Just in time to keep kids buys out of the heat or in from the rain comes plucky Putt-Putt the Car in his latest problem solving adventure called Putt-Putt Joins the Circus, from the ever clever folks at Humongous. Kids 3-8, and even older siblings, always enjoy helping the wide-eyed purple convertible in his questst to help people, animals and other vehicles get out of the most peculiar predicaments. This latest title in the Putt-Putt series doesn't disappoint. It seems when the Big Top Circus in Apply Valley was unpacked, various items got mixed or damaged, and 5 of the circus acts refuse to go on until someone straightens out the mess or finds the missing props. Since Putt-Putt's ticket to the circus was eaten by a goat on his way there, he's perfectly willing to sign on to see what he can do to help for a free ticket back to the circus.

With that intro, kids are off with Putt-Putt to help find a safety net for the Flying Porkowskis (a family of trapeze artist pigs) or material to rebuild a tent for Philipe the Flea. Sharp eyes are needed to spot errant items scattered along the pathways. A couple of arcade-like games -- such as "throwing peanuts" at cars -- are woven in along the way, and these allow kids to earn more items for the quest. As always, games can be easily saved, which is fortunate because they take time. Remember you may need to be a second set of eyes or ears for a young player who gets a bit frustrated when a problem seems unsolvable. We give the designers of this title true kudos for listening to what parents and kids have said about past titles in the series. It was great to see signposts on the roads that pointed to certain settings, so kids (and parents) can navigate a bit more easily. A true plus. Keep up the good work gang.