publication date: Nov 14, 2011
|
author/source: Jonathan Bell
The
iPad is a glorious
toy, for adults as well as
children, and it didn't take long
for designs of apps to transform the
touchscreen device into a
virtual
playground. iPad owners know all too well that
sticky fingers and an
expensive
piece of
electronics equipment aren't always a good match. That's why Disney's
new
Appmates range of games should appeal.
The
Cars 2 Appmates is a simple proposition; a
toy car that interacts with your
iPad. Thanks to some
clever software and a
unique sensor, you get to drag
Lightning McQueen, Mater and all their friends around a beautifully
animated,
smooth scrolling
backdrop featuring
locations from the
movie. Race around,
personalise your cars and stumble – or rather drive – across
hidden features
and extra add-ons. A slick mix of
Apple tech and
Disney character know-how, the
Appmates cleverly bridges the divide between
real world toy and
virtual world.
Toby
and I got a
hands-on demo of the new toy and game at Disney's London HQ, in
advance of a screening of
Cars 2 in the company's own private
cinema. Although Toby
was most impressed by the HQ's
giant plastic model of the
Incredible Hulk, he
was intrigued by the
Appmates game and quickly picked up how to
twist and turn
the little plastic car to
explore the dusty onscreen world of
Radiator Springs – touch screen
technology comes easy to children.
One
caveat - the A
ppmates are quite pricey, with a
single car costing from £12.99.
Double packs (£19.99) increase the
value and the
App itself, of course, is
free
to download from the
App Store. With a bit of luck,
updated environments and
new challenges will appear in due course.
The other
downside? They won't help
get the children off your
iPad.
PWT rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
www.disneystore.co.uk
