For more on Wonderbook: Walking with Dinosaurs, check out our full Wonderbook: Walking with Dinosaurs review. Or, for more of the best Playstation 3 games for a 6 year old, why not try our Family Game Finder
Wonderbook: Walking with Dinosaurs is an augmented reality game for Sony's titular Wonderbook. Available in several bundles, you can buy either the game on its own, the game and a Wonderbook, or a starter pack that includes everything you'll need to get going - a Wonderbook, a Playstation Move controller, a Playstation Eye camera, and a copy of the game itself, so there's an option for everyone, no matter what you already own. Bear in mind - this uses the same Wonderbook as the other games, so if you've already played another game, you'll only need to pick the game itself up here.
Based around the BBC TV show of the same name, the game follows the story of two of the characters from the film - Juniper and Patchi - as they make their way through the prehistoric land. Turning the pages of the book, you'll dig for fossils, examine the skeletons of dinosaurs as your Move controller turns into a handheld x-ray machine, and search the landscape looking for dinosaurs and plant life alike, in a game that mixes interactive mini-games with education - and regular quizzes to check if you've been following!
Making it seems like dinosaurs are actually moving around your living room through some fancy technology, there's a lot that children will like about Wonderbook: Walking with Dinosaurs - but there are some things younger children may struggle with. The menu, especially, isn't as user friendly as it should be (you need to point at the screen, but there's no cursor for you to get your bearings with), and some of the hidden object style mini-games, that have you searching a scene to spot some certain types of dinosaurs can be rather tricky for younger children, as the dinosaurs are small and there's no way of zooming in. Parents may also want to keep in mind that kids will be required to yell in order to achieve certain goals during the game, as they're encouraged to "roar" to scare dinosaurs off, or shout out to attract another one's attention. There's no way to complete these sections by being quiet, either, as the camera will only pick you up if you're over a certain volume - so prepare for a noisy night!
Based on the BBC TV show, Walking with Dinosaurs the game contains no blood or swearing, but there are some things parents may want to keep in mind. The game makes a few references to mating, as one of the dinosaurs tries to find a lady friend, although it's all kept very much above board - as though he's looking for friendship more than anything. There is, however, some violence in a true Walking with Dinosaurs way, and some scenes which may be upsetting for children. One scene sees your dinosaur and another duking it out in a fight - but after the fight's over, the game's "bad guy" dino comes over and eats your foe. You don't see it bite the dino in game, but a picture on a card that pops up does show the bad dino with its jaw wrapped around the other one's neck.
Another similar scene shows a pack of dinosaurs crossing a stream. It all seems very "mild peril", until they actually start being picked off, one by one, by giant prehistoric crocodiles - dragging them underwater as their mouths open in fear. There's nothing you can do to stop it, and your children are actually encouraged to spot the dinosaurs that are being eaten as part of the game, which may be upsetting for some younger children.
Age Ratings
Format Reviewed: Playstation 3
