Back two decades ago when I was still a child with no other worries than eating and sleeping, I remember being easily impressed by stories of the big bad wolf. There are many references to wolves in stories written for children in general, like the well known Little Red Riding Hood or the famous Three Little Pigs. Usually, the wolf represents a cruel character that everyone fears. The story of Peter and The Wolf respects the tradition except for one point: Peter is not afraid by the wolf.
After Time Warner Interactive who previously released a version of Peter and The Wolf based on Chuck Jones's animations, IBM will release in May 95 their own version designed by Hollywood-based CD-ROM production company, 7th Level. The IBM version features animations with cartoon-like characters that appear sometimes in small windows or in full screen. The animations's swiftness is quite remarkable and you really feel as if you are watching a cartoon on TV! The voice of actor Tony Randall will accompany children along the story with the wonderful music of Prokofiev.
IBM's Peter and The Wolf is shown as two stories in one. The present-day Peter does not want to go to the symphony with his grandfather who thinks the spectacle will appeal to his grandson. In the Grand Hall, Peter and his grandfather are seated in one of the balconies in front of the large red curtains that hide the scene. At this point, children will have the possibility to explore the entire room with a point-and-click interface. They can click the characters shown on the screen, the audience, balconies, etc.. and on the characters from the Peter and The Wolf's story. Children discover dozens of animations bundled with humor, voices and great music.
The story itself is divided in several segements. Each time a segment ends, new animations become available to reward the child. The educative part of the program shows a series of instruments used in the symphony. When kids click on one of them, they will hear the instrument performing a music score from the Prokofiev's masterpiece.
There is also a bubble-game where they have to match sounds to instruments and characters, improving their musical knowledge at the same time.
This new version of Peter and The Wolf is presented with dozens of very funny animations that captivate children's attention. Everything is designed to bring kids into the story with an astonishing talent.
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