610BI7yVHyL._AA160_Ravensburger’s new Space Hawk augmented reality toy and game is re-entering the earth’s atmosphere and headed to North America. This creative SNAPTOY was developed and launched in Europe and we expect this to be a hit stateside in it’s target market of 8 years+. Great active, multi-sensory fun emanates from the 20+ inch wingspan Space Hawk transformer. Sleek, robust and well engineered, it’s the platform for all the play. At the heart-of-the-Hawk is a cradle into which your smartphone or iPod Touch SNAPS, the technology of which is extensively employed to challenge, move, entertain and generally dazzle young pilots. The initial free “Space Hawk” app downloads from the internet or iTunes, containing all the directions you need to get you started (including short instructional videos), others offered just in time to execute new stages of the game. The Space Hawk uses all of that cradled compute power initialized by the five game boards included. All activate different adventures that are streamed to Space Hawk captains (Expansion game boards/sets can be purchased later). Missions all play out in high definition on the imbedded screen aboard, revealing a 3D universe of mysteries including tempting treasures, fiendish foes and attacking asteroids. Game play is mostly controlled by movement of the device within the Space Hawk which reveals a rich play-space of sights and sounds sourced from 360 degrees around. You hear Navy Seals talking about “keeping your head on a swivel,” that’s a total requirement for the fun here. 

Fly through space, directed  by Captain Jenner and his crew, engage opportunity with your tractor beam and watch as treasures are brought aboard. Blast enemies with your laser and see asteroids and meteors shatter, gather crystals to earn points for ship repairs, take pictures of debris to bring aboard to analyze and deploy your 3 Drobbies to help on missions. Move on to face totally new threats and opportunities on the other four planets (gameboards), including Koral, Arktika, Foxtrott, and Gal-5302 . Kids sharpen language skills as they listen to directions, only given orally in the “flight”mode, and follow quite an
intricate and detailed story that becomes more complex, as they travel through the galaxy, following instructions.  Rich pretend play draws in active collaborating, socializing and problem solving.  My 8 year-old friend became so engrossed from the start that he had traveled through several rooms of his house before realizing where he was! He and a 13 year-old declared the Space Hawk “cool” as it transformed from flight to action to hovering to pick up signals from new planets. Great for kids that learn on the move, Space Hawk feeds kids information through several senses. 

Before long these star jockeys will be taking their experiences back to the Star Fleet Academy and teaching the next set of pilots to excel, and build their language learning!

By Bob Artemenko

Available at Amazon:  Click here