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Digging for Dinosaurs
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Graphics & Sound:
Scholastic goes a long way toward proving that educational games don't have to be stultifying or boring. Educational flash cards about different dinos are payoff for playing the included mini-games, as if kids needed motivation to play mini-games... The cards and games aren't exactly eye-candy, but they're decently rendered in a cartoon animation style. We didn't find much in the audio to impress, such as dinosaur calls or sounds. The collectible aspects of the game are hampered a bit by slow progression, but each time a new type shows up, it does encourage further play. Background on each dinosaur includes a visual comparison to a modern-day animal and a little description, but we wished for something more extensive. The digging game that drives the point system in Digging for Dinosaurs looks pretty weak; it's basically the same view over and over again, with a narrator telling you that you're digging in South Africa versus Nevada versus Syberia... The only problem is that each of these locations looks exactly like any other, save for a few changes in the color and shape of the background. Fundamentally, Digging for Dinosaurs draws on a simple mini-game formula that fails to coalesce into a full, rich experience.
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Gameplay:
The biggest chink in the armor here is replay value. Most kids will play for a few hours, find all the dinosaurs, and put Digging for Dinosaurs down forever. Without some online component or competitive play, nothing exists to pull you back in once the 21 available types are earned. The progression through Digging for Dinosaurs is a combination of one main mini-game and a series of smaller mini-games. The digging game involves cashing in points earned from other mini-games to use simple tools to break rocks, clear debris, and construct the bones of a new species. Once a species is unlocked, you can use it to play a new mini-game, or a more advanced level of some existing game. The games are varied enough, but derivative. In one, you navigate a maze to collect points, Pac-Man style, while avoiding predators. There's a battle mini-game, a game where you attempt to block dinos as they come for your eggs, and a simple tap-to-target game. These are simplistic because Digging for Dinosaurs is aimed at the youngest gamers, and it does provide a reasonable level of challenge for this group. In some cases, the objective behind a mini-game is a bit obscure, but kids can tap the (Y) button at any time to hear instructions repeated.
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Difficulty:
In-game help systems like this keep things moving forward, and Digging for Dinosaurs takes a while before throwing more than middling challenge at players. We especially like the fact that each game includes spoken instructions, providing a resource for non-readers. If you ever forget how to play, a quick tap on the (Y) button will refresh your memory. It's unlikely you'll forget though, because most of the mini-games only use the +Control Pad and a single face button. We were surprised to not see more use of touch, but Digging for Dinosaurs was probably smart to keep things simple. Older kids will breeze through Digging for Dinosaurs and may be a bit disappointed to not find more platforming, action, or battling gameplay. This is definitely a game well suited for a child around 5 or even younger, who may be intimidated by the twitchy games his older siblings are playing.
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Game Mechanics:
As mentioned, there's a consistent bias toward face buttons, tapping (A) generally to perform some action. This may be as simple as an attack on another dinosaur, or relate to flying through the air from tree to tree. In many levels, only the +Control Pad is needed, as when you are navigating a maze. There are some mystery icons at the bottom of your main screen that help you navigate between the mini-game section and the map used to select dig locations. Tapping a dig spot will show you how many credits are needed to dig there, and this regulates your progression through the game. Design that forces you to repeat for points tends to feel to constricted in a game like this. It's not like we're grinding to level up, we just want to open up a new dinosaur and a new mini-game. Digging for Dinosaurs would have been better off improving the depth of play in its digging game than forcing players to keep repeating the same simple mini-games over and over. Kids of a certain age won't care, though. They'll enjoy learning about the dinosaur types featured here, many of which aren't the garden variety seen on television or film. At a reasonable price point, or for the right child, some parents may see the appeal. It's a limited appeal all the same, due to a simplistic ethos throughout the entire game.
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-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock |
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