Webkinz
2.7
RATE IT:
.: Style
At first glance the Webkinz layout is very cute, and I love the colors incorporated into the front page. It’s a pleasant difference from the dull website layouts that they are coming out with today. All the colors are nice, but I some areas of the site they seem to be a bit too much for my eyes. Some parts of the layout seem to be a bit cramped, such as the arcade, but each page is still organized.
In order to get your pet you must first buy the stuffed animal version of it and get the code. Which means you must buy the stuffed animal so you can play with the virtual pet. This is a definite turn-off to some people since it can become quite costly if you are looking to have multiple pets. I know prices differ from location to location, but the stores around here sell Webkinz for $12.99 and up. Not being able to “create” your own pet is drawback to the site, especially with all the virtual pet sites popping up today. You are given the pet that you buy the plush for, and there are no colors options for you to choose.
Although far from looking realistic, the pets are quite cute. You have many options for customizing your pet including hats, pants, belts, shirts, and other accessories. For the pet I reviewed the site with, a Spotted Frog, you could barely see the clothing you put on the pet, which seems to defeat the purpose of even being able to dress your pet. Overall, the pets are really cute, but like most things, they could use a bit of improvement. .: Plot
Webkinz is meant to be a safe online environment for children to play games and play with a virtual pet; therefore there really isn’t a plot. Your only goal in the game is to keep your pet healthy and make sure they get an education.
To keep your pet healthy you must be sure to play with it, feed it, and also make sure it gets plenty of health. If your pet is feeling a bit under the weather you can him or her to Dr. Quack’s Clinic, the Webkinz resident physician. He can then tell you about your pet’s health, and if there is something wrong, how to cure your pet of its ailment.
To educate your pet you must send them to the Kinzville Academy. Classes cost 50 credits each, which sends you to play a small game before you pass the class, or for 250 credits you can hire a tutor for your pet. Hiring a tutor prevents you from having to play the game, but you still are able to pass the class. There are many different courses your pet can take including cooking, hairstyling, language, art, and etc., each of which involves a game you must play, or skip it by hiring a tutor. After completing four levels of the lesson you may receive a badge stating you completed the course.
There is also a goal you can work towards, collecting all 30 of the gems from mining. The shop keeper of the Curio Shop tells you of a crown you can make when you collect all 30 gems, but I have yet to find them all. I am certainly unlucky with finding items, and only being able to mine three times a day greatly reduces my chances. I’m not quite sure just yet of what happens once you get all the gems, but I believe you can sell the crown afterwards. .: Safety
Webkinz is C.O.P.P.A. compliant, asking your age during registration, but even without that the site is still safe. All chat methods on the site revolve around choosing preset lines, which inhibits the ability to chat, but that also means there is no way for children to give out their personal information. In terms of safety, Webkins is certainly one of the best out there as of now, there really isn’t much more I can say then that.
.: Gameplay
Webkinz has a total of 38 flash games and 1 quiz game in their arcade. Even though the games are based at younger people (I’d say around the ages of 6-13.) they are still quite fun. There are many different games to play, and all of which, to my knowledge, are original ideas. Many flash games on sites today are cheap copies of other games, but I have yet to see a game like any of Webkinz. My only issue with the arcade games is that it is extremely hard to make the site currency through the games. You can play a game for 10 minutes or more and still only receive 25 credits, and 25 credits certainly does not go far on Webkinz.
Not only do they have an arcade, but they also have numerous mini-games throughout the site. As I said before, each lesson you take in the Kinzville Academy is followed up by a game to test your skills in that subject. In the cooking class you are making pancakes, in the hairstyling class you are cutting, dying and styling hair. There is also a daily game in the Curio Shop in which you mine for gems.
.: Community
There are a few different ways users can communicate with each other on Webkinz, but conversations are limited due to the safety features as stated above. The chat features including a “clubhouse” which allows you to talk to other people in the room, with your preset dialogue lines, and also play multiplayer games with them, such as pool. You can also send items and mail to other players, but again, what you can send is limited due to the safety features.
4.00
In order to get your pet you must first buy the stuffed animal version of it and get the code. Which means you must buy the stuffed animal so you can play with the virtual pet. This is a definite turn-off to some people since it can become quite costly if you are looking to have multiple pets. I know prices differ from location to location, but the stores around here sell Webkinz for $12.99 and up. Not being able to “create” your own pet is drawback to the site, especially with all the virtual pet sites popping up today. You are given the pet that you buy the plush for, and there are no colors options for you to choose.
Although far from looking realistic, the pets are quite cute. You have many options for customizing your pet including hats, pants, belts, shirts, and other accessories. For the pet I reviewed the site with, a Spotted Frog, you could barely see the clothing you put on the pet, which seems to defeat the purpose of even being able to dress your pet. Overall, the pets are really cute, but like most things, they could use a bit of improvement. .: Plot
1.00
To keep your pet healthy you must be sure to play with it, feed it, and also make sure it gets plenty of health. If your pet is feeling a bit under the weather you can him or her to Dr. Quack’s Clinic, the Webkinz resident physician. He can then tell you about your pet’s health, and if there is something wrong, how to cure your pet of its ailment.
To educate your pet you must send them to the Kinzville Academy. Classes cost 50 credits each, which sends you to play a small game before you pass the class, or for 250 credits you can hire a tutor for your pet. Hiring a tutor prevents you from having to play the game, but you still are able to pass the class. There are many different courses your pet can take including cooking, hairstyling, language, art, and etc., each of which involves a game you must play, or skip it by hiring a tutor. After completing four levels of the lesson you may receive a badge stating you completed the course.
There is also a goal you can work towards, collecting all 30 of the gems from mining. The shop keeper of the Curio Shop tells you of a crown you can make when you collect all 30 gems, but I have yet to find them all. I am certainly unlucky with finding items, and only being able to mine three times a day greatly reduces my chances. I’m not quite sure just yet of what happens once you get all the gems, but I believe you can sell the crown afterwards. .: Safety
5.00
4.00
Not only do they have an arcade, but they also have numerous mini-games throughout the site. As I said before, each lesson you take in the Kinzville Academy is followed up by a game to test your skills in that subject. In the cooking class you are making pancakes, in the hairstyling class you are cutting, dying and styling hair. There is also a daily game in the Curio Shop in which you mine for gems.
.: Community
3.00
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