Alright, so if you’re not a little girl you will be made fun of for playing Pixie Hollow in public. That said, it may just turn out to be a secret joy. Facebook games like Treasure Isle and Frontierville were the gateway drugs that led me to Pixie Hollow.
One thing must be made clear: under no circumstances should you watch any of the movies that inspired the game. It won’t hurt you, it won’t anger you, but it will definitely put you to sleep or mildly annoy you. The game on the other hand, will amuse, delight, and satisfy you more than seems naturally possible. A subscription to Pixie Hollow would be an excellent Christmas present for your tech-savvy little sister/daughter/cousin, but don’t be surprised if the mini-games suddenly take over your own spare time. Their Pixified interpretation Tetris, “tinkering,” is pretty much the best thing since Puzzle Fighter.
Like all Disney Online games, Pixie Hollow is free to play but requires a monthly membership fee to unlock most quests and goodies. This game isn’t just for girls, users can create Sparrow Men as well as Pixies. All users receive a different woodland home to decorate with goodies from shops and rewards from quests. There are four home themes based on the “talent” that you pick for your little winged friend. Garden pixies live in a pink flower, Light talents live in sunflowers, Animal talents live inside trees, and Tinker pixies live in green rooms with cute little windows. You can host parties at your home and invite other members to play party games and become friends.
Pixie Hollow adds new features, games and quests every month. Clothing and home decorations change constantly, keeping the game fresh and fun. At first glance, the game seems to be something that only children could enjoy, but the chat content suggests a wide mix in ages of online users. The card game, Crazy Cakes, is kind of like online fairy Uno, and it’s even more fun than it sounds.
Currency is collected from quests, mini-games, and by floating around the different seasonally themed areas of the hollow. The picturesque nature of the game makes traveling from place to place easy, fun, and pleasant. Pixie Hollow won’t satisfy the urges of serious gamers but it is a charming replacement for minesweeper and solitaire. The graphics are inexplicably tiny on Macs compared to the PC display, but the price is right to try. Check it out. I promise not to tell your friends.