New game uses speech recognition to let kids "talk" to Thomas.

Mattel has partnered with ToyTalk to bring "Thomas & Friends" to life in a new app that uses speech recognition technology to enable conversations with brand characters.

"Thomas & Friends Talk to You," lets kids join Thomas on eight new adventures and have two-way, real-time conversations with him and his friends along the way. Intended for kids ages 3 to 6, the app features a variety of activities that encourage conversation including memory games, speaking and listening, singing and solving a mystery.

"Thomas & Friends Talk to You" is available now in the Apple App Store and will launch in the Google Play Store and Amazon Kindle Store later this month.

“For years, preschoolers have been able to watch, read, and imagine adventures with Thomas. Now, for the first time, 'Thomas & Friends Talk to You' will let kids engage through conversations with Thomas and their favorite engines, and they will get immediate feedback and be directly part of the story," says Henry Hsiao, senior director, technology platforms and partnerships, Mattel. "We’re pleased to collaborate with ToyTalk to introduce this groundbreaking app for our No. 1 engine.”