Bottom Line: Children search and discover fun facts about 24 different dinosaurs. This app features high quality graphics and fun interactions to allow children to delve into the world of dinosaurs.
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In-app purchase available for Prehistoric Animals game for $1.99
External links to email and to rate the app in the App Store are in a parental locked section.
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The first thing I noticed about Find Them All: Dinosaurs World from developer Knbmedia was the graphics. These are not cartoon dinosaurs, but high quality computer renderings of a variety of dinosaurs and habitats. Upon completion of certain goals, users can download files and print paper booklets. My kids have really enjoyed looking at all the details on the dinosaurs they found both on the app and in their personal paper books.
The game begins by going on a dinosaur search where the narrator asks you to find a specific dinosaur in a scene. A picture of the dinosaur is shown while the user scans through a very small area for the dinosaur. After finding a few dinosaurs, which aren't really hiding, the user is rewarded with a new, larger area of land.
After all the dinosaurs have been located, a camera appears. Children can take pictures of the different dinosaurs, and later they can turn their pictures into a jigsaw puzzle. At any time during the game, tapping on a dinosaur brings up its card, similar to a trading card. Facts about the dinosaur can be unlocked and played from the card as well as listening to the dinosaur's name spoken in five different languages.
Layer by layer, new features are introduced. I found this approach to be a great way to introduce the numerous features this app has to offer without overwhelming kids. I was intrigued by the features, and my son kept trying to snag the iPad so he could play without me slowing him down as I took notes for my review.
The quality of the images is remarkable. The dinosaurs are lifelike and very detailed. When taking pictures, the child can frame and set up the shot exactly as he wants before turning the photo into a jigsaw puzzle. All pictures are saved in the app's photo album, not on the device. This is nice in that kids can look at the pictures they have already taken easily and turn them into puzzles over and over again if they choose. The album allows images to be deleted and rearranged into whatever order the child likes. After taking 12 photos, users get the option to download a pdf of their album to print.
Check out Eleanor's demo video to see for yourself:
When turning a picture from the album into a jigsaw puzzle, the number of pieces is dependent on how long the child shakes the device. One quick shake creates a puzzle with four pieces, while shaking for a long time can make a 42 piece puzzle. The amount of shaking can result in 4, 6, 12, 24 or 42 pieces. My young son liked being able to do the six-piece puzzle easily. He then turned the picture into 42 pieces and made me do it for him.
The details and images are above par. Finding the camera man displays a short video of the dinosaur he is closest to. These saved videos are available to watch again and again in the app's photo album.
Each time the app is restarted, the focus goes to a different grouping of dinosaurs. The game starts from the beginning, first finding the dinosaurs, then winning the camera, and so forth. At first, I wanted to be able to skip around and go straight to the quizzes or camera man. But the more I played, the more I enjoyed exploring each section of the game.
I wish there was a little more information on each dinosaur. Kids unlock two facts about each kind of dinosaur as pictures are taken, and more information is given in the quiz section once it is unlocked. However, my kids were frustrated that they had to answer questions about facts that were never taught within the app. They were asked questions such as which of two given dinosaurs is faster, and the app never specifically addressed that while they were exploring. It could be beneficial to offer a few sentences or list of facts before playing the quiz so the child feels prepared.
The parental section allows for multi-user mode activation as well as ability to adjust language and difficulty. Since my kids only had a basic understanding of dinosaurs, I stuck with the easy setting.
I love the variety of dinosaurs featured in this app. It includes the common Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops, and Velociraptor as well as some lesser known ones like the Corythosaurus, Lesothosaurus, and Sauropelta. All the dinosaurs' cards are saved in the main menu near the photo album. Even though the game resets after each cycle, the trading cards and pictures are saved unless reset in the parental section. Children can go through the cards at any time to look at the photo and hear the name and any facts previously unlocked.
Though there is some emphasis on the different habitats in which the animals lived, I would like more information about the habitats and which dinosaurs lived in specific areas. Once a new land area is unlocked at the beginning of the game, perhaps the narrator could give examples of which dinosaurs were common to that area and why.
Overall, it is a great app. I would just like the educational information to be easier to access, and perhaps more facts about each dinosaur to be made available. You get quite a bit for the $1.99 price — 24 dinosaurs, high quality graphics, ability to capture photos and arrange them. A dinosaur lover will love the app, even though it doesn't have the level of interactivity some other similar apps have. Children interested in dinosaurs will get a kick out of Find Them All: Dinosaurs World.
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Rachel H. finally finished this review once her son went back to school and stopped running off with her iPad. SmartAppsForKids.com was paid a priority review fee to complete this review in an expedited manner.
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