Berenstain Bears, The: In The Dark Download (1996 Educational Game)

The Berenstain Bears in the Dark is based on the book of the same name, published in the early 1980s. Brother brings home a scary mystery story and succeeds in frightening Sister so badly that she can't sleep.

It is up to their parents, in particular her father, to help Sister get over her fears of the dark, with a night light and discussion.

As with other "Living Books" games, players can choose to have the story read to them or explore their way through the pages of the book, uncovering animations and music from various objects and characters.

Not only is this game a living book, but it can be used to help children face their own fear of the dark and the unknown.

Also on the CD are two games. One is a memory game where children must match animals. There are three levels to the game. At the first level, there are only a few animals, at the second level, there are more, and on the third, the animals must be matched by color as well as type. As each animal is matched, they say, "Good night!" and go to sleep. Once all the animals are matched, they all say "Good night!" and go back to sleep.

The second game asks children to make a picture out of the scrambled-up pieces of the puzzle. As with the other game, there are three levels. Each new level has the picture cut up into smaller pieces. Hints are available, and a switch on one side of the game board may be flipped at any time to change the scene from day to night.

There are also sixteen audio tracks that may be played on a regular CD player. This music appears in the game as music linked to animations, and the CD-play versions are expanded versions of the game music.

This game is an entertaining and useful addition to any child's library of computer games. As it's filled with familliar characters and great games, players are sure to like this program.

Graphics: Just like in the books.

Sound: Not too loud or too soft and the included music is cute.

Enjoyment: Kids will really enjoy the story and the games.

Replay Value: The games are playable for a long time, and kids will enjoy hearing the story over and over.

Read a little better, sleep a little more soundly. Sister Bear doesn't know it, but a good night's sleep is just a few mouse clicks away. After a fun-filled trip to the library, the mystery book that Brother Bear checked out is just a little too spooky for Sister Bear, and now her imagination is running wild. Will Mama Bear and Papa Bear save the day, or is her darkened bedroom going to be forever full of lions and tigers and well, bears? This endearing story of the world's most beloved bear family uses humor and kindly parental advice to soothe childhood fears of the dark, as it helps them learn to read.

How to run this game on modern Windows PC?

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