The Mac-Stacks Emporium has released an update to its educational children's game series Creepin' Critters. Creepin' Critters Math has been bumped to version 4.2.1 and Creepin' Critters Clocks has ben updated to version 1.1.1. The biggest change in the updates are better Mac OS 9 performance. According to The Mac-Stacks Emporium:

The Mac-Stacks Emporium today announced that it had released new versions of both of its Creepin' Critter(TM) educational games, Creepin' Critter Math 2.4.1 ('CCM') and Creepin' Critter Clocks 1.1.1 ('CCC'). The new versions provide a way for OS 9 users to avoid an incompatibility that occurs on a few Mac models between the HyperCard Player which drives CCM and CCC, and OS 9.

What are the Creepin' Critter educational games?

Creepin' Critter Math is a math practice game with problems such as pre-K counting, basic math facts, and double-digit problems involving carrying, borrowing and remainders. Creepin' Critter Clocks helps children learn and practice how to tell time and relate between clock faces, digital clocks, and word problems (e.g., '5 of 10' or 'quarter after 12').

The Creepin' Critter format is a multiple-choice challenge in which children choose the answer to a math or time-telling question by swatting one of four bugs which are creeping up a wall towards 'picture frames' which contain four possible answers. If the incorrect bug is swatted, the other three continue creeping up the wall giving the child further chances to swat the correct bug. If the correct bug is not swatted by the time one of the bugs crawls underneath one of the picture frames, then the correct answer flashes several times and another problem is presented. After finishing a game, the problems which were answered incorrectly or not at all may be repeated.

The distance the bugs creep before reaching the picture frames may be decreased, giving the child less time to swat the correct bug, but increasing the possible score. An arcade-style 'Top Ten List' shows the child's highest scores, and so gives an incentive to improve.

For children who do not like swatting bugs, an alternative game called Bubble Poppin' Math or Bubble Poppin' Clocks is included. As the name implies, this alternative requires popping the correct bubble among four bubbles which are rising from a bubble bath towards a steam enshrouded ceiling. Floating in the steam are four possible answers to a problem.

The license fee for each game is $10/Mac or $50 to site license an entire school. Free evaluation versions may be downloaded from the Mac-Stacks Emporium web site at http://www.kagi.com/mac-stacks. The evaluation version may be upgraded to the full version by the entry of a password after paying the license fee.

System requirements: The Creepin' Critter educational games require HyperCard Player 2.2 or later.

What's new in CCM 4.2.1 and CCC 1.1.1?

For Mac OS 9 users running CCM or CCC in the black & white 'evaluation mode', a button will appear on the title screen which allows them to turn off the transition effects that the programs display as the user navigates from screen-to-screen. In some models of Mac running OS 9, these transition effects occur EXTREMELY slowly. The button, which toggles between 'Turn Transitions On' and 'Turn Transitions Off', allows those OS 9 users who experience the problem to use the programs without having to deal with ultra-slow navigation. OS 9 does not cause any problems in each program's full color 'licensed mode.'

The updates are free to registered owners of the titles. The full version of each is priced at US$10 while a site license is available for US$50. You can find more information and download links at the company's web site.