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Computer Times
Editors' Choice Game ItzaBitza Reviewed by Angie Kibiloski
ItzaBitza (Retail $19.99), by Sabi Games, is a drawing game on the PC that is possibly the coolest kids’ game I have ever seen. The concept is simple, but the technology that brings the game to life is astonishing. Basically, throughout 5 different play set environments, a child is asked to draw various things that the character, a Sketchy, in each play set asks for. For instance, in the farm play set, you will need to draw things related to farm life, like a barn, a tractor wheel, windmill blades, a scarecrow, etc. In the space play set you’ll need a spaceship. In the very first play set you have, which is just a big yard, you have to give your Sketchy a house. Now, this is the super cool part! No matter how bad your drawing is, the game will recognize what you have intended to draw, and animate it accordingly. So, if your house is kind of lopsided, and your door is more of a trapezoid than a square, or your windows might best be described as wobbly, no worries! The game will add hinges to your trapezoid and your wobbly windows and open them to reveal furnished rooms inside! Similarly, your tractor wheel will turn, your impossible spaceship will fly, and your oddly shaped blob of a yellow sun will shine brightly.
As you complete the asked for drawings, transparent golden stars appear. Collect these to enable star challenges. For each star you are given a different challenge, usually related to how you got the star in the first place. Like, grab up the star for drawing a tree with a hole in the trunk and your challenge is to find the golden squirrel inside the tree. Or, get a star for drawing a rain cloud, and see if you can get you Sketchy wet enough to open his umbrella. When you satisfy a challenge, your star will become solid and will count towards your star total when you leave the current play set. See how many you can collect as you play again and again. If you create a particularly amazing play set, and you want to capture it to look at later, there is a photo feature that you should utilize. You can view your play set photo in the gallery, but cannot go back and play one you have already started. When you leave a play set, it is reset, like a real toy play set would be if you put it back in the box. No saving your game, only endless chances to create new and different worlds for your Sketchy.
I just couldn’t get over how cool it was to see my own crazy drawings come to life, no matter how close or how far they looked from what I was asked to make. I am well into adulthood and I had fun playing for hours. Just imagine how much fun your kids will have seeing their imagination come to life! I have read about the technology behind the game, and even knowing how it works, it still seems magical when I am actually playing. You’ll see your children’s creativity awaken and their eyes light up with delight! They will be dazzled that it is THEIR tree bearing fruit, and THEIR sun shining down, and THEIR hat that the Sketchy is wearing. This is truly an amazing game, and a must for any creative child. If you would like to read more about ItzaBitza and the technology that powers it, check out the official website at http://www.itzabitza.com.
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