Splatster!

Ethel got this interactive game for Christmas from her Nani, my mom.  She adores it, and while I was skeptical at first, I am no longer.

You know the old duck hunt games from the arcades and traveling fairs?  The kind where they give each kid a fake rifle, and they each take aim at the ducks as they roll by?  That game has been "updated" to a more PC version in Splatster!.  No longer are you trying to nail the ducks and 'go for the kill', now you're washing the ducks after they got into some paint!  And, there are monkeys swinging from vines who need to be fed, so you'd better toss them some bananas!

The spin art has you add circles of colour to a spinning piece of 'paper', and when you stop it, the paint splatters leaving a very cool display.  You can paint several pictures by "catching" drops of color, while avoiding blue triangles which threatedn to pop the drops.  You can even create your own sundae and save it!



The game operates wirelesly, much like a Wii.  The controller is a paintbrush, and when you keep your aim on the console, a 'camera', the control is rather easy.  I keep a dish towel on the floor for Ethel and Fred to stand on so they don't easily leave the range of the camera.  Every so often it doesn't read correctly and I have to mess with it, but overall the game is really easy for the kids to use and understand.  It's a little over Fred's head still, but he does enjoy watching the different games and activities while his big sister plays.  I will say, he's really good at the spin art!

The best part of Splatster! is that there is a USB port on the back of it where you can insert a flash drive, allowing you to save your images.  Ethel and Fred have been able to share their creations with their Nani in Florida and show her how much they've been enjoying the game she got Ethel.  It's so sweet, and Ethel gets so excited when we go to pick pictures to send Nani.

The kids enjoy being creative, and they really like playing the games.  On top of it all, they can share their creations.  On top of that, Mommy can get a little break for a few minutes, and I don't have the guilty feelings that I usually get when I turn on the TV.  Love it!