THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 9, 1996 TAG: 9602090051
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SHARON GREENE, HIGH SCHOOL CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
IT'S COMING TO invade your disk drive a mutant cross between ``Choose Your Own Adventure'' and ``Sweet Valley High.''
The music is ``90210''-ish. The friends are totally YM. It's ``McKenzie and Co.,'' a new interactive CD-ROM game for girls ages 10 to 16, and it's being marketed as the perfect Valentine's Day gift.
Well, maybe not perfect.
Actually, gals, don't let the age frame scare you. While the target market is the bop-squad, the game offers a bit of fun for all ages. It is essentially a chance for the user to create their own little Beverly Hills existence.
The player takes on the identity of Carly, a junior at Madison High. After checking her e-mail, phone messages and maybe writing a bit in her journal, she can can head out for some time on the town. The game limits where you can go at certain points, but you do get the freedom of making decisions once you get there.
For example, the music store, Tophit CDs, may be the only area open, but once there you can tell the cute guy in your English class that you think he's great or that he is a slacker.
On the subject of guys, give credit to the programmers - there are a couple of hotties to be seen. Although stereotypical, (i.e., the country boy sounded like Forrest Gump and was shown in a barn crooning to a horse) they may set the hearts of the young and impressionable a-thumping.
The game allows you access to the mall, your room, notes on breast cancer awareness, cool friends, music and even a makeover. Your room is great for checking your phone messages and e-mail. You never know when the boss will call you into work. Yes, you have a job at a shoe store in the mall.
In fact, there are five stores in the mall where you can go shopping. Besides your shoe store, there are four clothing retailers, including a Limited, Too. In every store you can choose to try on clothes (over your modest yellow boxers and undershirt). The clothes can be coordinated, but five times out of six, the result is nothing you would really be seen wearing.
One nice thing is that when you leave the store, you lose your purchases but your bank balance goes right back up the the $500 you had to begin with. One more warning, the mall music will very shortly begin to get on your nerves. Very much a ``Melrose Place''/Hootie assortment of artists, the tunes are too obviously PC and mainstream to be endured for long periods. Pity, since they repeat AGAIN AND AGAIN every time you go to the center of the mall. But hey, some people may find they like The Strawberry Zots, Poet or Tee Green.
Another fun site is the makeover section. It caters to young girls' feelings of ugliness and need to change, and it could be better.
Your girlfriends are the product of affirmative action, with every ethnic group represented. The guys, as aforementioned, are stereotypical but not bad looking for graphic images. The teachers have quirks and pop quizzes, the town has a few spots to check out, and you get the fun of deciding how to respond to some situations.
All in all, not a bad little way to play dress up and pretend. For laughs and with friends, ``McKenzie and Co.'' might just equal the Barbie adventure of the early teenage years. At $53.90 for the five CD set, the price may raise reservations about rushing off to play with your newfound friends from Madison High. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Sharon Greene is a senior at Princess Anne High.
by CNB