Der Löwe – Ein Lese- und Schreibabenteuer

Der Löwe – Ein Lese- und Schreibabenteuer (The Lion – A Reading and Writing Adventure) is based on the picture book Die Geschichte vom Löwen, der nicht schreiben konnte (The Story of the Lion Who Couldn’t Write) by Martin Baltscheit, which is well known in primary schools and kindergardens. Having learnt to read and write, the lion now wants to impress his lioness with postcards he has written himself, in which he tells her about his reading and writing adventures. In six simple mini-games – on the back of a hippopotamus, high in the air in the talons of a vulture, at a monkey concert or whilst feeding a crocodile – players must form, sort or recognise simple words. The charming original book has been skilfully adapted for the screen, and the lion is a particularly likeable character, thanks largely to the voice acting. The narrative, gameplay and learning elements blend seamlessly together without any jarring breaks; however, the game never hides the fact that, at its core, it is an educational game and an interactive picture book. The sound design, in particular, adds significant value to the original book, whilst the mini-games are solid and technically well-executed. Unfortunately, it is not possible to undertake the journey as a lioness; this gender stereotype was, at least for the expert jury, a point of criticism regarding this title.

The game is aimed at primary school-aged children who wish to develop and test their reading and writing skills in a playful, picture-book-style game world.

The DCP Jury 2018