Hey Folks! Welcome back to another Modern Gamer review! I’m your hostess, blah, blah, you guys already know me. So, the quarantine and lockdown looks like it’s shut our schools down for the rest of the year. At least in the physical sense. However, thanks to the internet many children are still on the path to learning, using weird apps and teaching tools parents barely understand.
But fear not! There is a really cool app out there that teaches kids how to read and increases their vocabulary skills! All while playing a game!
This week, I am diving into the incredible world of Marvel Hero Tales. This is one of those rare educational titles that is actually a lot of fun to play!
Ok, for those of you that are old school, this isn’t like the Math blaster series (I hated that program growing up.) Marvel Hero Tales is actually fun! And yes, it uses comics to get kids to read and develop writing skills. But how can my child learn to use his imagination if he reads comics I hear you ask? That’s easy, you can just introduce them to the more classical stories some of the comics are based on, like the Viking Legends of Thor later down the line when they’re older. Besides, we’re in a new era of learning, so not only will this app relieve their boredom, but it will engage them in learning.
Ok, the bottom line: this game is genius. Especially since we’re in an age where kids want to be on tablets and play games all the time, if not on their PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and so on. Marvel Hero Tales is out for the iOS and Android, and not only does it provide a way to make English fun, but the artwork is stellar, both in the cards and in game.
So let me break it down for ya. The game is 3D and works like an old school role playing title. Meaning you run around until you find events going on in the area. When you do find one, there’s a police officer who asks for your help, and then you get to select cards for how your character can handle these events.
This is where it gets educational, as the player uses these cards to help form sentences in their proper structure to take care of the problem. After a correct sentence is constructed, your kid’s character will then do the thing the cards said. So you might rapidly kick a bad guy, or quickly tie him up. Your character will act on whatever adverbs and verbs that your child has selected. The policeman even chimes in with reinforcement like “that’s a great adverb you used there!”
This game…I wish I had something like this to help me through English class. I really do. Because Marvel Hero Tales not only has cards to explain what they mean, but gives visual examples too! It’s like playing Magic the Gathering almost, but with Marvel characters. What’s great it that it also teaches kids right from wrong. Morals are a high part of this game, so you know this is perfectly safe for your kids, and it teaches them things like how bullying is wrong. So it’s like a double bonus.
The controls are a bit weird as you have drag your finger across the tablet to get anywhere. It’s not like the usual joystick controller that you usually see in the iso games. So it’s not too bad.
Overall, developer Kuato Studios has done a really amazing job. I almost can’t believe my eyes seeing how good this looks. Now for the one negative kicker: its subscription based. Oh no, you mean I have to pay for it? Yes you do. It’s worth it though. They almost had to do it that way because otherwise it would be supported by ads, and then it might not be safe for kids. This way you get a plethora of things to do for your child in a safe and supportive environment.
Alrighty gang! That’s all for now! Turn in next week for the latest review on Modern Gamer!
Wondering what MG does in her spare time? Check out these links! woodlingsart.com and patreon.com/Shurale .