific help or hints. A useful feature, however, is the ability to stop and start the program where the player left off, and save individual programs for up to three different players. While kids used to more fast-paced programs may quickly get bored, young children--especially those who are already fans of the TV show--will have fun developing their mouse skills and putting their problem-solving abilities to the test. --Molly Masland
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