Apparently, I’m way out of the loop when it comes to Disney characters. I mean, Tinker Bell has how many friends now? And what do you mean two of her friends are dudes? By the way, is it just me or is there a bit of a discrepancy in the fairy designs for both genders? I mean, all the female fairies look glamorous but the two dude fairies look like easy prey for a lunch money shakedown. Where’s the nerdy female fairy? And where’s the chubby female fairy? Come to think of it, why am I asking all these nonsensical questions?
UPON CLOSER INSPECTION...
Anyway … so here we have another addition in the growing line of Disney storybook apps for kids. In “Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue” app (for iPad, iPhone and iPod) Peter Pan’s favorite fairy gets trapped in a makeshift fairy house and taken by a human. Naturally, her fairy friends stage a rescue, experiencing all sorts of hi jinks and valuable life experiences along the way. The story in the app isn’t exactly the same as the 3D animation of the same name. It’s also condensed within 15 pages so we’re talking about some really light reading here for young kids (the app is recommended for kids age 4 and up and, honestly, I wouldn’t go much higher than that).
Like previous storybook apps released by Disney, Tinker Bell’s fairy adventure includes interactive elements to help catch the fancy of young’uns. This one also throws in some interactivity with the mic, which you can now blow for some magic pixie dust. Well, that or get spittle on your beloved iPad screen because — oh, I don’t know — your goofball cousins couldn’t stop blowing on the mic. Yes, you guys know who you are!
Naturally, the app comes with a narrator who can read the story for kids who either can’t read or prefer to have the story read to them. Parents and evil uncles (mwahaha) who want to provide a personal touch to the narration can also record their own voice and traumatize, er, I mean liven up the lives of the little ones. There’s just something about substituting certain words in any story with “butt” that never fails to make kids laugh. Not that I would know that from, um, personal experience or anything like that.
Unlike other Disney storybook apps, however, the extra features in “Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue” are a bit on the sparse side. Unlike the Toy Story apps, for example, you won’t find mini-games or coloring book exercises in this one. That’s something you may want to keep in mind if you’ve bought those other Disney apps before and expect to see the same stuff in the Tinker Bell storybook app.
That said, I wouldn’t say the app is no good. I’m sure there are kids out there who would enjoy “Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue.” Plus if you have a knack for goofy and creative impromptu storytelling like a certain, um, evil uncle who reviews gadgets and apps, you can get a lot of fun and mileage from this. Still, given its simplicity and lack of extra features, I think this storybook app is more suitable for younger kids as older ones would likely get bored quickly.
Anywho, “Tinker Bell and Her Gorgeous Fairy Friends Plus Two Goofs,” er, I mean “Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue” is available on iTunes for Apple’s iOS devices for $2.99. For more on the Apple iPad, check out our iPad Central hub. For information about tablets in general, visit our Tablet channel.
TINKER BELL AND THE GREAT FAIRY RESCUE
- Price: $299
- Ages: 4 and up
- Devices: iPad, iPhone and iPod
- Final rating: 3 stars
