Features

• Based on the Scooby Doo 2 movie
• Gather clues, set traps, use disguises
• Fight off creepy monsters from the past
• Game levels based on the movie
• For 1 player

Reviews (1)

Mystery Fun!!!
This game is so mysteriously fun! I can't wait to finish the whole game. There are a lot of cool monsters to fight, and my favorite character to be is Daphne Blake. There are tons of clues that you have to find, and it's kind of a hard game to play, which is good because games that are too easy are boring. Oh, I almost forgot, you can find cool Scooby-Doo 2 toys at Burger King in their Kids' Club Meals. I hope you enjoy the video game as much as I do. By the way, I'm going to see Scooby-Doo 2 the movie tomorrow after school. Gotta go play the game now - see ya! ... Read more

Features

• Save Bikini Bottom from the evil Plankton's most diabolical plot ever
• Play as SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star, Sandy Cheeks, Squidward, Mr. Crabs, or Gary
• 5 huge worlds to explore--each filled with mini-games, puzzles, and trivia
• Collect special hidden items to unlock bonus games
• Authentic voices from the cartoon

Reviews (10)

Fun 4 Kids
There are tons of mini games in this SpongeBob game (I think there are like 30 total). My favorite section is the Trivia which has questions on all of the Main Characters. I would reccomend this game for kids between the ages of 6-10.

Fun kids game, but short
My 5-year old LOVES Spongebob, and definitely enjoys the game. There are three (or four?) areas that have a series of challenges; you have to complete each before moving on to the next. Once you have completed them all, you can go back and play whichever games you like the most. I don't see this as a favorite among older kids (9 and up) -- it could get a bit boring. And younger kids need help with some of the challenges and the trivia games. But, if your expectations are reasonable, it's a cool little game.

Better than the first few.
As each Spongebob game is released, it is generally better than the last. This one is no exception. The game itself resides with less storage space than previous games. The load time between sequences is faster. The game is tad longer than employee of the month, which was a relatively long game. The graphics are of little issue, as they are replications of the cartoons, so they can change very little. As far as installation issues, i had none. People with installation issues should look at their systems first before assuming it is the game. So many situations are caused not by the game, but by the system it is on. Troubleshoot. In any case, this program never crashed for me. It ran beautifully and was great fun for myself and my 5 year old son to play. I would recommend this to any Spongebob fan.

VERY FUN GAME!!!
I BOUGHT THIS GAME A WEEK AGO AND I really enjoyed it
THERE IS FIVE PLACES TO GO(THE CHUM BUCKET KELP FOREST DOWNTOWN BIKINI BOTTOM FLYING DUTCHMAN"S GRAVEYARD AND MERMALAIR)
ALL OF THE PLACES HAS COOL MINIGAMES PUZZLES AND TRIVIA
PLUS IT HAS TONS OF VIDEO CLIPS
I RECOMMEND THIS GAME FOR TEN OR YOUNGER
IT KEPT ME PLAYING FOR HOURS :)
RATED E FOR EVERYONE
...

Changed my mind
Don't know why they will not let you enter a review without at least one star????
After reading the reviews I have changed my mind about buying the Battle For Bikini Bottom. I will take this off my wish list and look for something else for my 5 year old to play. Thanks reviewers. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Anyone who enjoyed the hilarity of Pixar's Finding Nemo movie will be tempted to pick up one of the two games that star everyone's favorite clownfish. Both games feature original voice work by the outstanding Nemo cast, including the pitch-perfect Albert Brooks, Willem Dafoe, and Ellen DeGeneres. Each game also has a selection of cut-scenes from the movies, shown when tasks are well done. The difference between the two games is that Nemo's Underwater World of Fun was created (says the box) for children four and over, and is by far the simpler of the two Nemo titles.

In Nemo's Underwater World of Fun, players have six mini-games to choose from, along with a section where kids can make music by clicking on members of the Tank Gang (Bubbles, Jacques, and the rest). In a section that resembles an ocean-bound Frogger, Nemo must swim with the turtles, avoiding obstacles and collecting items. Other activities include a shark-run shell game and a very difficult Pong-like segment called "Feeding Frenzy," where Nemo has to bounce kelp balls off obstacles and walls to reach Bruce's mouth.

Both Nemo games have two big drawbacks. First, computer owners with less than state-of-the-art machines will experience stutter and delay when the movie segments appear (which will disappoint kids, so be sure to check the system requirements carefully). Also, each game only offers about one hour of original gameplay (kids who repeat sections will, obviously, play longer).

Of the two games, Nemo's Underwater World of Fun is the weaker,mainly because it doesn't follow the ups and downs of the plot that made the movie so enjoyable. The age requisite, too, seems arbitrary: neither game teaches any particular educational skills (other than pattern matching and hand-eye coordination). For anyone over five, the other game, called simply Finding Nemo is a better choice. But both are loaded with the movie's charms, including an appearance by our favorite character, the sea turtle named Crush. Does everybody have their exit buddy? Okay, dude, you're ready to play.--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

• First adventure-style Thomas and Friends computer game follows video & book format
• Chapter-based play lets kids play at their own pace
• Explore 11 locations around the Island of Sodor
• New storyline starring beloved Thomas and Friends characters
• Gameplay encourages critical thinking and fosters listening and memory skills

Reviews (8)

Don't use this if you have a Windows 98 computer!
This software crashes upon startup on my Windows 98 computer. Though not a computer expert, I think it has something to do with requiring video drivers that aren't compatible with Windows 98; that is, drivers only available for newer versions of Windows.

After spending four hours trying to get the compatible drivers onto my computer, my display was so destroyed that I had to restore back to a previous version of the operating system to make it work again.

The other Atari Thomas games have worked great on our Win98 computer, and today, most people have XP machines. But if you're in the Windows 98 minority, stay away from this game!

Saves the Day? Save your money, instead
As a recent release from Atari/Infogrammes, it seems like this series is steaming towards a the scrapheap. Other releases -- The Great Festival Adventure, Building the New Line, or the keyboard add-on Railway Adventures are all better than this, and progressively have gotten worse. While some attempt at making this series more "educational" is somewhat laudable, the actual options for game play and interactivity have gotten simpler and less interesting for my 3.5 year old son.

Thomas Wastes The Day
Hang your head in shame Atari, this game is terrible. Did they do any testing at all with the intended age group? My five year old is not interested in this game at all -- there's nothing compelling about it. My three year old liked the "chocolate factory" section for about 10 minutes, then never looked for this game again. If you're looking for Thomas, go for the "Festival Adventure" CD, that's definitely the best of the lot, with great graphics. Don't waste your time or money with this one.

The worst game we ever bought
I can't believe how disappointing this is. It is not intuative at all. There aren't enough instructions as you move through the story method. It seems like you're just sent on a wild goose chase. The games are too simple and not at all educational. The activities are for 2 yr olds. What's with the chocolate factory? They could at least ask the child to pick a certain colored sugar.
You'll kick yourself for buying this.

Not terrible, anyway...
I thought perhaps some of the other reviews were a little harsh. I bought this for my son who is 2 1/2 and it is a little over his head. Mostly I have to help him navigate his way through, though he has improved his mouse skills with the Harold the Helicopter game. I agree it is probably more for 4 year olds. Certainly this is not as educational as reader rabbit, but the graphics are terrific and it makes my son smile. Any avid Thomas fan will enjoy, though it may not be a necessity for others. ... Read more

Features

• Solve real-world math challenges to make uniquely entertaining stores successful again
• 15 math activities and 10 math missions; 3 complete grades of math
• Arcade with 7 games to play; earn money to open your own arcade
• 3 levels of play automatically adjust according to your child¿s progress
• Automated personal education tutor; progress report

Reviews (2)

Great software
I bought this for my 8-year-old to spend more time practicing math. My son likes math and he likes playing this software. He asks to play it rather than needing to be prodded, as he was with the Math & Science Excelerator I bought for the same purpose. Even the neighborhood kids come to play it with him. I would also recommend it for kids having trouble with math as it puts the concepts into visual perspective, rather than just repeating equations.

Fantastic math software
Our family loves this program! It has a lot of content, bright graphics, and even a simulation game when kids do enough activities, which means they can open up their own arcade, buy games for the arcade, and manage it. This software has tons of activities that are all quite good. In terms of education, there are so many math concepts that the program explores. Very kid friendly software. A+ all the way. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

With this playset, kids can actually drive Thomas the Tank Engine, toothis horn, switch tracks, link him to other trains, and engage in all manner ofUsefulness, the chief currency of the Island of Sodor. The Thomas-shaped plasticplayset straps easily over standard keyboards (not ergonomic ones or laptops). Ared throttle moves Thomas forward or backward along the track. A green leverswitches tracks to change direction. A yellow whistle noisily announces Thomas'sarrival and also helps him link and uncouple with other trains. Finally,Thomas's smiling face is a button that can be pushed to get hints and friendlypatter. These four simple controls make this an inspired CD-ROM that will suit awide range of ages. Toddlers will love simply throttling Thomas around thetracks, while older kids will enjoy games that encourage spatial skills,decision making, and problem solving.

The four main games are wonderful,involved exercises. They all involve Thomas being helpful: finding "ImportantSupplies"; locating the "Missing Mail Truck," then helping to sort its mail;rescuing stranded passengers in "All Aboard," then making sure they are properlyticketed and delivering them safely to their destinations; and rebuilding anavalanche-damaged track in "It's a Landslide!"

These games are somewhatcomplex: in the landslide game, kids must switch tracks, couple Thomas with theTroublesome Trucks, haul rocks up mountains, signal Harold the Helicopter tounload the rocks, then deliver the empty trucks to James for hauling away.Thomas's water supply must be watched and replenished during this strenuouswork. And after the rocks are in place, there's still work to do! Only afterkids go to another screen to collect flatbeds and track pieces from Cranky theCrane, then deliver those parts to the mountaintop, is the job done.Phew!

Also, if players abandon a game without completing it, they can't accessany of the four mini games (which are mazes and races), and Sir Topham Hatt willchide in his chipper manner: "There's still a lot of work to be done!" This isnot a CD-ROM for the lazy, and fortunately, the folks who made it didn't use anyshortcuts either. Older systems without a lot of storage space may have troubledigesting this graphics-heavy program, but for us the program chugged along likeThomas himself, and the action on the screen corresponded smoothly with whatevercontrol was being used on the playset. "Builds a work ethic" isn't one of thefeatures mentioned on the box, but this diligent program and playset could putyoungsters on the right track. (Ages 3 and older) --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Good game
I read all the reviews on this Thomas Computer game and dispite the bad ones I still purchased it for my four year old son who is crazy over anything "Thomas the Train". It has never locked up on me and I had no troubles at all installing it on top on my keyboard. (although you do have to get it perfectly in the right spot which can be a little tricky) Once installed it doesn't shift or fall off the keyboard and the program works just fine. My son loves this game. It is by far a favorite of his and he has quite a few computer games in his growing collection. He reaches for it time after time. My 6 year old daughter plays with it and she seems to like it as well so it's not just for the little boys out there! The graphics are real cute and they love driving the trains, dropping the passengers off at the station and doing the different jobs involving the railroad. I would say this is a good game for any child between the ages of 3 and 7. In my opinion, any child under 3 years of age are to young for computer games anyway and any child older then seven will find this game to be to babyish for them. One downfall to this game that I had read in another review which is true....it is hard to exit the game. You have to complete the job in order to do so which is a bit of a pain and a little time consuming. Other then that I rate this game 5 stars because ANY toy that can keep my kids entertained for more then 30 minutes and that is played with again and again and again.... I feel was a good purchase and money well spent.

Great fun for our 4 y.o. boy (and his dad)!
Our son loves this game so much (he received it for his birthday two days ago), we can hardly get him to do anything else! Even adults will enjoy assisting the child "drive" Thomas and complete the chores given to Thomas by Sir Topham Hat. Your child will see the stations, the other engines, listen to Thomas speak to him (or her), and even see Thomas from above at certain points (e.g., entering a station). Most views are from "inside" Thomas, and I think it's a particularly nice touch to see Thomas' firebox burning. Warning: The gamepiece only fits on regular keyboards, not ergonomic ones (i.e., those split-looking keyboards). I recommend this product highly if your child is a Thomas fan. PS - it will install on Windows XP, which I understand has been a problem for some other Thomas games.

Extremely disappointing
We bought this for my five year old last year, and it was just a miserable experience from the beginning. The playset that straps onto the keyboard is not always cooperative, and once that issue is addressed, the software itself is difficult to follow for my son or for me! He became extremely frustrated after a few tries and it wound up being a very costly mistake. Avoid this one!

Every Thomas the Tank Engine Fan's Dream!
My sons are in love with Thomas. We have the wooden trains, the table, everything! But when we found this Railway Adventures Playset in bookstore for just ..., you can imagine how we felt when we got home and installed it on the pc!

I felt as though we'd hit the lottery or gotten over on the bookstore. This toy/pc game is so awesome. Your child will actually get to engineer Thomas all around the island of Sodor.

Even my husband and I have found each other dring Thomas. The picture/vdo quality is absolutely stunning, and having a real console to drive makes this game absolutely incredible. You also get to interact with many of the other Thomas characters.

This is a must by for Thomas fans or simply train lovers.

Latorial Faison, Poet & Author
...

Must have for thomas "FANATIC" kid
My 4 and half year old lives for Thomas and has for two years now. Nothing interest him more then Thomas and evey conversation leads back to Thomas or trains eventually. If you have a kid anything like mine then this is a must have!

There is nothing I can say negative about this toy. It introduces computer skills while allowing him to play with his favorate pal. I have been able to seg-way into other computer pre-school games with a more learning emphasis, by use of this fun toy. I like to play it myself.

The graphics are great. The instructions simple but the tasks are not. Your child will need help if he has no computer skills or isn't a good listner. But once he has done the task once, he be able to do it by himself again soon and with the log on screen, his adventure will be just a bit different each time.

Every time a child masters a tasks he is able to print out a certificate with his name on it.

Just great. Love it. The only problem I've had with my son is getting him off the game at bed time. There are tears and he says, "I miss Thomas." ... Read more

Features

• Search for power, experience, and riches needed to build a castle and become king
• Navigate your knight in various transports over vast plains, forests, mountains, and chasms
• Free captured people from goblins, liberate & defend castles, and compete against knights
• To get crowned king, penetrate Dragomont's lair and imprison his dragon

Reviews (26)

mediocre software for avid Rescue Heroes fans only
Meteors have hit the planet, resulting in a series of widely scattered emergencies that require the Rescue Heroes to intervene -- and they need your help!!

The graphics are good, the intro is exciting .... but after that the game is totally mediocre. Four activities have three levels of difficulty, but they are quite tedious no matter what level you play. (1) Move around a water maze to rescue people in a flooded movie studio, and shoot a life preserver over a moving line of floating objects. (2) Navigate a maze on a rock face as you rescue stranded climbers while avoiding vicious eagles and snakes. (3) Aim a hose at brush fires so you can find and rescue animals on an African preserve. (4) Snowboard down a ski slope without hitting the shrubbery so you can dig people out from under an avalanche.

The hype is here, but the games are very boring. Your child has little flexibility or independence when performing tasks, and those tasks probably use only 2% of your child's brain power. For example, in order to dig people out of the avalanche, you click on the snow cave over and over, it doesn't matter where, until the person trapped within tells you how great you are -- and every time it's the same person in the snow cave. Each game is rather mindless in this way. There is little reasoning required and no skills acquired.

This is lame software that has neither educational value nor excitement. When there are so many worthwhile children's software titles out there, don't waste your money or your child's time on this lazy stuff. It may be worthwhile for the truly avid Rescue Heroes fan, but even that is doubtful. This was our first Rescue Heroes title. It is also our last.

Lava Landslide
I gave this game to my son as an early birthday present. He's almost four and loves the Rescue Heroes. The reviews I read were mixed so I decided to buy it anyway. I'm really glad I did. Sure it's challenging, but it's a good excuse for the parents to get involved. First I did the hard parts for him, to show him what needed to be done. Then I guided him through them and finally he ended up doing it all by himself. He was so proud when he accomplished the hard tasks that he couldn't do at first!

Unlike most computer games this one requires the use of the arrow keys instead of the mouse. Well, it's always nice to learn new skills.
I can't wait to give my son the two other RH games I baught for his birthday. I have no doubt he'll love them too.

Inaginext Pirate Raider
I gave it a 1 because they did not have a 0, to give. I bought this game for my son and I try to install it and it tells me that it has encountered an error. I go to the web site and it tells me what to do with that error, but after I do what it told me it does the same error thing again. My son and I both got so frustrated and finally gave up. I am returning it to the place where I purchased it for a full refund. Good luck for those of you that also bought this Horrible Game.

Frustrating game for my almost 5 yr. old
I agree with other reviews that the mouse clicking is very difficult. It's difficult to maneuver the men around. My son tried for a few minutes, became so frustrated, I finished the one mission, but couldn't get him to do any more. Would recommend the I Spy software - ages 6-10, but he loves it! Don't have to know how to read.

Yeah Pirate Raider!
My 7-year-old LOVES this game. He'd play from sun up to sun down if I let him. I hear him cheering and clapping in the other room and he's having so much fun!
I'm VERY anti-violence, so when he got this game I was concerned. I was pleased to discover that although the ships sometimes fire on each other, no people are ever involved. This makes it so much more abstract and less about killing. When you capture forts, you fire on canons only and never see people. When you capture other ships, your knife is used only to chop up fruit that's thrown at you by skeletons. Once you capture their gold, you're on your way to fulfill another mission.
Frankly, this game is so much fun I have to admit to playing it myself! ... Read more

Features

• Join SpongeBob and Patrick on an epic and comedic quest to unexplored territory
• 3 playable characters: SpongeBob SquarePants, Plankton, and Mindy (new)
• Make the perilous journey to Shell City; huge 3D worlds based on the movie
• Authentic voice talent and special cameo appearances
• Non-linear game play allows players multiple paths for completing main objectives

Features

• Action-packed first-person cyberpunk thriller with intense shooter and role-playing elements
• Go anywhere, do anything--the game adapts to the player's play-style and strategy
• Tools and biomods enable the player to see through walls, run faster than cars, leap 40 feet in the air, and more
• A new benchmark for graphics, sound and physics

Reviews (67)

WOW agh cant wait
incredibly long deus ex review
i dont get it, everyone hates the fuzzy look yet to me it makes it that much more authentic finishing off the edges of objects..
i havent played the game but the demo graphics were truly amazing, incredible, awesome and uber. If you cant afford the amazing comp you'l need to play it then dont bother buying it...duh..
this games stunning graphics coupled with the immense havok physics engine makes the game get as close to the real world as youl get at the moment, until halflife 2 anyway. I mean the ai created a sorta barricade of soldiers near a doorway i had to pass, i saw them assemble through the wall
just in case your wondering what im running it on, im using a
athlon xp 3000+
1024 ddr ram
256mb radeon 9800pro
maxtor hard drive 120gig
now i dont know what kinda computers you people have got, but dont diss the game PLEASE! you give it a bad name when the game deserves more than that. As i say ive only played the demo but i love this game its too bad its not out in england yet.....
what ive gone on is the demo play alone, so what the games gonna be like i cant imagine, the plot, the extra weapons, the supposed being able to meld your own choices, yet to be confirmed to me and the rest of course.

In conclusion, this game is so much better than any other game on the market !at the moment!. it'l quickly be put behind with the line of games that are coming soon that work on lower end pcs and are better in every way.

but if you own an amazing pc,, dont miss out

If you own a bad, weak, average pc its not for you wait for hl2!

agh damnit, i have to write essay's smaller than this at school why cant they all be this easy?!

Disappointing and buggy (version 1.0)
If you've played the first Deus Ex, chances are you will be a little disappointed with is predecessor. There are a some improvements, however. DX2 adds real-time shadows, which makes some of the environments a little more immersive than the first game. There are also some sub quests that characters within the game will give you. I got a solid 12 hours of play out of the game.

Now the bad stuff. The AI is deplorable; the characters and enemies simply don't have realistic responses. Once you have a few of your biomods maxed, there is no competition. I double-crossed characters throughout the game with no consequences. The physics engine is a distraction if anything. There is no apparent difference in weight of the various objects. The story is boring and undeveloped, as are the characters. When it came time to complete the game, I really didn't care what the outcome was. The dubbing is typically cheesy.

The engine doesn't seem so great. Levels take FOREVER to load and are pretty small. This kills the effect of being in a world because you have to wait 20-30 seconds for a different part of the map to load every few minutes. There are a bunch of rendering problems which create visual artifacts (Radeon 9700 Pro). When I killed the final character and the cut scene began to play, the game crashed and corrupted my files. It also locked up several times after a few hours of play

There is no god in this machine.
The original Deus Ex was an incredible game. Although each of its individual parts (the action, the graphics, the stealth) had been outdone by numerous other games, it managed to mesh them together into something much greater, thanks to superior writing, characterization, and immersiveness.

This game is not Deus Ex.

The plot of this game is practically identical to that of Deus Ex, except it makes you think even less of the issues at stake. No matter which side you support or actions you take, they have NO relevance until you near the end of the game. The characters are limp and lifeless compared to the first game, and the recurring ones are shadows of their former selves. I couldn't find myself CARING, though I did try. The plot consists of running to and fro doing things not because they're important to you, but because others tell you to do so. The non-linearity is a joke, and despite what the hype implies, you have no control over the storyline except at the end. Game-critical characters are STILL rendered invulnerable in lame ways (people shut down your weapons or when you enter the area. Including batons and other melee weapons. How does THAT work?). Anyone you can kill is simply not important to the story, or has outlived their usefulness.

The game allows you to play a male or female Alex D, but this is really nothing but a cosmetic issue (a couple of lines of dialogue by NPCs change, but that's it). Neither model looks particularly good, and lacks the "personality" of JC from the first game.

The graphics have a brief "neat" factor, but are nothing special. The lighting is superior to most games, but the textures, models, and movements feel stark, bland, and artificial. In some ways, the same charge could be leveled at the first game, but the time put into creating this new engine was not time well spent.

The smaller size of the levels (due to the hardware limitations of the XBox compared to PC) gives you a feeling of claustrophobia, and requires numerous level loads. Not only is the constant interruption disruptive to any feeling of immersion, but the loads can take around 30 seconds of waiting, AND the game consistently minimized during loading, showing off my desktop until it was ready to load. Total failure to captivate me. Level design is fair, but nothing special. The small size of the levels means exploration is easy, short, and not very entertaining.

The skill system has been removed altogether from the game, as has the traditional augmentation system, replaced by the "biomod" system. You may select different biomods for 5 slots (2 "normal biomod" possibilities, and 1 black market). The biomods are merely convenient little tricks in DX: IW, but not even close to critical in the way you play the game, minor "powerups" instead of demonstrations of your superhuman nature.

Inventory has been drastically changed. Instead of shuffling your gear around (which was sometimes an annoyance in the first game), you are granted a number of inventory slots, each slot capable of holding ANY object. Whether it's 5 rocket launchers, or 5 knives, they use up the exact same amount of space. It feels contrived and tends towards the inconvenient.

Universal ammo and weapons. The UA concept seems to attract universal hatred, and rightly so. All weapons use the same ammo (although different amounts of it), which means if you run out of ammo for one gun, you're screwed unless you have a melee weapon for backup. There is no reloading, either, which makes the game blander.

The game allows you to add 2 modifications per weapon, although these modifications have no visual effect, nor do they really contribute any "cool" factor to them.

The weapons are not well-balanced, either. The small size of the levels removes the necessity of the sniper rifle, the SMG eats through lots of ammo while doing less damage than the pistol, and it takes several seconds to render anyone unconscious with the riot prod (as opposed to quick thwack with a melee weapon) My secret to success in the game was in using nothing but the police baton. And without sneaking. That's right, I'd run up and hit things with the baton and take them out. From soldiers to giant battlebots...the baton took them all in just a few hits. This is wrong.

The length and depth of this game is extremely shallow. I finished it in about 10 hours after completing all the sidequests, and there was maybe only an hour or two of replay value. There are some news terminals and "datacubes" (universal replacement for books, newspapers, etc.), which have some neat things to say, but compared to the first game, they are sorely lacking. No longer do you punch in PIN numbers and such, the game does it for you. There are no more lockpicks, only multitools, which kills that kind of variety. The game has devolved into a simple substandard action shooter, with a few gimmicks that have been done better elsewhere.

From a hardware perspective, this game is terrible. My machine is a 3Ghz, 512MB RAM, 64MB ATI Radeon Mobility card (laptop), and even on the MINIMAL settings, I ran into consistent choppiness. When I did turn all settings to max (for grading the graphics), it became a LONG slideshow. I am sure that XBox players would have a better time of it, the PC version of DX: Invisible War is merely a port of that version.

Compared to the first, this game is a MAJOR disappointment, and I would urge those lucky enough to play the first to save their money, unless they wish to collect IW in a bargain bin. The failed attempts to "streamline" and convert the game to XBox specifications go only to prove that less is...less. But despite all the negative criticism I have given in this review, the game is not TERRIBLE, just "fair".

Beware of compatibility problems
If you think you've got a nice, relatively new computer, therefore you should be able to play Deus Ex. Be careful and read the video card support list very carefully. I have a Dell Dimension 2.4 gHz machine with a Geforce 4MX video card. Deus Ex will not play on this video card. Your card must have Pixel shader 1.1 capability to run. I bought the game and it will not work on my machine. I fell into this trap because I didn't know what the exact video card in my machine was. I assumed that, because it was relatively new and not bottom of the line, it would run pretty much any game out there. Live and learn. Don't make the same mistake as I did.

I'm rather discusted with the deus ex creators. I've been eagerly waiting for this game and now I can't play it. They didn't even give me the option of defeating pixel shading. So what if it wouldn't look as nice, at least I would be able to play it.

Oh well, The reviews I have read say it was a real disappointment anyway. I'm just glad I didn't run out and buy it for $50 when it was first released. I only got stuck for $20.

I guess this game will sit on my shelf until I upgrade my system in a few years. Hopefully it will be compatable with the system I buy then.

Just Short of Perfection
The rumors were true: Deus Ex was the greatest game ever to grace the video/computer game market. Any attempt to follow up with a sequel would be an uphill battle. In a way, Eidos succeeded. Invisible War is slick sci-fi action RPG. The graphics are a tremendous update from the original, and the levels and characters offer greater interaction. The weapons are even more customizable, allowing you to turn a pistol into a silent glass-shattering tranq gun, or refit your Uzi to spew explosive shrapnel and use half the ammo.

However, while some aspects of the gameplay have been enhanced, others have diminished. Most notable is the storyline. While Deus Ex put forth a clear struggle of establishment vs. freedom fighters vs. secret society, Invisible War basically has you choose sides between 4 power-hungry factions, with oddly similar ideologies. There is no "for the good of the people" or "preserve the world" faction - in the end, you will be helping to put a single person or group of people in charge of the world.

However, if you go into this game looking for just an enjoyable romp, and not something to top the original, you will be in for a treat. Recommended for action enthusiasts and RPG fans. ... Read more

Features

• Intense space combat set outside the classic Star Trek world
• Pilot 10 unique space craft never seen before
• 19 incredible levels
• Amazingly detailed environments
• For 1 player

Reviews (17)

An innovating and suprisingly fun game, but not without flaw
Truth be told, this game is the first "fighter" game of it's type.

The premis of the game is simple. The USS Excelsior, commanded by Captain Hikaru Sulu responds to a distress call from two federation ships, one being the USS Enterprise..oddly..under the command of Pavel Chekov. Somehow, the Excelsior is pulled into the alternate universe, and runs right into the ISS Enterprise, commanded by an evil Pavel Chekov. Chaos ensues for nearly 20 missions.

This game has many good points. The graphics, sound and music as well as the story line are all top notch, and deserve praise. Many Original Series moments are duplicated in the mirror universe in top form, and the capital ships are very difficult to destroy with a fighter, as they should be.
However....

The games flaws keep it from gaining a 5 star rating. The game is insanely difficult even on easy. the Imperial Fleet seems to be made up of only three classes of ships, the Refit Constitution Class, the Miranda class and an unamed Destroyer class. In all the missions, the capital ships never slug it out, you never see photon torpedos and phasers being fired between the Excelsior and the enemy ships, the only thing they do is take random pot shots at fighters.

Both Sulu and Chekov are voiced by the actors that played them, a big, big plus.

I would recommend this game for any trek fan, but be aware of it's errors before you simply jump in head first without thinking.

Disappointed Star Trek Fan
I love Star Trek in its many forms. I am 38, I grew up with Star Trek. Unfortunately,..

1. This game is difficult enough that the what fun there could have been is sucked out of it. The controller configurations are not intuitive, it takes a lot of effort to get used to them, I finally choose the second configuration. The missions are very very long, and they typically cresendo to very difficult challenges at the end. If you fail, and you will until you figure out the best strategy, you go all the way back to the beginning of the mission. What happened to intermediate save points?

2. Nice graphics but after getting over the excitement of protecting the Federation, I noticed that the missions involved the same kind of action really, and it became boring and incredibly tedious.

3. How many times has this storyline been rehashed. Let it go already.

This game looks pretty for a while, but it takes advantage of Star Trek fans. We deserve better, especially for the money.

I wanted to love this game, but I just cant.

Should have heeded the warnings
I went ahead and bought this game, despite the repeated onine warnings against it.

While I actually enjoyed the ship graphics (the character CG is terrible), I got terribly frustrated. Even with all the cheats, this game is near impossible to complete. I gave it a month, on and off, and finally got rid of it.

Unless you just want the opportunity to blow up original series starships, do yourself a favor and stay far, far away!

A good game...
While this game may not be the best Star Trek related game ever created, (...) it is an entertaining game. Certainly, it is a good starting point for X-Box games.
I will say that the battles are mind-bogglingly difficult. So difficult in fact that you will probably take several hours just to get even the smallest victory out of it. (...) Personally, I find this to be the more entertaining aspect of the game, as Captain Sulu screams at you to quit firing.
Overall, while it may not be the best Trek game ever produced, it does have its entertaining moments which make it worth playing.

Not worth the money
(...)

This game is a real-time space fighter/mission oriented game. The back of the box bills it as more of a Capitol Ship combat game, so lets get that first part straight. There are Trekkers out there who will hate the game because of some inconsitancies in the univers, but that is besides the point.

As other reviewrs have said there isn't any way to save the game mid-mission, so if you screw up or just plain die, you have to start over at the beginning of the mission. This feature [gets really bad] when you get deep into some of the more involved levels.
The individual missions are set not to be challenging, but straight up WAY too hard. I am not exaggerating when I say that I have replayed several of the missions almost a dozen times and I was playing on the "easy" setting.
The environment graphics are quite good, spectacular even. The animations of people however leave quite a bit to be desired.
The controls are quite intuitive and easy to grasp. Not a lot of excess controls that you don't need or never use.
There is a lack of helpful targeting controls (i.e. nearest enemy). Your only options are "Nearest Capitol", "Next Target", "Previous Target" or "Next Fighter".
The cut-scenes are good, but in the middle of game-play (when a ship blows up) is not good, especially when you return from it you aren't in the same place you were. Kind of like the game continued for a couple of seconds after the scene started. This may not sound like much, but when you have an enemy locked on, a cut scene starts, and when you come back you have to track them all over again it really [is not good]!
Also, when new messages come in, parts of your on screen display/HUD (which isn't always easy to translate), is covered obscuring necessary information for several seconds (such as distance to target).
There also seems to be a lack of reference to effective ranges of weapons or minimum distances to avoid being blown-up when a starship goes. These you apparently have to find out by trial and error.

And just incase someone from Jack Of All Games reads this, next time leave the fighters out except as maybe an accessory to the ship (not player controlled other than "attack this", "defend that"). Include a save feature in the pause menu. Make the game about starship vs. starship. Fix the above listed problems of controls and game play. And finally, make it playable head to head either on the same console or also on XBox Live. Maybe turn based real-time combat would be a good idea.(...) ... 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

Amazon.com Review

Buzz Lightyear uses arc lasers, hoverboards, and old-fashioned SpaceRanger muscle power as he attempts to save the universe from Emperor Zurg andhis vile minions in this multilevel action game. The mission: chase bad guys,then defeat them.

The game has 14 primary missions that take place in nine different 3-Dlocations. Most of these locales are worlds: Jo-Ad, a pastoral planet; Karn, aswampy world where the ooze slows the action; and Flamar, a planet where playersmust dodge molten lava hazards, are just a few of the wild planets Buzz mustvisit. Players must help Buzz complete each mission before moving on to thenext.

There are two levels of difficulty: Cadet and Space Ranger. As Buzz racesthrough these strange worlds, there are shields, wild modes of transportation,and even teleport machines to help him on his way. The weaponry in this gamewould make Charlton Heston's day: there's a standard issue laser gun, homingplasma guns, iceguns, Gatling guns, arc lasers, and various grenades androckets. We didn't know Buzz was such a shoot 'em up kind of guy!

Though the myriad missions take place in different settings, with differenthazards, this Windows-only game can become boring, since the basic nature ofeach mission is chase and destroy. It's possible to win medals for rescuinglittle green men, and one of the two bonus levels involves finding all of theparts of a robot character (XR) who's been blown to bits, but even these extraelements are still just chase scenes with different motivations.

Attention to detail is missing on this program: Commander Nebula repeats missioninstructions on an endless loop unless the player hits a space bar to interrupt,and even on the highest resolution setting, this game lacks that smooth,flawless Toy Story look. Also, the keyboard user interface wasserviceable for game play, but it was counterintuitive and frustrating when weneeded to change options. We think some of Zurg's minions may be to blame. (Ages8 and up) --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Reviews (3)

To a great game...and Beyond!
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command is a game that follows the old formula:nab the villain and get the points. But oh,how they do it! Weapon names like Blasters and Plasma Ray Gun make me want to pull the trigger. Colorful villains like The Fixer,Nos4A2 (my favorite) and the Evil Emporer Zurg ("Curse you,Buzz Lightyear (for making an excellent game that everyone loves)) are there for the chasing. Animations from the animated TV show spice up between-level time. What more could you want from a Disney game?

This is a cool game!
I really like this game a lot. I am almost 8 years old and love the Disney Action game series. There are 14 fun levels of game-play. Also, you get to defeat the evil Zurg in the final battle. The graphics and 3-D animation are great, but it's kind of hard to figure out how to get past some of the higher levels. Overall, this is a really fun game for fans of Toy Story 2 or the Buzz Lightyear of Star Command cartoon.

Boring
My 71/2 year old grand-niece played it and said it was easier than the 1st grade version. She said it was too simple and boring. My 4 year old grandson played it and it was too hard, but he did enjoy putting the marble track together with help. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Another excellent episode
My daughter and I have loved every Spy Fox game (in fact, every Humongous game), and this one is no exception. Now that it has dropped into the bargain bin price point, there is no reason not to buy it. James Bond-type jokes and spy action, with a completely kid-friendly feel. The box says ages 5 to 8, and that's right - a five-year-old might need you there beside them (which I promise you will enjoy), while a seven or eight-year-old can do it all themselves. They might need you to explain some of the jokes, though. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Join SPY Fox on another exciting adventure. Grab your helmet and help SPY Fox catch Russian Blue, who has stolen the prized Limburger. But staying on Russian Blue's tail won't be that easy as her goons try and stop you and SPY Fox along the way. Professor Quack is there to help though, providing motorcycles, snowmobiles, jet skis, ultralights, and an assortment of SPY gadgets to help recover the treasured cheese.

Kids can play through 100 levels of challenging, arcade-style games. Save games after completing each level and track the progress of up to 75 players. Players can even put their creativity to work by using Professor Quack's Level Builder to construct challenging new levels. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Cheese Chase
This game is really fun. It has 100 levels and many animations along the way. It even comes with a built-in level editor so that you can build your own levels. There's no violence, and this arcade game featuring SPY Fox is very easy to run most of the time. The graphics are simple but good. Russian Blue has stolen the Limburger cheese and SPY Fox must catch her. You can also get this game in the Super Duper Arcade 1 value pack. ... Read more

Features

• An exciting compilation of 6 complete PC games for kids
• Sim Theme Park--create your very own theme park
• LEGO Soccer Mania--customize your team and challenge the opposition
• LEGO Island Xtreme Stunts--5 action-packed extreme stunt games
• Also includes Sim Safari, Sim Town, and Sim Coaster

Features

• Story-based math games for grades K-2
• Explore the city using real-life math skills
• Do fun activities to earn money to play arcade games
• Colorful graphics and fun sounds
• For one player

Reviews (3)

Highly Motivating Learning Tool!
I was impressed with the animation and graphics for this game and even more so the storyline and tasks that motivate kids to want to reach the goal - doing every task in the "city" (to help the merchants with math) so the arcade can open and the player can spend the money he or she has "earned" to play games. My daughter(5 yrs.)is so hooked and her math skills really improved. You can even track your child's progress. My only criticism is that it was a tad bit hard to navigate and figure out how close to the goal she was.

Engaging and makes practical math fun.
My four year old daughter loves this game and would play it every day for hours if I let her. She has really developed some advanced skills just by having a good time. Some of the games require more support from me than others, but overall she is able to do more and more by herself and is definitely learning. I usually type in a new name each time we play so she has to start over with all the math games before she can use the arcade. She loves it so that's no problem. One extra is that there are girl characters on the program, which I appreciate for my daughter.

Amazing software.
Excellent, challenging, fun software for kids! Get this for your first or second grader, and only if your kindergarten child is pretty advanced in math. Offers lots of practice and contains bright and fun graphics that draw kids in. The "mission" also helps keep them playing. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The devious M&M Minis have taken over the candy factory, and it's up toyou to help Yellow get a grip on this candy-coated calamity. Bubbling vats ofchocolate, messed-up machinery, and revved-up robots are only some of the manyobstacles you'll face in this wild driving, surfing, running, and flyingadventure game.

The Lost Formulas puts kids in the driver's seat as they engage in threelevels of play per game, but it's not all fun. There's an "edutainment"component that allows players to practice multilevel math drills (coveringtopics ranging from basic number recognition to addition, subtraction,multiplication and division), all the while going bonkers searching for the lostformulas hidden by the mischievous Minis. "I could play this forever," raved our8-year-old tester as he expertly manned the up-, down-, left-, and right-arrowkeys for the ride of his life. To turbocharge the fun, our tester suggestspressing the ALT key (Command or Apple key on the Mac) to help Yellow "do hisspin attack."

Players can earn extra lives in bonus rounds and play eight zany levels,including:

Get Out of Town: The best arcade driving game we've seen. Here, kids raceYellow and his car through superbly animated cities and suburbs to arrive at thecandy factory. This game makes demolition derbies seem tame.

Milk Chocolate: Vats of bubbling chocolate and crazy robots could spelltrouble for Yellow. Be sure to jump the chasms and land on the platforms withthe correct math answers that match the clues.

Oh, Chute!: Cleverly named, this behind-the-scenes look at the chocolatefactory has kids negotiating conveyor belts, moving machinery, and openingchutes as they boost their math sequencing skills.

Candy Colors: Watch out for the flying color blobs while you fly your waythrough this colorful mess.

Stampin' and Sortin': Dodge the stamping and sorting machines as you run for your sweet life in this cool down round of game play.

Pack It In: Jump on the right candy boxes or else you could be indangerous trouble. This part is what disaster management is all about.

Warehouse Woes: Who says driving a forklift is work? What a hoot!

The Shocking Truth: Get the skinny when you go behind the factory's powercircuits. But don't get zapped in the electrifying final round of game play.

In a nutshell, this fast-paced, cutting-edge CD-ROM plays like a video game, butincludes math drills as an added incentive. Grab this software and a bag ofM&M's for some yummy fun for the whole family. (Ages 5 to 10) --TinaVelgos ... Read more

Reviews (17)

GREAT GAME
I think this game is great for kids 7-13 its a very fun game that builds math skills and helps you learn your addition subtraction and multiplication i recommend this for kids its great

Excellent, Creative Game ****************
I bought this for my son's 4th birthday because he loves the M&M's characters. This is such a cool imaginative game. The graphics are excellent, it's challenging without being too tough, and the music is nicely put together with the different levels. Very entertaining. My son is now 4 1/2 and he has taught me a few things about the game that I even missed. The math levels are also a great thing to get kids to learn without knowing they are. Also, it's very refreshing from some other games that are too violent or serious that are marketed to children.

THE BEST GAME EVER!!
I do not have a copy of this game for myself, but I have played it a lot before. It has great graphics. It's also an awesome game. Explore the M&M's Factory with Yellow as you try to catch all the mini M&M's you can. Run on conveyor belts, hop on crates, dodge evil robots and machines and try your best to beat all eight exiting and fun-filled levels of the game!!!

One of the best!
This is one of the best computer games I have ever played. It isn't easy - that's for sure - but it is so much fun. My 7 year old son is the only one in the family who has gotten through all of the levels - including the bonus levels - but we all enjoy the game. The driving in "Get Out of Town" is a blast!! Well worth the money. This game is a lot of fun. The whole family will enjoy playing it again and again.

DO NOT PURCHASE if you have WIN 2000
I love this game! It's worked wonders for my daughter in speeding up basic math facts. Reccomended for Grade 2+
It IS fast, work with flash cards with your child or else they will be discouraged in not playing this game with the math. Make sure your Graphics/Video Card is UPDATED with drivers, max-out on your memory too really helped.
This game works great on Windows 98 - it does require some tweaking - PLEASE read the Read Me file for solving them.
Now the downside - my husband had to upgrade our system to Win 2000 for his software, and Simon & Schuster does not have any patches for this game.
I emailed them and this was their reply:
Thank you for contacting Simon and Schuster Interactive Technical Support

Unfortunately, this program is not supported on NT or Windows 2000 which is an NT platform. Because of the driver structure of NT, very few programs that use video compression programs such as this one are even rated on NT. I think you would find that the problems would be solved if you installed the program on a 95/98/ME system.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to e-mail us or call the technical support number listed in the documents that came with our product.

Sincerely,
D. L. Monson
S&SI Tech Support ... Read more

Features

• Exciting action-adventure game based on the film storyline
• Take a magical train ride to the North Pole to meet Santa Claus
• Explore 3D environments, including the North Pole and The Polar Express
• Interact with memorable characters from the film
• Play fun mini-games, solve puzzles, and search for lost presents