Amazon.com Review

Zoombinis are little blue guys and gals that inhabit a kingdom reminiscent of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth, and ingeniously teach math principles using puzzles instead of numbers. In Zoombinis Mountain Rescue a group of Zoombinis gets trapped in a cave, and it's up to players to organize a search party that can withstand the logical travails of a journey through this perilous and quirky terrain. There are nine "obstacles" along the rescue route. Players cross a bridge of turtles by sorting Zoombini search party members by nose color, hairstyle, or other characteristics. Deducing (again, based on features) which Zoombini can snowboard down what path furthers the mission, as well. The search party is held up briefly in a cafeteria where it must use logic to wait on Norfs who drop oblique hints about what they want, or don't want, to order. Each game will stretch your child's ability to use forethought and analysis to assess a situation. Even the easiest of the three levels is designed to be challenging, so be prepared to help out along this creative and strenuous path.

The genius of this Windows-only program is that it turns sophisticated mathematical concepts into engrossing activities. We played a game called Boolie Boggle endlessly. Boolies either smile or frown, and in this game, the object is to change frowns into smiles by bumping Boolies with pinballs. Pretty easy until you start getting chains of Boolies and chains of pinballs. Soon your mind is throbbing as you try to figure out what a sequence of three pinballs will do to two frowning Boolies. "Binary addition" sounds pretty intimidating, but that's exactly what Boolie Boggle is teaching. "Algebraic thinking" and "information-age math" are among the other things this program teaches--mercifully, it manages it with little creatures and 3-D mazes instead of formulas and numbers.

As this journey unfolds, members of the search party drop off due to mismatched noses, wrong path choices, and other errors. Fortunately, there is a practice mode where kids can play the games without sacrificing their Zoombini friends. Puzzles change elements, so there's no way to "learn" a level then repeat it by rote. There is also a very thorough parent's guide, which is helpful for parents who have, er, forgotten about binary numbers. Zoombinis Mountain Rescue is a gentle, yet challenging, program that will probably even work its subtle magic on math-phobes. (Ages 8 and older) --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Reviews (21)

zoombinis 2 is very great.
the sequel to logical journey is GREAT!one thursday morning a zoombini named binky said that some of his friends are locked up in doors.you need to help them.no violence.it's great.after you have saved your friends you need to help the boolies(that's the second main part of the game).you hook up with in game #9,the last one(in fact,there are 9 games).the game is boolie boogle,i think.you must changed the sad boolies into happy boolies(boolies look like teeth).then you carry the zoombinis and boolies into boolieville.carry all and the grand boolie boolie will return.can you help them?.9 games,like pipes of paloo and magic mirrors(no,not real magic).and 3 levels.well,it's you choice.buy it if you want to.

Zoombinis Mountain Rescue Fun, Secretly Educational....
My children received Zoombinis Mountain Rescue for Christmas, alongside Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, I Spy Treasure, and the Sim Theme Park PC programs. Now that it is March, Zoombini Mountain Rescue is the only program that continues to challenge my 6 and 8 year old sons to think. They cannot memorize this game; it changes and requires constant problem solving. It's humor and fun hide the fact that this is an "educational program." This is a great way for kids to learn mathematical theory and logic! ( My Mother, a teacher, even used the 1st Logical Journey of the Zoombinis in her 1st and 2nd Grade classroom with much success. ) We had no problems with loading, display, and playing the program. The characters and challenges in both Zoombini programs are neither violent nor simpering. Kids at 6 years will need some parent help as they progress in Zoombini Mountain Rescue. Logical Journey of the Zoombinis was less difficult for the youngest gamers. Watch out parents! It's fun for all ages...

Good but repetitive
This game is fun but you have to get so many zoombinis so far so many times.

Be Careful!
We have other Zoombini games and love them but can't even use this one. We purchased a brand new computer with a pretty advanced system yet we can't play this game and it was a waste of a purchase.

After 40 minutes on the phone with Dell and being assured we had the most up to date Video Card, Sound Card and Cd-Rom drive we are still unable to install this game. We have had no help from the company's tech support either. Unless you are an expert in Video Card Drivers and can get past the "UNABLE TO SET VIDEO MODE" error message that we got I'd be careful in purchasing this one.

Disapointed
First of all this software is okay. Unlike the 1st one I easly conquered all the levels in just 10 hours or about 10 playing days. It's still fun, but after you win the game it starts to get a little lame. Although I didn't have any loading problems the screen froze once. The graphics were good and the games were exiting at first. Overall if its on sale you might as well buy it. ... Read more

Features

• Compelling biographies of the screen legends from past & present - Steven Spielberg, Katharine Hepburn, Tom Hanks and much more
• Trace the history of the medium from the 19th century to the present, including the silent years, the introduction of color, and more
• Look up past Oscar winners and nominees with the Complete Oscar Database
• Web links, magazine articles, and additional videos online for more in-depth learning

Amazon.com Product Description

High School Excelerator is a suite of tutorial software designed to help high-school students with math, science, and history. The emphasis is placed on five core subjects that all students are required to take: world history, geometry, chemistry, trigonometry, and physics. With a highly focused and easy-to-follow format, the student can get much needed help on these subjects while learning at a relaxed pace on the PC. Each CD-ROM provides a thorough lesson on the particular topic it teaches while engaging students with its graphics and interactivity. As a tool to help achieve better grades and a better understanding in these subjects, this suite of CD-ROMs can give the student an advantage. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

It Helped My Kids
This was a great program, my chiild used to have some bad grades, but now she is doing alot better. She is getting a,b grades insted of C,D grades, Take my word it Works! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Computers may have done away with ribbons, correction tape, and manual carriage returns, but let's face it--you still gotta type. Whether you're an absolute beginner or a slightly embarrassed long-time hunt-and-pecker, Slam Dunk Typing will have you clicking and clacking confidently in no time. Best of all, its basketball-themed typing games are fun! But lest your game of hoops become a game of oops, you first need to practice with some drills. Fortunately, these aren't as dreary as you might think: there's a passing drill that gets your fingers accustomed to the locations of letters on the keyboard, a slam-dunk contest in which your typing speed dictates the style and success of the dunk, and a Missile Command-like game in which deadly "word basketballs" rain down on the court--unless your quick and nimble fingers can stop them by typing the word and blasting them out of the arena. OK, so it's not exactly NBA Live 2000, but at least you'll learn how to type. The drills can get a little repetitive, but a little repetition is a good thing here, especially if you're trying to master the delicate art of not looking down at the keyboard as you type. So bring your A game, but don't forget to bring your Q, W, E, R, T, and Y games, too. --Steve Landau ... Read more

Reviews (7)

fun for me
I am 13 and this is awesome!! Fun to learn from. It helps you to discover problem keys, prompts you to work on them and is very, very fun to play. It feels like a game rather than a lesson.

My son loves it!
My 12 year old son loves this game. He "plays" it more like a game than as homework. It is very well made, the instructions are clear and thorough and he has spent more time with than we asked him to! Much better than the boring typing class I took in high school, this will get him typing correctly in a few weeks time and in a very enjoyable format. If you have a basketball lover this is definitely the game for them! It starts out w/ the typical letter sequences like j-h or f-r but instead of just typing it forever, the game is set up in a few different formats.

In "passing" you type the letters that show and that passes the ball between players.

In the "game" scenario you type the letters to pass the ball and then every now and again a small screen pops up w/ a three letter word that you have to type in order to shoot or defend the ball! very fun.

Awsome
My daughter only tried this once but it helps alot and she said "if you have children who realy like to type they should ask for it for x-mas, birthday, and/or pay for it them self!!!"

Grrrrrrreat
Great fun- and learning how to type at the same time. If you want to learn how to type, but not get bored at the same time, try using "slam dunk typing" we used it at computer class at school. When she said it was time to leave, nobody wanted to go because they were having such a a great time. I reccomend it for people ages6 and up, but anyone can really use it.

He shoots He Scores!
Slam Dunk Typing is a fun way to learn how to type if you like basketball. You start on the beginers level by just shooting simple baskets and then work your way up to playing in a real basketball game. It's having fun and learning how to type at the same time. Have fun! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

A collision with a meteorite has stopped Earth from rotating on itsaxis! Now half of the planet is turning to a ball of ice while the side facingthe sun gets hotter... and hotter. If the planet is to survive, you mustgenerate enough electricity to power a giant impulse machine, the only devicethat can get the planet rotating again. The only problem is with the impulsemachine's electrical generators--not only are they scattered throughout theworld, none of them is working correctly.

Physicus is a first-person role-playing game in the style of Myst,designed for players aged 10 and older. Players click through a nearly endlessseries of gorgeously rendered scenes, scanning any stray objects they find andusing them to repair and activate the electrical generators. The key differencebetween this and similar games, though, is that all the puzzles inPhysicus are based on solid scientific principle.

Fortunately, you do not have to be a wizard in optics, Newton's principles ofmotion, or any other aspect of the physical sciences to play this game. Theexpert is provided for you, in the form of a virtual laptop, which can guide youthrough your world-spanning task. Within the laptop, the fundamental concepts ofphysical science are laid out in a clear and entertaining format, complete withdiagrams and animated illustrations. This banquet of information is broken intobite-sized morsels for younger players, and is available for access at any pointin the game. What's more, the game is very well cross-indexed, with links to thecorrect sections of the laptop appearing whenever a puzzle presents itself.

Physicus is one of the rare educational games that genuinely have it all:great story, super graphics, and truly interesting puzzles. Visually, it melds alush Victorian retrotech sensibility with hardcore educational content. Thefirst-person interface gives the players the opportunity to fully imaginethemselves in this complex adventure. Engaging enough to hold the attention ofadults as well as younger players, it makes an excellent shared project for aparent-and-child team. --Alyx Dellamonica ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Awesome graphics, but a huge disappointment
This game looked so cool as it made my Pentium 1 computer crash again and again that I purchased a new Pentium 4 machine JUST TO GET THIS GAME TO RUN!

Physicus has an intriguing storyline. Awesome, superior 3D graphics. The reference material is top rate.

But the game: In a scavenger hunt scenario you search for clues then solve problems. There is not enough direction. Hours of aimless frustrating hunting. There is no help in the game that provides any guidance as to what to do next.

The Tivola website offers some guidance, even shows you the answers for the next step but this leaves you no feeling of success. Even after these Tivola hints, you still can't find subsequent clues until more aimless frustrating hunting.

I don't like scavenger hunts where I don't know what I'm looking for so this game is a huge disppointment for myself and 9 yr old child.

It could be useful as reference material for explaining physics related subjects to kids, but the game needs a greater degree of direction.

Physicus
Physicus is a terrific game. It is similar to Myst, with the game play and graphics, and has the added bonus of being very informative. The information on optics, mechanics, acoustics, electricity, and heat are excellent. Some of my middle school students love it. They have fun playing, and they're learning.

Famous Software Tool
This software is found to be educational for those who are currently interested in the physics field and/or want to pursue future careers that generally involve physics. Recently, I've observed that the software itself is truly designed for teenaged students aged 10-16, in grades 5-11 and an excellent resource for physics-related science coaches. After all, it also provides an opportunity for many middle and high schoolers to excel in this software for many education purposes.

For instance, it is mainly used for situations when a teenager wants to try harder to sucessfully progress his masteries in various courses without any of bothersomeness in his parents' authority. As an idealist of the new century, I hope you find this to be your success material of all!!

Need More Work From the Creators
This game is an interesting one, but completely confusing. I would like if it could tell the player what she/he is supposed to do. I try to play this game, but I am always bewildered about what exactly do I have to do to reach the next level. I just get lost and walk around for like hours without a clue! You should say something like "Here you must solve the ........." or something like that. This way people can understand what you mean and what they have to accomplish.

Really Cool
I really liked this game. The graphics are awesome and it's tricky enough to hold my attention but easy enough (okay, I looked at the hints twice!) to know that I will save the world! Very cool. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

If you want to improve your typing skills, then Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing 15 could be the perfect instructor for you. This title is easy to install and begins by requiring you to specify your age, your type of keyboard and your typing goal (how many words per minute). Lessons are customized to your specific needs and you are kept apprised of development with plenty of progress reports.

There are a whole host of exercises on this program, many complete with on-screen hands that type along with you to demonstrate where your fingers should go on the keyboard. The opportunities that you are given to customize this program make it equally effective for beginners, busy executives and admin assistants who want to improve their skills.

There are some people who are probably put off using software programs to learn to type because they find them too impersonal. One of the main strengths of this program is that it goes out of its way to create a traditional classroom feel. You get friendly voiceovers as Mavis Beacon introduces herself, shows you around and encourages you to improve your skills.

The program teaches in either Spanish or English, but it’s not all work. In the game hallway, there are eight entertaining games which help to build your typing speeds and accuracy. In one game, you click on keyboard characters to make colorful bugs quickly disappear.

Overall this is a very slick typing program which offers plenty of variety to keep you interested and the games are enjoyable enough to keep enticing you back.--Justin Hunt, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Reviews (7)

This Program Is Addictive
I love this program, and have logged over (can you believe it) 14 hours of total lesson typing time so far (think about it, that is huge). I will probably double that before I stop using it. I am now typing between 22 words a minute for really hard lessons (lots of punctuation and numbers) to close to 40 for easy words and sentences. I am thrilled. I am nearly 40 years old, and to finally be able to type is really a dream come true. Thanks Mavis.

Here is the good and the bad.

Mavis goes a little fast in the beginning to learn the keys. You might need to open another user and just start over again to get more drill time before advancing. This is easily done, and no big deal. Anyway, more drill is always good.

Once I learned the keys, this is where Mavis really shines. Mavis encourages you with her sweet voice, and I like that. She always varies the lessons, so it stays interesting and challenging They really crammed so many different texts into Mavis, that there is always new material to learn. Riddles, Shakespeare, famous quotes, bizarre difficult word lessons, cute stories, and more. She is almost limitless in this regard. Sure some lessons get repeated, but there is SO MUCH material, I am always amazed that there is more and more new stuff I have yet to type and I have type a solid 14 hours so far. This is a Big Plus.

After time, Mavis get addictive, I really look forward to sitting down and typing. It stays fun, and this is key. By getting me to type a lot with it, I keep improving. No other program has as many lessons in it, and will stay as interesting. It is not really the best graphics of all the typing programs, but it really does have the most material to learn from, and done in a way that you slowly keep getting better.

I guarantee you this, if you are disciplined and do not look at the keys, and if you regularly sit down and work with Mavis for 10 minutes to an hour a day, you will become a typist for sure. I never though I could learn at my age, thanks Mavis!

A typing program that actually works
I was a little dubious when I first purchased this program but after using it for several days I noticed an improvement in my typing speed. The typing lessons slowly pull you along introducing new keys while reinforcing ones you have already learned. Intermixed within the lessons are typing games to break the monotomy, along with a constant voice over (which can be turned off) from Mavis Beacon herself, providing tips and encouragement. Fingering for almost every key is explained and Mavis Beacon Teached Typing provides a visual keyboard with transparent hands at the bottom of the screen to help with positioning your hands.

Overall the lessons are easy to follow and provide enough variation so that you can sit down for 30 minutes a day and except to see a reasonable amount of improvement after a while. The most annoying aspect about the lesson formula is the transcription lessons where you need to consult the manual. The major problem being that there is no hardcopy of the manual, it's all on the CD making these lessons rather pointless, but they can at least be skipped. Mavis Beacon also has some technial issues. Firstly, the resolution needs some improvement, considering the day and age Borderbund should have spent some extra money and improved the graphics. If you're running this program in 1024 X 768 you'll notice a lot of pixlation which can make reading some of the letters a little difficult at times. Fortunatly the program allows you to resize the window to half size, improving the resolution but now all the information is half size too. Once you install Mavis Beacon you will notice that a program called the Mavis Beacon Personal Typing Coach is added as well. This program contains a small of host of rather useless applications such as providing you with finger positions for keys after you type them and telling you your typing speed. The most annoying being the Ergonomic Break Scheduler which constantly reminds you to take a break, mercily you can switch off this feature.

While Mavis Beacon will not turn you into a 100 word typist overnight it will improve your typing if you practice enough and help you with the basics needed for good typing.

Mavis Becon has Defects
Firstly, This program has major flaws. If it were not for the fact that compusa pushes it then it would not have even as many customers. It has a defect that causes an 'ergonomic break' window to pop up when the program is not running (at least for windows XP). Second, the programmers at broderbound were too lazy to switch one of the internal screens/windows to say something '...Mavis Mecon 12' when in fact it is version 15. They put makup on an old program and are selling it for much more. The lessons are alright but I am sure that this program is not the best- It simply can't be.

Don't waste your money...
Especially if you are a beginner. There's no manual, no documentation, the lesson plans don't include drills, and the onscreen moving fingers on the keys are too opaque -- you can't tell which finger is on the desired key. Some simple coding to change the color of the finger along with the key would be really helpful.

The beginning lessons are too advanced (even if you tell the program you are in the children's age/lesson range,) and omit the very basic instructions that a true beginner needs. Add a few annoying installation quirks (manual placement of desktop icons, and a "personal coach" that automatically runs in the background) and you're left with software that is a total waste of time and cash.

The whole program is bulky and clumsy -- and if you are using Windows XP, expect to see momentary freeze-ups of your monitor as the program lurches in and out of execution.

Dumb DOS program, no DVORAK support.
How hard would it be to support DVORAK? A hundred lines of code would probably do the trick, since no new graphics would be needed. Just cross-reference the keys to make finger positions right, and you're done. They're resting on their laurels, selling a clumsy DOS program that takes over your monitor as if it were still 1989. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Create animated stories starring Barbie and all of her friends! Bring your Barbie stories to life as never before--on your computer. Choose the setting, the props, and the characters. Direct each character's movements and dialogue, plus add music, sounds, and special effects. You can create thousands of original Barbie stories. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

I wanted to like it...
This game is horrible. It rarely works, the scences stop, it locks up, the charecters go all weird - plus you certainly cannont make anything close to a sensible movie with this. You can't make the settings move, do cloeups, make charecters talk, or add any drama or action to your film. You can't make the charecters move in any way other than walking. If you want to make a reasonably good filmmaker that has no problems and you can make a anywhere near realistic film, this is NOT the game your looking for.

Soggy Stories Hit The Stands---Story Maker Barbie
I thought this game was ok. Just crossed my boarder line between bad and a little good. This game allows you to do all of the stories you want to create, but usuing barbie's themes, characters and props and... settings. Her features are quite complicated. I would give this game a 2 because some parts were really hard to under stand.

Very entertaining, but also very basic.
I liked the idea of this game, I mean, it is really, really fun, but you dont have very many characters, backgrounds, and objects to choose from, so you end up making the same thing over and over again. And plus, sometimes the game freezes or screws up and you lose your whole story. I always have a hard time editing because it always freezes up. So, I give it 3-4 stars. Fun, but too basic.

barbie story maker
i chose 2 stars because it will not tell me any where how to edit and then i can not make the movie i am very mad

Cool....................
I liked the game when my parents got it for me, but it's not the BEST game in the entire world......It's fun, but sometimes it dosen't work very well.....I recommend it though, because it IS fun, but sometimes you can get very frustrated because you can't get something to work!!! So that's why I give it 3 stars. Fun, but FRUSTRATING SOMETIMES!! ... Read more

Features

• People, places, and events that shaped our lives, and how geopolitics affects it all
• 3D World Atlas reflects current world events
• From ancient times to the modern world
• Meet the people, places, and events that shaped history

Amazon.com Product Description

The villains of VILE are on the loose, led by that superspy turned master thief, Carmen Sandiego. Her henchmen are pulling heists in all 50 states, taking national treasures most crooks wouldn't dare tackle. The ACME Detective Agency needs you. Your assignment is to catch the culprits and return the stolen goods. So when you think you've got the goods on the bad guys, submit your evidence, make the collar, and go to court. But beware: your evidence must be airtight or your suspect will go free. With this version of Carmen Sandiego, you can expand your knowledge of U.S. geography, develop vocabulary and deductive-reasoning skills, and practice map reading. (Ages 9 and older) ... Read more

Reviews (6)

This is a cool game.
This is a cool game. I had a tough time trying to beat it but I finally figured out how to catch Carmen Sandiago in the game. Here's how you catch her. Issue the warrant for the way she usually looks: Female, brown hair, tall, thin and wearing a hat. In Washington D.C click on the woman who is wearing an apron and then click "Stop theif! Your're under arrest!" If you issued the warant like I said you will beat the game and catch Carmen.

Where in the U.S.A. Is Carmen Sandiego?
This is an excellent game for children to improve their geography skills. They will learn about cities and states of the United States.

great game for all ages
This is a fun and educational game for everyone.

I recommend this game for kids and adults alike. I am 14 years old, and I play it with my 47 year old mom and 21 year old brother. I've been playing this game for years.

You learn interesting things about the states while trying to catch a crook without your battery going dead. When you catch certain crooks, you can get messages about Carmen for the last capture which of course is Carmen Sandiego herself.

VERY FUN
Now I want you to understand me. THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM AT AGOOD PRICE. And teaches geography at the same time. This ends myreview.

P.S. This program is great.

Where in the USA is Carmen Sandiego is Great for Kids!
I just recently bought this game for my seven-year-old soon to be eight-year-old son and he loved it! He didn't want to stop playing. I must admit though, that I had to sit and play it with him. At 7 or 8 years old a child's knowledge of cities and states isn't quite enough for this game. But, what was good about that is that child and parent can play together. Once you've got the game figured out and get your super sleuth hats on - it is lots of fun. This game promotes problem solving, searching for details, development of geographical and historical knowledge,reading skills and more! Kids will enjoy the graphics and the mysteries. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Blend capitals with crime, and you've got the magic combination that makes geography cool. With its irreverent style, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? is definitely a winner for the junior-high set.

Each story begins with a dispatched message from the Chief. In her typical, no-nonsense style, she tells you what you need to know: what was stolen, whom to look for, and where you're being sent to catch the thief. Kids will love the real-time video of the Chief's updates, as well as the cartoon-character types they meet along the way. The immediate purpose is to build a profile of the criminal, but the larger object is to learn the history of your destination spots.

The Carmen series has nice touches: the Chief urges rookie investigators to learn a little bit of the language, because "It always helps you do better." There are questions to answer, and at each new destination, the announcement information comes through in the appropriate local language--with a "debabilizer" that prints the message in English. If you get stuck at any point, you can request a guide who will give you a tour of your new land. A truly fun game that teaches kids the quirky and astounding elements of each culture they'll visit, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? has a great deal to offer kids as they explore the cultures provided. --Jennifer Buckendorff ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?
This is a good game that will teach children about world geography but younger children may get frustrated with this game. It is really geared toward pre-teens and you have to listen closely to the clues in order to determine where is the world is Carmen. This game will work with Windows XP Home Edition but you have to run it in compatibility mode.

Warning: It¿s not an easy game.
This game is a little frustrating for any child who cannot yet associate a continent with the following clues: kroner, Ho Chi Minh trail, outback, Sahara. I had to help out more than either of us would have liked. On the other hand, it's fun, so she is motivated to try. And she is learning a lot!

Carmen has made my child a geography whiz!
I have a 10 year old daughter who I have seen spend, literally, multiple hours on our PC engaged in what I call "virtual globe- trotting" in an effort to find Carmen and her partners in crime.

Players use the Digiketch to piece together a composite image of the suspect as they unlock clues describing his/her appearance.(Once you get a complete image, you can issue an arrest warrant!)

There is a World Wiz Database that helps players learn more about the countries that the suspect may have visited. This game introduces foreign phrases, international travel, and problem solving skills in a way that no other medium could.

I highly recommend this game as a means by which a child's horizons can be greatly broadened.

A first-class program.
I love this game. While chasing Carmen and her gang around the world, you come across funny characters, puzzling clues, interesting locations, and you learn a lot about geography and history at the same time! They did a magnificent job on this game - I wish I could find that missing last disk so I could install it again on my new computer!

Educational And Fun!
This is simply a brilliant,but yet educational,game.It challenges childrens' (& adults') geographical knowledge,while incorporating strategical planning as well. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

For the wood-pusher in you...
If you rate this game (or any game on amazon.com), it tells you to rate it based on 'How much fun is this game?'. For me, chess programs have been quite an exercise in frustration. So far, I have found Kasparov to be pleasantly enjoyable, even though I know that it lacks some of the incredible features (analysis, play strength, graphics) of the heavy hitters on the market (CM9000, Fritz 8).

Instead of writing a negative review about this, allow me to take a moment to explain why I decided to buy Kasparov Chessmate. But let me first confess that I am little better than a wood pusher (or, if you would prefer... a patzer). That means that although I know the rules, and am familiar with basic tactics and can recognize a couple openings by name, I am not a strong player. I have no rating... but believe I am class E in strength. Over the last 9 months, my chess studies/purchases/results have included:

- Chess for Dummies (still working on finishing up the last few chapters... but it introduced me to tactics)

- Play Winning Chess (just bought last week - and am very pleased with it)

- Chessmaster 9000 (gave it away to a good friend, but will be buying again - but only for it's training material)

- Fritz 8 (for chess analysis and playchess.com chess server)

- ChessTiger for my palm (which beats me 99% at it's training level 3 playing with it's book)

- play and lose to my Dad regularly in online and e-mail chess(who is the reason why I continue to play)

- Polgar's 5334 chess problems (a great big book that I enjoy)

- am loosely rated around 1200 on yahoo chess

Why did I buy Kasparov? For starters, Chessmaster 9000 confounded me. I would struggle and lose against very poorly ranked players. I don't think chessmaster 9000 has quite figured out how to reduce it's strength at it's weaker/weakest levels. It either makes really good moves, or really dumb moves. [I believe that it still has a few issues with XP. They have not released any patches/updates in over 9 months.] This is where Kasparov seems to shine. When I downloaded the trial version of Kasparov to try it out for an hour, I discovered that it has players ranked down to elo 500. Although I haven't had enough time to seriously try it out since I bought it (midnight last night at WalMart), I am pleased to announce that I wasn't trounced on the lowest level (elo 500) of Kasparov on my Palm - and I can tell you that Kasparov on my palm was not throwing completely random/stupid moves at me as Chess Tiger will tend to do in Training level 1 (what it claims is elo 1000). I feel like I actually 'met my match' playing Kasparov on my Palm.

I also spent sometime going through the training last night before falling asleep and this morning. It could be better, but it does a reasonable job of explaining how pieces move, and what is checkmate. I wish that they would have placed middle-game tactics before openings (it gives you about a dozen examples of common open games played out to about a dozen turns (24 ply) - without any variations). I won't be able to give an adequate evaluation of the training until I complete it.

I'm not saying Kasparov is better than Chess Tiger on the palm (no analysis, strength of play, etc). But I feel that at my weaker level of play, I have possibly found a program that isn't playing 'stupid moves', but isn't trouncing me either. If you can stand losing occasionally (especially against Fritz in 'friend mode') and analyze your failures, that's great - and we often learn by losing. But it sure is nice to win once in a while.

I've given Kasparov 4 stars because of it's quality of weaker play (which may - in fact - be it's greatest selling point to the average consumer), and for the Palm version of the software. For me, it was a bargain because I got two chess programs for the price of one (one for my pc, and one for my palm). As I take more time to evaluate the game (and if I notice improvement in my play) I will be sure to post additional comments.

Keep in mind - Kasparov is aimed at the general consumer market. Anyone serious about chess programs is already aware of Fritz/Chessbase and Chessmaster 9000. This program is not better than those for reasons already stated. But I will confess, that so far I have enjoyed playing Kasparov chess - and hence it earns 4 stars on the merit that 'I had fun'. If you want to make money selling chess software to the masses, then you want to offer a game that is fun and challenging. If, and when, I win the 'bronze level' tournament in Kasparov, I'll be back to give additional feedback.

Kasparov Chessmate?
I have never played Kasparov chessmate but after reading
the reviews dont think I will be purchasing it.
But if your really interested in learning chess and improving your game there is one I can recommend! CHESSMASTER9000
Great PC chess program! Too much to list!
Its money well spent!
I have improved my game and on my way to becoming a High rated player! The sky's the Limit! Before chessmaster I used other programs but nothing can compare to Chessmaster9000!
Just my opinion,...

A very basic chess program
When compared to the variety of computer chess programs available on the market, Kasparov Chessmate lacks in every aspect, from graphics, training, and play-strength.

A price conscious consumer shopping for a chess program might consider this program since it is relatively cheap, but as they say, you get what you pay for. Actually, a program like Chessmaster 9000 is a bargain compared to what one might pay for Kasparov Chessmate if one considers all the extra features found in the former.

If you are mildy serious or serious about chess, Chessmaster 9000 is a better choice. It offers much more than Kasparov Chessmate, especially in terms of the training and education aspects. Frankly speaking, Chessmaster 9000 has no competition in that aspect, in my opinion.

One of the selling points is Kasparov Checkmate's ability to synchronize with either the Palm or Pocket PC, but in my opinion, it's not sufficient as a reason to purchase this in light of other options available.

For the super serious chess player, a good choice would be Fritz, but it is probably overkill for most people. Fritz is strong, but doesn't have the nice graphics or features of CM 9000. For the beginner, casual or serious players, Chessmaster 9000 is the best choice.

Get Serious
Garry must be desperate to allow his name to be attached to this product. There are half a dozen free programs that do what Chessmate does, several in the price range that are superior (e.g. Majestic Chess), and many that, for a bit more, can really play chess (Fritz 8; Rebel 12; Chessmaster 9000). These last 3 also have didactic funtions that are greatly superior to those of Chessmate. If you want to beat up a computer program, Fritz and company can be suitably lobotomized with a little fiddling; if you want to get serious about chess, Kasparov Chessmate is not the way to go. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Barbie helps you design thousands of different outfits on the computer. Special printer-compatible fabric goes through your laser or ink-jet printer so you can really make cool clothes for Barbie. Design party dresses, career outfits, wedding gowns, and even something special for a romantic date with Ken. It's up to your imagination! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Lots of fun but not so practical
Its lots of fun to design the clothes. You can spend hours and hours having fun creating new outfits then seeing them come to life using the fashion show option. However actually printing your dress and trying to fashion it onto Barbie is very difficult, frustrating, expensive, and hardly ever looks as great on real Barbie than it did on digital Barbie, which of course can be expected. Still, I would recommend the product for all the fun it provides, as long as you use it as a game rather than a practical clothing making tool.

Barbie Fashion
I used this product when I was younger, the graphics aren't that great but it's alot of fun for alot of little girls. I recently bought it for my younger sister and she never wants to turn it off. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A must for animal lovers.
What made this game so cool.Its like a game show game like on tv.All the questions are about dolphins and whales.I love dophins and whales.The game is a lot of fun.Something I like to play with my brothers/sisters/mom and dad. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

After spending his summer helping on a dig in South America, Kevin ofthe TKKG gang is definitely excited about the museum opening that will showcasethe treasures the archeologists found in Southern Mexico. The Mayan exhibitionis scheduled to open in just a few days, and Kevin will be able to show hisfriends the treasures he unearthed over his holiday.

Unfortunately, someone else has taken an interest in the exhibit--by stealingtwo of its most priceless artifacts!

Mystery of the Mayan Treasure pits Tiger, Kevin, Katy, and Grunteragainst an unknown museum thief in a race to find the stolen Mayan masks.The two keys to solving the case are suspect interviews and simple observation.Each member of the TKKG gang can visit a variety of sites in London, such as themuseum where the theft occurred, a local newsstand, and the offices of peopleassociated with the crime. Within some of these scenes are clues that can bepicked up, examined, and used at later points in gameplay. Players may alsoquestion the suspects. You can only choose to ask one question per visit, solistening carefully to the questions and selecting the right one is a must.

This TKKG mystery game is aimed at players starting at 8 years of age, and it isan excellent choice for story-oriented, patient players. This is not a programwith lots of razzle-dazzle or arcade challenges. Methodical gathering of cluesand rigorous logic will win the day for the TKKG gang and the museum.

Additionally, the game is not without educational content. On each visit to themuseum, the kids encounter information about the ancient Mayan culture. Playerslearn about the foods grown by the Mayans, their system of hieroglyphics,architecture, and other tantalizing facts. This learning quotient, however,takes a backseat to the fun of solving the crime.

With straightforward, clean animations and a focus on the characters of theyoung detectives, TKKG unfolds an interactive mystery well worth exploring.--Alyx Dellamonica ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

A good wizard with magic gloves accidentally mixes the wrong potions. The next thing he knows ... kaboom! The explosion sends one of his gloves sailing through the air, the other flying into a cauldron of evil, and the entire kingdom's power crystals bouncing away like rubber balls. Your challenge is to restore the kingdom by returning the gloves and crystals. Guide the good glove and balls through six worlds. Transform them with magic spells to beat enemies, discover secret sections, and crush bosses. Throw the balls to hit switches, or dribble them upstairs. Encounter bizarre and humorous characters as you solve puzzles and advance from level to level. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Glover is ace
This game is really fun and i have still not completed it after a whole year! Buy this game, it is the most fun game i have ever played
________________________________________________________________
Note
________________________________________________________________
I can not run it on a 400processor on XP, you need a high processor speed to use it on XP! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Carmen Sandiego is up to her old tricks yet again. This time she's after all knowledge ever discovered by the human race. With a fleet of "knowbots" dispersed around the world and a six-pack of accomplished thieves to direct these insidious machines in their work, she is determined to give herself a monopoly on information. "Knowledge is power," Carmen says, and if ACME can't stop her, soon she will be the most powerful woman on earth.

As a new agent of ACME, you try to trap the knowbots and destroy them by correctly answering a series of questions on topics ranging from art history to math. The quizzes come in a variety of formats, and most are timed, making it essential to answer as quickly as possible. You may team up or compete with other players as you try to destroy the knowbots. Doing so allows you to collect clues that lead to Carmen's minions and, ultimately, to the arch-villain herself!

As with most quiz-format games, some aspects of play in ThinkQuick soon become repetitive. The game's verbal instructions, though they are intended as comprehension skill builders, are sometimes on the vague side. Despite these minor flaws, ThinkQuick is flexible and combines a nice range of games and puzzles. In addition to permitting multiple players, it also offers online play. Player avatars come in both genders and have adjustable skin tones.

Carmen Sandiego's ThinkQuick Challenge is a well-rounded educational game, challenging players' problem solving, reading comprehension, and general knowledge (among other abilities) while offering plenty of entertainment besides. These pluses, along with the game's engaging sense of humor, make it a admirable successor to the earlier Carmen games. So sign in with ACME, and let the chase begin! --Alyx Dellamonica ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Boring
This game is kinda cool when you first start playing it, but then it gets preety dull. All you do is answer questions to defeat robots(which never go away). So, I strongly encourage you not to by this game.

Doesn't teach, just quizzes the child.
I was disappointed in this software. Other Carmen Sandiego programs at least make an attempt to teach but this one simply bombards the child (aka "player") with multiple choice questions. My daughter is eight and relatively bright, but we're not very happy with this product.

Carmen Sandiego strikes world knowleg after MUCH change!
In the educational new Carmen Sandiego themed game, Carmen and her new specially trained master thieves--armed with robots who have the power to steal knowlege--are after such concepts as ABC order, technolegy, and solar-power enegery.

Chase Devineaqux, new head of ACME, is recconizing your super smarts and sending you on a mission to recover the stolen knowlege. To do so, you must catch the knowlege robots, prove your knowlege, gain a hideout code, solve a VILE puzzle to enter the hideout, and bust the thief.

A bit easy once you get the hang of it, but it can be challenging at some points. The catching of the Know Bots (either by tagging them or zapping them) can be more of a arcade type thing, but once the knowlege part kicks in, you have to be smart to succeed.

What suprised me most, though, was that they changed really changed the way the game is compared to the Where in the World and USA games. For one, in the Where in the World and Where in the USA is Carmen Sandiego games, you never really see ACME, and in this game, when you do see it, it doesn't seem that real. Second, what happened to The Chief? Why isn't she heading ACME any more? Third, there are only six thieves working for Carmen now. Before there were thousands. Fourth, there's no getting lost and then trying despertly to get back on the trail of the thief. The old way is half of the fun. (The changes are what caused me to give it three stars instead of five.)

In short, a wonderful game, but if you're a loyal agent of ACME, this is somewhat depressing.

Muti-player!
I thought the game for one person was pretty boring easy to solve for me. But when you get together with a max of 4 people it's awesome! Racing to hit the buzzer and get the most points, even trying to get the least amount of wrong questions, made the game pretty exciting. I recomend this game highly as a muti-player game.

Good, but not as good as the old ones
Ok, I love Carmen Sandiego. I know many others do as well. So *why* did you change her! Whats with the cat-suit? Gimme back my normal Carmen!

Oh well. If your a loyal Carmen fan, then this game may take some getting use too. Its an awesome game, but the older ones (Before The Learning Company bought out) were better. :) ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

StudyWorks! is designed for all math students--from those who need help with basic concepts and skills to those who want to explore the most advanced applications and exercises. It's the one math package you'll never outgrow. Want to go further? Then explore the StudyWorks! Resource Center. The StudyWorks! Resource Center is the place to go for in-depth background information, help, or to easily connect to the wider world of math and science on the World Wide Web.

From the Resource Center, you can take an animated quick tour to get you started. Or immediately access multimedia tutorials and other forms of online help when you need them. Enter a library full of facts and formulas. The StudyWorks! Library puts a wealth of mathematical knowledge at your fingertips. It has thousands of equations you can drag and drop into your own work as well as interactive reference tables, thorough explanations of concepts, worked-out examples, illustrations, graphs, and animations that will strengthen both your problem-solving skills and your basic understanding.

Reach out using the World Wide Web. StudyWorks! lets you access continuously updated reference material through the Web. You can link to other math-related sites. You can even visit our exclusive Collaboratory to participate in virtual study groups and discussion forums--and pick up math tips from the experts.

Do your best on the Scholastic Assessment Test by using tips and strategies from The Princeton Review's bestselling math series. You get all the essential test prep material plus sample math questions and strategies for solving them.

Works with graphing calculators too! Import data from Texas Instruments, Casio, or Hewlett-Packard graphing calculators for analysis and integration with text and graphs in StudyWorks! Mathematics.

StudyWorks! Mathematics covers the full range of math curriculum including algebra, geometry, precalculus, trigonometry, calculus, and statistics. Some of the topics include linear functions, factoring, quadratic equations, graphing, polynomials, inequalities, systems of equations, conic sections, areas and volumes, polar coordinates, logs and exponential functions, sequences and series, circular functions, trigonometric identities, parametric curves, vectors, matrices, probability, data analysis, complex numbers, limits, derivatives, and integrals. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

As hard to understand as the math itself
As my title states this program is "as hard to understand as the math itself". Too much reading is involved. If I wanted to read and not understand I would read the book again. Needs more graphics and animations. Not a very good math supplement.

This software STINKS!
Good luck to anyone trying to figure out how to use this software. I guarantee that none of your kids can figure it out on their own. The feature set is rich but even someone that is very technical will have difficulty figuring out how to use it. I read the manual thoroughly and the descriptions of how to do a lot of things is simply missing. I couldn't even get through the first lesson!

Where's the Beef?
Too much fluff and not enough meat for my needs. Too much reading and not enough interactive sitations dealing with the concepts. Not enough examples and step by step directions to solving problems would have helped. It seems like they put all of their resources into the introduction clip and blew off the math! Not impressed! You'd be better off just DOING YOUR HOMEWORK! Not good for supplimental instruction. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Searching for new thrills in your pursuit of pure capitalist success? If you can limit at least some of your ambitions to a board game, you're in luck. Monopoly is here, and with integrated Internet connectivity, you can now challenge other Monopolists worldwide.

The classic game--updated for the PC--still gives you all the satisfaction of being the proprietor of Park Place and Boardwalk. It also lets you weasel your way out of jail with a thin excuse for a card in your (virtual) hands. Keeping to the visual appeal of its 1930s characters, the software also boasts animated versions of favorite board pieces.

While Monopoly is obviously a strong choice for a family of players, don't kid yourself that you'll beat the game every time in solo play. If you're not paying close attention, the package's superior A.I. engine is likely to see that you'll wind up broke. This is a rare success story of a classic game that makes the jump to a new medium. The creators of Monopoly deserve a firm handshake and slap on the back, and a big roll of funny paper money. --Jennifer Buckendorff ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Somewhat Disappointing
Graphics are an improvement over the previous Hasbro version of Monopoly, but the special features are annoying. Seriously, how many times do you want to hear "Mr. Monopoly" exclaim, "Eighter from Decateur!" or "Show me the money, Sack!"? Not to mention the annoying animated tokens or the dizzying 3D "camera work."

Trades are confusing, and the computer opponents play the game like crazed lunatics. Wait until one gets a monopoly and starts building houses. The turn will take forever, as the elated opponent gleefully mortages everything in sight in a frantic attempt to add another building.

I've had two versions of Monopoly for the computer and have been disappointed with both. On the other hand, a $20.00 Super Nintendo cartridge of the game generated hours of fun. The graphics were simpler and the options were fewer, but maybe that's why I enjoyed it.

Good game but requires a fast system
The Monopoly PC game has a lot of features, such as trading, auctions, etc, but to see the board well you'll want to enable 3D mode. Unfortunatley, that really slows down the game, even on a fast system. Using Monopoly's online playing seems complex and I'm not sure if it even works anymore.

This game is good for kids and adults alike, though, so a whole family could enjoy it. Also, when you play against a computer you can select how smart it is, which allows you to select a novice AI, moderately skilled AI, or expert AI. Overall, this is a pretty good game.

Like the game, but..
I happen to like playing Monopoly. But when you play this game against the computer opponents, you are in for a strange ride. The computer opponents will mortgage all their properties to fund a monopoly they may have just gotten. Then it would take forever for the computer player to buy houses and hotels.
The computer players hardly ever trade among themselves. After playing the game a few times, I got to where I knew how the computer would react.
I also found that I enjoyed playing the game a lot more when I turned off the token voices and Mr Monopoly's commentary.
Still, this game is a good way to knock off a couple of hours. The rules are pretty basic, and straightforward.
Overall, I would recommend getting this game, as long as you're not expecting too much.

Excellent game
Monopoly, the classic American board game, is phenomenal in its incarnation as a computer game. The graphics, even 8 years after its release, are top notch. The ability to play over the internet is also a capability that makes this immortal game even more entertaining.

If you love computer games or Monopoly as a board game, this piece of software is a must-have.

Very fun but could be better
I love this game. My only suggestion is that the houses and hotels should look like houses and hotels instead just like the game board tokens. The properties run the spectrum from landfill to high end real estate so it'd be more fun to see a realistic building(s)that corresponds to the property. Even better would be several building styles from which to choose. ... Read more