Ice Cream Truck Review

Ice Cream Truck is a cute and fun interactive universal application which allows children the chance to sell ice cream out of a truck.

I am eager to review this application as my son loves the “make your own sundae” type apps where one can simulate food preparation - be it ice cream, cakes or pizza.

These apps tend to be free, but include a plethora of paid add-ons that my son sometimes asks about but in general is a really good sport about not buying.

Because my son really enjoys making sundaes for his stuffed friends and was eager to review this app for me.

There are a few sections included, such as scooping colorful ice cream into cones or working the soft-serve yogurt machine, adding three choices of syrup or tossing a few handfuls of toppings into the cups as well.

We really enjoy how this app tries to simulate this experience, such as holding down the lever of the machine to fill the cup with a swirl of yogurt, or the pressing down the top of the syrup machine, choosing from chocolate, caramel and strawberry flavors, or whatever flavors one would like to pretend to choose.

Even the adding of toppings is fun, as one uses a finger to drag sprinkles, small candies like M&M’s, or gummy bears.

The choices are not as unlimited as the other apps my son uses, but I have not heard a lot of complaints about the limited selection or only one yogurt flavor. I would love to see the classic vanilla/chocolate or twist combination.

Ten colorful, scoopable ice cream flavors are also included to choose from to make cones. Drag a finger to scoop and add to the cone.

My boy enjoys building his cones high and experimenting with different color combinations, but it would be nice to be able to top these cones especially with sprinkles - possibly rolling or dipping the cone in this topping - my favorite application, which would make for an interesting interaction.

One also has a chance to sell pre-packaged ice cream such as sandwiches, rocket pops and other selections reminiscent of real treats such as Drumsticks or Dove-type ice cream bars.

Unlike the other sundae maker apps my son enjoys, he has the chance to actually sell his wares to unseen patrons who honk for service. To sell soft serve or cones, tap the cash register at the top left of the page. Frozen packaged treats can be selected from below the register, allowing players to slide open freezer doors to access these frozen desserts - a nice touch.

Ring up the sale by choosing an amount from one to nine, tap Enter, and a purse will appear where one can remove change, filling up the coin area correlating to the selected cost. When paid, tap the ice cream to hear and see ice cream being eaten with fun sound effects.

My son would like to point out, however, that although he is excited by the chance to sell these treats and handle money much like his favorite open-ended store application, the coins are too small for him to maneuver when using this application on the iPhone.

The driving of this truck is also a mode my son has experimented with, as players look through the front window, also seeing the wheel and dashboard from the POV of the driver. One has a chance to tap a button to hear ice cream truck music, honk the horn and turn lights on as well as turn on the windshield and even spray fluid onto the window. It is unfortunate, however, that there is not a lot to see out this front window - a missed opportunity.

My son wanted to let readers know his disappointment in not being able to steer the car’s wheel. This is actually not the case as one steers not with the drag of a finger on the wheel, but with the tipping of the device from side to side, which also triggers movement in the ice cream cone air freshener hanging in the truck. Notice the odometer slowly tick up the miles and how one can turn on the turn signals with an abrupt turn in either direction.

It would be nice to have an option to silence the honking of prospective customers, as however realistic to the experience, this sound can also be quite distracting.

Although limited in the amount to choose from in terms of toppings or yogurt flavors, this app is a very nice open-ended simulator for children who like to play “pretend’ or “store” with some cute sound effects and upbeat music. I certainly appreciate the lack of links and in-app purchases. I hope a few more cute food elements can be added at a later date.