More
than a Frog
Winter
Wolves is cooking up games faster than I can say “Frog Legs.”
They’re a true blue game machine in action! Skimp, though, they
have NOT done on the quality of the games, rapidity notwithstanding.
This is most probably due to the game engine they use to make games:
the solid performance of the game
engine PTK.
Their latest is a cute kids’ game called, Ignazio The Frog,
a modern Pac Man clone customized for small children. Instead of a
round face with a missing pie slice, the protagonist is a 3D rendered
frog from Italy. He is quite simply adorable with his white-gloved
hands and absent torso. Ignazio has some tricks up his sleeves too
(well, if he had any sleeves).
Winter Wolves takes Pac Man and turns it into something fun yet meaningful
to a child. The game takes into consideration a child’s innocent
awe of the simple things in life. Plain as this may sound, many developers
either forget or just forego this basic premise in what is necessary
when developing a child’s game.
Playing Ignazio not only takes you through a maze of bonuses and paths
to cross and eliminate, but in the process, slowly uncovers a photograph
revealing a different scene. In fact, there are 20 different animals
or nature pictures all together: one picture for each of the 20 levels.
So, while the child plays, he can anticipate what’s next by
either guessing what he may be uncovering or complete the level to
discover the surprise that lies ahead.
Game play is also cleverly customized for a little one. The player
has many, many lives that leave an extreme leeway for error. Not a
problem! This is enormously crucial for a rewarding game experience
for a small child. Bravo, Winter Wolves!
I smile when I think about Ignazio The Frog as it’s so positively
endearing, fun and purely joyful (just listen to the accompanying
happy music), using playfully sweet, attention-grabbing 3D rendered
objects mixed in a 2D world - a perfectly balanced combination to
capture the attention of a child and embrace him in his own world.
Ignazio
The Frog by Winter
Wolves is available for $5.95
Download the free demo here: Mac
or PC
Rated 5 out of 5
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