Noddy and the Birthday Party - Game Boy Color

Starting at the House-for-One, players must guide Noddy around the obstacles and puzzles to earn more sixpences. Collect the special bonus items along the way: they may help distract mischief-makers later on. (Tip: collect more bells if you need to restore Noddy's flagging energy levels.) All the favourite Toyland characters are involved: Dinah Doll, Mr Sparks, Big Ears himself, Farmer Straw and, of course, those naughty little goblins, Sly and Gobbo. Once the adventure aboard the Toyland Express is completed, it's time for the party... or is it? Sly and Gobbo have one last trick up their sleeves before everyone can sit down for cake.

Added extras include hidden rooms, bonuses to collect and a number of distraction techniques to make each level easier; but for the very young player, just guiding Noddy around Toyland and watching him interact with all his best friends is fun enough.

Graphically superb--the pictures recreate those in Enid Blyton's classic storybooks--this is a game that little ones will just love. A jaunty tune and simple tasks whisk players along, and while very young players may need help, this is a great game to introduce children of four and five years to the Game Boy. Controls are simple and intuitive, and the enclosed instructions are clear, illustrated and contain a number of handy hints novices will be grateful for.

Far from being just entertainment, the game encourages a number of educational skills in much the same way as a CD-ROM: colour recognition, problem solving, deduction and counting are all involved, as well as creative thinking and exploration.

For parents who are loath to buy computer games, but are pestered by their youngsters for a Game Boy Color, this is a perfect compromise: educational as well as fun, its BBC credentials really shine through. Recommended for ages 3 to 6 years. --Lucie Naylor