Review : Toca Train for iPad
As has occurred many times in the past, Toca Boca has released a great iPad app for kids. They really just seem to get what needs to be done and included (and not included) to build and release children’s apps that are engaging and fun.
The latest release, out today June 14th, Toca Train, is another in a line of apps that my kids constantly go back to, daily. This time they’ve taken the idea that kids love train sets, and turned it into an interactive simulation of sorts, that allows the user to play conductor.
In this 3D world where kids control the train around the track, they can pickup passengers and cargo, speed up, and slow down. What’s always so great about the Toca Boca “games” is that there really isn’t any wrong way to use them, they just leave it up to the kids, and aren’t really games at all.
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Using the app is extremely simple, and depending on which view the user is in, kids can either use the lever on the side and watch the train “from the outside view”, moving along the screen with a finger to get different perspectives, or they can go inside and get the conductors view, and control things from there…blowing the whistle and controlling speed. When a passenger or cargo loading area approaches, an icon appears, and kids can decide to pass it by or stop and load it up. They then can decide which of the cargo to load, and what passengers stay and which get off.
The graphics of Toca Train are spot on for this style of interactive game for kids, and the sounds are as equally impressive.
While it may not sound like there is a lot “to do” in the app, it is certainly amazing to see how much my kids found to do and how long they can play it. The only thing I would have loved to have seen is a few different “landscapes” to choose from. Not really levels, just different locations. Perhaps in a future update? *hint hint*
Overall Toca Train is a worthy addition to the Toca Boca line of iOS apps, and as always my kids are enjoying it and are eager for more.
FEATURES From Toca Boca Description
✔ Steam train with sounds, smoke, whistle, sparks and speed lever
✔ Load and unload characters and cargo
✔ Change camera angle by swiping and pinching
✔ Delightful scenery with 6 stations
✔ No rules or stress – play any way your kids want to!
✔ Kid-friendly interface!
✔ No third-party advertising
✔ No in-app purchases