One of Marvel Comics’ most celebrated mutants helps children slice through spelling puzzles in Wolverine and the X-Men (LeapFrog, $29.99).
Built for LeapFrog’s handheld Didj console, this action-packed, side-scrolling game mixes interactive learning with a story line and characters based on Nicktoons’ popular animated show.
A player controls Wolverine, the mutant of mass destruction. For those unaware, this feral fellow who’s equipped with regenerative health powers uses his retractable claws made of adamantium to stop foes.
In the game, his handler must wield a keen mind and button-mashing instincts to work through eight missions across environments extending from the Canadian woods to the streets of New York and the secret Mutant Response Division Headquarters.
As Wolverine battles robotic and armed minions; super villains such as Magneto, Avalanche and gigantic Sentinels; and even his oldest adversary, the Incredible Hulk, he runs into locked areas or bosses that require the knowledge of word construction to be opened or defeated.
To start a spelling minigame, Professor Xavier gives instructions while his soothing female assistant guides in challenges involving picking letter or letter combinations to solve misspelled, partially completed or scrambled words.
Extending the action and learning, Wolverine can return to the X-Men mansion and its lower levels to find the Danger Room, which houses the status on attack upgrades. He also can visit Dr. Hank McCoy’s (aka the Beast) lab to unload orbs he has collected in missions. These offer leveling up abilities that are granted by playing another spelling game.
A warning to parents: Wolverine is a violent character. Moms uneasy with a hero who slashes his way through enemies might find a bit of solace knowing he only uses his claws to destroy a human’s weapons and resorts to old-fashioned fisticuffs to finally defeat him. With the nonhuman entities, however, all bets are off, bub.
By the way, Wolverine looks and sounds great, from his growls, claw swishes and phrases to his full range of movements, including crawling under objects, picking up and throwing items, climbing ladders, sliding along ropes and using some slick, unlockable claw attacks.
Add the ability to replay levels and revisit boss battles along with standalone spelling training and the title is leaps and bounds beyond LeapFrog’s Star Wars: Jedi Trials, which was released in the summer.
Overall, the game delivers a wonderful and challenging experience for X-Men lovers ages 5 to 9. The story unfolds through comic-book-panel illustrations styled from the show, introducing characters such as Nightcrawler, Storm, Cyclops, White Queen, Beast and Ice Man, while, more importantly, reinforcing word development and pronunciation.
As with all Didj titles, parents can monitor a child’s progress and even add specific spelling lists into the game by plugging the handheld device into a computer with broadband connection and accessing the Learning Path software.
Better yet, children collect Bitz for their accomplishments and can spend them online for extras such as a new costume or powers for Wolverine.
• Joseph Szadkowski’s ROMper Room is a place for children and their parents to escape the world of ultraviolent video games and use that gaming system or computer to actually learn something while having fun. Send e-mail to jszadkowski@washington times.com.
• Joseph Szadkowski can be reached at jszadkowski@washingtontimes.com.
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