Pango Hide and Seek Review
Price: $2.99
Version Reviewed: 1.1
App Reviewed on: iPad 3
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Pango Hide and Seek, as the name describes, is a charming hide-and-seek app that preschool-aged children will really enjoy. I do hope that parents are aware of Pango the raccoon and friends as this series of interactive apps includes both thoughtfully developed storybooks such as Pango Christmas Book 5 and a digital busy box of sorts, Pango Playground - a favorite early app of mine - as well as the creative Pango Imaginary Car.
Here, children have the opportunity to explore 15 different landscapes looking for Pango as well as a heart, clover, and key hidden within a pirate motif, on top of a mountain or a gem mine. Each of these scenes is packed with imaginary details and many nooks and crannies to explore, such as opening and closing windows, or they may include rocks or trees to look under in order to search for these hidden objects. Unlike other apps such as this, discovering the lost objects may become secondary to the exploratory fun to be had searching these pages for the multitude of interactive hot spots, complete with fun sound effects and mild animated details. There is no time frame in which these activities need to be completed, and I enjoy how this app allows multiple children a chance to partake in the fun at once - always a nice touch within a family app. It would be great, however, to have the option of continuing the search after Pango has been tapped as sometimes Pango is less hidden than others. A tap here will resolve this section, possibly before a child is ready to move on to a new area of the app. I would like other developers to note how much I appreciate that each of these 15 sections that increase in difficulty remain available for play because I never find locked levels within a game desirable. Although a single added area is locked - presumably until all is complete - this is a small section of this app that older children will enjoy earning, which is an element that I do not take strong issues with.Pango Hide and Seek is a bright and kinetic game, full of details and animated elements that children will find entertaining. It is refreshing how unencumbered children’s play is within this app as they are free to explore without feeling rushed when they search for these hidden objects. It may be nice to have a hints button as well that could highlight lost items that may be hard to find in the more difficult levels. With this simple note, I can easily recommend Pango Hide and Seek.