Barney's Hide and Seek

"This Game is Much Better Than You Think!"

When first turning on the game, you will be pleasantly surprised at how bright and colorful the graphics are. You are transported to a magical world in which you play the role of Barney the Dinosaur, playing hide and seek with Barney's friends. The world around you is filled with happy creatures and dazzling colors and effects. You will definitely see a young child's face light up as they stroll through each level actively searching for all Barney's friends and toys. Any fan of the Barney television series will be pleased to find several characters from the show make an appearance in the game. There are also interactive parts of the hide and seek format just waiting to be discovered with Barney's kissing ability, which will heighten a child's gaming experience. Another good feature of the game is the important lessons Barney teaches throughout the game about safety. At certain points you may not move from one point to the next until it becomes safe to do so. Any attempt to make an unsafe movement results in Barney showing it is not safe to venture forth.

The controls are simplified for the younger player who operates the game, and gameplay has been simplified to fit the younger players as well. Essentially, all that is required to operate the game is the D-pad and the A button. The player simply walks around and uses Barney's ''kissing'' ability to uncover his hidden toys and friends.

The music is a bit mind numbing, but older game players must realize this game was meant for young children. It too, can be repetitive at times, but a young child engrossed in playing the game will fail to notice the repetition.

For the young gamer, it has a high replay factor, as you can spend countless hours searching for your friends and hidden toys. Whereas a more mature player of the game may grow weary of how repetitive the game can become, a young child fails to get bored. This may be effective in keeping young children occupied when they become bored or need an activity to do on a rainy day.

If you are a parent or a sibling of a young child ages 3-7, this game is definitely worth buying for him/her. It is entertaining and appropriate for the child gamer. Overall, I feel this is an excellent game that stands out and dares to be bold in a system filled with games geared toward an older audience. The graphics, music and re playability should be enough for any young child to enjoy.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 05/07/02, Updated 05/07/02