The Universe According to Virgil Reality
Reviewed by Cynthia A. Sorrels
Published by 7th Level

Age Group: Age 4 to 8, Age 8 and Up Type: Science Price: $39.99 US

Description:

In 7th Level's The Universe According to Virgil Reality the magic of multimedia is used quite successfully to communicate the joy and awe of science to youngsters. 7th Level's sense of wacky humor reigns throughout - as the box says, "Earth constantly spins, so why shouldn't your head?" Besides offering an incredible amount of information, Virgil Reality shows kids the BIG picture - that everything is connected. The content is presented in a way children can't easily forget, and includes animations and illustrations to put the "YOU" in universe.

Features:

• Hundreds of activities - home experiments
• Examine things through Virgil's compound and electron microscopes.
• Learn about scientists from Einstein to Edison
• Includes The Columbia Encyclopedia
• Features Wackiest Inventions Ever Built
• Dozens of films, hundreds of pictures

Notes:

Virgil Reality installed quickly and ran with no problems. The graphics were clear and colorful, the illustrations very nicely presented, and the animations ran with no choppy movement or sound.

Pay close attention to the main menu. It changes constantly but quietly. We're still exploring all the options.

Reactions:

This title presents basic scientific concepts in easily understandable terms, with many photos and animations to illustrate the concepts. The voice of "Virgil" is none other than Charles Fleischer, who is best known as the voice of Roger Rabbit. He does an excellent job of bringing Professor Reality come to life.

The only thing I didn't care for about the title is the "multiple-choice" questions Virgil asks. Every one had A)Stupid answer, B)Stupid answer, and C)Correct answer. "C" was always the correct answer. What's the point?

You might need to be warned about Virgil's big hair...it whups around something fierce and turns into a flying saucer now and then. Wish I could learn that trick!

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