The Bottom Line
The game centers around 2008's Limited Edition American Girl doll who is an ice skater named Mia St. Clair. Mia has played ice hockey with her three older brothers. She is quite a good hockey player, in fact. She feels as if she is skating in her brothers' shadows, so she decides to pursue figure skating.
What goes on in the game helps players learn about good sportsmanship, sharing, and about being kind.
Pros
- Mia Goes for Great does teach about figure skating.
- The game is fun to play.
- The game teaches players about good sportsmanship.
- Mia Goes for Great is free from any objectionable content and very appropriate for children.
Cons
- The Mia figure skating game may not be totally realistic.
- Can be played by very young players, but reading skills are essential in order to play the game.
- There are some graphical and sound glitches in the game.
- May not appeal to male players.
- Although Mia interacts with other people, Mia is the only character that moves in the game.
Description
- "Mia Goes for Great" is for the PC Platform - Windows XP and Vista
- Geared for ages 8 and up, but younger children, who can read, can play
- Rated E for Everyone
- Suggested retail price is $19.99
- System Requirements: Windows, 1.4GHz Processor, 512MB RAM, Direct X 9 Compatible Video Card
- Publisher: THQ
- Developer: THQ
- Players: Single Player Only
Guide Review - Review of Mia Goes for Great - A Figure Skating Computer Game
Mia Goes for Great is a figure skating computer game based on the 2008 American Girl figure skating doll, Mia St. Clair. The game does teach the player about figure skating. For example, in the game, the player "is Mia." The player (Mia) answers a question about the Axel jump in exchange for getting her ice skates sharpened. She then goes to the library and learns about famous figure skaters such as Dick Button and Peggy Fleming. After she does several tasks, she earns the right to create her own freestyle program and design her own costume for her rink's winter show. After she finishes the choreography, the final performance can be viewed on the computer screen.The choices for Mia's program elements are a bit limited; for example, a sample of a program created by a player at the first level consists of stroking, a sit spin, an upright spin, a single Axel, and a loop jump. Including footwork or connecting moves such as spirals or spread eagles is not an option. Since crossovers are not a choice, Mia's finished program looks a bit "odd" to those who know figure skating, since the computer generated character skates in a straight line rather than using the whole ice surface. Mia does back half swizzles and does a very strange looking forward stroking technique.
Once "Mia" get's through the first level, she does additional tasks to prepare for her first regional figure skating competition. The program created for regionals allows the player to add more difficult moves to Mia's competition program. Some of the moves that can be included at the second level include a layback spin, camel spin, and double Axel.
The Mia figure skating game may not be totally realistic, but it is fun to play. Also, the Mia St. Clair character is a good role model for young people since the character is willing to work hard in order to be a figure skater.
