There is a certain prestige amongst kids who have the latest handheld video game. For parents, these portable distractions can serve as a lifesaver while standing in a long line at the grocery store or taking an extended road trip. A recently launched handheld game that marries both online and offline interactions is the Nanovor Nanoscope. The Nanoscope melds the portability and in-person socialization of a handheld game, with the extensive adventures and interactions of the online world of Nanovor.
The intriguing story behind the Nanovor monsters is that they are tiny, silicon creatures that live inside your computer. Although these beasties are presented as fictitious monsters, any adult who has wrestled with a temperamental PC can certainly see the allure behind the entire concept. Nanovor reside in both the online and offline world. Kids can collect over 100 Nanovor monsters, with even more variations discovered every day. On the high resolution, color LCD screen, kids are able to play special games offline that empower their Nanovor online.
The creators of the Nanoscope encourage kids to interact together in real life, not just in the virtual world. In addition, kids have the ability to battle up to three offline friends who also have the portable Nanoscope device. Later, they can transfer their collections of Nanovor back to their PC world through a USB cable.
Jordan Weisman, CEO and founder of Smith & Tinker, the creator of Nanovor and the Nanoscope, shared the driving force behind the concept of the Nanoscope in a recent interview with The Seattle Times. He states, "One of the things I've seen over the last decade is that we've become so successful at creating incentives for online socialization that I think we have unintentionally de-incentivized face-to-face socialization for kids," said Weisman. "But we're still human, and the kids are still human so they still desperately want to be in the room with the other 10-year-old. They just don't know what to do when they get there."
Nanoscopes are recommended for kids ages 7 to 12 years. Nanovor.com provides a free download of the Online Battle Game to get you started. In addition to the Nanoscope, other products are available for purchase. They include Nanovor books, to increase knowledge and battle skills, and Nanocash, which can be used to purchase Digital Booster Packs that make monsters more powerful. The Nanovor Nanoscope starter kit is available from Amazon.com for $29.99 plus shipping and handling.
