Amazon.com Product Description

Putt-Putt and Pep are ready to take your kids on the ride of their lives! Today's the big day as our curious little convertible prepares for the Cartown 500. Redline Rick is eager to start the race, but Putt-Putt and Pep need a few items before they are ready to roll. Kids join in the adventure as they explore brand-new Cartown locations like Torvil Tractor's farm and Rover's Rocket Drive-in, looking for a safety helmet for Pep. Old friends like Smokey the Fire Engine and Outback Al help Putt-Putt get to the track in time for the big race. As the grand finale, kids hop behind the wheel for the first time ever as they race their favorite purple car toward the checkered flag at the Cartown Speedway! (Ages 3-8) ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Young children use problem-solving skills in fun format
Putt-Putt is invited to participate in a race. He needs to collect four pieces of equipment to be in the race. By keeping his eyes open, earning some extra money, and helping others in cartown, he is able to gather those materials. My 3.5 yr-old son loves this game. The first few times he played the game, my husband and I played it with him, helping him think through some of the challenges and encouraging him to notice details that could help him towards his goals (e.g., collecting pop bottles to recycle towards money for his racing tires). This was especially important since Max can't read yet, so he wouldn't notice clues such as the "free" sign on the batteries in the toy store, or the "help wanted" sign at the grocery. After three or four games played with us, he was able to start playing the game independently. The challenges vary a little from game to game. Sometimes he earns a helmet by helping a cat out of a tree, other times by hammering nails. There is usually an animal to go research in the library (we help with the reading). The game can be saved, which is great because when Max plays by himself he meanders a bit more through cartown and it helps to break the game up over two or three evenings. Putt-putt models polite language and a positive demeanor. There are no bad guys.

excellent software for kids ready for more advanced games
If your child has played Reader Rabbit and JumpStart and is ready to move on to more advanced gameplay, Humongous Entertainment's Putt-Putt series (and Freddi Fish and Pajama Sam, as well) are an excellent choice. These titles take the cognitive tasks up a notch as children must accumulate specific items, navigate a number of locations, and use their problem-solving skills to help their friends and achieve larger goals. Along the way, kind and gentle Putt-Putt and his dog Pep will meet a number of nice characters, visit a variety of interesting locations and play games as they complete the larger tasks. In Putt-Putt Enters the Race, the overarching goal is to collect the items needed so Putt-Putt can run in the big race, but along the way he will recycle bottles to collect money to buy his tires, visit the library to find out about an animal that needs help, etc. Specifics change if you start a new game, and as other reviewers have stated, you may want to play with your child a few times before they'll be able to enjoy it on their own, so each game is good for hours of fun.

This is a fine game in a great series. We have 5 Putt-Putt titles and enjoy them all.

Even fun for a toddler
My son is only 29 months and too young to really understand the game, but he still loves it. There's enough stuff to just click on and look at. He loves driving around, picking up milk-shakes and soda bottles. He loves the library with the book of rare animals and loves putting different numbers on the flag.

We figure he'll just have fun now and in a year or two, he'll actually play the game.

I will say when he was busy doing something else, we kind of snuck in and removed a few obstacles for him. Okay, I'll be honest. We didn't actually do it for him. My husband and I can't keep our hands off the game. And then my mother came over and she couldn't stop playing either.+

So, I'll say it's a great game whether you're almost 2 1/2 or 55-years-old.

Putt putt enters the race
Any of the putt putt series !!!!
i highly recomend all of them
the kids love them!

Wonderful Game for your 4-7 year old!
My 5 1/2 year old daughter has almost all of the Putt-Putt Series, and LOVES them! Keeps her entertained for Hrs. by also teaching her different skills like memory and listening that she will benefit from as she grows. This is a Definite Recommendation for any child in this age group who loves to play computer games and learn! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Freddi Fish and Luther are saddling up for the Wild West. Cousin Calico's prize-winning hogfish have been fiendishly fishnapped by some hogfish rustlers. Freddi Fish and Luther resolve to find the rustler's hideout, rescue the hogfish, wrangle those rustlers, and discover the identity of the mysterious Mr. Big. Kids help Freddi and Luther bring justice to Briny Gulch as they explore exciting Wild West locations, investigate clues, and meet new characters. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Great game for young kids
My four-year-old son's favorite games over the past year, by far, are the Freddi Fish ones. They are challenging, change a bit every time but maintain enough consistency to be easy to navigate, and are lots of fun. The later games (#4 and up?)have a "save" feature, which is awesome. Highly recommend!

Only Getting Better, A family Favorite
My husband and I both enjoy playing this game. More importantly, our son, age four, really enjoys it. This game encourages creative thinking, problem solving, memory skills and more. One thing I particularly like is that each time you solve the game and it's over, when you begin again, it's like palying a new game. The problems change, the puzzles change, the objects you need to find and collect change.

These games have gotten better with each game.

Well worth the money.
Enjoy

My three year old loves Freddi! Her first pc game
I bought this for my daughter when she was two and a half. We put it in and played with it together for a few months. Just before she turned three, I let her play with it by herself to practice using the mouse. She loves it! The graphics are cartoony and fun, and the verbal instructions given by Freddi are simple. There are so many things to click on in most scenes that it will grab attention. My daughter just practiced using the mouse and getting it to click on the right picture. Now she solves the mystery and completes the game all by herself.
Bottom line:
A great beginner software for three and up.

Freddi Fish 4: The Case of th Hogfish Rustlers of Briny Gulc
Neat idea but my 6 year old loses interest. It is too complicated to keep him involved. We (mom and dad) enjoyed playing it but it took too long to find clues and there were too many levels for him to understand what was happening.

They're getting better
The games seem to improve as you move from #1 to #4. My 5-yr old likes it that each time you play it is slightly different. ... Read more

Features

• Children explore and interact with talking buildings and vehicles, and help friends with important jobs
• Four kid-friendly TONKA vehicles from which to choose
• An area to print achievement certificates and coloring pages
• For Ages 3-6
• For 1 player

Reviews (2)

Download the demo, seems to have graphical issues
Before buying this game I went to the infogrames website and downloaded a demo, I suggest you do the same. Now this really isn't a big issue and since I am not 2, and won't be playing this game it probably doesn't matter to much but the game has graphical problems. For instance, in the demo the truck sometimes appears in front of object that it should appear behind (ie. the crane). It worries me that if the demo has such an obvious flaw then maybe the real game is only worse.

Great Fun for Little Kids
My 2-1/2 year old son loves this game. You can switch between four vehicles and do different activities by driving around Tonka Town. My son especially likes chasing and bumping the bad guys out of town as a police car, putting out the fires as Hook and Ladder fire engine and the race game. There are different levels of the game you can progress through and you can get a certificate everytime you finish a task. I only wish that the game allows you to stay at or adjust to a difficulty level instead of automatically bumping you to a harder level when you finish a task. Although this game may be too easy for kids over 6, I think it's great for pre-schoolers. ... Read more

Features

• Multiple activities reinforce all kinds of crucial learning skills
• Kids will have a great time playing with Mickey, Donald, Goofy and the rest as they learn
• Printable worksheets and flashcards allows parents to bring the learning along with them on a trip
• Ages 3 to 7

Features

• Join the Spy Kids for an exciting learning adventure
• 8 exciting and educational activities; 3 levels of interactive play
• 32-page puzzle book integrates with the CD-ROM game
• Never-before-seen footage from Spy Kids 2 and Spy Kids 3-D
• For kids ages 8 and older

Amazon.com Product Description

Today's the grand opening of the Cartown Zoo, and there's still so much to do: zoo chow is running low, and all the baby animals are missing. Putt-Putt and Pep need your child's help to reunite the little ones with their parents before Outback Al can open the gates. Along the way, they'll swing across alligator-infested rivers, play ice hockey with a polar bear, build a bridge out of icebergs, bop with dancing penguins, and enjoy other adventures. This zoo is full of loyal friends and captivating challenges that are sure to run wild through your child's imagination. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Still a delightful game, though the technology is dated.
This is an incredible bargain. This was a state-of-the-art graphics/game package when we bought it for our kids in '94 or '95 -- and it's such a great game that our 5-year-old still plays it! Really a fun story -- great characters, lots of fun adventures, good music. Lots of games hidden within the adventure. Our kids have liked all of the Humongous titles (Fatty Bear, Putt Putt, Freddi Fish), and they are just incredible bargains when Humongous takes their price down after a couple of years. A can't-miss purchase.

great fun for little game players
If your child has played beginning software like JumpStart and is ready to move on to more advanced gameplay, Humongous Entertainment's Putt-Putt series (and Freddi Fish and Pajama Sam, as well) are an excellent choice. These titles take the cognitive tasks up a notch as children must accumulate specific items, navigate a number of locations, and use their problem-solving skills to help their friends and achieve larger goals. Along the way, kind and gentle Putt-Putt and his dog Pep will meet a number of nice characters, visit a variety of interesting locations and play games as they complete the larger tasks.

In Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo, the overarching goal is to reuntie baby animals with their parents so that the zoo can open, but along the way he will perform a variety of smaller tasks. I would say that the best titles in this series are Putt-Putt Enters the Race and Putt-Putt Joins the Circus, but this one is very good too.

This is a fine game in a great series.

Great Game!
My son just borrowed Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo from a friend. The game sends the player on an adventure through about 20 locations divided into three sections of the zoo. In each section, the player locates baby animals who require items found in other locations in the zoo to rescue them. While it may seem that so many locations would be difficult and time consuming for a young child to navigate, the layout is straightforward and each location has a distinctive look.

My only complaint is that my 4.5 year old initally saved all of the animals with an hour. Unfortunately, the challenges do not change from game to game. You always find the same animal in the same location and use the same tools (found in the same locations) to rescue him/her. That said, my son still loves challenging himself to see how quickly he can get through it now and there are a few cute little hidden games within the game.

Putt-Putt is amazing
On a whim, I picked up this CD for my 3 year-old grandson never having any idea what an amazing piece of programming it really is!

He took to it like a fish to water, even solving problems that the grown-ups missed. Once he solved everything, I assumed that the fun would be over. Wrong! That just let him into another level which he immediately began solving. I have no idea how many levels have been included and won't know until he's solved them all.

Even the credits are pure entertainment. Don't miss them! And don't miss out on this incredible series. I've just now ordered every other Putt-Putt CD that's available through Amazon.

Another Winner!
My kids play this game in long stretches at a time! Tho not as good as Putt Putt Enters the Race, it is still a good one! Worth the money! These games teach the kids to think - but they think they are just playing a game and having fun! Press F1 key to get hints for the game. Enjoy!! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Be prepared: Your child may develop a yellow-sock obsession after discovering this charming, multilingual European CD-ROM. Socks--yellow ones with holes--are the only things that can free Willie, the friendly ghost, from his tower. He eats them to maintain his ghostly powers, and he's terribly hungry. Max must choose whether or not to leave the twilight comfort of his uncle's backyard on a mission to the haunted castle to free the ghost. Fortunately, this spooky spot is more full of delight than dread.

The haunted castle's 13 rooms are cozy, cluttered, and riddled with secret passageways. The object here is simply to search for little yellow socks in this multidimensional storybook world. Click on a rug, and it transforms into a ghostly keyboard, each note a quivering moan. In another room, click on a washing machine, and a grungy ghost flies in, goes through a cycle, and flies out, sparkling white. There's endless fun to be had searching for the all-important footwear; this CD-ROM emphasizes the exploration (there's a ghost in the shower!) that happens on the way to achievement (must get yellow socks!)

As your child helps Max discover new rooms, narrative text appears onscreen, adding to the storybook feel and encouraging literacy skills. Memory and orientation come into play as explorers negotiate the castle's doors and secret passageways, and kids can even dabble in German and French by changing the language setting. As bats deliver mail from home, and statuary drops hints to sock seekers, this place doesn't feel haunted; it feels charmed. (Ages 3-7) --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Ok, but primitive
Our 6 & 7 year old enjoyed playing this once- and it did take several sessions to get throug it, but I doubt that they will play it again, as it doesn't seem to change w/ each game. The slow play drove me wild, but they didn't seem as bothered by it. For example, when you click on a doorway, to get Max to go there, you don't just go- a voice over says, very slowly, "should Max go through the doorway into the cellar? Yes [a thumbs up appears]or No [a thumbs down appears]?", then you click on whichever you want, and the same voice says the choice you made (yes or no), and then you can go through. If you are used to American software it will seem a bit primitive.

Slow & Dull
My twin almost-four year olds are fast becoming video game veterans - the Jump Start Series, Winnie the Pooh, Pajama Sam. This game got on my nerves quickly - when you try to move from room to room, EVERY SINGLE TIME it asks "Are you SURE you want to go through this door? Yes or no?" and makes you click on an up-thumb or a down-thumb. That gets old FAST. If you click on a door, obviously you want to go through it! It does not allow you to hit the "escape" key to skip the long, dull opening narrative as most games do after you've played it once. You don't want the five-minute story EVERY time. Every room you enter requires you to sit through another long narrative describing what you can easily see just by looking at the room. Most games would allow you to click and skip the talk. Not this one. No way to turn off the self-involved talky Brit who wrote this. (From the UK). Pajama Sam is a better alternative to this, but you'll have to walk through that one the first time with the under-6 age group. After one walk through, though, my toddlers loved PS. This one they walked away from in disinterest after only 15 minutes....very poorly designed, IMHO.

A keeper
My daughter loves this game! We have played it many times and she has yet to really tire of it. Surprisingly enough my 2-year old loves watching and playing along too. A great game with a gentle spirit and a sense of fun.

Please get more like this one for my kids!
This is the software that is tons of fun and does not pollute your childs imagination! My kids spend hours playing this one and I like it because they are learning while they are playing in the story. The most important message in the story line is to help your friend in need. The game is rewarding and thus also make your kid feel like they have accomplished something. GOOD STUFF! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Take off with the StarFlyers on a brain-building alien quest where clever thinking saves the day. It's intergalactic election time, and villainous Vexar is up to his evil stunts. Join the StarFlyers on a colorful quest to find the missing alien ambassadors and foil Vexar's scheme. Along the way kids encounter out-of-this-world challenges, like racing down the universe's largest slide and navigating the twists and turns of Planet Pipeworks. From a rendezvous with the Fun Police to a brush with the bouncing Hairballs, kids never know what to expect on a StarFlyers adventure.

Eight challenging games stretch your child's smarts. Twelve printable activities extend the fun and learning beyond the computer. Three levels of difficulty offer ongoing challenge and lasting appeal, while kid-friendly "help movies" guide kids out of a jam fast. StarFlyers: Alien Space Chase also builds essential skills in logic and reasoning, problem solving, hypothesis testing, spatial relationships, sequencing, and more. Loads of kid-friendly charm make this intergalactic adventure your child's ticket to a universe of learning. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Solid education and fun but lacking Pizazz
My four-year-old daughter likes this program but it is not one of her favorites. I'm at a loss as to how I should criticize it because it seems to be missing a polished edge quality that is hard to explain. It's as if it is trying to be cool but... The activities are educational, the graphics are captivating, and usually "space" is an exciting backdrop for an adventure. I think, however, that it's missing some punch which would allow me to give it five stars. It is certainly worth playing if your child needs many choices of computer games like my girl does.

A Real Treat
The back story is always grounded in a real disastrous event in Katherine Diane Cadell's life. Quicker than you can say, "Oh, no!" her imagination creates a related adventure with the Star Flyers and her as Katie Cadet - leader of the pack. And the pack includes AJ who has special powers for each mission, Io, a fire breathing dog and Klanker, a very strong robot.
The actions are basically arcade style - but a very clever and imaginative arcade. The settings are sure to please children - Planet Chocolopagus where you herd marshmallows through chocolate tunnels; Planet Bowlarama where besides jumping and climbing , the player has to make use of the different powers of the team to get past hazards and Planet Ice Cube where planning and mapping skills are needed to navigate mazes. Activities are varied so the pace of the game keeps the interest high without it being tiring.

Getting from one planet to another requires navigating the spaceship through the Popcorn Galaxy avoiding space food junk and finding caramel power ups. The levels are Tough, Tougher and Toughest, and is just another example of the care and sensitivity that the designers used in putting together this game. As in all of The Learning Company's games there is self leveling and it is set to on but can be turned off. Self leveling keeps track of the players progress and adjusts it according to the performance, so that if you ace a game, the next one will be tougher.

The current format in games now-a-days is to put the manual on the disk. Do yourself or you kids a favor and read it. The how's and why's and what is good stuff and what is stuff to be avoided and what is to point of it all - is not always obvious - so read the manual. The upper age range for this game is eight, but it is unusual and clever enough to please older kids besides being delicious. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head are going global, keeping their eyes peeled for their missing luggage, and they need your help. Travel with them on a vacation filled with tons of fun in five different locations around the world. Each trip is filled with unique activities to help children with basic preschool concepts. The games can be played on one of three difficulty levels that you set. Help Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head use their quick-change skills as they travel from country to country, all guaranteed to make you smile. ... Read more

Features

• Get Ready For Some Magical Fun! [Ages 8 - 12]
• Sabrina has miscast a spell, got herself trapped and needs to be un-zapped!
• Filled with cool games and puzzles from Drell's wacky "Wheel of Misfortune"
• Find the spell ingredients that have gone astray.
• Use Sabrina's hilarious Magic Tools to set her free [Windows 95/98, Mac]

Reviews (1)

Great for sabrina fans!
This is a really fun game; especially for those of us who are really dissappointed that sabrina isn't airing anymore. I especially love Drell'swheel of misfortune; the games are super cool. You get to explore sabrina's house and school, which is really fun, and all in all this is a good game. I gave it four stars because after a while it sometimes the CD was a little slow (you'd click on something and it wouldn't respond)but that might have just been my computer's fault. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Milo lives with other mice on an island where he discovers a magic stone that provides heat. The village council decides to form an expedition to go on a search for other stones so they can all stay warm in the winter. In this game, take Milo and two other mice on an adventure that follows the plot of the children's book Milo and the Magical Stones.

During the game, kids will make choices between good and bad. The storyline then changes according to the decisions players make. Kids will experience 20 different worlds inhabited by engaging, 3-D characters. Eight individual action games are well integrated into the adventure. Players work through six puzzles within a story that has six possible endings with one final end. Two levels of difficulty add to the value and fun.
... Read more

Product Description

Discover nature with WWF Safari Adventures! ... Read more

Features

• Over 90 missions to solve, full of exciting animal adventures
• Make friends with over 50 new animals - including elephants, cheetahs and more
• 9 amazing habitats to choose from
• Fill your photo album with the latest explorations with newfound friends
• Help your friends save the animals

Amazon.com Product Description

Earthlings, ages five and older, help E.T. get to his spaceship in time in this nonviolent game of discovery for one or two players. E.T. Away from Home engages players in a challenging board game and 13 puzzle games. Cast the dice, move around the board, play as Elliott or Gertie, and more. A special cooperation mode lets players team up with a friend to get E.T. to his spaceship in time. E.T. Away from Home's puzzle games help build memory, logic, and dexterity skills. Plus, there's a stellar Connect the Planets game. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Like Racing Video-Games? Be Prepared To Fall In Love!!!
At the end of the movie, Jim becomes a respected member of society, and something else happenes. He joines the Training Academy. Now you can see how it is where he is, and hopefully have a little fun, too, with the Treasure Planet Training Academy CD-ROMs.

In Treasure Planet, the movie has a climatic ending when the crew is racing on the ship to make it to the Doors of 1,000 Worlds before Treasure Planet blows up! Now you can re-live those moments in this game. You are racing a ship representing the planet of Montressor, against five others. You need to pick up power-ups, take short-cuts, and overall be as fast as you can to win the race. This game works on Windows (duh) and Mac OS8--OSX. Windows wins the prize for best performance, but it's fun to play it on a mac because A) It somehow seems more fun to control it that way and 2) you can take it with you if you're going some-place. Let's see a Windows do that, eh?!?!? But don't stop with this CD, collect all 3 for loads of fun!

If you do collect all 3, and install them all one-after-another on the same day, you can unlock a bonus game called Ship Shape. Here, you need to make it from each level of the ship, and make it to the top where the Training Academy is meeting before time runs out. This, too is very entertaining, and really is running in the top two in the race for the best, but that's just my opinion. Basically, it resembles any adverage adventure game you would find on-line, but don't let me go saying that you're wasting your $$money$$, because you're not. Well, that's it. I hope this review has helped you and encourages you to get this CD-ROM. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great for little ones, Great bargin for parents!
We purchased this when my son was 4 and a half and he was able to immediately enjoy most all of the elements of the game right away with my help. Within a month he could do the game on his own, with only one game where he needed my help. The game is for kids 5-8...however there are a couple of the games I really like and I suspect there are older children who would like them as well!

The premise of the game? You have to find the Royal Jewels by going to differnt places in the galaxy. A different game is at each location. Only through thorough exploration do you find ALL of the jewels.

There isn't TOO much talking with characters just standing around, (like a lot of other 'educational' software out there, to bore the pants off little ones-and their parents) rather the verbal content is visually matched with attractive and well paced graphics.

There are all sorts of games including a fun arcade like game. The games are clever and well designed....meaning they are clear and easy to understand, but that doesn't mean they are too easy to do or too hard. There's enough to challenge as well as reward any child's reasonable efforts. We own both STARFLYER programs and both are excellent programs and at the discounted price a real bargin!

You won't be sorry you purchased this and/or the other STARFLYER game. Critical thinking skills, eye hand coordination, listening skills, memory skills, etc. all get a work out while your child is having fun, and isn't that what learning is all about...having fun?

holy monkey foot this parts hard!
I'm 11 and my sister just got this game for easter she really liked this game until she got to planet "bowlorama", she said that the game was way to hard for her and that she needed help so I said I would help and thought it would be a snap. But when I started playing I realized This game was not rated for the right age group witch was5-8, and I really think that the next time they make another game to rate it differently.But other than that I do think she really enjoyed this game so she raited it a 4.

Fun and educational even for younger players
My three (and a half) year old daughter became interested in this game after we received a promotional CD at our local science museum. She loves this game, and has made great progress playing a couple of times per week over the last few months. I think this game will hold her interest for several years, since there are three levels of difficulty.

My only complaint is that in order to complete the game, the player must go through a section that involves a high level of physical control (the characters are running and jumping from object to object in traditional video game style) which younger players might not have. We just skip this part, but it would be nice after all her hard work using her brain (critical thinking skills definitely required) to have the reward at the end without my help. The recommended age is 5-8, so perhaps at those ages this part of the game would be accessible.

Krazy for Katie
This is a wonderful software game for jr. adverturers! My daughter (6 years) could not wait to come home each evening to play. She enjoyed the many characters and discovering their "special powers". After completing the game she instantly started playing it over again. Three cheers for the StarFlyers! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The Fun Shop is open for business, and what a fun business itis! Freddi Fish, a familiar face in the world of children's computergames, takes a break from solving mysteries in this creativity program.His workshop is filled with guided projects, and additional play areasinspire more individual crafts.

Kids can put their favorite characters--Freddi and his fishyfriends--on party hats, mobiles, and greeting cards, and additional backgroundcolors, text, and shapes can be added to any template with just a clickof the mouse. The activity center also offers kids a more creativeoutlet--designing their own images and backgrounds for the differentprojects. This program isn't limited to print shop-type activities,however; it also includes activities such as the interactive storybook,in which kids can send Freddi out on adventures of their own.

The projects are smartly designed with bright colors and a variety ofpatterns. The clear instructions make the templates easy to use, andcreations appear onscreen with just a click of the mouse. Similar tomost print shop programs, a color printer is not a requirement, but itis almost a necessity; children will truly enjoy their creativeprojects as they move from the computer to their own playful hands inall the brightness and clarity displayed on the screen. --MadeleineJ. Miller ... Read more

Reviews (1)

One Stop Fun Shop-Freddi Fish
This game is more useful than it looks! You can make growth charts, color books, stamp, party cards, invitations, envelopes, paper chains, mobiles, party hats, puppets, and much, much, much more. The music is borrowed from the first four games, but it's still nice, and the Parent's Printer Saver limit's the output to make sure you don't waste a fortune on ink and paper, though the game should come with a coupon. There are hundreds of stamps, plus, you can download and make some! If you like Freddi and pals, you should buy this. ... Read more