Now I know my ABCs Review - Screenshot 1 of 2

Of the three major console platforms of the current generation, none seem to be as family oriented as the Wii U. Nintendo has taken some heat for this, of course, with some enthusiasts claiming that it puts out "kiddie" platforms that no self-respecting gamer would dare to admit spending too much time with. Wherever you may stand on this, the broader appeal that Nintendo aims to cultivate occasionally gives rise to genres that don't show up nearly as frequently on other platforms, such as platformers or – in this case – educational games. Now I know my ABCs is an extremely simple game that ultimately sets out to act as a tool to be used to teach children the basic English alphabet, and it certainly succeeds in this.

The app is extremely barebones, but when one considers the target audience this is perhaps more of a strength than a weakness. Upon booting up the game / app you're presented with the full English alphabet, and the classic "Alphabet Song" that everyone was taught in Kindergarten plays in the background. Tapping any of the letters will take you to a screen where you will be shown how to print both the upper and lowercase forms of the letter, along with an image that depicts an object or action that starts with the letter, and a simple word that also starts with it. Tapping the image will trigger a voice that clearly pronounces the object's name, with a particular emphasis on how the letter in question sounds.

Now I know my ABCs Review - Screenshot 2 of 2

If there's any problem to be had with this app, it's the lack of any real direction that it gives the user. There's no indication as to whether you should use the touch screen or buttons, and while ten seconds of experimenting will clear everything up, this still could've been communicated better. Granted, this app is designed to teach the most basic building blocks of the English language to a new generation, so it comes as little surprise that there's not much text, but perhaps there could've been some sort of animation or audio cue to suggest what to do next.

Conclusion

Now I know my ABCs is a serviceable, if simple, educational app. It does exactly what it sets out to do, no more, no less. While there could've been some better in-app direction, it ultimately manages to provide a well-rounded lesson on all the different letters. If you have a child of a relevant age we'd certainly recommend this to you. It's another means by which you can teach your child the alphabet, and it's presented in a way that seems to be quite understandable.