Are you sitting comfortably? Hard luck, here it comes anyway. Kiddy software from book publishers Macmillan, in the form of TV favourites Orm and Cheep. Haven't heard of them? Well, you're obviously watching the wrong programs.
Orm is a chummy-faced little worm, Cheep, his feathered friend. The odd couple you might say. Anyway, it's Orm's birthday and he's invited all his mates around for a real slap-up do. First, though, he has to bake a cake, but, no ingredients. Luckily, good old Cheep shows up with the shopping, but he doesn't know which of Orm's jars to put the various things in.
Orm shows him by slithering alongside each of the jars and indicating what it should contain by means of a picture. He then tells Cheep to put, say, the sugar in the right jar. This is where junior gets to work the old grey matter. Cheep hovers over each jar for a couple of seconds. When he gets to the right one kiddo belts the keyboard - any key will do! - and providing they've got it right the sugar drops in.
When all the jars have been correctly identified, it's party time and Cheep has to go and round up the guests - snail, mouse, hedgehog and mole. Cheep makes his way around town with the help of signposts. Each arm of the signpost turns red for a few seconds and when it's pointing in the direction, the urchin requires, wallop, as long as they hit the keyboard that's all that matters. When all the guests have been tracked down it's back to Orm's for more fun and games.
The best thing about Orm is that the only action required is to press any key at the right moment, yet it is interesting and good fun. The reason lies in the good storyline and simple but effective graphics. Whilst I can't say I enjoyed it personally, Orm will undoubtedly appeal to kids in the under six age group.