Capsule Review
Game Category: Kids - Sandbox, Action, Puzzle, Fantasy
Developer / Distributor: ImaginEngine / THQ
Release Date: 26 Nov 2007
Rating: ESRB - Everyone


Help Pinkie Pie
Tonight's capsule review is targeted at parents who are looking for that perfect gift for their child. So, unless you are one, you will probably look on in abject horror at the screen shots of My Little Pony: Pinky Pie's Party Parade. Let me guess, you might also be wondering - Who in the world could have thought up of such a cringe worthy title for a game? And, who would even even want to develop it?

The answer to the first question would be Hasbro, while the answer to the second question is a developer who's been around since the early 90's. This developer has had a hand in developing more than 200 games so far. Can you guess who?

The publishers probably took reference from the 4 P's: Price, Product, Promotion, and Place

That developer happens to be ImaginEngine, a premier studio who have developed a huge number of software games that are targeted at children. I have reviewed one of their games before, and actually found that one to be quite entertaining as well (even for an adult like myself).

Well this time round for Pinky Pie's Party Parade, I'll have you know that this game is definitely targeted at kids between the age group of 2 (at a pinch) to around 10, or especially if they have been exposed to the My Little Pony range of toys from Hasbro.

Kid-friendly or parents-friendly instructions

The game is based in the town of Ponyville in the land of Equestria, a fantasy land where your favorite talking ponies live. In the game, the story has you helping Pinkie Pie prepare for a Birthday Party Parade. Work together with her and the rest of the ponies to make the best pretty pink tiara for the birthday pony.

Whose birthday is it? Sorry, but I ain't telling... try the game out for yourself.

Pinky Pie and Starsong

In case you were wondering, all the ponies from Hasbro's toy range can be found in the game - there's Pinkie Pie, Cheerilee, Toola-Roola, Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Starsong.

You have to first create a profile and type in a name, something you'd probably do for your child if he or she is still very young. At the main menu, you'll see a photo album with 10 slots; there's one special slot that brings you to the Poster Menu - that's where you can print out posters of your favorite ponies only after you've unlocked all the pieces.

If you click on the first photo, you get to play your very first activity with the ponies. You will unlock the rest of the activities if you complete a set objective in the most recent activity made available to you.

Dressing up Rainbow Dash

The 10 activities include a mix of creativity games, matching games, and action games. Before you start each activity, an instruction screen will be presented to you explaining what you must do within, and what you must do to advance to the next activity. With only four lines of text, you can tell that the activities are all very easy to play.

Allow me to list them all out for you; there's Pony Pictures, Dressing Up, Decorating Teapot Palace, Dancing Days, Cake Baker, Collecting Flowers, Magic Star Show, Cutie Croquet, Pony Bowling and Scooter Race.

There you go... P!nk would probably like this

In Pony Pictures, Dressing Up, Decorating Teapot Palace, and Cake Baker, you'll either be drawing using a variety of stickers, musical paintbrushes (yes, these brushes play a tune) and coloured pens; dressing up a pony with a variety of choices; decorating Teapot Palace by choosing from a selection of items; or baking a cake based on a photo.

There's quite a lot of variety here to spark your child's creativity; it's unlikely they'll get bored of these few activities that easily. Moreover, they will have a lot of options to choose from. Take for example, Dressing Up - your child can choose from several varieties of shoes, hats, hairstyles, and jewellery to dress up their favorite ponies.

Click on a matching badge

In Dancing Days, circular dance badges of the ponies will start drifting towards a target circle. When a badge appears in the target circle, you must quickly click on a matching badge to earn a star. Earn enough stars to complete a level of the game.

Collecting Flowers is like a match-at-least-three-in-a-group game (similar to a casual match three game), while Magic Star Show has you shooting stars at clouds. I thought that the latter activity was kind of weak compared with the rest you'll get to play.

Hmm... game play does look familiar

Finally Cutie Croquet, Pony Bowling, and Scooter Race are more action-oriented activities.

Cutie Croquet has you shooting a ball and making it go through hoops in a prescribed order before hitting a final pin to win. Pony Bowling is a kid's version of bowling with pinball like obstacles thrown in to make things more difficult. And, Scooter Race has six race tracks to choose from, each having a slight variation in game rules.

Oooh... six courses to choose from

Pros:

• The game uses a lovely palette of pink and purple pastel colours; it's real pleasing to the eyes!
• Your child will enjoy watching all the animation during game play - and there's lots of them featuring the ponies dancing, prancing, twirling, and more.
• The activities are generally fun to play and will foster creativity, sharpen matching skills, and improve the dexterity of your child.
• Your child will get to unlock 7 posters featuring the ponies. If all four pieces of a poster have been found, the print button will be enabled for that poster. 
• You can also print out your child's artwork from the very first unlocked activity in the game - Pony Pictures.
• The two lengthy movie cutscenes are quite well done and is worth watching.

Uhh... I didn't draw that... my daughter did!

Cons:

• The 3D model of the ponies are based on an older range of Hasbro toys; they don't look anything like the ponies found in the latest My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic animated television series. Your child may not appreciate the differences.
• If your child can't manage it, then you will have to unlock the activities to let them have access to some of the more exciting activities in the entire pack.
• You can't skip the movie cutscenes.
• You are forced to use only the mouse to play the activities and to draw pictures.
• In the main interface, the music loop is so short that you'd be tempted to turn it off.
• You can practice counting in one of the racing games, but you don't get to practice your ABC's at all here.
• Finally, if you are NEITHER a parent NOR a kid, then it's best you steer clear away from this game.

Unlock the posters, so you can print your favourite pony

Daily PC Game Review Score: 7 / 10 (for parents and their young kids)
Review Date: 5 Apr 2012