There is nothing intricate about the 99-cent iPad app Talking Carl. The graphics aren’t earth-shatteringly gorgeous (though they’re well done and cute). And in some respects, it a lot like your annoying younger brother who used to repeat everything you would say just to annoy you until you felt the need to pummel him.
I never would have bothered with Talking Carl if it hadn’t been for my kids. But we sat down at the dining room table the other night and Talking Carl made us laugh together for, literally, over an hour. My sides were splitting. My mouth hurt from laughing. I might have peed my pants a little.
Say something to Talking Carl and he’ll repeat it back to you in a funny voice. Poke him (especially in the eye — it’s hilarious) and he yells at you. You can tickle Talking Carl to make him laugh. Pinch him and he’ll growl at you. Ignore him and he’ll irritate you until you say something and he says it back, and then you have to laugh.
Probably what got us going the most was when Talking Carl would repeat back our own laughter. It was a hilarious cycle, because at a certain point, you’re unable to stop laughing, and then neither is Carl.
No, Talking Carl isn’t going to organize your life, help you find a nearby restaurant, or challenge you in any way. But Talking Carl will make you laugh. He’s just pure fun, and sometimes that’s just what we need.
