Putt Putt Saves The Zoo
Humongous Entertainment
1995

I loved exploring the jungle and grasslands, I may have also spent far too much time changing my paint color. It always made me happy to save the cute little boa constrictor by giving him a cup of hot chocolate so he could warm himself up and slither out of the tundra. I would spend hours clicking on maps, buying souviners and exploring every part of the world I could think of. Throughout the course of the game Putt-Putt has to save Baby Jambo the elephant; Masai the giraffe; Kenya the lion; Zanzibar the hippopotamus; Sammy the fur seal; and Little Skeeter the boa constrictor. Saving the animals was challenging but not impossible, as a kid it seems like a much more rewarding learning experience then most games today.

Barbie Adventure Riding Club
Mattel Media
1998

My family mostly owned several cats growing up and it was always my sister’s decisions on which ones we got and what to name them. This game allows players to choose their own horses, give them names, groom and feed them. After spending far too much time cycling through the list of names, it was time to bathe, and I probably enjoyed washing my dirty stallion a bit too much. I also had a bad habit of feeding my horses so many sugar cubes they would probably have died if they were real. I did make sure they got at least one apple a day though.

Riding out on the trails it made me feel special solving secret mysteries. The one I find most memorable is when Barbie finds a lost letter in a mailbox. After several clues your final destination is a path along the beach where you see something shining in the sand. Dismounting Barbie digs to reveal a locket with the image of two horses said to roam the trails within the game. The ambient music is also very calming and relaxing

Barbie As Rapunzel
Funnybone Interactive
2002

This is one of the games my parents got for my sister, but she didn’t play it very much. The game takes place after the evil queen has stolen the life from Rapunzel’s castle for not being invited to a big party for the kingdom. As the player it’s your job to restore the castle to its former glory. One of my most distinct memories is using Rapunzel’s magic paintbrush to restore the mosaic in the castle foyer. It was very satisfying to restore rooms throughout the castle, cycling through the options of bedframes, light fixtures and fireplaces. Once each room is complete, it becomes full of warmth and color.

Freddi Fish and the Case of the Stolen Conch Shell
Humongous Entertainment
1998

This game was a gift from a mother and daughter who had been friends with my mom for a long time. Our families were so close, they went to Disney World with us when I was 5. When we opened their gift that night my twin sister and I put it in the computer and immediately we were hooked. We spent hours at a time playing the piano, talking with Peirre the Tailor and clicking on everything we could think of.

My favorite area of the game allows you to travel to the dark depths to a theater. Freddi and Luther sit in the audience and you get to join them in watching a series of performances on stage. The best part is Freddi and Luther’s hilarious commentary about each act. I always thought the ending of the game was a bit creepy. Being trapped in the temple, separated from anyone who can help, it was very intense for childhood me.