The boys (Matt and Ben – both ten) were able to test MySims – SkyHeroes on PS3, Wii and Nintendo DS. They took zero interest in the exotic location which says more about the game than anything as Ben especially is a transport afficionado. They played solidly for the best part of two hours so it certainly gripped them! I was particularly struck by the way it didn't wind them up – a bonus for a parent. They played calmly and sociably the whole time in a way that they don't with other games. In fact I would normally expect them to need resting from electronic stimulation well before we had to go.
The boys liked MySims – SkyHeroes because of the "freedom" as they put it. The levels were apparently fun to achieve, helped considerably by the ability to fly all over the place in dogfights. Matt has always like a good roam around in cyberspace and this fitted the bill. It made them happy to play and they were relaxed afterwards.The adults present were helpful without being intrusive. The boys felt very in control of what they were doing and this added to their enjoyment. I would certainly recommend it to any parent as a present for all the pluses described above. It made an excellent change from the usual highly charged competitive atmosphere – the same seemed to apply to the other children there.
Beyond enjoying flying around the boys restricted their comments to saying that they didn't really think it worked so well on the DS. They looked extremely surprised when I asked them if they thought it good and seemed puzzled by the concept that it could not have been good. "Of course it was good".
We had a long journey home that was passed in a companionable manner brought about by the quiet satisfaction with the game. If that all seems a bit low key, it was only in retrospect that I realised how much they had enjoyed MySims – SkyHeroes. One for the Christmas stocking.
Available from Amazon:
My Sims - Skyheroes (Wii)
My Sims - Skyheroes (Nintendo DS)
My Sims - Skyheroes (PS3)
My Sims - Skyheroes (Xbox 360)
