Amazon.com Product Description

Microsoft presents Scholastic's The Magic School Bus Explores the Human Body, a fully animated, interactive multimedia science adventure for kids ages 6 to 10. Based on Scholastic's award-winning book series, this CD-ROM software is designed to entertain and encourage a sense of adventure and exploration, especially about science and technology. The Magic School Bus Explores the Human Body features the irrepressible science teacher, Ms. Frizzle, and her inquisitive class in a fascinating exploration of the human body. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Magic School Bus Explores the Human Body
I don't own this product, but I would like to. Why don't you
have in stock anymore? Is it possible to get a hold of it
somewhere else. I think my 5 yr old grandson also find this
one interesting along with the others that I've ordered from
you. Has the company stopped making it? If so, is it possible
to get it somewhere?
Thank You
Joy Phalen
...

Mother of inquisitive 4 year old
As with most MSB CD's, my 4-yr old found this to be a very exciting adventure. The CD takes you through all parts of the body. He has learned about all the parts of the body and the various functions they perform. In fact, as we eat these days he explains to me the whole digestive process. Only negative I, as the parent, found was you have to change the color format on the CD to 256 color in order for it to work at all (thus the 4 stars). Aside from that, I would highly recommend it!

Mom of busy child
My six year old daughter loves Magic school bus human body! She has always been interested in the human body and this is right on target. She got this as a Christmas present and when she work on this she is on the computer for at least 2 hours! I like the fact that it feels like you are traveling through the body yourself and even after you finish it tells you which part of the body you have explored!

Very disappointing
My son loves The Magic School Bus books and videos and is very interested in the human body, so we were very excited to stumble upon this product. Unfortunately, precious little information is actually given about the way the body works. It is mostly about navigating from one place to the other and even in that regard once you get out of the digestive tract, the travel patterns don't really makes sense/provide information. Save your money! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Based on the School Zone workbook series, this program incorporates critical math skills with interactive exercises and fun games. A solid curriculum, audio guidance, and clear examples help your child master addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, story problems, place value, and other skills. The program randomizes problems with each use, providing a different experience each session. Engaging games provide an important break. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fantastic
I teach a first/second combination class and this CD works wonders with my first graders. They love the the updated certificates they get to print out each session. This is a program that I can use on going the whole year. It follows the standards and a child can work independently at it. The best feature is that a student can go back and fix errors they made. There are games that they play after they are down with a lesson. The last feature I was impressed with is the scratch pad. Students can use there mouse to figure out problems on the side of the problem, using a the scratch pad (just like using a pencil and a paper) I am very happy with using this in my classroom and so are the first graders. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Put your driving skills to the ultimate test in Hot Wheels Velocity X. A criminal gang of racing villains is wreaking havoc in Monument City, and your racing skills are needed to restore order. Suit up for action and then take the wheel in 30 treacherous missions with six huge levels. Choose from more than 45 authentic 3-D Hot Wheels cars to unlock and drive. Do whatever it takes to crush your rivals and complete the mission: combine cool cars, speed through huge loops, catch big air off a jump, find hidden shortcuts, or run 'em off the road--all in a 3-D Hot Wheels world. Blow the enemy away with more than 15 power-ups. Then challenge a friend in one of three different multiplayer modes: head-to-head racing, Hot Wheels battle mode, and stunt challenge. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The best destruction derby of all!
I bought this game because I played it at a friends house. At the time, we never did any more than drag race or battle, so I didn't really enjoy the game. Now, however, I have played every mode and can tell you all about it:

Battle-A fierce destruction derby where you must meet your quota by disabling opponents

Drag Race-Race on a stretch of track and be the first to get to the finish! Note:This is not a "laps" race. It is a "Point A to Point B" type of race if you know what I mean.

Challenge-Test your skills on a challenge. Earn Cars, Tracks, amd Weapons!

Joyride-Drive around the big city and collect gears or the golden key to earn new cars!

Adventure-Complete tasks in the correct order to win cars and even new joyride levels!

Howheels > Not Matchbox <
Here is a game for the what remains of that elusive spark left in all of us, known as childhood, that will satisfy, at the same time, even the most avid/hardcore fan of the genre. This tripe with the missions, however, I personally find to be somewhat lacking -- I mean, who cares about a storyline when there are vehicles to blow up -- the explosions are truly killer diller by the way -- several choices regarding automobile make-overs, paint-jobs, and other items with which to accesserize -- leave the average player wondering why his or her coin-purse is now somewhat lighter ... Maybe you should buy another game instead.
All in all a fun spree, I must say, but not enough action. Pocket Toys, anyone ??

super
Hot wheels are the answer to chlidren who love excitement and fast moving action in the viedo's. I can't pull them away. Keep up the great work. This is a huge jump from a parent who use to play with the race tracks 30 years ago as a kid in the dirt.

Thank-you
Tom Bailey ... Read more

Reviews (65)

Love, love, love this game...
I was introduced to this game while helping out in an elementary school computer class (yeah, I'm technically a grown-up). It's an engaging way to teach logic skills, and the puzzles are a lot of fun. I agree that there are a LOT of Zoombinis to save (the purpose of the game)and that once you've mastered the higher levels it's a bit tedious to keep playing the harder versions of the puzzles, especially if there are any you don't like to begin with.

On the other hand, this game is wonderful for a variety of age groups (some of the younger kids may need some help figuring out the logic behind the puzzles), for different ethnicities (the Zoombinis are blue), and genders (most of the characters are somewhat ambiguous on gender, and the Zoombinis are all equal). I've seen it played solo, and in groups, with equally enjoyable results. And there are a number of resources available for educators, parents, etc. to help your kids make meaning from the games they are playing.

All in all, this is a must for any elementary/middle school computer educator, and a highly recommended for parents who want their kids to use computers as a tool as well as a toy.

One of the best logic games, all in a fun package
I'm a 13-year-old boy, I loved Zoombinis ever since it came out about 7 years ago, and I still love it now. Zoombinis is a great education game, it teaches logic and mathematical skills essential to learn, and also lets children (and adults) have fun while doing it.

Zoombinis is set apart from so many other logic games by adding characters that are enjoyable and funny to a 2nd grader, while not being so annoying or childish that a 7th grader cannot enjoy or laugh at them as well.

Another way Zoombinis excels is in the way it adjusts to the user's ability. The game will start out easy and teach more simplistic concepts, and after the user is comfortable with that, it will move on to more complex problems.

A nice thing about this game is that it will encourage someone to learn and keep going. It can all happen because the game is both educational and fun, and the child will get a sort of self-satisfaction when they accomplish something. Whenever a puzzle is completed, the user gets a little bit closer to the goal of saving all the Zoombinis, and this gives them something to work for.

Zoombinis consists of 12 different puzzles for the user to go thru, and one of the factors that have made it so successful is how it makes the user actually think. Instead of letting you just guess the answers, Zoombinis has you think about why a certain answer does or doesn't work, then lets you come up with some sort of practical method to solve such problems, which can later be applied to more advanced levels of education (I am currently taking geometry, and I still use many of the methods I learned here to help me solve problems).

In all, Zoombinis is one of the most valuable and fun game (educational or not) that I have ever used. It is a great product, and I would certainly recommend it.

Nice Game, but just a little hard
I got this game with a multipack and it rocks!!! But just kind of a little hard but I like it.

My kids loved it!
Not only fun but a great logic builder! The best peice of software I've bought for my kids!

What a great surprise!
We love this game! When I was searching for new games for my girls, 8 & 11, I came across this game, but made the mistake of not ordering it. One day, my daughter came home from her computer class and raved about this game - I ordered the Logical Journey and Mountain Rescue...I am so glad that I did. My 8 year old and I enjoy playing Logical Journey together - its a little more basic and easier for her to understand. My older daughter prefers the Mountain Rescue - the graphics are a little more advanced and she enjoys the games more. I would recommend these games to anyone looking for fun, safe, and mentally challenging entertainment! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Create the soccer team of your dreams with the Backyard Kids and the pros as kids. Backyard Soccer 2004 teams up with Major League Soccer to bring you kid versions of goal-scoring, hard-kicking, tough-running players, and puts you in control of the nonstop action. Create team lineups, customize teams, then take the field to play quick games, single games, or a whole season. Junior versions of pro players include Landon Donovan, Clint Mathis, Cobi Jones, and Brandi Chastain. It's the chance of a lifetime to play with the pros in your own backyard. ... Read more

Features

• Play soccer with the pros as kids, including Landon Donovan and Cobi Jones
• Choose from all 10 Major League Soccer teams
• Play quick games, single games, or a whole season
• Includes 4 new fields
• Track player and team stats

Reviews (65)

Another awesome upgrade to the already great series!
I have seen and played many demos and have read tons of reviews on this product.

I have been a fan of this Junior Sports series since the very first original Backyard Baseball came out. I own 2 of the 3 baseball editions, both of the football versions, my brothers have both of the soccer editions, and we also have Backyard Basketball.

From what I've seen and read this is another great additon to any of your collections of these games. The gameplay is smooth, the graphics are stunning, there are EVEN MORE gamplay options than in BYB 2001, the MLB kids faces are very believable, the players ability to play is slightly exaggerated but hey, that's what makes it so fun.

Being a big fan and player of baseball I follow the majors like nothing else. For that reason I noticed the ratings (Running, Pitching, Fielding, and Hitting) on the players to be slightly off. But if that's the only problem, that's an extremely small sacrifice to make when buying this game.

This game is worth every penny you spend on it. I recommend this game for fans and non-fans of all ages.

The levels of difficulty are set very well for people that play it. I do wish though that they would add an extra "Major League" level of play for us older guys that are looking for some challenging opponents.

I haven't tried online play yet but I'm sure you would find some more challenging people to play against.

This series is getting better with every game and should soon become one of the top sports games on the market. I hope that soon they will expand their games and come out with Backyard Baseball Pennent Race Edition Expansion Pack that will include the new hot rookies in the majors. Who knows? Maybe it's not that far off from now.

In closing I want you to know that this game does not have the new backyard kid design. The new Backyard Hockey has new kids to chose from and absolutely stunning visual effects. I recommend that game also for the Backyard Series fans.

Oh yeah, one more thing, HAVE FUN!!!

Sincerely,
Ian Badeer
A True Backyard Series Fan

Baackyard basketball 2004
I think this game is really good. People say this is too easy but i am 11 and I play on hard mode and I lose sometimes It is deffinetly better then the first backyard basketball because the originial only had two pros and this has ten. This game has good pros and good pro selections but they could have had better people as well like Steve Francis, Baron Davis and Kobe Bryant. Some of the people in there have not very good attributes like Tim Duncan has no outside shot but in real life he is a good outside shooter and Pau Gasol has no outside shot but can make all of the three pointers he shoots. Making a shot is very easy from outside but inside shots are kinda difficult. This game has the same graphics and gameplay as Backyard Hockey which I like the gameplay but the graphics i don't like. I would reccomend this game for 5-12 year olds and if you want the ultimate team I would pick Tracy McGrady, Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan as starters and reserves Yao Ming and Paul Peirce. Other than the bad graphics and the choosing of the pros and pro's attributes this is a very fun and good game.

forced to do setups
From the makers of putt-putt,freddi fish,spy fox and pajama sam comes backyard sports.It's fun but you buy it on software,that's where it gets **** instead of *****.Humongous FORCES you to do their setups BEFORe you can play your game.

The Best Baseball Game Ever!
This game is great and a little challanging! The menus are very simple. There are 2 modes that you can play on. A single game mode and season play mode. In single game mode, if you want certain players on your team you have to get them quickly because your opponent can get them before you do. A cool part of single game mode is that you can play tee-ball and watch a demo! On season mode you pick your players first so you have all the players that you want. Each player has four ratings, Batting, Running, Pitching and Fielding. There are three game levels. (Excluding tee-ball mode) A way that makes the game challanging is that there is pluses and minus'. Pluses make them stronger in a rating and minus' make them lower in a rating.If you want to play season mode I reccomend you first play some single games and watch some demos. Also you should start at easy level and work your way up to medium then hard. Heres a tip. Never get Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds! They get tired to easily and get lots of minus'. A very fun game!

Great game and to me fun to play!
This Backyard Soccer 2004 has my favorite players here.Like Brandi Chastain,Tiffity Milbrett,and Cobi Jones.This is a fun game to play,but the hard level still a piece of cake.You can make your color of your team,but the promblem is you have to choose from some choices instead of naming your team.That's my kinda suggestion.I won the game a hundred times already,but I love it and I keep on playing it!I think this is a 4 star rating for one reason why 4 stars,Way too easy! ... Read more

Features

• 3 fun and interactive learning games with Buzz, Mickey, and Aladdin
• Build phonics, vocabulary, and reading comprehension
• Develops critical thinking and problem solving skills
• Goal and reward structured; printable take-away activities
• For 1st and 2nd graders

Amazon.com Product Description

Based on the School Zone workbook series, this program teaches critical math skills with interactive activities and fun games. Proven curriculum, audio guidance, and clear examples help your child master addition, subtraction, multiplication, place values, and other skills. The program randomizes problems with each use, providing endless activities. The engaging games provide a helpful break. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great for second graders and home motivation.
I teach a first/second grade combonation class. This math program allows my second graders to learn at their own abilities, and my high first graders to be challenged. The program keeps track of the students progress and allows them to correct the problems they missed. (I like that a lot!)
It is also a great motivation for my own child at home. He is in school all day. So coming home to do more work is tough, this lets him practice his math in a different way. Great program!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Join Scooby-Doo and the gang in Egypt as they visit Velma's Egyptologist cousin, Thelma. While visiting the pyramids in Giza, they find Thelma is missing and a mysterious mummy is frightening all the tourists away. It's up to the gang to find Thelma and wrap up the mummy for good. Kids help Scooby-Doo and his friends by telling them what to do and who to talk to. Along the way, they'll encounter ghosts, puzzles, and hair-raising adventure.

Kids must solve more than 10 different puzzles and activities to solve each mystery. The adventure is never the same. The mystery changes each time you play, with new clues and a different villain and outcome. Turn up the gameplay and the challenge with three levels of difficulty: Spooky! for ages 5 and 6; Spookier! for ages 7 and 8; and Spooktacular! for ages 9 and 10. The game builds thinking and problem-solving skills by utilizing research skills, deductive reasoning, and logical analysis. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Zoiks!
My kids ages 5 and 8 loved this game. It flows just like the cartoon show on TV, as we follow Scooby and the gang as they search for clues to solve the mystery. My kids had it completely solved in an hour or so, then played it a few more times to see the different clues and villains, and now they're done with it--not 24 hours since we brought it home! They want to play the next two Scooby games now. "If it hadn't been for those meddling kids..."

Not as good as I expected.
As crazy as my children are about Scooby Doo, I expected this game to be exceptional. Although my 7 year old has played it quite a bit [and I probably got my money's worth] he quickly leaves it to go back to other software games like: Train Simulator, Oregon Trail, Lionel's Trans Con, and Mission THINK. The game advances slowly and the graphics are flat like watching the cartoon. Guess I was expecting more educational basis to this software, but find it's really more like watching the show on TV.

Thank goodness it was a gift!
I wouldn't buy this for my kids. Thankfully it was a gift for my 8-year old daughter. She tried to play it on her own at first and couldn't really figure out what to do, I guess she didn't read or listen to the instructions. The instruction file was enormous and complicated to follow for the specified age group. I played it on my own later to see what in fact this was all about. I solved the mystery and actually enjoyed myself, then my daughters(4&8) played it and the mystery was exactly the same for the next 3 times they used it. Maybe I haven't found how to change the level of difficulty, but I felt that everything was too obvious and not really a "mystery". I felt the kids were being humored and this game was really dumbed down. We haven't picked it up again since then, it has been a couple of weeks now. They'd much rather stick to "Clue Finders" and other such programs or the written word than play this game. They may give it another shot soon. Bottom line, this game just doesn't suit our tastes.

Not as good as I suspected.
This game is rather easy an does not contain many challenges for my 4-year old. The game was very easy to complete. The game becomes boring rather quickly at times because you had to keep going back and forth from place to place to solve the game. Sometimes you get stuck and am not sure where to go next until you explore some of the places again because the scenes change as the game progresses. The game has excellent graphics and sound but a mediocre story. The game needed more action.

OOOOOOO IS THIS BAD! RATHER EAT DOG FOOD
AWFUL AND NO EDUCATIONAL VALUE FOR YOUR CHILDREN ... Read more

Features

• Hours of entertainment with 4 fun-filled games for little girls
• Interactive adventures in Dora the Explorer: Backpack Adventure
• 8 exciting games with Care Bears Care-a-lot Jamboree
• Fun activities in Strawberry Shortcake Amazing Cookie Party
• Get creative with Disney Princess Fashion Boutique

Features

• Mickey Preschool helps children learn self-esteem and social skills while they play with Mickey and friends
• Kids will explore the Hundred Acre Wood with Winnie The Pooh, and learn counting to 100 with Huey, Dewey and Louie
• Stanley Wild for Sharks! is undersea adventure with Stanley and his animal friends. Dive right into a learning adventure while building problem-solving skills
• Ages for 5 to 7

Features

• 4 complete CD-ROM titles for the price of 1
• Hours and hours of exciting game play and education
• Includes characters both parents and kids love
• Plus Reader Rabbit sticker sheets free inside
• Fun learning for kids ages 4 to 7

Amazon.com Product Description

Catch the crooks and bag the books. There's trouble on planet Islandia, where pesky Mumblers are stealing all the books. Join the Blaster gang to crack the mystery as you race down ski slopes, escape a volcano before it blows, and steady your aim to plug steaming geysers. Make it past all these obstacles, and you can solve the case of "whodunit." Get ready, get set, and start clicking.

Reading Blaster is part of the Blaster Learning System, an integrated line of game-based learning software. Blaster Learning System missions use gameplay to teach fundamental math and reading skills to kids ages 5 to 9. After mastering the essentials, kids move on to Cross Terrain Challenge, created to sharpen critical-thinking skills through extreme game adventures.

Reading Blaster's unique motivational learning system recognizes each child's achievement with points that can be redeemed for rewards. The Blaster Learning System goes the extra step with SmartPoints to provide an incentive to play, practice, and learn. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

READING IS A BLAST
ANYTHING TO GET CHILDREN TO READ IS WONDERFUL, AND THSES ARE THE TOP OF THE LINE ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Kinda boring...
I bought this game because I love the Little Mermaid and seeing Ariel on the box made me very happy. Sadly, there is not much Ariel in the game. The most you can do is put your princess model into Ariel scenes. I was hoping to put my model into Ariel's mermaid costume, but sadly, there are not many Ariel costume options (just the wedding dress and a pink one that she wears when she is human). All the costume are the classic 'ballgown' princess style, and most of them are ugly, as a matter of fact. I enjoyed putting my face onto these models, but I was disappointed that there were no costumes I really liked to put myself in. A waste of time; if buying this, like me, because you are a fan of Ariel, don't waste your money. Buy 'Ariel's Story Studio' or 'Little Mermaid 2 Activity Centre' instead.

My daughter likes it - I don't
We checked this software out of the library, thank goodness. I'd be unhappy if we'd spent money on it.

My five year old enjoys playing with it but I suspect she will tire of it before it's due back at the library as there is really nothing to do. You can decorate your horse, decorate the show ring, and run around a track. That's about it.

There does not seem to be any educational value whatsoever unless you're trying to teach a child how to click a mouse.

Very Disappointed Royal Horse Show
Don't give your money to Disney for the Royal Horse Show. I'd hardly call this a game, more precise it is a vehicle to promote Disney princess characters. And even the promotion gained from this was probably a waste for them as my daughter's interest in the limited activities wained quickly.

There are only 4 options to choose from.
1-decorate your horse (this is probably the most engaging feature for my daughter but she lost interest quickly as there seem to be dead end options - you are told that you can show your horse in the ring but no path to do so is ever provided)
2-decorate the royal horse ring (my daughter had no interest in this)
3-ride your horse around the ring (the view is awkward - the top of the horse's head blocks most of the picture)
4-in the craft cottage there are the most awkward features of all (an empty scrapbook which you fill with your escapades - this never caught on with my daughter, a growth chart [what this has to do with the game I have no idea and because her computer is not hooked up to a printer the option just caused the game to hang], a box for horse cards to collect [we are still not sure what this is] and the value of any of this is lost on me).

Cute
My 4 yo can operate much of this game. I'd rate it more for a 6 yo though... not any older. It's fun to dress up the horses. Not really a learning game, just for fun.

Perfect for my little Princess
I got this for my preschooler for Christmas and she is loving it! I love the fact that she can design the princess to look like herself or a friend or just about anyone! Designing the dress and jewelry is her favorite part, but she could go all day if I let her! This is definitely a gift that won't lose its appeal soon and also one that will grow with her!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The stronger and more interesting of two games based on the movie, the eponymous Finding Nemo lets kids reunite father and son deep off the reef in Australia's waters. The game opens with Nemo and Marlin in their respective environments, the dentist's fish tank and the wild waters of the open sea. The two fish are linked by a small button at the bottom of the screen, and players can toggle between them as they complete various puzzles.

The game features all the original cast members, and in addition to classic lines from the film, they improvise new lines. Dory, voiced byEllen DeGeneres, is hilarious, and smaller characters--like Nemo's friends in the tank--get more time to show players their individual, funny personalities: clicking on each fish kicks off a short conversation. Although there's more watching than doing in the early stages of the games, Nemo fans will be enthralled. Later stages involve memory games, like following patterns while jumping on the backs of jellyfish. All the characters, including sharks and sea turtles, make extended appearances in Finding Nemo.

Like Nemo's Underwater World of Fun, this game has two primary issues: computer owners must pay close attention to system requirements (otherwise, movie scenes in playback stutter significantly) and gameplay itself lasts little more than an hour, if kids ace the tasks. Also, one caveat for education-minded parents: this game is clearly only for fun, not for--pardon the pun--schooling. But kids will need to look beyond the obvious to complete the tasks in this game, and it's the possibility for discovery that makes Finding Nemo well worth exploring.--Jennifer Buckendorff ... Read more

Reviews (30)

The other version? Poor Quality Control Problem....
This is yet another pc game that could have been so good...The problem? Like the other 3 disney pc games we have, we had to go on-line to reconfigure our computer!!! It seems to be the SOUND that creates problems.

We bought the version for older kids, after reading the reviews here. Guess what? The voices for Nemo and others cannot be understood. It's as if someone put an old record on the wrong speed...high speed....everyone talks like the chipmunks! What we heard of the music and graphics however looked real good.

We're running these programs on windows XP and unable to get the program to work right out of the package, which is a real drag to an intelligent 5 year old and his mom! Bottom line, you probably have to go on line and get help to make the program work. OR you may have luck calling them...

With the exception of MULAN (has a great majonng game for kids...but you have to go on-line and learn HOW TO MAKE THE program work and reconfigure/disable a sound card or something like that....)We've sworn off of Disney pc games, at least for now....they're not worth the trouble.

Misleading, disappointing, irritating waste of time!
The Nemo's Underwater World of Fun game disk enclosed in with the movie DVD, was a big disappointment. My young kids were very excited then very upset. Until I read user reviews here on AMAZON, I thought I had a malfunctioning game rather than a DEMO disk on which only 2 of the 6 activities were accessible, rendering the prizes unwinable and the main games unplayable. And one of the 2 accessible activities, the Tank Gang music maker, seems buggy! Neither the disk, its sleeve, nor the read-me file indicated that it was only a demo, so my exercise in futility began: I installed and reinstalled it. I called the Disney phone number only to find the voice menu options to be misdirected, and at Disney Interactive on-line found no help nor mention of the demo version. FINE DISNEY, so you don't want to give away a free game, but why waste your ad dollars on such a stunt? Guess what, I've not been enticed into buying the real game, just irritated into a resolution to spend NO money on Disney computer games! (It's not your fault THQ (the game designer) we still love you.) I'm Sooooo glad that wonderful PIXAR's contract with Disney is ending!!!

My son likes it, I can't stand it
We bought this for our five-year-old, who loved the movie. Why is it that all Disney games turn into annoying (and cloying) lead-ins or promos for the movie? Why do we have to watch endless clips of it? The games seem kind of uneven (some way too hard, others too easy), and sometimes the software seems to get 'stuck' (we need to back out and repeat the objective to get it to work). I like THQ and their software in general, I've just noticed that anything Disney-related gets bogged down in their desire to "Plug the movie! Plug the products!" My son does like it when he plays it, but it's been used a LOT less than I had anticipated. Gets 3 stars for good graphic and audio quality, but I'd give the game itself a two.

terrible
I bought the finding nemo software for my daughter today and I sincerely regret it. It is one of the worst games I have ever purchased. The games dont work. You get nowhere. I would advise everyone considering this game to just save your money. My daughter was excited to get it until we installed it and tryed playing it only to find out it is a lemon.

Very cute
I just loved the movie, so naturally I bought the game. My sis and I have had these little, ummm...."problems" with games for kids 4+. We can't win them!! The older kid's games are easier. But that's what makes this game fun. I still can't win the "Surfin' With Crush" level though. "Nemo's Underwater World of Fun" actually has a story to it. Nemo wants to prove to his dad that he can move around just as well as any other fish. So Marlin sets up a "Super Swim Challenge" game, that will test Nemo's swimming skills. It goes from there in that you have to help Nemo win a certain number of "trophies" in each game in order to get up to level 5 in the Super Swim Challenge. After that, you can help Nemo prove to Marlin how good a swimmer he is. I love the games you can play. "Dory's Memory Match", "Surfin' With Crush", and "Tank Gang Sing-alongs" are just a few. Hope you have fun playing! I'm sure the kids will. ... Read more

Features

• Help Putt-Putt plan Pep¿s birthday surprise in this cartoon-style learning adventure
• Kids choose where the characters go; over 20 fun locations to explore
• The adventure changes each time the game is played
• Putt-Putt's friendly and polite nature reinforces good social skills and manners
• Encourages critical thinking, creative problem solving, and teamwork

Reviews (7)

Putt-Putt come back!
My daughter (and I) have loved Putt-Putt. Particularly "goes to the zoo" and "racetrack" games. This game just does not run as well. It is slow and the speech is choppy. The voice of Putt-Putt has changed and not really for the better. I wish I would have read the reviews here before purchasing it. Everything the previous reviewers have said is true.

Buy Putt-Putt Enters the Race Instead!
Pep's Birthday Surprise is a definite let-down from Putt-Putt Enters the Race! The major flaw in the software is that the game is less open-ended and too full of animated scenes ... the charm of the Putt-Putt games is that kids are encouraged to use critical thinking skills and to figure out (sometimes obscure) problems. These features are curtailed in this particular game, as if the designers have lost faith in their audience's ability to problem solve and to do multi-step reasoning ... A minor but disconcerting feature is that Putt-Putt's voice has dropped in pitch, which will prove very distracting to Putt-Putt parent veterans!

Stepford Putt
We had to install this on an XP account with privileges, and we still have no confidence it will not bomb. We gave up trying to install on Windows 2000 and 98 systems.

It takes forever to get through the scene chat. Our children are really patient; this is the first time we've felt compelled to use the Enter key to end the character chats.

The bonhomie is missing. Even down to the choice of Putt's voice. Putt used to seem about 7 years old, and now he sounds like his voice is about to change.

Putt used to be an innocent little guy, helpful and kind, but in this game, he must constantly get rid of Pep in order to discuss the party with co-conspirators. In most scenes, you must first click on Pep so that Putt-Putt can tell him to "go play with your friend", out the door, unsupervised...

Better to buy "Enters the Race" first, then try "Zoo", "Circus", "Moon", and "Parade".

Not designed properly for XP
My 3 year old son loved Putt-Putt enters the race, but I'm disappointed with this game and Window's XP. I had to install the game as Administrator, but my son's account is set up as a limited user to keep him from deleting important data from the computer. The game does NOT work properly from limited accounts and I can't find a patch to fix it. So far it runs, but you can't save/load any games. A simple bug that should have been fixed in normal beta testing. Good ideas, neat pictures - bad programming.

Update: I contacted their technical support. They gave me a useless response and didn't offer to help me solve it. Fortunately some web searches helped me figure out how to fix this.

BAD Technical support for this software.

Waaay too slow
This game was unplayably slow on a computer that was adequate
for previous Humongous Software games.

Humongous is clearly capable of making playable games, so there
must have been something different about his one.
The alliance with Atari is new to me, as is their use of
Bink Video and Miles Sound System from RAD Game Tools.
Note that "Pajama Sam: Life is Tough When You Lose Your Stuff"
also has complaints about slowness on Amazon. ... Read more

Features

• First game to feature DoraÆs cousin, Diego (who can talk to the animals!)
• Jukebox for kids to choose their favorite Dora songs
• English and Spanish counting activities
• Star catching activities just like on the TV series
• Three levels of learning

Reviews (60)

My 2 year old LOVES it. Great fun!
My oldest daughter loves Dora and took to this game immediately. She loves to sit on my lap and play and our father-daughter time is often spent on the computer. She can't get enough.

The 3 levels offer a nice change for children that are getting bored with the game. Some puzzles she plays at level 1 where some puzzles she plays at level 3.

The game is VERY educational and fun and it follows the same format as the cartoon does. She'll turn 3 soon and she still loves it.

I'd also recommend Dora's Backpack Adventure (they make a trip to the library), Little People Discovery Airport, Winnie the Pooh (where Pooh gathers all the friends for Eyores birthday party) and Mickey Mouse (where Mickey and Minnie stop off at Goofy's gas station / Daisey's diner).

Average at best game; Dora only redeeming feature.
Do not buy this game if you are used to the better quality games Humongous software has produced for NickJR characters in the past: Humongous was sold to Infogames, and well, if this title is indicative, much was lost.

This game is saved only by the appearance of Dora. I really feel the two star rating is generous. My daughter is Dora crazy, and even she shows little to no interest in this game (and she loves edutainment computer games).

The program is not well executed, and there is little asttention to detail. One my daughter noticed was that at the begining of the game Dora collects 5 books to return to the liebrary. When she returns the books at the end of the journey, the colors of the books which come out of the backpack don't match the ones put in, prompting my daughter to ask "what happened to the books we put in Dora's backpack...

Dora the Explorer takes you a short and boring journey
My 4 year-old daughter completed this game in less than a half-hour. The short-length of the game actually caused her too cry! I was shocked at the lack of depth in the game given that it weighed in at over 250MB for the install.

She's crying as I type this. "I don't like this game!"

Atari must really hate paying customers!!
Well I would give this more stars if Atari support weren't so terrible!! The only reason I give it 2 stars is because my daughter loves Dora and likes playing this game because there are plenty of activities to try and places to go. HOWEVER, Atari seems to want to force you (due to their prehistoric copy-protection scheme) to keep the CD-ROM in the drive at all times in order to play the game! How ridiculous! Even though I paid good money for this game and it installed on my hard drive, it does not let you run it from your hard drive. Atari told me that you need to have the CD-ROM in to play it and they "cannot help me get around the copy protection". Well I don't know about anyone else's toddlers, but my 2 year old just loves to open the CD-ROM and take discs out to play with. So this leaves me out of luck if the disc becomes scratched after she's done with it! I think Atari should trust their paying customers a little more and allow them to install the game FULLY to their hard drive... if for nothing else to protect their investment! I will never buy another game by Atari because of this. They have no regards for their paying customers.

Boring!
I have a 3 year old, and after a week, she is already bored with this game. For $20, there should be more to do. It constantly repeats itself, and has no real direction. Very limited number of activities available, and really no variety. I would not recommend this game at all. I am currently reading reviews to find something much more interesting. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Reader Rabbit Toddler is part of a curriculum-based system that is designed to keep children learning all through their elementary school years. Simple, brightly colored graphics and classic sing-along songs make all these activities a sure hit with toddlers.

This pack gets kids off to a great start with an introduction to letters and numbers, matching and patterns, music, and mouse skills. In "Follow-Me Theater," children take a physically active role with finger plays and singing along, while in "Baby Animal Bingo," sounds are matched to help parent animals find their babies. The characters of Reader Rabbit and his sidekick, Matt the Mouse, are funny and friendly--and always ready to help if your child needs a hint.

Because these characters are in every unit--all the way to sixth grade--and the basic format for each level is similar, children can dive right in to the new curriculum skills without the distraction of different graphic styles or character guides. This pack includes the next step--Reader Rabbit Preschool--as a free bonus. You'll see quickly why this series is so often used in schools, and we're sure your toddler will love it as much as her future teachers already do. --Jill Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Absolutely Wonderful
My grandson just turned 3. He loves this CD. It is easy for him to use because he doesn't need to click the mouse. It is still difficult for him to hold the mouse steady when he clicks. If the mouse moves, he doesn't get a response and then gets very frustrated. This CD eliminates that problem. The activities are great fun for him. He likes the coloring and the "bubble castle" best. I highly recommend this CD.

Toddler is Great - PreSchool sucks
Imagine my surprise when I realized my 20-month old had suddenly developed pointing and clicking skills! We started him early with Reader Rabbit's Toddler (he was simply TOO interested in helping mommy "work"), and he was so delighted to be able to bang on the keys and watch stuff happen. By now (2 1/2) he can navigate through the entire program, and now amuses himself by interacting with the characters in ways the creators never imagined (he waits and waits until the mouse appears to tell him what to do, then scares her away with the pointer). Moving on, however, is a challenge - nothing quite lives up to this. We prefer Geoffrey Goes to the Fair and even JumpStart Preschool to RR Preschool, which requires endless busywork before getting rewards - even I don't have the patience!

The BUNNY GAAAAAME!
What would you like to do right now?

The Bunny Game.

It's a nice day out, wouldn't you rather come outside with me and play

The Bunny Game!

Let's go to the park instead, sweety.

The BUNNY GAAAAAME!

This is my major complaint of the game. The scene above is not an every day battle or anything, and my be a result of my daughter's personality rather than any addictive qualitys of the game. However, when she has decided to play it, well, I had better sit down with her to play.

My daughter, who just turned 2, sees Mommy and Daddy cook, so she likes to cook. She sees Mommy and Daddy clean up the kitchen, so she likes to clean up the kitchen. She sees Mommy and Daddy use the computer.... so, having a game that lets her use the computer, I think, is mostly a good thing.

I think we got the game for her right around when she was the recommended 18 months old or so, and when we first started to play it with her we had to help her with most of the activities. I am not sure that she even really understood that she was controling the action. It was, I think, lots of pretty pictures and songs. The game is set up so that your budding computer expert doesn't have to click the mouse to make things happen; a child only has to move the mouse to play any of the games. Still, some of the games are harder than others. Some of the games will reward your toddler with a song for just ramdomly moving the mouse, while others will require a good deal of concentration, which is an asset of the game. Your 18m-3year old will be able to play the games. The hardest skill to master, and what casues the most frustration (for the toddler) is the screen where they choose which game to play.

Notice that I said that When we sit down to play the game. As I already said, your 18Month old will require help, and as you continue to help your child, they may come to expect it, and suddenly playing this game will become a bonding experience if you are that kind of parent, or a chore, if you are another kind of parent, or both if you are somewhere in between. I don't know if I want to leave a 2 year old incharge of $2000 worth of hardware, and what ever else I forgot to back up on the hard drive anyhow. 2 might be a better age to start them on this game, however, from both a cognative and a motor skills perspective. I am not sure that an 18 month understands what is expected of them by the game. You might be better off to surf Tele-Tubbie Websites with them if they want to use the computer with Daddy.

Excellent learning package for up to age 3.
My son received Reader Rabbit Toddler as a gift and we are sold on it's ability to help him learn while having fun. He loves to do all of the tasks and is learning colors, shapes and a host of other skills. The true test of a software program is the willingness to buy the next level - we are doing just that by upgrading to the Preschool program.

My Preschoolers Loved It
With its easy point and click at the pictures approach, even very young preschoolers in my day care could navigate this program. They loved the variety of activities - coloring, nursery rhyme theater, matching animals to their mother, counting and more. I loved it too - it was a great educational tool that was fun for them to explore. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Math skills come in handy when playing this mystical, mathematicalAladdin adventure. By solving math problems that test skills ranging fromaddition and subtraction to patterns, estimation, and logic, children can savethe day and rescue Aladdin and his friends from the forces of evil. A wickedgenie named Bizarrah has escaped from her lamp and has captured Jasmine, Abu, and Aladdin in Agrabah. Players must do the math to put an end to Bizarrah,once and for all.

Movie-quality animation and an astounding number of multilevel, age-appropriatemath games make this software a classic. Whether kids are playing the DungeonGames, Agrabah Games, Magical Carnival Games, or Pyramid Games, they'll love thechallenging gameplay and adventure this unique software offers.

Games range from Yazoul's Number Wall, which has kids making mental computationsby using addition and subtraction skills, to a fast-paced virtual marble game,Square Up, where geometry and logical reasoning rule as kids race the carnivalbarker by being the first to create squares in a challenging grid screen.Noflying carpet required, just bring along your math skills for hours ofchallenging math fun. (Ages 6 to 9) --Tina Velgos ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Excellent math practice
My son received this when he was 6 years old. He played with it constantly. He helped his 5 year old sister play with him. Today he is 8 and still loves playing at a higher skill level. The attraction for my kids is that their goal is to get the pieces of the magic lamp from which Bizarra escaped. Once they get the pieces, they can capture her. To accomplish this, they have to play various math games to free their friends and get the pieces. They get basic math skill practice and have fun doing it. Even after they've accomplished their goal, they can come back and play any game they want or start a new game. They get practice in basic addition, geometric shapes, sequences, matching patterns, etc.

Pretty but limited
I bought this for my almost 7 year old and played it a little alone first. I thought the graphics were great, and the games seemed interesting enough... BUT.... I didnt realize there was so little to the game. My quick peek at it actually was almost to the end of it. Basically there are only 14 games (I think that's right) and once you've played them... its over. It took my son less than 2 hours to play this game (would have been faster but it was sometimes a bit slow changing screens, and we have a 1gig/Athalon pc.) He liked it cuz he's goal oriented, and solving the story makes it more interesting to him than the ones where you do tasks for no particular reason. But ... what now? A few more hours at different levels and we'll be done with this game....

Does run under NT 4.0
While the package says it is for Win 95/98, it does install and run under NT 4.0 (saying its NT 3.0 and I might have problems with NT) on my Dell 7500 laptop. The installer does want you to change to 256 color mode, but runs okay in 65,536 (16-bit) color mode.

My 8 year old son loves this program.

Do math in Aggrabh
I am horrid at math, and still enjoy this game. While it can be hard, once you get used to it you won't want to quit. You'll want to keep going so you can save Aggrabah from the evil genie who has been unleashed. The only problem is that there is no refrense whatsoever in the plot here to the plot of the movie.

Great thinking skills!
This CD helps kids build a variety of math skills, including addition and logical thinking. The different levels are good, but what I really love is how you can move around and play your favorite games again and again. The only negative is there is no subtraction practice. But kids learn without even realizing it. This is great. I wish there were more like it! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Make way for Babyz! Adopt an adorable virtual kid in this amazing, playful simulation of child rearing from the company that brought you Catz and Dogz. Each Babyz (that's singular, too) is darling and unique--choose one of fifteen to adopt or, if none of them is just right, check out their Web site with plenty more to pick from, changing every day.

You can have up to three in one house, and then the fun begins. Name your Babyz, clothe them, give them toys, feed them, watch them play in the backyard, or just give them a tickle when they look bored. The software runs both like a normally selected program and as a screensaver--if you're not careful, the Babyz will take over your screen when you're not looking!

The graphics are playful and imaginative, the costumes are cute, and the house itself is full of stuff for the Babyz to explore. The package comes with a headset microphone and voice-recognition software so you can even talk to your Babyz--or teach them to speak. Short, simple words will start yammering back at you before long, and you'll wonder how you ever lived without a babbling Babyz in your computer. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Good, yet bad
This game is okay, I suppose. You basically adopt cute little babyz and take care of them. You change their diapers, feed them, put them to sleep, etc. You can dress up your babyz in all kinds of clothing too. As time passes the babies will grow older, and learn to walk and talk. You can talk to them using a microphone and the software included in the game. They will recognize your voice and will learn from you speaking. The babyz also have their own personalities... some like mushed peas for food, others like mushed carrots. The babyz will cry if you ignore them, and believe me, you don't want them crying!

It is fun... for a while. When I first played it took me a while to get the microphone software to actually work. The game will freeze too. My game used to work fine, but now it won't work if I try to go to the kitchen. It will then shut down. Since the kitchen is where all the food is, that's a problem. Finally, after a while, the games gets really dull.

Cute idea, fun for a while, but it eventually gets boring.

The best game!
This game is a lot of fun! You can take care of virtual babyz! You can feed them, bathe them, diaper them and rock them to sleep. You can also talk to them by using a microphone attached to the computer! I love this game! I play it all the time! It is very fun, especially for kids, like me, ages 6-12! You won't be bored with this game!

Wonderfull SoftWare Game I every played
Me and my sister have had this game for 2 years.Its very fun and you can go other websits to get more food,clothes,toys,ect.When I read some of the reviews about no being able to get back into the kitchen and your babyz get sick,I decdei that when i get the game I will use the toybox as a first aid kit.It work until my counis came over and starter to take everything out.then one day something happen and we could not get in the kitchen.It took six month's just for us to get back in to the kitchen.Our older couis show:This is what you do first if you want to keep the babyz that you have save them on a disk than exit babyz.Second go to my computer,programs files,mindscape.Three go to babyz and delete EVERYTHING ON BABYZ than go all the back until you reach babyz and delete than reinstalle it.Or u could unstalle than reinstalle.It work for us and our babyz are not sick again what a relife

YOU SHOULD BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!
THIS IS THE BEST GAME EVER.THE BABYS R SO CUTE.U CAN ADOPTED UP 2 3 BABYS.I PLAY THE GAME ALL DAY.THE BABYS GET SICK.THERE LIKE REAL BABYS.I RECCOMEND THIS GAME FOR AGES 7 AND UP

Just as good as Dogz or Catz!
This game is bascilly just taking care of your baby!You can eiter adopt a boy or girl,and you can have as many as you want!You can name them,and dress them up,feed them,bathe them,play with them(Like outside,or playroom)and etc.I think this is a fun and cool game to play,like the microphone you can use to talk to the babies.You can teach them words!My babies know how to say mommy and ball so far,Hey it took awhile.So get this game!It's fun for everyone. ... Read more