The male Flarn takes photos of her in completed outfits. In general, though, the gender stereotypes are not obtrusive. Neither the story of the Snootz Trek nor the majority of the activities are likely to compel most children to play the entire game again and again. However, children have some flexibility in how they use Snootz Math Trek. They can follow the story structure and complete each activity, or they can ignore the story entirely, and choose just to work on those activities they find most interesting and challenging.
Many children are likely to do the latter.
Research suggests that girls are more attracted to computer games that offer strong stories, but the girls we observed playing Snootz Math Trek did not seem to find this story engaging. Flarn and Floozle are not well developed characters, the goal of playing until you get all five items is not particularly salient, and there's little motivation to gather all five items. Although this may not be a game that children return to again and again over time, it can provide some fun and worthwhile math experiences, especially if an adult or more experienced player is available to explain activities when needed. Copyright 1998 TERC, All Rights Reserved.