As a gaming pop, I’m a big proponent of highlighting kids games that go above and beyond – even if they’re a few months old.
Let’s face it, quasi-educational titles don’t get a whole lot of love and a lot of parents have no idea how to discern a good kids title from a piece of shovel-ware.
And so I present for your approval a somewhat overlooked game that hit the Wii U a few months back. Scribblenauts Unlimited certainly wasn’t high on the must-have pre-Christmas wish lists of a lot of youngsters, but the fact is this is a title that is both entertaining and educational thanks to a unique gameplay approach that taps into the player’s creativity.
The idea is that thanks to a magical notebook (which you access as the Wii U’s tablet controller), the main character, Max, can make anything he writes on said pad appear in his world.
Max is confronted by a series of problems to solve. His ability to conjure tools and find creative solutions to the various dilemmas put in his path is what drives the action. And the fact that you can get ridiculously creative is what makes this game so much fun and gives it definitely replay value.
(And parents, don’t mention the fact your child will have to spell the words correctly in order to make the items appear is, in fact, educational. In a world where spelling seems increasingly devalued in favour of text shorthand, abbreviations and ever-lenient teaching methods that put creativity ahead of accuracy – as if the two can’t co-exist – it’s nice to see a developer and publisher reward smarts.)
The game unfolds as a series of missions in a quasi-sandbox environment. Quasi in that you have to unlock various areas as you progress. However, you’re not limited to just one area or mission. They string together, so there is a degree of choice and open world gaming here. Grand Theft Scribblenauts it is not, however.
The puzzles get increasingly complex, requiring the player to string together several solutions in order to advance the story.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting and where good game parenting can come into play. While many of the puzzles can be solved with mundane approaches – there’s a fire in your way, so you can conjure a bucket of water or a fire extinguisher – you can also get creative. Make a dragon cry tears. Set up a sprinkler. Create a rainstorm.
And by sitting with your child from time to time and encouraging them to get uber-creative, you will fire their imagination.
Reward them by having them come to show you the cool, out-of-the-ordinary solutions they come up with while they’re playing on their own.
The more thought and effort they put into the game – and the more you reward them for doing that and making it an added experience – the better they will be for it. And you can rest assured that your kids are learning something while entertaining themselves.
As well, there’s an object editor system that can be accessed, allowing players to create just about anything they can imagine. This can be tools for the game, or it can even be simply an outlet for artistic kids who want to create virtual items or artwork. It’s an outstanding tool and addition that adds an entirely different dimension to the software package.
You can also share these creations online, or check out the work of others, drawing inspiration that could send you off in your own creative direction.
And in case you fear that your tot will be tying up the TV for hours at a time, that’s where the beauty of the Wii U’s tablet controller comes in. Thanks to what Nintendo has dubbed Off-TV play, the entire adventure can be experienced entirely on the gamepad.
There haven’t been a whole lot of games for the Wii U that I’d describe as must-play experiences so far, especially titles that hold appeal for both young and … more experienced gamers. Scribblenauts Unlimited is one. The game is rated E-10+ for kids ages 10 and older, although younger players can certainly tackle it with some occasional parental guidance. It’s worth the effort.
* Wayne Chamberlain has covered the gaming industry since 2003. Follow him on Twitter @ChamberlainW. He is also co-host of the Star Wars Book Report podcast, available on iTunes.