On the main screen, children need only move the magic wand cursor over the room or garden they want to decorate. The selected area inflates into a tableau, and children can scroll through stickers from their toolbox at the bottom of the screen. In the parlor, kids can add furniture and knick-knacks to the screen, then select characters and animated objects to bring the parlor to life. A simple click on the curtains, floors, or walls magically changes their design and color. Kids can move a sofa to their scene, and it will cleverly turn to fit against whichever wall is selected. Characters like Cinderella herself, her mouse friends, and even a "kissable" frog can be added to the scene. If players opt to move Cinderella in front of the sofa, she will sit down; if they hand her a flute, she will play some lovely music; and placing a bouquet of flowers in her lap will prompt her to remark on their beauty. Adding another character, such as one of her stepsisters or the Prince, will prompt a short conversation.

The mouse house is a fun area to furnish. Children can select a birthday candle that acts as a mouse lamp, thimbles for chairs, and more. Other areas include an especially beautiful garden that features a selection of greenery that reflects different seasons of the year, and the ballroom of the Palace where kids can create a lavish banquet, amongst other things.

Cute touches include a bird pausing outside the window and a frog that hops and asks for a kiss. Games are saved, and moving from room to room won't result in losing the decorations kids have worked hard at positioning.

Children who enjoy free-play creativity activities will spend plenty of happy time with this software game, and, of course, little Cinderella fans will be more than pleased to watch their favorite characters interact with each other and react to the objects they give to them. This title is probably ideal for children ages 5-6.

Technically Speaking
Minimum system requirements are Windows 95/98/Me, Pentium 200 MHz, 32 MB RAM (64 MB recommended), 8X CD-ROM, 16-bit DirectX-compatible sound card, 640x480 16-bit color DirectX-compatible video card, and 100 MB hard drive space. Mac users require an iMac or G3 processor 233 MHz, System 8.6 through OS X, 64 MB RAM, 128 MB virtual memory, 8X CD-ROM, and 100 MB hard drive space. Disney has included a disclaimer for Windows 2000 users — compatibility is not guaranteed.

Skills Covered
Players develop basic computer skills and exercise their creativity.

Educational Value
There is nothing academic to be found in this program — children simply "play house." However, the program's open-ended game-play helps to inspire imagination and gives children creative control.

Entertainment Value
Though the game itself is easy enough to play, the results are stunning thanks to the program's gorgeous and elegant graphics. Imaginative children will thoroughly enjoy the fantasy world presented here.

Design
Cinderella's fairy godmother provides kids with a short tutorial that helps familiarize them with the program's interface. Games are saved automatically, and children can always return to their work-in-progress — or start a new dollhouse altogether — when they return to their game. Introductions can be skipped with a simple tap on the spacebar.

Replayability
Replay value will be especially dependent on the nature of the player. The game is very open-ended — the story line is up to the imagination of kids. As a result, some kids will want to do more with the software, while others will be thoroughly content creating their own designs, using the program as a take-off point for their own princess fantasies.

Dollar Value
This program carries a suggested retail price of $29.99 US.