Monkey Tales: The Princess of Sundara

Review

Common Sense Media says

Edutainment game makes doing 2nd grade math fun.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Monkey Tales: The Princess of Sundara is the first in a series of an European award-winning edutainment games that has been redesigned to follow the US school system's Common Core Standards and the 2009 Department of Defense Educational Activity (DoDEA) standards. This is an adventure game with logic puzzles and math mini-games that are suited for kids in Grade 2. The game has a slight bit of scariness as kids have to dodge shambling mummies and specters, and avoid running into lasers that blast them to ash (their avatar immediately reforms).

  • Positive messages4
    Kids go on an adventure to rescue monkeys, princesses, and save the world from tyranny and ignorance -- all by using math.
  • Positive role models3
    The adults in the game are the storytellers that provide kids with information and encourage kids on the quest.
  • Ease of play4
    All tutorials are voiced and repeatable. Game controls are simple, only using the arrow keys to move the space bar and enter keys to progress, and the shift key to run. The control key gives kids the ability to zoom out to get an overhead view of the entire map they are in.
  • Violence & scariness2
    Kids can fall into pools, get caught by mummies or specters, or get zapped by lasers. The only graphical consequence is from the laser, which turns your avatar into a pile of ash before it pops up again at the start of the level.
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What's it about?

In MONKEY TALES: THE PRINCESS OF SUNDARA, Rinjin the dragon has kidnapped Princess Ehimaya for the evil Huros Stultus. Huros hates the princess because she is a smart and intelligent girl. Kids travel through these fantasy lands, avoiding environmental traps, until they reach Rinjin's castle. The player will rescue the Princess by beating the dragon at math. At the same time, kids are also freeing monkeys and collecting bananas for them.

Is it any good?

 

Monkey Tales: The Princess of Sundara makes math homework fun by presenting kids with math mini-games set inside an exciting adventure story. The game rewards kids for solving puzzles correctly and swiftly. The software also has an algorithm that gages kids level as they play the games and adjusts each mini-game for their math skills, so they can progress without being overly stressed by games they cannot win. The games have fun themes like shooting at targets and flying spaceships to gather numbers to solve an equation.

The logic puzzles require kids to block lasers and push floating blocks into waterways to create safe paths. Kids must also jump on moving platforms to get where they need to go. The game encourages exploration by trial and error by providing a way to reset each room you enter for a do-over. Only the math mini-games are timed, and they can all be replayed from the game menu.

What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the difference in fantasy adventures and real life.  Would you go on an adventure like this in real life?

  • Families can also talk about educational games. Is this more fun than doing homework? Does this game make math more fun?

This review was written by Carolyn Koh

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This review was written by Carolyn Koh
Platforms:Windows, Mac
Available online?Available online
Genre:Edutainment
Developer:Monkey Tales Games
Release date:November 7, 2011
Price:$14.95
ESRB rating:NR
This review was written by Carolyn Koh
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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