Review of Rolie Polie Olie: The Search for Spot by Playhouse Disney

Author: Kay Pluta
Published on: Apr 5, 2002

System Requirements

Windows: Windows 95/98/Me/XP; Pentium class processor 166 MHz or faster; 32MB or RAM or greater; 50MB free uncompressed hard disk space; 8X speed CD-ROM drive; 16 bit Windows compatible sound card: 16-bit color, Windows-compatible video card; Java-compatible web browser

Macintosh: Operating System 8.6 through OS X (classic mode); G# processor, 233 MHz or faster; 64MB Ram or greater; 50MB free hard disk space; 8X CD-Rom Drive: Thousands or Millions of Colors video display

There I was in the store with two boys and enough money for one new software title. Would I ever get them to agree on one?

Yes I did, and it was a pretty quick decision since both are Rolie Polie Olie fans. And at ages 2 and 5 my boys exactly fit the age recommendation range.

Naturally, being an astute software reviewer I had done my homework beforehand looking up reviews. However, a review of Rolie Polie was not to be found.

All the better reason to buy it I thought. I won’t be writing a review of something that has already been reviewed a dozen times. Besides, I was drawn in by Disney’s money back guarantee.

With the attitude of “What do I have to lose?” I purchased the CD-ROM and headed home. Honestly , if I were a more organized person and kept up with my receipts better I would have already used the money back guarantee policy. Good thing I’m a disorganized mess, because this CD-ROM eventually grew on my kids---and me, too.

Spot, Olie’s dog, needs a bath and he’s on the run. Players must follow him through the house, straighten up what he’s knocked over, and play a game. The games in the living room, kitchen, and Olie’s room must be completed before getting to do the diving game in the bathroom.

In the living room, children play the Telly Builder Game. There are nine things to build with Telly and three difficulty levels. I wish there had been more randomization in this activity and more things to build. The game delighted my two year old, but quickly bored the five year old.

My five year old’s favorite activity was the Canister Can-Can Game in the kitchen. Eight blue canisters play a scale, each green cupboard plays a different background tune, and the pots and kettles on the stove each make a funny musical noise. In addition the water faucets makes a wonderful swoosh, swoosh percussion sound. Up to five different songs can be recorded and played back. Clicking on the clock changes the tempo of the music. This is a wonderful composition activity for young children.

Another fun game is Crayon Crisscross found in Olie’s room. Lively background music plays as crayons skitter across a polka dotted rug. Click on the mouse to grab a crayon and drag it to a matching dot. On levels two and three, children have a chance to mix colors. For example they may use a red and a yellow crayon to finish filling in the orange dot.

When the above three games are played, go the bathroom. There is Pappy waiting to wash Spot. Ooops, here comes Spot knocking everything including Pappy’s teeth into the bathtub. Now it’s time for the Scuba Splash Game, which also has three difficulty levels. In this game Olie must find all the items pictured on the pipe. Then he will be able to float down to the bottom to retrieve Pappy’s teeth. On the more difficult levels, Olie has to look out for obstacles like bubbles and teeth.

Obviously, this game is more entertainment than education. It is based on Playhouse Disney’s concept of the “Whole Child Curriculum” which focuses on social and moral development. I’m not sure how well those things can be taught through interactive computer games, but this title does demonstrate teamwork and helping others. As far as academics go, the only overtly educational things were the color matching activity and the music composition activity.

In summary, I would not put this title on the top of a software buying priority list. However, if your kids love Rolie Polie Olie and you want to give them a treat, this product might be a good choice. At $20 retail it will cost you about as much as an afternoon at the movies, but the enjoyment will last a little longer. It’s a great game for Rolie Polie fans to have available on bad weather or sick days.

Another new Disney release is Stanley Tiger Tales for ages 3-6. Read a review of this title here http://school.discovery.com/parents/revi...

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