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The numberlys season 17/4/2023 ![]() ![]() But, like so many apps this is a case of user interface and design not matching the content of any one particular audience. I love the look, the feel, the humor and the charter development. And on the other hand, a six year old who may engage with the opening narrative won't particularly find the game dynamics or learning their ABCs that enticing. They will be clicking the home button and heading elsewhere because the witty narrative and brilliant animation won't impress them. But, I'm not convinced that three and four year olds will appreciate the story enough to get to the section that seems to be designed especially for them. The games may be a little complex if children get to that section of the app (I'd have to do some testing to be sure). We know that after we play the D game, then there will be E game and I found myself wondering: "Do I really have to do this all the way to Z?" The ABC games are great for younger children: they have appropriate prompts and the audio celebrations of the characters and the little animation sequences between the games would appeal to pre-schoolers who are usually your target market for ABC apps. The issue for me was that the ABC section of the app was way too long, it is a narrative black hole. The Numberlys is effectively an ABC app bookended by an amazing narrative opening and closing inspired by the work of Fritz Lang. But as an adult reader of this app it was disappointing and as a child development researcher I think this app misses the mark in a way that many apps aimed at children do. The animation and their visuals alone make this app worth the purchase and I understand why they chose to go in the direction of creating the app in the way they have with the ABC element. The concept and execution of this storyline is damn good and I take my hat of to the creativity of the concept. They have the ability to tell stories that are as good as the best of them. We don't get 26 individual games for each letter of the alphabet.Īfter this section, we come to a narrative conclusion, which is most satisfying as it again captures the whimsy and wit that Moonbot Studios does so well. The games are cleverly designed in terms of visuals, but are not particularly groundbreaking in regards to game dynamics, and after a while the games start to repeat themselves. And, suddenly the Numberlys get all Letterly and we engage in a series of interactive games that help the characters to build and shape every letter of the alphabet from A to Z. Seeking something more than numbers, they go about inventing the alphabet. The games are focused on a collection of five delightfully crafted characters who set about attempting to make their world more interesting. The description for Numberlys name-checks such black-and-white classics as King Kong and Metropolis, and while you can certainly see those influences in the sprawling cityscape fo the app, it’s also clear that Moonbot was able to create a striking world all of its own for this app.The reason for presenting The Numberlys as an app becomes clear in the second half, which turns from pure story to a narrative game. The story is set in a monochromatic universe dominated entirely by numbers, and it follows the adventures of five roly-poly creatures in their quest to introduce letters into their dull, gray world. Numberlys is Moonbot’s follow-up to Morris Lessmore, and like its predecessor, it offers up a very distinctive visual style. But more important, it’s just a really great story to get lost in for a while. It’s a breath-taking example of the new kind of story-telling that the iPad can foster. That philosophy is on display to perfection in The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. ![]() In interviews elsewhere, the brains behind Moonbot have said that they’re not really trying to do movies or books or games-rather, they’re creating apps that draw upon elements from all three categories. Growing Numbers: The Numberlys creates a visually distinct monochrome world dominated by numbers. Everything neatly fits in with the action, and it’s a terrific way to get drawn into the saga of Morris Lessmore, particularly for younger readers. You help Morris piece together fragments of a torn up page. A bowl of alphabet soup becomes a canvas for forming words. When a windstorm blows Morris out of his comfortable life, you can make houses fly off with a flick of your finger. Instead, the app comes loaded with interactive features that augment the storyline. ![]() But Moonbot went beyond merely repurposing the Morris Lessmore film. ![]()
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