I have a gentleman who is into this sort of thing and I've played through most of AppStore apps with him. They fall into exactly two categories - shorter games that are shallow in their content with low re-playability and longer, more elaborate games for older kids. And I can tell you with certainty that 3-5 year olds is an under-served market.
With regards to the app (the paid version of it) - it looks promising, but the test subject is napping. Three things though -
(a) the app is lagging heavily on iPad 1. For example, clicking on the ? icon scrolls the page up in jerky increments, it looks like the app is really struggling.
(b) the music selection is a no-go. For one, I doubt the classics will fly with my kid, and for two - it will most certainly annoy the hell out of my wife and myself.
(c) the "purchase more" hooks - I appreciate why you have them, but as a rule of thumb I will do my best to avoid any apps that have in-app purchases. Having for-a-fee options always leads to "what is that?", "why can't I press this button?" and so on and on. This is a not so subtle form of parent arms' twisting by an app developer and I as a parent passionately hate it.
On a more constructive note regarding (c) - add a single option in a config menu "hide all related to real money" or let me buy ALL you optionals at once (full unlock) or explain exactly how the accumulation of monsterbucks works. Nothing else would do. Let me reiterate how I really really don't like my child being used as a leverage for milking me for follow-up purchases.
With regards to the app (the paid version of it) - it looks promising, but the test subject is napping. Three things though -
(a) the app is lagging heavily on iPad 1. For example, clicking on the ? icon scrolls the page up in jerky increments, it looks like the app is really struggling.
(b) the music selection is a no-go. For one, I doubt the classics will fly with my kid, and for two - it will most certainly annoy the hell out of my wife and myself.
(c) the "purchase more" hooks - I appreciate why you have them, but as a rule of thumb I will do my best to avoid any apps that have in-app purchases. Having for-a-fee options always leads to "what is that?", "why can't I press this button?" and so on and on. This is a not so subtle form of parent arms' twisting by an app developer and I as a parent passionately hate it.
On a more constructive note regarding (c) - add a single option in a config menu "hide all related to real money" or let me buy ALL you optionals at once (full unlock) or explain exactly how the accumulation of monsterbucks works. Nothing else would do. Let me reiterate how I really really don't like my child being used as a leverage for milking me for follow-up purchases.