Price: $1.99    Score: 7/10   Category: Entertainment

Adding to the growing list of “Talking friends” already available for iOS, Outfit7 has just released Talking Santa for iPhone ($1.99) and a HD version for the iPad ($3.99) in time for the holiday season.

If you already own one of Outfit7’s previous offerings such as Talking Tom Cat, Talking Rex the Dinosaur or any of the other characters in the series then you’ll essentially be up for more of the same, but this time with a festive spin.

Talking Santa has obviously been a naughty boy this year as about half the ways to interact with him involve dishing out some kind of physical punishment. You can punch or slap the Big Red Guy, as well as run him over with a giant snowball. You can give Santa some milk and cookies or even a tickle if you’re feeling a little more benevolent, but you’ll get a rather creepy “Ho Ho Ho” in return.

Talking Santa does of course speak (when spoken to), but it’s really the voice that lets this app down – he sounds more like a sketchy character from a crime thriller speaking through a voice-distortion system than the jolly old man from the North.

At $1.99 for the iPhone version, and $3.99 on the iPad, Talking Santa feels a little overpriced for what’s on offer but is still a guaranteed hit with the kids.

Talking Santa is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.0 or later