Database


Color Me

Author: Cliff McKnight
Publisher: Mindscape International Inc
Machine: Apple II

 
Published in Apple User Volume 4 Number 5

Color Me

If you've got a colour monitor and don't mind your tiny tots playing with the Apple, you'll find Color Me provides them with a hi-res colouring book. The package contains 25 pictures, each titled in upper case. By using the joystick or paddle, the child can choose one of the four commands.

P moves to the next picture. C will colour the picture with a set of stored colours, K will store the currently displayed colour information for future use with the C command, and E will erase the colour, leaving the picture to be recoloured.

Colouring is achieved by moving a cursor to one of the 32 colour blocks at the bottom of the screen and pressing the paddle button.

The cursor is then moved to the area of picture where the colour is wanted, and a press of the button causes it to be filled in. It really is that simple. Any child who can turn a paddle and press the button can manage.

Pictures can also be called by their number rather than paging through the complete set, and a list of the pictures and numbers is given in the instruction leaflet.

The children enjoyed it for brief periods, although once the novelty wore off it tended to be ignored just like a paper colouring book. Many children seem to prefer the free expression available on a blank piece of paper rather than be limited by a picture.

However, if the package had a print facility at least it could double as a traditional colouring book for use in the car and so forth.

If you have a printer interface card that supports graphics dumps, you can get prints of individual pictures by booting the program, loading the required picture, using Esc to jump out to Basic and then dumping graphics screen 1.

Color Me is a nice idea which does what it sets out to do. I would have thought the potential market was limited in Britain, but it can at least be used again and again.

Is there an Apple version of the dot-to-dot books too. I wonder?

Cliff McKnight

Other Apple II Game Reviews By Cliff McKnight


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  • Lode Runner Front Cover
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