The Ultimate 3D Skeleton is an educational tour through the human skeleton designed and distributed by DK Multimedia. DK Multimedia produces interactive software similar to the Eyewitness print format published by Dorli ng Kindersley.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS AND INSTALLATION

The PC version which was reviewed consists of a CD ROM and requires a multimedia PC, with 486DX/33MHz or higher microprocessor, 4Mb RAM (8Mb recommended), MPC-compatible double-speed CD-ROM drive and sound card, mouse, SVGA 640 x 480 256 color display (800 x 600 16 bit color display recommended), loudspeakers or headphones, and Microsoft� Windows� version 3.1x or Windows� 95.

I installed The Ultimate 3D Skeleton on a 486/66 MHz PC running Microsoft� Windows� 3.1 with a 8x CD ROM and 16Mb of memory. My system has a 16 bit soundblaster.

During setup you will also be able to install QuickTime for Windows� (QTV) and the Borland Database Engine (BDE) which are both necessary to run The Ultimate 3D Skeleton. I already had QuickTime installed on my system, but I did install BDE.

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CONTENTS

The Ultimate 3D Skeleton provides a combination of graphics, text, sound, and motion as one embarks on a guided tour of the human skeleton. Images of the entire skeleton and different portions of the skeleton may be viewed in a large central window. To the left of this window is text which provides information about the selected portion of the skeleton. Below the text there are extra views.

When an image first appears in the window you will hear the name pronounced. You may also select an "amazing fact" about that portion of the skeleton. The Ultimate 3D Skeleton has a quiz which allows you to test your knowledge of the various bones in the skeleton.
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ACCOMPANYING MATERIALS

The Ultimate 3D Skeleton is accompanied only by brief instructions printed on the case. These instructions do provide all the information that is needed to get started.

PURPOSE AND TARGET AUDIENCE
The publisher provides no information as to the intended audience for The Ultimate 3D Skeleton. For independent use I recommend that The Ultimate 3D Skeleton be used by children in upper elementary school or older. The program could be used with youn ger children with adult assistance. The content is challenging enough even for high school students.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Images for The Ultimate 3D Skeleton were derived from x-ray scans of real human skeletons, making the graphics excellent. The ability to rotate views allows you to see the various parts of the skeleton from many different angles. The quiz reinforces this by requiring you to identify the same bone from several different views.

The quiz has two options. You can either choose to identify a particular bone by choosing from a list of names, or you may indicate on the image where a selected bone lies in the skeleton in relation to the bones close to it. In the latter option you may request that the program show you the bone if you cannot find it yourself.

NAVIGATION AND INTERFACE

The Ultimate 3D Skeleton has an excellent interface due to its clarity and consistency. Navigation was very easy. One could learn how to use the program by just sitting down and playing around with it. Buttons and icons indicate very well their purp ose.

CONCLUSIONS

Like print resources published by Dorling Kindersley, The Ultimate 3D Skeleton is a wonderful combination of pictures and text. Multimedia features enhance the tried and true Eyewitness formula, with sound and motion contributing to understanding and enjoyment. I recommend The Ultimate 3D Skeleton for its educational value