I See Sue...the T.rex

Designed for children 4 to 7 years, I See Sue offers extremely light, entertainment-laced servings of dinosaur information. Older, more computer-savvy players may tire of the game easily; however, it is an excellent starter for users who are new to video games or who want a game they can play entirely without parental assistance. Simple and repetitive, the game features two interdependent challenges. Racing against the computer or a second player, players attempt to assemble a trio of tiles that will form a complete picture of a dinosaur. Each successfully compiled dinosaur allows the players to move ahead on the second part of the game: taking their creature across one of four game boards, trying to reach the course before their opponents. A few scientific facts about the assembled dinosaurs are offered, couched in easy-to-remember rhymes. Players who win the race are rewarded with an animation of the famous Sue as she prowls the ancient world, as well as a chance to print a picture of their favorite dinosaur.

I See Sue is not without its drawbacks and glitches. The reward pictures do not interface well with some printers; in some cases, they entirely refuse to print. Children may also be disappointed that the board-game section of play is automated--instead of moving their dinosaurs themselves, they must be content to watch the computer do it for them. (There is a tactical advantage, however, in choosing the most appropriate dinosaur for the various portions of the board game's prehistoric terrain.) The tile game remains identical through all four levels of play, presenting few opportunities to apply their hard-earned strategic skills to new problems.

I See Sue is a great jumping-off point for young children interested in dinosaurcentric software, and a user-friendly and charming way to ease kids into using educational software. While this CD-ROM is not likely to engage players for terribly long, visiting Sue's world briefly does offer plenty of scope for learning and, more importantly, for fun. (Ages 4-7) --Alyx Dellamonica

Amazon.com Product Description
Now kids can see Sue, the largest, most complete Tyrannosaurus rex ever discovered, as she comes to life in I See Sue ... the T. rex. Developed in collaboration with the Field Museum of Chicago (Sue's home), this animated CD-ROM game introduces children to the exciting world of Sue and her friends. Playing against a friend or the computer, players match tiles to bring different dinosaurs to life. With one of four environments to choose from and dozens of dinosaur facts to learn along the way, kids will journey through prehistoric terrain in a race to be the first to see Sue. (Ages 4-7)

It is painful to see some customers unhappy with their purchase. It clearly is not what they expected.

It was not designed to entertain busy adults. Instead, we played the game with four-year olds in a day care center until they could easily grasp the game, but still had to be pulled away.

Nor was it designed to be "educational" - as if there were a paleontology curriculum in kindergarten. If you want your child to distinguish the Jurassic era from the Mesozoic, buy a different title. Instead this game teaches your child to make wise trade-offs and to think ahead. You choose.

If you can read this review, you will probably find the game slow-paced and repetitive. You might quit before you discover that it is also subtle, deep and exciting.

We liked it!   June 22, 2001
Jason Rice (Brooklyn, NY USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Well, kids are different, aren't they? My 5-year-old liked playing cards against the computer to match the dinosaur parts, he liked seeing his dinosaurs appear on the various gameboards, and he liked the "prizes" which were coloring pages he could print out. It IS repetitive, but often kids this age like repetition. I wouldn't say it's highly educational about dinosaurs, but just as we don't have only one kind of book in our collection, we have a variety of software. I can tell my son enjoyed mastering this game.


[....]   June 18, 2001
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

No users manual, no help file, no clear explanation or guidance in the program itself. If I can't figure out what the point of this game is, then how can my four-year-old be expected to make any sense of it?


Don't Buy Sue the T.Rex   December 27, 2000
Patrick Milam (Houston, Texas USA)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

I just finished playing this game with my 4 year old son and I must say that neither of us found this title to be even remotely entertaining. It lacks the depth, superb graphics, and variety of the VERY good dinosaur game - Dinosaur Adventure 3-D. The entire game is this simple: Match 3 dinosaur tiles (head, mid-section, and tail) before your opponent does... and do it again, and again, and again... I didn't play it with my son for more than 20 minutes before I gave up from sheer boredom. I would suggest spending your money on Dinosaur Adventure 3-D instead.