With the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics beginning tomorrow, what better time to play the Fiete Sports app (Ahoiii, July 2016; iOS only)? Similar in structure to Ahoiii's Fiete: A Day on the Farm app, Fiete Sports allows the affable sailor — with your help — to compete against his friends Hein and Hinnerk in Summer Olympics–style sporting events.

Scroll sideways through a bright, cut-paper-style landscape showing Fiete and friends competing among international landmarks and flags as cheery background music plays.



Tap on one of the sport icons (representing sprinting, cycling, hurdles, shot put, and swimming) scattered around the landscape to play. Most of the brief events require you to tap the screen rapidly to move Fiete forward; in the shot-put event you swipe backwards to wind up, then release to throw. Each game is introduced with a simple, no-reading-necessary tutorial.



At the end of each game, Fiete and his buddies receive their respective gold, silver, and bronze medals. Of course, the competition is all friendly, and the three are good (ahem) sports even when they don't take home the gold. Adoring crowds cheer during the events and during the medal presentation. If you're a more cutthroat athlete than Fiete, tap the icon to try again until you're happy with your results.

The app was launched just a week ago and updated today. Currently, it's a bit minimal, with only five sports available to play. But canoeing, horseback riding, table tennis, and rowing events are shown as "coming soon" — presumably Ahoiii will be adding sports as the Olympics goes on.

Fiete Sports may hold most appeal for fans of Fiete's other apps. But it's an engaging, gentle game app that can act as a great companion to Summer Games viewing, discussion, and activities.

Available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch (requires iOS 6.0 or later); free. Recommended for preschool and primary users.

Update, 11/15/16: The newly released full version ($1.99 in-app purchase) adds eight new sports to the five described above: horseback riding, beach volleyball, table tennis, high diving, archery, fencing, kayak, and tennis. The full version also includes Fiete Sports–themed stickers for iMessenger.

For recommended Olympics-themed reading, click on the tag Olympics.