by Charlotte Anderson

Created on: August 16, 2007   Last Updated: September 27, 2011

Developed by Toybox Games and Alawar Games, Nanny Mania is a game I've been itching to play. Having been a nanny for three years myself, I wondered just how true to life this game would wind up being. It is a medium sized download, but on my high-speed connection it only took a couple minutes from the beginning of the download to installation being complete.

You begin the game greeted by lively music, clear graphics, and easy to navigate menu screens. Beginning play with all the audio and video options set to their defaults, cheery background music brings you to the opening screen, which explains the background of the game's story. You've been hired as the nanny for the newly elected mayor, his wife, and their darling baby.

Your tasks begin on day one, week one. Lucky you, you have two days off per week. Each day has goals based on time; a perfect time is set and a crucial time as well. To obtain a perfect score, complete all tasks presented to you before the first time goal shown. If you're not fast enough to get a "perfect" score, don't worry because the "crucial" time is ample enough to complete any tasks you've not finished yet.

The mayor, as you will see through the weeks, is a golf fan, his wife enjoys long baths and playing with the baby, and the baby loves it's bottles. Your tasks for each day include picking up the mail, answering emails, straightening bookshelves, laundry and bed-making. You're also expected to feed the baby and prepare a meal, wash dishes, and when the mayor comes home from his golf games, he's tracked in muddy footprints so make sure you clean those, too. Lastly in these early stages, you'll be expected to clean fish tanks and straighten the couch cushions.

Sounds like a lot, I know, but these sorts of duties are par for the course in the daily life of a nanny, I can tell you from experience.

The levels progress swiftly, so use the first couple days to set up a kind of routine. Each duty needing your attention is highlighted in a thick yellow band, so it's best to keep a watch over the house for these to appear. One tip I'll give those of you who want to play Nanny Mania is to pick up all the laundry first thing. You can do all the laundry in one load (the mayor must have a jumbo-sized washer and dryer) and since the laundry takes the most time, you'll really want to catch it all in the very beginning.

The mayor and his wife have a string of children, adding to your tasks each day. Soon you'll be cleaning bathroom mirrors, making

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