Story Land Review – Promising, needs more polishing but your kids may love it
By App Type: Uncategorized
Our rating: 
By: Deep Blue Ideas Ltd.
Version #: 1.0
Date Released: 2011-08-20
Developer:
Price: 2.99
User Rating:
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Colorforms will be the next victim of the digitalization of society. For those that don’t know, Colorforms was and is a children’s toy that which allowed them to stick pictures against a vinyl background using an adhesive and create a scene. Story Land is the digital version of Colorforms.
The app is fun, particularly for kids, and does its job well. There are a variety of scenes, characters and objects that the user can put together to create a scene. You can randomize the background by tapping an icon. The weather can be changed with a different icon. Also, given the additional flexibility of digitalization, there is minor movement in the characters (such as eyeblinks) and they can be flipped or made larger and/or smaller using standard touchscreen gestures.
The app comes with various tracks of background music. I mostly find that distracting but your child might not. Fortunately, it can be turned off.
The app works well but it’s not as flexible as I would have liked given the limitless nature of the digital world. For example, it would be nice if the characters had moving appendages so you could position the arms and legs in any way you’d prefer. Also, it would be nice to be able to type words into the word balloons (although maybe I just haven’t figured out how to do that yet). The app is currently for the iPad only but I think it would benefit by being made universal despite the loss of screen space for the iPhone (most kids I know don’t have an iPad but do have an iPod touch).
Overall, for the entertainment and imaginative possibilities, Story Land is definitely worth the three dollar investment. I wouldn’t be surprised if major kids’ market players like Disney or Nickelodeon release similarly-functioning apps with their famous characters in the future.
Quick Take
Value:Medium-High
Would I Buy Again:Yes.
Learning Curve:Low.
Who Is It For:Children and those that like Colorforms.
What I Like:Imaginative idea. Good execution.
What I Don't Like:Could stand to have some more capabilities.
Final Statement:If you want your kids to tell their own story, use Story Land.
Welcome to Story Land, a beautiful and unique living storybook full of fun for you and your kids to learn from and play in!
Children (and adults!) can create their own scenes and place 'actors' into them, from a huge cast of wonderfully drawn characters. Actors can be scaled, rotated and given different objects, and weather and backgrounds can be customised to suit your mood!
You can even choose from a wide range of music to suit the scene!
Once a scene has been created to your satisfaction, why not take a picture using the built in camera? This removes the interface and perfectly presents an image of the scene for your child!
Medieval knights vs. flying saucers in a snowstorm? You got it!
Dinosaurs eating cake in the Arctic? No problem!
A Witch falling in love with a troll in the library during a thunderstorm? Unlikely, but possible!
With over 300,000 possible combinations, the only limit is your imagination!
*Over 320 charming, beautifully drawn, fully animated characters and objects!
*Change everything, including backdrops, scenes, actors and objects! Even the weather and music!
*Over 300,000 combinations possible!
*Change everything! (Rain, Snow, Wind, Thunder, Leaves, Tornados etc)
*Make any changes you want easily using the clean and simple interface, designed to be easy to use by children!
*Scenes can be saved to the camera roll at the touch of an icon - allowing kids to create their own adventures!
*Designed to spark and nurture your child's imagination!
*12 full length music tracks to suit any mood!
