Children lead Tigger on his quest for honey pots through many different levels in this video game-style program. But, at first, he is an uncharacteristically "un-springy" Tigger. In fact, children will need to earn his special tail-spring. He does bounce around, though-quite effectively, in fact - making him just perfect for a lively game such as this one. Pooh definitely wouldn't be able to pull a game like this off with the same vigor and panache!

Along the way, Tigger meets up with other familiar animals from the Hundred Acre Wood. Sometimes they need his help, as in the case of Rabbit who is desperately in need of a wheel for his barrow; other times they act as gateways to bonus rooms; and whenever kids meet up with Owl, he either is doling out some wise and helpful advice or clearing his throat before he assesses whether Tigger has collected enough honey pots to move onto the next level. When he passes the honey pot inspection, Tigger's not the only one breathing a sigh of relief. After all, kids will have to go back and find more of the "icky-sticky" stuff before advancing, and some of those honey pots are hard to find!

The program's levels open with a video clip from classic episodes of Winnie the Pooh, which in turn sets up a mini-story and objective for the level - such as finding Eeyore's lost tail.

Navigating the levels is great fun. Tigger uses large cobwebs as launch pads, and hops on over-sized leaves that act as platforms. Careful timing is required in many areas, and swarms of bees, Heffalumps, and other such undesirables must be avoided (and in some cases pounced upon). Tigger passes by a number of checkpoints in each level, and if kids lose three "lives" they are bumped back to one of these to try again. Children keep an eye on their honey pot tally too, and will have to search carefully for special hidden areas where the pots are especially plentiful.

This is an almost-3D platformer - meaning that the characters and objects are rendered in 3D, but the pathways are linear and not free roaming. This suits younger "gamers" well, simply because there is less question of where they should go. This game was released in 2000 for the Nintendo 64, and it suffered from text-based dialogue - something quite inappropriate for the intended audience. This PC version contains all of the sparkling wit you'd expect from the Hundred Acre Wood, with characters that talk in addition to the text captions.

Unless a computer gamepad is used, little kids will likely need some help at the outset, simply because the computer keyboard has far more "buttons" than a video game controller. Plus, saving the game involves a few steps, and even though our tester thought she saved her precious game, she didn't do something right, and it was lost. That kind of thing is nothing short of a disaster for the kindergarten set.

Technically Speaking
Minimum system requirements are Windows 95/98/Me, Pentium-class processor 166 MHz, 32 MB RAM, 4x CD-ROM, 16-bit DirectX-compatible sound card, 16-bit color DirectX-compatible 8MB video card with 3D acceleration, and 10 MB free hard drive space. The CD insert contains a disclaimer that Disney does not guarantee this title's compatibility with Windows 2000.

Skills Covered
hand-eye coordination, reflexes, timing, memory

Educational Value
This is a video game on the computer, and educational value is minimal. Children will need to carefully time many of Tigger's jumps and springs, and the three mini-games require some memory skills and strategy.

Entertainment Value
Tigger is simply made for a game such as this one. Kids love making him pounce and shoot up in the air from his tail in order to get him onto platforms. This title is graphically rich, filled with satisfying sound effects, and plenty of fun game-play. Each level has a specific theme, and kids will lead Tigger through "blustery day" weather, falling snow, and a Heffalump-inhabited night scene.

Design
While using the keyboard to play a platformer is not as intuitive as using a video game controller, kids manage just fine after spending a little time with the game. Games are not automatically saved, so be sure to remind children to save their progress before shutting down. Some maneuvers on the higher levels are rather tricky, requiring the use of multiple keys at once and quick repeated taps. There were a few errors in the instructions that seem to be overlooked leftovers from the console version - for example, kids are instructed during mini-games to push a button to advance, when in fact they need to press the spacebar. However, there is an option to use a computer gamepad.

Replayability
Replay value will depend hugely upon the age and skill level of the child playing the game. Seasoned little gamers will bounce through this game far too quickly, but inexperienced ones will find lots of challenges - and fun - to keep them coming back plenty.

Dollar Value
A suggested retail price of $20 US is very reasonable.