Newcomers to Emerald Island are greeted with the following scenario: Captain
Blunderbore and the Pirats have decimated the environment of seven of the eight
islands in the World of Viridis. Only Emerald Island remains. The nasty Pirats,
however, are gathering their forces to stage a final assault and fulfill their
mission of razing the land, pillaging its natural treasures and overthrowing
Tamino, Emerald Island’s elusive hero. As Emerald Island’s only hope for
survival, visitors are invited to team up with a diverse cast of characters to
defend the still-lush island and its capital city of Bloomtown. To do so, they
must explore their surroundings, don disguises to infiltrate the rodents’ lair,
and navigate increasingly challenging quests in which reward comes in the form
of both currency and status. When not distracted by the Pirats, Emerald Island
“Seedizens” turn their attention to their home plots, where they decorate their
dwellings and transform dirt plots into vibrant gardens. They also drive
Bloomtown’s economy by selling crops and collecting items for trade.
With its focus on interactivity, Emerald Island encourages creativity,
expression, exploration and collaboration, and offers kids a fun way to engage
with real-world scenarios as they learn about the environment. As players tend
to their gardens, for example, they have the chance to learn about the more than
100 different plants that are featured in the game. Frequently updated
activities and mini-games contribute further to the development of
problem-solving, reasoning, social and computer skills.