It also gives kids chances to approach scenarios critically. That big, scary enemy becomes a lot less formidable by applying the word "tiny" to him. They can also manipulate characters and situations by attaching adjectives. "Scribblenauts Unmasked" gives kids incredible creative latitude to create useful objects. (There are at least some kinds of safeguards, however, because when my boys tried to type in "poo," they weren't rewarded for their ill-advised attempt at bathroom humor.)
The number of images the game seems to make available is definitely impressive. I'm sure there are limits to the database, but we haven't found many yet. In our first sessions, we used a rocket launcher, Superman's super breath, an apple, a porcupine, an icicle, a stealth bomber and Grandma (or, the Scribblenauts interpretation of what your grandmother would look like, which is a really old woman). In "Scribblenauts Unmasked," just about anything a kid can imagine can be used as a tool or weapon.
Soon, he was yelling for my help from the other room, asking how to spell "mechanic." Apparently, he needed someone to fix a vehicle, but he had to "spawn" a mechanic first by typing in the word. I gave one of my sons the first shot at the game. Gamers will quickly get the sense that they're playing on the pages of a comic book - colorful, decidedly 2-D and complete with comment bubbles and onomatopoeia like "Thunk!" and "Pow!" There's a lot that's unique about Scribblenauts, particularly this blend with DC. Fortunately, Maxwell and his sister, Lily, love comic books, and they're dropped in the middle of Gotham City on a quest to discover who the greatest superhero is. This latest installment, "Scribblenauts Unmasked," is built on superhero themes, importing more than 2,000 characters and objects from the world of DC comics. The site's video review called it a " wonderful little bundle of joy." "Scribblenauts Unlimited" was released on the Wii U last year, and the gaming website IGN lists a community rating of 9.1 ("amazing") for the game.
The Scribblenauts series is centered on a young boy named Maxwell, a cartoonishly cute lad who has a magical notebook that can create any object he writes in it. The unique visuals, superhero theme and robust gameplay options make it an easy sell for kids, but parents will likely be won over by the fact that "Scribblenauts Unmasked" encourages creativity, problem solving and word skills.Īfter all, if a kid wants anything useful in this game, he's going to have to spell it out. " Scribblenauts Unmasked" fits nicely into the last of these admittedly obscure categories. View a set of screenshots at the gallery.There are video games my kids are not allowed to play (anything with an M rating), games that I'll let them play (anything with Legos), games that I love playing with them (anything with Mario) and games that I'm genuinely glad they're playing. The Scribblenaut can be further customised with unique clothing and quirky accessories by earning Starites and completing achievements. Players can also let their imaginations run wild by unleashing whatever objects they can think of and watching them interact in unexpected ways.Īdding to the family fun, players can either choose, or design, their own original Scribblenaut to represent them throughout the game, all drawn in the classic Scribblenauts art style.
Sandbox mode, the Scribblenauts series’ cherished creative playground, allows one or two players to solve objectives in eight new levels by summoning any object they can imagine and earn hidden Starites and achievements. Versus mode allows continuous play of games by shuffling players into game after game for non-stop fun. The mini-games can also be enjoyed by a single player. In Versus mode, two players can go head-to-head in more than 25 mini-games that vary in every session.