Barbie and Her Magical House
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== Development ==
== Development ==
''Barbie and Her Magical House'' was developed by The Cute Co., a children's entertainment and educational software developer later aquired by [[Davidson & Associates]],<ref>{{cite newspaper|newspaper=PR Newswire|title=Davidson & Associates Inc. acquires The Cute Co.|date=2 March 1995|last=Duttenhaver|first=Linda|url=https://www.proquest.com/wire-feeds/davidson-amp-associates-inc-acquires-cute-co/docview/448731981/se-2?accountid=196403}}</ref> hired by [[New York (state)|New York]] company Hi Tech Entertainment.<ref name=HC>{{cite magazine|magazine=Hartford Courant|title=Children's Software Firm Looking for Sweet Success|pages=17|date=2 June 1994|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/175674920/}}</ref> The game was produced by Hi Tech Entertainment alongside [[Sega Genesis]] titles ''[[Barbie: Vacation Adventure]]'' and ''[[Barbie: Super Model]]'',<ref name=DC/> and was the first ''[[Barbie]]''-licensed [[CD-ROM]] title.<ref name=DC>{{cite newspaper|newspaper=The Daily Chronicle|date=26 October 1994|title=Barbie Video Games Let Girls Play, Too|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/128307065}}</ref><ref>{{cite newspaper|newspaper=Hartford Courant|title=Cute? Yes, and Looking for Sweet Success|last=Seremet|first=Patricia|date=2 June 1994|url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/cute-yes-looking-sweet-success/docview/255442100/se-2?accountid=196403}}</ref> Hi Tech Entertainment producer Leila Chang stated Barbie manufacturer [[Mattel]] was "very strict" about how Barbie should be represented, suggesting to The Cute Co. to make design changes to Barbie's face, hair and dress.<ref name=HC/> The game was showcased at the Summer 1994 [[Consumer Electronics Show]] in June,<ref name=HC/> and slated for an October 1994 release.<ref name=EE/> Stating the game "wasn't anything special at all" and "sort of tedious", [[Mattel Interactive]] designer Nancie Martin stated that she felt the game didn't address what girls were interested in, which led to a different direction in the development of the next Barbie title, ''[[Barbie Fashion Designer]]''.<ref>{{cite book|title=From Barbie to Mortal Kombat: Gender and Computer Games|pages=138|chapter=An Interview with Nancie S. Martin (Mattel)|url=https://archive.org/details/frombarbietomort00cass/page/137/mode/2up?q=%22barbie+and+her+magical+house%22|editor=Justine Cassell and Henry Jenkins|date=1999|publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology}}</ref> ''Barbie and Her Magical House'' was developed by The Cute Co., a children's entertainment and educational software developer later aquired by [[Davidson & Associates]],<ref>{{cite newspaper|newspaper=PR Newswire|title=Davidson & Associates Inc. acquires The Cute Co.|date=2 March 1995|last=Duttenhaver|first=Linda|url=https://www.proquest.com/wire-feeds/davidson-amp-associates-inc-acquires-cute-co/docview/448731981/se-2?accountid=196403}}</ref> hired by [[New York (state)|New York]] company Hi Tech Entertainment.<ref name=HC>{{cite magazine|magazine=Hartford Courant|title=Children's Software Firm Looking for Sweet Success|pages=17|date=2 June 1994|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/175674920/}}</ref> The game was produced by Hi Tech Entertainment alongside [[Sega Genesis]] titles ''[[Barbie: Vacation Adventure]]'' and ''[[Barbie: Super Model]]'',<ref name=DC/> and was the first ''[[Barbie]]''-licensed [[CD-ROM]] title.<ref name=DC>{{cite newspaper|newspaper=The Daily Chronicle|date=26 October 1994|title=Barbie Video Games Let Girls Play, Too|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/128307065}}</ref><ref>{{cite newspaper|newspaper=Hartford Courant|title=Cute? Yes, and Looking for Sweet Success|last=Seremet|first=Patricia|date=2 June 1994|url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/cute-yes-looking-sweet-success/docview/255442100/se-2?accountid=196403}}</ref> Hi Tech Entertainment producer Leila Chang stated Barbie manufacturer [[Mattel]] was "very strict" about how Barbie should be represented, suggesting to The Cute Co. to make design changes to Barbie's face, hair and dress.<ref name=HC/> The game was showcased at the Summer 1994 [[Consumer Electronics Show]] in June,<ref name=HC/> and slated for an October 1994 release.<ref name=EE/>
==Reviews== ==Reviews==
Cynthia Sorrels of ''Games Domain Review'' said she was "pleasantly surprised" by the program due to the "thoughtful [and] entertaining" puzzles and activities, although critiqued the lack of a storyline or plot.<ref name=GD>{{cite web|website=Games Domain Review|date=1996|last=Sorrels|first=Cynthia|accessdate=1 May 2026|title=Barbie and Her Magic House|url=http://www.gamesdomain.co.uk/gdreview/zones/reviews/pc/may96/barbie.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19961221111843/http://www.gamesdomain.co.uk/gdreview/zones/reviews/pc/may96/barbie.html|archivedate=21 December 1996}}</ref> Carrie St. Michel of ''[[The Salt Lake Tribune]]'' found the decoration gameplay simple and "hardly challenging".<ref name=SLT/> Cynthia Sorrels of ''Games Domain Review'' said she was "pleasantly surprised" by the program due to the "thoughtful [and] entertaining" puzzles and activities, although critiqued the lack of a storyline or plot.<ref name=GD>{{cite web|website=Games Domain Review|date=1996|last=Sorrels|first=Cynthia|accessdate=1 May 2026|title=Barbie and Her Magic House|url=http://www.gamesdomain.co.uk/gdreview/zones/reviews/pc/may96/barbie.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19961221111843/http://www.gamesdomain.co.uk/gdreview/zones/reviews/pc/may96/barbie.html|archivedate=21 December 1996}}</ref> Carrie St. Michel of ''[[The Salt Lake Tribune]]'' found the decoration gameplay simple and "hardly challenging".<ref name=SLT/> Stating the game "wasn't anything special at all" and "sort of tedious", [[Mattel Interactive]] designer Nancie Martin stated that she felt the game didn't address what girls were interested in, which led to a different direction in the development of the next Barbie title, ''[[Barbie Fashion Designer]]''.<ref>{{cite book|title=From Barbie to Mortal Kombat: Gender and Computer Games|pages=138|chapter=An Interview with Nancie S. Martin (Mattel)|url=https://archive.org/details/frombarbietomort00cass/page/137/mode/2up?q=%22barbie+and+her+magical+house%22|editor=Justine Cassell and Henry Jenkins|date=1999|publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology}}</ref>
==References== ==References==
''Barbie and Her Magical House'' was developed by The Cute Co., a children's entertainment and educational software developer later aquired by [[Davidson & Associates]],<ref>{{cite newspaper|newspaper=PR Newswire|title=Davidson & Associates Inc. acquires The Cute Co.|date=2 March 1995|last=Duttenhaver|first=Linda|url=https://www.proquest.com/wire-feeds/davidson-amp-associates-inc-acquires-cute-co/docview/448731981/se-2?accountid=196403}}</ref> hired by [[New York (state)|New York]] company Hi Tech Entertainment.<ref name=HC>{{cite magazine|magazine=Hartford Courant|title=Children's Software Firm Looking for Sweet Success|pages=17|date=2 June 1994|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/175674920/}}</ref> The game was produced by Hi Tech Entertainment alongside [[Sega Genesis]] titles ''[[Barbie: Vacation Adventure]]'' and ''[[Barbie: Super Model]]'',<ref name=DC/> and was the first ''[[Barbie]]''-licensed [[CD-ROM]] title.<ref name=DC>{{cite newspaper|newspaper=The Daily Chronicle|date=26 October 1994|title=Barbie Video Games Let Girls Play, Too|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/128307065}}</ref><ref>{{cite newspaper|newspaper=Hartford Courant|title=Cute? Yes, and Looking for Sweet Success|last=Seremet|first=Patricia|date=2 June 1994|url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/cute-yes-looking-sweet-success/docview/255442100/se-2?accountid=196403}}</ref> Hi Tech Entertainment producer Leila Chang stated Barbie manufacturer [[Mattel]] was "very strict" about how Barbie should be represented, suggesting to The Cute Co. to make design changes to Barbie's face, hair and dress.<ref name=HC/> The game was showcased at the Summer 1994 [[Consumer Electronics Show]] in June,<ref name=HC/> and slated for an October 1994 release.<ref name=EE/> Stating the game "wasn't anything special at all" and "sort of tedious", [[Mattel Interactive]] designer Nancie Martin stated that she felt the game didn't address what girls were interested in, which led to a different direction in the development of the next Barbie title, ''[[Barbie Fashion Designer]]''.<ref>{{cite book|title=From Barbie to Mortal Kombat: Gender and Computer Games|pages=138|chapter=An Interview with Nancie S. Martin (Mattel)|url=https://archive.org/details/frombarbietomort00cass/page/137/mode/2up?q=%22barbie+and+her+magical+house%22|editor=Justine Cassell and Henry Jenkins|date=1999|publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology}}</ref> ''Barbie and Her Magical House'' was developed by The Cute Co., a children's entertainment and educational software developer later aquired by [[Davidson & Associates]],<ref>{{cite newspaper|newspaper=PR Newswire|title=Davidson & Associates Inc. acquires The Cute Co.|date=2 March 1995|last=Duttenhaver|first=Linda|url=https://www.proquest.com/wire-feeds/davidson-amp-associates-inc-acquires-cute-co/docview/448731981/se-2?accountid=196403}}</ref> hired by [[New York (state)|New York]] company Hi Tech Entertainment.<ref name=HC>{{cite magazine|magazine=Hartford Courant|title=Children's Software Firm Looking for Sweet Success|pages=17|date=2 June 1994|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/175674920/}}</ref> The game was produced by Hi Tech Entertainment alongside [[Sega Genesis]] titles ''[[Barbie: Vacation Adventure]]'' and ''[[Barbie: Super Model]]'',<ref name=DC/> and was the first ''[[Barbie]]''-licensed [[CD-ROM]] title.<ref name=DC>{{cite newspaper|newspaper=The Daily Chronicle|date=26 October 1994|title=Barbie Video Games Let Girls Play, Too|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/128307065}}</ref><ref>{{cite newspaper|newspaper=Hartford Courant|title=Cute? Yes, and Looking for Sweet Success|last=Seremet|first=Patricia|date=2 June 1994|url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/cute-yes-looking-sweet-success/docview/255442100/se-2?accountid=196403}}</ref> Hi Tech Entertainment producer Leila Chang stated Barbie manufacturer [[Mattel]] was "very strict" about how Barbie should be represented, suggesting to The Cute Co. to make design changes to Barbie's face, hair and dress.<ref name=HC/> The game was showcased at the Summer 1994 [[Consumer Electronics Show]] in June,<ref name=HC/> and slated for an October 1994 release.<ref name=EE/>
==Reviews== ==Reviews==
Cynthia Sorrels of ''Games Domain Review'' said she was "pleasantly surprised" by the program due to the "thoughtful [and] entertaining" puzzles and activities, although critiqued the lack of a storyline or plot.<ref name=GD>{{cite web|website=Games Domain Review|date=1996|last=Sorrels|first=Cynthia|accessdate=1 May 2026|title=Barbie and Her Magic House|url=http://www.gamesdomain.co.uk/gdreview/zones/reviews/pc/may96/barbie.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19961221111843/http://www.gamesdomain.co.uk/gdreview/zones/reviews/pc/may96/barbie.html|archivedate=21 December 1996}}</ref> Carrie St. Michel of ''[[The Salt Lake Tribune]]'' found the decoration gameplay simple and "hardly challenging".<ref name=SLT/> Cynthia Sorrels of ''Games Domain Review'' said she was "pleasantly surprised" by the program due to the "thoughtful [and] entertaining" puzzles and activities, although critiqued the lack of a storyline or plot.<ref name=GD>{{cite web|website=Games Domain Review|date=1996|last=Sorrels|first=Cynthia|accessdate=1 May 2026|title=Barbie and Her Magic House|url=http://www.gamesdomain.co.uk/gdreview/zones/reviews/pc/may96/barbie.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19961221111843/http://www.gamesdomain.co.uk/gdreview/zones/reviews/pc/may96/barbie.html|archivedate=21 December 1996}}</ref> Carrie St. Michel of ''[[The Salt Lake Tribune]]'' found the decoration gameplay simple and "hardly challenging".<ref name=SLT/> Stating the game "wasn't anything special at all" and "sort of tedious", [[Mattel Interactive]] designer Nancie Martin stated that she felt the game didn't address what girls were interested in, which led to a different direction in the development of the next Barbie title, ''[[Barbie Fashion Designer]]''.<ref>{{cite book|title=From Barbie to Mortal Kombat: Gender and Computer Games|pages=138|chapter=An Interview with Nancie S. Martin (Mattel)|url=https://archive.org/details/frombarbietomort00cass/page/137/mode/2up?q=%22barbie+and+her+magical+house%22|editor=Justine Cassell and Henry Jenkins|date=1999|publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology}}</ref>
==References== ==References==