I know nothing of video games. I barely played them as a kid (my parent were slow to adopt everything, last to get a microwave and didn't understand the lure of Atari), so my few video game experiences involve such hard-to-miss classics as Pac Man, Miss Pac Man, Frogger and Space Invaders. That means I had to work extra hard to find a video game that works for kids (besides Garage Band--even I know about that one) and is unique without being lame. I think I found it, although true game addicts may already have cycled through it as it's more a 2007 release vs. 2008.
One of the reasons I was drawn to the Secret of Bird Island is that it's not like most video games. It's more of a mystery-adventure than a move-through-the-levels Donkey Kong game (Do rent The King of Kong if you haven't.) The plot involves a dead grandfather and a quest to photograph as many birds as possible in their natural habitat. Authentic bird songs, points for better photos and the ability to send them to friends outside the game have me sold, but if you need convincing, try the 60-minutes of free game time available at Large Animal Games, or pay just $19.95 for unlimited play.
