Brighter Minds Media publishes multi-media educational products such as books, games, and software. They sent me three popular PC titles to review, and I’m happy to recommend all three for holiday gifts.

• Bob the Builder Can-Do Zoo is rated EC for Early Childhood, which means it is suitable for ages 3 and up. Featuring the very popular Bob and his Can-Do Crew, the game teaches problem solving, pattern and size recognition, and shape and color identification skills among others, while players have fun helping Bob and the Crew build the new Bobland Bay Zoo. Learning is available in both English and Spanish, too. If you’d like to try a demo game or purchase the online version, visit Beanstalk Games. Purchase a Windows or MAC CD-Rom game to give as a gift from the Brighter Minds Media Store, for $19.99, or find it at retailers like Target.
• If you haven’t already read a review of or heard someone talk about World of Goo, it probably won’t be long until you do. This is a sampling of the reviews for the game:
  “If there is any justice in the world, World of Goo is going to be a hit this year”-PC Gamer
• “One game that puzzle fans shouldn’t miss”-IGN “Wicked Cute”- WIRED
  The artwork of this game is charming and surprising. It looks like a game that Tim Burton might have designed. The adorable little goo balls have one goal, to get into the pipes that lead back to World of Goo Corporation. Your job is to help them get to the pipes by linking them together. Sounds easy, but not so much. As you drag goo balls, you’ll see white lines appear that show the links they are making to other goo balls. Stack too high, and the whole structure collapses. Some levels have time bugs that let you undo your last action. You’ll find yourself talking to your game, encouraging the goo balls to just “stick to the sides of the wall, come on guys, you can do it!”-or maybe that’s just me. The levels get more and more challenging by adding hazards like poky spikes that “pop” the goo balls that get too close. Or by making you move the goo balls horizontally- good luck with that, I had to quit at that point.The most amazing part of this game is that it’s the FIRST game created by the guys who call themselves 2D Boy. If this is their first game, I can’t wait to see what they’ll make next! You can download a demo of World of Goo or purchase the full game for yourself on Beanstalk Games, then make someone on your gift list very happy and buy it for them. Trust me. It’s like knowing the secret game that everyone “in the know” is playing. Price on Brighter Minds site- $19.95
• Top Chef- you love the show, now play the game! My 12 year old son volunteered to review the game, and this is exactly what he says about it-”It’s not so hard that people who don’t usually play puzzle games won’t be able to play it, but not so easy that regular puzzle gamers will find it boring”.You play as a Top Chef contestant, competing in quickfires and elimination challenges. In each round, you first prep ingredients, such as grilling meats or chopping vegetables, then you must create a dish using main ingredients plus flavor. For example, you might be asked to use meat, vegetables, and spice to create an entree. Choose from hundreds of ingredients to get the flavor combinations just right, but there’s a time limit for each round, so you have to be quick. Your “dish” is judged by show Host Padma Lakshmi and Head Judge Tom Colicchio. The benefit to playing this as a computer game is you can’t actually be sent home for messing up your dish! Download a demo or the full game from Beanstalk Games, and purchase it for a gift from Brighter Minds Media for $19.95. FREE SHIPPING in the Continental US!