Bellini’s Basement
About one of the worst things that can happen to you when you are a kid, is if your parents decide to move to another place. You have to leave your friends, your school, the neighbourhood you live in, even your home. It’s tough to say goodbye to everything you know and have grown accustomed to. This is what happens to Danny. His parents decide to move to the city. Danny has to leave everything that’s familiar to him, and start over at a new place.
To make matters worse, Danny and his family move in to a spooky old house where Danny’s uncle Bellini lives. It’s bad enough to move, but when you have to live in a house with somebody else — somebody you don’t trust and who has very peculiar habits — it’s tough. Things smell funny, the house is full of clunky furniture you’re not used to, and of course it doesn’t help when your uncle’s pet is a tyrant of a cat with a gas-problem. Uncle Bellini is a retired magician who used to work in a circus. Danny suspects his uncle still has a few tricks up his sleeve, and that he really is a dangerous wizard who can put a spell on you in a flash.
Danny is forced to spend a lot of time in the house with the uncle and his annoying cat. He is lonely, bored, and a little scared of Bellini. Fortunately it turns out that a boy, Jonas, lives next door with his friendly dog Harold. The three of them soon become friends. Together they set out to prove to all the unsuspecting adults that Bellini is really dangerous. To do so they have to break in to Bellini’s secret room in the basement.
Everything is not as it seems in the old house. Danny sets out on an adventure where he discovers some secrets about his uncle, makes new friends, and learns a couple of things about himself. Moving to a new place might not be so bad after all.
A story game
When children are listening to a fascinating history, it is striking how often they draw, play or fiddle with things. It is hardly restless activity, but the children’s need to have several senses stimulated simultaneously. As our writer’s seven year old Louis explains: “It’s like… when I’m doodling, I understand the story better”.
So we have created a number of doodling games to play with while listening to the story.
There is a new game to each of the 14 chapters of the story.
It is possible to enter Danny’s world and explore Bellini’s house by lifting your phone or tablet. It is a Virtual Reality like game experience but no glasses are needed.
Going down the staircase to the dark basement might seem a little a scary at first sight, but don’t worry. Because a nightmare you laugh at, is no longer dangerous.
A spellbinding interactive experience for children, childish grownups, and adults who have forgotten what it’s like to be a kid.
Platform
Bellini’s Basement is a story game and and available on Android in English and Danish.
