Barbie as Rapunzel

Rapunzel and Prince Stefan have organised a masked ball, but they didn't invite the local wicked witch, Gothel. When Gothel finds out, she is furious, and promptly casts an evil spell over the castle and its inhabitants. The Prince is turned to stone, the jewels from his crown scattered around; and the enchanted castle is merged in darkness. When Rapunzel and her trusty purple (and very cute) dragon friend enter the doom-filled castle, they are challenged by the witch to restore the castle to its former glory, then find the jewels in order to rescue the Prince.

One of the most magical creative packages on the market, this interactive adventure really is a superlative package. The graphics are fantastic, and do not pixellate or "stick" between screens. The movement is fluid and controlled and the sound is excellent. Players must move their cursor around the screen, and it will twinkle when it finds an object that needs restoring. The magic paint box then opens, revealing magical tools that can be used for restoration. Once a pattern, flower or object is chosen from the box, it helps bring the castle to life. Items requiring "special attention" turn the cursor into a star, and a puzzle or game must be completed to restore these to their former glory. Only when a room is fully restored can the player then locate the appropriate gem, before moving on to the next room. There are six rooms that must be restored and six gems that must be collected before the spell over Prince Stefan can be broken (by putting the gems back in the correct place in his crown). All that is then left to do is dress Barbie for the forthcoming ball.

Pretty, enchanting and appealing, this package also develops basic PC skills, creativity and imagination, and encourages colour recognition, shape matching, hand-to-eye coordination and cause-and-effect skills. The accompanying music completes the magical experience.

The package is accompanied by a comprehensive and clear black and white instruction booklet, which should probably be read by a parent before commencing. That said, instructions are given throughout the quest in a clear, slow voice and objects flash on screen to reinforce the message. The "help" section can also be accessed at any time. The manufacturers recommend this package for children aged five years and above, and though help may be required to begin with, a computer-literate five or six-year-old will soon get the hang of things and be able to play alone. All in all, a superb package that little girls, Barbie fans or not, will just love. --Susan Naylor

As girls embark on their interactive quest, they must try to break Gothel’s spell that has stripped the life, creativity and colour from every room of the beautiful castle, scattered the gems of Prince Stefan’s crown and turned the handsome prince into stone. Sparking girls’ artistry and imagination, Rapunzel and her purple dragon friend Penelope prompt players to return the castle to its former splendour and search for the missing gems to bring the prince back to life.

Using magic paints, animated stickers and sparkles, girls will redecorate all of the castle’s rooms including the Ball Room, Royal Gardens, Grand Entrance and more. The evil spell is broken once the castle rooms are transformed, the hidden gems are found and Prince Stefan is brought back to life. Finally, girls help Rapunzel dress for the Masquerade Ball, escorting her to the enchanting event for a "happily ever after."