Navigational/screen issues with the game.- Colours

As is evident, the dominant colours in the game are red, orange and grey. These colours are not very suitable for the age group since they signify danger according to the website http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/academics/hohonu/writing.php?id=73 .

To deal with this, cooler colours can be sought such as greens and blues.

Navigational/screen issues with the game.- Info on how to play the game

Although there is a tutorial section for the game, it is hard for a first time player to figure out the objective of the game and how to accomplish it. In the beginning, the lions are not marked as threats, and the objective is not clearly stated. One has to wander about for a while before realising that the lions can attack and that the objective is to collect the gems and head to the door that is also not clearly marked.

Examples of how this can be changed are by using pop-ups to instruct the player on where to go and how to counter the lions.

Navigational/screen issues with the game.- Character View.

The first most dominant issue is that the face of the character cannot be seen. The navigation controls only allow the player to move the character from the back position overlooking the character's head. This poses a problem because the player finds it hard to identify what kind of animal the character is and a deep relationship is not achievable with the character if the face is not visible.

This goes along with the fact that the character is not customizable.

According to the website, http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/2009/12/22/the-importance-of-character-customization/ the author says:

"Personally, the way my character looks is incredibly important to how I perceive him, how I want others to perceive him and how much I engage with him and thus the game. Being able to uniquely design my character within a MMO gives me the ability to identify myself as an individual, different from everyone else, and being able to customise my avatar to a high degree allows me to undertake the role play that I wish to pursue."

The controls should give the player a chance to rotate around the character more freely as in this case.

Another issue is the inability to control the character fromany other position save from the back-top orientation. This is frustrating when the player needs to observe the world around him while running in one direction.

To improve the game, i would enable the palyer to see the character from all angles, customize the character, be able to change the views and enable the use of the mouse in case of keyboard failure.

Age group/ Target

This game is targeted towards children from the ages of 8 years to 15 years old. it helps to improve their reasoning skills and reflexes and helps them to realise how to manage limited resources as well as how to avoid danger and how to be successful in completing tasks.

The game also helps them to learn how to solve puzzles and use reasoning to achieve their goals.

Screenshots of the game (Sammy Suricate)

Sammy Suricate is a 3D puzzle game that requires the player to challenge his/her wits and reflexes by directing the main character Sammy Suricate through the beautifully rendered 3D world of Lion Land. The player is required to explore fantastic environments while searching for magical gems while trying to avoid or defend himself against an amazing species of lions.

This game is educational in the sense that it helps the player to sharpen his wit and to be able to use resources to his/her advantage because they are limited in number. The reflexes and also navigational skills are tested because at times, the player has to figure out a way around the lions or how to attack them so as to gather the gems and get to the door. The lions cannot be killed in this game.

The game also offers the user insights into the animal kingdom through the use of a number of species of animals.