Review and Giveaway: Moshi Monsters (get one month free)

In February, I was introduced to the online game for kids, Moshi Monsters. while touring around Toy Fair in NYC.  At that time,  I was told that one in five children were already Moshi Monsters users.  I had no idea how the brand would soon sweep into my own household in a very big way not long after.

Moshi Monsters has been likened to a cross between Facebook for kids, Tamagotchi and Brain Training as it combines nurturing virtual pets with social online gameplay and engaging educational puzzles for both boys and girls aged 6-12.  My daughter likes the game because she thinks it’s preparing her to learn how to take care of a pet or even her own future child. My son likes it because it’s engaging and teaches him valuable skills while allowing him to play and keep in touch with his friends.r

Everything about this brand speaks to my children.  It’s youthful, hip, irreverent, smart and interactive.  Check out their new promotional video to see what I’m talking about:

Moshi Monsters is a virtual online site for children to safely play and learn. Visitors to the site can adopt their very own pet Monster, give it a name and design its color scheme. Each Monster has a lively personality that develops the more it is played with. Monster owners can nurture their pet by solving daily puzzle games to earn Rox, the in-game currency. Rox can be used to buy weird and wonderful things in the virtual shop to keep Monsters healthy and happy. Monster owners can make new friends and connect with existing friends through a wide variety of safe social networking features such as Monster blogs.

It’s also a very safe site.  Mind Candy, the parent company of Moshi Monsters, seems very concerned with your child’s safety. They even go so far as to keep an eye on your monster’s pinboard, where your, in – game, friends can leave you messages. These messages go through two levels of moderation before they are release to the child member. The rules states that a member may not give out personal information such as name, address, telephone number or any other critical information that might identify the member child. The more popular you make  your monster, and the more friends you have, the better chance your monster will become Monstar of the Week.

Membership to Moshi Monsters is free and children can have access to much of the games and explore most of the world. For unlimited access and more content, paid membership is required. There’s so much to do without having a paid membership, so there’s no need for parents to feel pressured to get one. However, the benefits of a membership give extra perks such as being able to obtain one-of-a-kind treasures and having access to the Moshling Zoo.  It’s $5.95 for one month (which is what we do month to month, so I can stop it at anytime), $39.95 for six months or $49.95 for 12 months.

I have been very impressed by Moshi Monsters.  It’s also helping my 6 year-old son learn to read and write, as he’s sending letter to his friends.  The puzzles to play are educational and they become more challenging as my child’s skills develop. Math, geography, and vocabulary are a few of the subject matters covered in the challenges.

There are two problems.  One is getting my children to stop playing when it’s time to get off, so I do have to set limits on its use.  Another is that it does feel strange that my son is writing to children he doesn’t know in his letters, but I trust Moshi Monsters enough to know they’re keeping an eye on its content.  It’s almost as though he has several pen pals, which is kind of cool.

Moshi Monsters is a good example of a transmedia brand, soon to be leading the way for web-based children’s entertainment brands with its successful foray into physical products and an online TV show. A growing number of Moshi Monsters products are now on UK shelves, including: Moshi Bandz, Membership Cards and Gift Packs (Produced in-house), Trading Cards (Topps), Top Trumps (Winning Moves), Calendars (Danilo), Posters (GB Eye) and Books (Penguin). Following the toy launch within the U.S, Mind Candy will drive its North American licensing program throughout 2011 and beyond.

Interested in trying out Moshi Monsters?  I’m giving away 3 free membership cards.  Each is a 1-month subscription worth $5.95 each.

Here’s how to win: All you have to do to win is leave a comment below.  Please be sure to leave an email address or Twitter handle IN YOUR RESPONSE below (this is important!). Winners will be chosen at 9am on October 15th at noon.  The winner will have 24 hours to accept the prize or it will go to the runner-up.

Disclosure: Giveaway courtesy of Moshi Monsters.