Skip to main content

Long read: The beauty and drama of video games and their clouds

"It's a little bit hard to work out without knowing the altitude of that dragon..."

If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Disney Japan's Winnie the Pooh browser game is too hard for children, everyone else

Baseball game stripped down to its bear necessities.

Disney might be known for its princesses, Pixar films, and disappointing Warren Spector games, but not since Bambi has the house of the mouse been known for making children cry. Until now. Disney Japan - the country that brought us Demon's Souls and Cave shooters - has seen fit to turn A. A. Milne's beloved Winnie the Pooh franchise into a fiendish baseball-themed browser game entitled Winnie the Pooh Home Run Derby.

It's a simple game where Pooh merely attempts to hit various pitches in a game of baseball. You aim his bat with the mouse and click it to swing, but the excruciatingly exact timing window and positioning required for a home run - the only kind of hit that counts - are nigh on impossible. Think QWOP for kids.

Unfortunately you can only play as Pooh, which is a shame because I think the defeatist Eeyore would've been a better fit for a game tailored to make you lose at every turn.

Winnie the Pooh Home Run Derby isn't particularly deep, but it is moderately addictive and watching Piglet and company tear Pooh Bear a new one isn't without its charms. Give the English language version a spin here.

This article contained embedded media which can no longer be displayed.