The Nutcracker Music Game Review

I was super excited to review this award winning music game because I knew it would expose my children to music they have rarely heard in the past.  We have never played classical music in our home so what ever they have heard was just some television shows on Disney Jr. or Nick Jr.  I immediately loved the idea of them playing the games and learning about the music.  Once it was installed my daughter was the first one to give the game a try.  She loves dancing and all things ballet and she knows about The Nutcracker from watching television.  She was super excited to learn about figuring out the game.

The object of the game is your choose a door and you have to solve the puzzle to advance in the game.  Each stage has 8 doors to open and solve at the end of the stage your earn a key.  When you have earned all the keys you can free The Nutcracker.  The game really tests memory skills and listening skills.  When we entered the first stage we clicked on the first door and the puzzle was “The Sugar Plum Fairy” we listened to the music and then when we felt like we had heard enough we started the puzzle.   There are eight different musical instruments and you have to click on them to hear the songs they play.  Each has a different sound band the goal was to match the instruments with those used in the musical clue we first listened to.  When you have found the correct instruments you drag and drop them onto a stage and if you are correct it plays the music again and your get to move on to the next door.  You repeat this for all eight doors and then you get the key for that stage.

My two kids who were helping me review the game are four and five so I sat with them for the first few doors trying to help them get the hang of the game.  Some of the clues were super easy for them, they guessed the instrument right off the bat but some were a little harder and it just required some more thinking.  After the third door they were solving the clues for the most part on their own.”It’s a splendid blend of fun and learning, sensory stimulation and rational thinking, Old World atmosphere and new technology marvels.” – Houston Chronicle    I was really surprised at how fast they caught on especially my daughter.  She solved most of the remaining puzzles in the game without any assistance from me.  She listened and took her time matching the instruments used in each musical clue.  I loved that the game was very engaging and that it was exposing the kids to music they rarely listen to.  It boosted their confidence when they could find the matching instrument on their own and while playing the game their listening and memory skills  were being engaged.  The best part about the game is you can take your time on the levels or you can race to save the Nutcracker.  We are doing a new stage each day that way the kids don’t feel rushed but they are all set to find those keys and advance in the game.  Your children will gain a new appreciation for music with this great game and learning tool.

Praises for The Nutcracker Music Game

 “The best software I’ve seen to date or stimulating the musical imagination… Sophisticated in its design and content, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker offers exciting adventures in musical listening and problem solving that are both irresistible and educational.” – Dr. Larry Scripp, Ed.D, Chair of Music-in-Education and the Research Center for Learning through Music, New England Conservatory

“It’s a splendid blend of fun and learning, sensory stimulation and rational thinking, Old World atmosphere and new technology marvels.” – Houston Chronicle 

You can view some video about the game and see some of the features and learn more about the game.

This video shows the main menu of the game and shows the features you can access from that menu.  It shows the awesome Musical Instruments Encyclopedia, which I absolutely love because it introduces the kids to several instruments and also includes information about the instruments its showing.  This is a great feature for parents that homeschool.

 

This video shows other mini games and features of the game.

This video shows the actual game I talked about with getting the keys to free the Nutcracker.  You can see the features of the game and see more about how to play.

If you are interested in buying a copy of the game for your self the sponsor has offered a coupon code so you can get a 40% discount here.

I will also be posting a giveaway for a copy of the game soon, be on the look out for that.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.