Jamaican Ragga… Sesame Street… So you know I had to review THIS game, right? Right.
My kids are very different from one another – I guess most moms say that, even with twins. I received a copy of Elmo’s Musical Monsterpiece for myself and my children to try out, and there were very different reactions when it arrived.
My 13 year old: *sigh*
My 7 year old: Uh, okay. It is Elmo. What do you do with it? *scanning the cover for a car of some sort*
My 6 year old: *jumping so much she couldn’t speak*
And so it went. My 6 y/o couldn’t (and still can’t) get enough of it, the next oldest won’t touch it, and the oldest – well – like many other things that baby girl is into – like sparkly ponies and Barbie – it may as well not exist.
Makes sense. My boys aren’t the intended audience. That being said, baby girl absolutely loved it. If I let her play all day – she would have.
My 6 y/o caught on quickly and followed the directions as given to her by Elmo, but she is at the top (actually a year out) of the age range that the game is intended for. She loved all the games – and I do mean ALL of them. The game incorporates movement, counting, sounds, instruments, different musical styles, and kids favorite Sesame Street characters to teach kids ages 3 to 5 about music and rhythm.
“Sesame Street: Elmo’s Musical Monsterpiece gets children up and dancing and encourages music creation,” said Rosemarie Truglio, Ph.D., Vice President of Education & Research, Sesame Workshop. “The game also explores emotional expression through music and dance, introduces instrument names and sounds, and helps children to practice early math skills through music.”
We are a dancing, singing, beat making household, so it is no wonder that my youngest really enjoyed the game. She announced in mid play, that the next video game she got when she went out with Daddy would be another Elmo game.
The music in the game is performed by Ozomatli, whose music is a combination of hip-hop, salsa, dancehall, cumbia, samba, funk, merengue, Jamaican ragga (woot!), and Indian raga influences.
I can’t just go with my own kids experiences when reviewing some things, mainly because my kids tastes vary widely from each other and from other kids. So at the Preschool and Early Elementary Kids meetup in DC we played the game with some other young kids. One mom and daughter enjoyed the game so much that they are ready to go out and get it after just a few minutes of play! Another mom’s son wouldn’t touch the game with a ten foot pole. His sister told everyone (much to his embarrassment) that he likes Elmo at home. I think that there is some rule about 6 and 7 year old boys and Elmo.
Elmo’s Musical Monsterpiece was developed by Griptonite Games, Inc. There are several intuitive and entertaining games for the players, and several options for parent intervention when the children need help. I haven’t had to help my 6 y/o play, but it is nice to know that if I needed to, I could. There is a screen where parents can review games their child has completed, and review goals.
Now for the giveaway! Comment on this post with your favorite song from Sesame Street for a chance to win. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited. Giveaway ends 7/3/2012 at 11:59 pm.
The game is available for Wii and Nintendo DS. Find out more about the game at http://www.sesamestreetvideogames.com.
Of course, all of my opinions are my own. I was given a copy of the game to review before writing this post. The meetup was not sponsored by Sesame Street Workshop, Gryptonite Games, or Warner Bros. Home Entertainment group. For more information on sponsored posts, click on “About”.
