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

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

Amazon.com Product Description

Children ages 2 to 4 join their favorite Little People friends for a day of fun and learning at the Little People Discovery Airport. Players visit the control tower, help sort suitcases onto planes, learn about the weather, and even build and paint a new airplane! Five activities teach colors, shape and number recognition, differentiation skills, spatial relationships, and logic. The Little People characters and Pilot Paula will keep children busy for hours as they encourage imaginative thinking and curious exploration. Together they will discover an airport full of fun and wonder. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Creative & intellectually stimulating
Intended especially for preschool children ages 2 to 4, Little People Discovery Airport a creative, intellectually stimulating, and very highly recommended educational software package that helps teach preschool through first grade children about colors, shapes, sizes, number recognition, spatial relationships, cause and effect, and more. The playful and multi-ethnic child characters featured add warmth and appeal. With five different activities, multiple difficulty levels, printable activity Fun Pages, and a colorful and friendly setting, Little People Discovery Airport is a quality experience to share at home, during day care, or in preschool. The teacher edition contains a CD-ROM for use on two computers; also available for this title are a lab pack ($149.95), a site license ($325.00), and an add-on licence ($10.00).

Great first game
My son recieved this when he was 2 1/2 as a gift. It was one of his first games and he ,one year later, still plays this game on a daily basis. He sings the song at the beginning, loves making the airplane and seeing it fly across the screen and enjoys the animals. I highly recommend this game.

stable, sunny software for preschoolers
This software installs easily and is very stable. A main screen shows five Little People characters at work; each one leads to an activity -- sorting luggage to be loaded on the plane (three difficulty levels vary in sorting by color, shape or multiple features); putting animals in carriers (levels vary by relying on simple number recognition, counting or identifying numbers verbally); designing, building, painting and decorating an airplane; using arrow keys to navigate mazes that vary in complexity; and matching airplanes that vary by one, two or verbally-identified features.

Kids are fascinated by planes and airports, and this software keys in to those activities little ones find of interest. Happy songs, friendly characters, and cute puppies and kittens will charm your child, though the game is probably not challenging enough to hold their interest for hours of play. Our toddler enjoys playing this occasionally but gets bored after a time and puts it away for awhile before wanting to see it again. Despite a lack of overall challenge, there are a couple of very nice touches: in level 3 of the luggage sorting, the child determines which of multiple features will determine the sets; after a child has built and designed an airplane, it appears flying across the sky whenever the main screen is visited; and the child's name appears on a banner being pulled behind an airplane.

Pros: easy navigation, stability, multiple difficulty levels, printable activities, lots of positive feedback

Cons: no keyboard volume control, no written instructions, confusing sign-in, not entirely engaging, maybe a bit too much positive feedback

Great for 2.5 year old new computer user
This is a great program. This is my two and a half year old daughter's favorate along with reader rabbit preschool. She has about ten games and these two hold her interest and she can play them by herself with no help. She got a computer for Christmas so is very new to computing.

Great Supplement to the Little People Discovery Airport Toy
I bought this for my 4 year old twins and my 2 year old little girl. I also bought them the Little People Discovery Airport Playset for Christmas. The twins love to play the games on the computer and then go play with the playset. The computer games gives them ideas for play. My 2 year old can't handle the mouse, but she loves to watch her brothers play. They games are pretty easy for my twins, but they still like to play them. If your kids love Little People, they will like this game. ... Read more

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

Amazon.com Review

Get behind the controls of U.R.V., the Ultimate Robotic Vehicle, in Rescue Heroes: Tremor Trouble. An earthquake has hit the amusement park, and animals and people are in need of quick assistance. Players ages 4 to 7 can stop a runaway roller coaster, save animals from a flooding river, retrieve a downed submarine, and restart stalled high-wire trolley cars in this four-part adventure!

Even with three levels of difficulty, the activities in Tremor Trouble are simple, and children will have no trouble completing the game's tasks. The activities are basic skill builders. To put together the animal bridge, players must match up logs of varying lengths; to restart the stalled trolley, they match up gears of varying colors within its motor. One pleasing aspect of the game is that each of these four activities comes in two parts: the educational matching drill and an arcade game. To save the roller coaster, for example, U.R.V. must first put out the fires threatening to burn its structure. Only then can players sort out the machine pieces needed to rebuild the damaged ride.

It is a shame that, despite the fact that its animal-rescue component is certain to appeal to female gamers as well as to boys, Rescue Heroes Wendy Waters and Ariel Flyer don't appear in Tremor Trouble. What's more, the game's learning component is very basic, unlikely to seriously challenge players more than once or twice. These complaints aside, Tremor Trouble is bright and cheerful, and parents will appreciate the nonviolent structure of its storyline even as their kids delight in the fast-paced adventure format of its activities. The easy-to-follow instructions and tons of hearty encouragement served up by the Rescue Heroes team are sure to build player confidence... all while offering plenty of fun. --Alyx Dellamonica ... Read more

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

Amazon.com Product Description

Time to Play Pet Shop gives kids the chance to feed and care for animals in an interactive setting. They can choose names, groom and bathe the animals, and play pet vet. There are nine activities in all. Along the way, they will learn about over 40 species of furry, feathered, and scaly animals while enjoying paw-stomping original songs. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

a great activity
My daughter, 5, loves to play this game. She dresses up the animals in very creative ways and feeds them too. The game holds her attention over many other "fancier" type programs. She loves to bathe the dogs and give them a check-up too. She even prints out her creations. Best of all, this is a game that she can do by herself. A lot of other games seem to be a bit difficult for her age. This one is truly for young kids.I would say that this game is worth the money.

3&7 year old love this game
My 7 year old daughter got this last year for christmas and she still sits and plays it all the time. You pick your own animals and set up your pet shop, then you care for your pets, groom them, and dress them up. Her favorite thing about this I think is the music she is always singing along with it. My 3 1/2 year old son likes this too it's easy for him to play it all by himself.

I buy this for all my kids friends
I'm actually buying a replacement CD. My oldest daughter loved this, now my youngest daughter loves it but it got too scratched. It's great because it's so easy for them to learn and they can play it without getting frustrated (and I don't have to bail them out!) The song is nice, it's not violent, it teaches compassion and both of my girls now want to be veterinarians. My youngest was 3 when she first played this, now she's 5 and has a lot of other newer computer games but still likes to go back and play this one -- hence, the replacement CD.

Love this game!
I got this game last year for my 3 year old son. He loved it so much. ... My 7 year old daughter really enjoyed playing the game too.

A Great Game
My daughter has had this game for a little over a year, and she has never tired of it. It remains one of her favorite games. She is a big animal lover, so it is right up her alley. It is simple to use, yet allows her to be creative and use her imagination. A great game for boys or girls. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Join the Rescue Heroes team to save the planet! Burning meteorites from space slam into Earth, setting off worldwide disasters. Blast water at raging brushfires, snowboard down hair-raising avalanche-covered slopes, race a water rescue craft through deep floodwaters, and more. Rescuing the world has never been so much fun. Features include four action-packed missions around the globe, seven exciting activities with three levels of gameplay, and game controls that put you in command. ... Read more

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

Amazon.com Product Description

Little hard hats will have a dynamite time blasting boulders, commanding the crane, and driving trucks from backhoes to bulldozers as they construct all kinds of buildings. Incredible activities, realistic controls, and countless choices give kids a new thrill every time. (Ages 4-7) ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Fun, fun, fun
I am a teacher of pre-school children with physical disabilities. The children in my classroom LOVE this game. They were so motiviated to play it that they learned to clip, drag and drive the trucks themselves. These are children who otherwise have motor and perceptual difficulties. They sing the songs together and have a great time. I highly recommend it to parents, and teachers alike. My only problem is getting them to play something else!

Plain Old Fun
My 4 1/2 year old son loves playing this game. It's just plain fun for him. He does not have difficulty in moving the mouse to perform various functions. In fact, he seems to be able to move about within the program very well. I would recommend this game.

again, simple, but loved by my son
This allows my son to smash things or blow em up, build things, and make pictures. OK, relatively mindless, but he loves it and can interact instead of passing watching the TV.

Recommended with these limitations in mind. It is a good deal in this day and age when taking your kids to the movies can bust the budget.

A good title ruined by unreliable software and lack of testi
This would be a great game, but on the Mac it freezes up the whole machine after one or two minutes of play, and on the PC it loses sound intermittently. Also some of the activities evidently have not been properly play tested - e.g. the crane game requires far too much precision for a young child, otherwise it would be a great fine motor activity...

Would be a great game, but software flaky and untested
This would be a great game, but on the Mac it freezes up the whole machine after one or two minutes of play, and on the PC it loses sound intermittently. Also some of the activities evidently have not been properly play tested - e.g. the crane game requires far too much precision for a young child, otherwise it would be a great "fine motor" activity. I would say spend the extra $$$ and get Tonka Digs 'n' Rigs, which is very similar, is much more reliable, and comes with add on controls for the PC. [NB: since I originally wrote this review, we've had more success running this on the PC, and if we avoid the frustrating activities such as the crane, my 4 year old actually does get a lot of enjoyment from some of the other activities. I'll now upgrade my rating from 1 star to 3 stars, but I'd still recommend Digs 'n' Rigs over this title.] ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Little drivers will have a blast racing through Autoland, collecting the parts they need to save their friend, KC Coupe, from the terrible TowTruck. Along the way they'll discover repair shops, raceways, the car wash, and other pit stops full of four-wheeled fun. Realistic races, six cool car activities, and supercharged surprises give little road racers a new course every time. Kids will join Tommy Treads in a soapy excursion through the Comet Car Wash, weave their way through the backstage of Diesel's Palace, and print collector cards of auto friends from the Big Action Garage. Other activities include helping Ralph the Recycling Truck clean up the river pollution and helping Cliff Convertible tune up cars, replace the battery, and check the oil. There are six auto activities in all, featuring a colorful cast of comical car characters. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Software for Preschoolers
I purchased the Fisher Price Garage software for my 4 year old grandson. I was leery of buying it since I had previously purchased some poorly designed and frustrating software for preschoolers. I am happy to say I am very impressed with this one. One of the things I like the most about it is it's perfect for his age and his present computer skills. The visual and verbal instructions are very straighforward--he has had no trouble understanding what to do. Since he cannot read yet, he only needed a little help the first few times using it.

There are activities for children with different levels of computer skills. (I would say a 3 year old could do some of the activities.) Some of the features he could do all by himself the first time which made him feel competent (and made me happy because I didn't have to listen to whining). The Diesel's Palace maze (similar to a Pac-man game) is more of a challenge for him. It is great to have a racing game that a preschooler can do too--I think it is just right for a 4 year old--challenging and fun, but not so hard he never wins. The car detailing feature is also impressive--quite a few vehicle choices and many, many stickers to "jazz things up". Loads of fun for preschool boys or girls.

Overall, I am very happy with this software and my grandson just loves it--he is learning more computer skills, has a lot of laughs, and just plain fun.

Great for introducing the computer to preschoolers!
I picked this up on a lark, not knowing that my three-year-old would take over the computer! He LOVES this software so much that he wants to play with it first thing in the morning--and all day if it were possible. It is perfect for teaching preschoolers how to use a mouse. The activities are simple and loads of fun. I've tried other software packages designated for preschoolers, but they were too complicated to hold my son's attention. His favorite part is spray-painting the car and printing out the picture. Now our house is plastered with these "works of art!" The great thing is that he's learning to use the computer while being challenged and entertained.

From the Mom of a car crazy kid!!
Tommy Treads is a friendly little car who captivated my 3 year old and still has his attention 1-1/2 years later. Children can use their problem solving skills, race at the track, paint and detail in the body shop, give a tune-up and much, much more with this fun and creative software. ... Read more

Features

• 6 fun learning activities teach creativity and self-expression
• Learn how to follow directions in a fun-filled environment
• Puzzles teach shape matching and recognition skills
• Follow the instructions of the narrator or play each activity individually
• Games combine music, sound effects, and graphics

Reviews (5)

Gotcha Gopher Is Great!
This is the best software purchase I have ever made! My son is 2 1/2 years old and loves this game. In a very short time, he has learned all major colors, can count almost to ten, knows when and how to use a drill, hammer, and screwdriver, and how to follow directions (to name only a few!). I am a high school math and science teacher and am very picky about educational games for my children. This is a wonderful game to start with. The graphics are great, the sounds are pleasing, and the fun never ends for my child!

FUN, FUN, FUN!
My three year old twins had not been anywhere near a computer when we introduced them to the computer with this game. This game is so appealing to children, and easy to follow and understand. It has several clear choices of games, based on real Fisher-Price toys, which all children are familiar with. Instructions are given verbally to the kids, with the objects blinking to demonstrate at the same time. In no time at all my kids learned to move the mouse and click on the toy of choice. After the pointing and clicking was learned, minimal parental help was needed. The program continues to give verbal and visual prompts and reminders, and the set-up is clear. Since this program also has several different games to choose from, any interest or skill can be used, keeping the short attention span of children stimulated. My kids love all the choices, from the vehicles used to get from point A to point B, to baking cookies, to working with tools, to matching shapes to fill in/build an object of choice (such as a castle), to building their own working car, to drawing or doing crafts, and on and on... This is a fantastic program for young ones. So fun, in fact, that I now have to limit computer use!

Our Favorite Program
This program is the favorite program in my Early childhood Special Education classroom. It is easy for the 3-5 year olds to do independently and they like how it relates to toys in the classroom. Our special favorite is the workshop where you get to hammer and drill to make a toy.

Fisher Price Learning In Toyland CD
This is a wonderful program for children who are just beginning to use the computer and they enjoy it after they develop this skill, too. Children as young as three can master the program. I find it is very good for my beginning kindergarten students. It gives a lot of good practice in using the computer's pointing device. Children learn to follow directions and improve thinking skills. Plus, it is FUN!

Gotcha Gopher
There is a lot of variety in this program featuring Gotcha Gopher he holds the kids attention, you can build things,paint and color,follow directions and even print out what you make.great for kids 2-6. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Mother Nature is lashing out again! Fisher Price Rescue Heroes: Lava Landslide takes Billy Blazes, Ariel Flyer, Sandy Beach, and the other Rescue Heroes on a mission to faraway Volcano Island, a nature preserve and tourist resort threatened by a coming eruption of fiery-hot lava!

The action starts out in space, where a broken satellite makes it impossible for the Rescue Heroes to properly assess Volcano Island's danger. Players ages 4 to 7 begin this game by retrieving lost satellite parts from the moon and then making the appropriate repairs. Only then can they see the extent of the coming volcanic activity, and the tourists and rain forest animals who need to be rescued from the island before time runs out.

Like other Rescue Heroes games, Lava Landslide offers a series of two-part activities, each featuring excitement and action but no violence. Players pilot various vehicles--from powered spacesuits to dune buggies--through a maze of obstacles, desired items, and power-ups. The vehicles are always on the edge of running out of power and ending the game, which is where the second activity comes in. Additional power-ups are available to players who complete a matching game or maze challenge hidden within each game level.

With a boisterous soundtrack and a limited range of activities, Lava Landslide is definitely a game that falls more on the arcade end of the software spectrum than on its educational side. It does have some shape identification and memory exercises, but this is primarily an offering for children who like their games loud, fast, and laced with comparatively simple obstacles. Racing along the beach, threading through collapsing lava caves, and hoping the next power-up comes along in time are the essence of this program.

Lava Landslide unfolds in linear fashion, like a story: you must fix the satellite before going on to the island, for example. It is a perfect choice for any young child who likes a beginning, middle, and end structure integrated into their gameplay.--Alyx Dellamonica ... Read more

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

Amazon.com Review

Get ready to save the day! The Rescue Heroes are a great team of emergency technicians who have all kinds of skills and gadgets at their disposal, and they'll all be put to good use.

First, meet the team at the command center--Billy Blazes fans will be thrilled to work with such a talented bunch. Then, accompanied by decent graphics and a suspense-building musical soundtrack, set out to rescue families from different tropical storm disasters. In order to rescue folks, you need to know the best ways to get around the storms and where it's safe to take hurricane victims once they're out of immediate danger. As you successfully accomplish each mission (which happens with careful planning, teamwork, and all-around bravery), you receive printable Rescue Heroes honor badges and personalized certificates. You can also take a breather from the exhausting work of heroism and head to the design center, where you can create your own printable rescue gear.

Rescue Heroes: Hurricane Havoc requires surprisingly simple mouse skills for an action game. Your team is around to narrate so, while reading is helpful, it's not absolutely necessary. Any kindergartner who likes helping those in need (or has a secret longing to become a superhero) is sure to have a blast with this game. --Jill Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Way to go Rescue Heroes
My 4 year old is a Rescue Hero fanatic and he loves this game! The music is catchy, the graphics are good and the adventures are fun. And he learns a little something about tropical storms in the process! If your child loves Billy Blazes and the rest of the gang - they will love this computer software.

Educational and Fun!
My son has been playing this game for almost a year now and he loves it!! Very educational, he can tell me all about tropical storms. It has lots of different missions and fun things to entertain.

nothing to it
My five yeay old was completely finished in about 1/2 hour, except for printing out a bunch of stuff we didn't want.

My daughter's favorite computer game!
My 4 and half year old daughter wants to play this every day!
Its very easy to navigate and understand for a 4-5 year old. She loves to print out the stickers and badges too. If your child loves rescue heroes, then this would certainly please them!

excellent
I have a 3 1/2 yr old son who loves this game. EXPERIENCE NECESSARY...the mouse is the only game control. This is also a benefit...hand eye coordination. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Time to Play Dollhouse invites children to enter Fisher-Price's Loving Family Dollhouse and share in a number of role-playing activities, like tea parties and dress-up get-togethers. There are eight colorful play areas toexplore, a special fairy friend, hidden surprises to collect, and fourinteractive dolls to play with. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A lot of Fun!
My 4yr old niece received this for her birthday and loves it! For a computer toy, it really encourages creativity. It includes seasonal activities, birthday, tea party, decorating a room and many others. There are enough options that she will not accomplish the skill, then be bored with the game. Her favorites are decorating the birthday cake and then watching the candles light; and also with Halloween approaching she can decorate her own Jack O'Lantern. My 3 yr old is able to do many of the activities also. I would really recommend this as a fun computer game. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Get behind the wheel of the Eliminator and build worlds of driving excitement with Power Wheels: Off-Road Adventure. Kids can tear through four amazing environments of all-terrain driving action. Each fully animated course is filled with ramps, obstacles, and debris for kids to race through. Made for players ages 4 to 7, Power Wheels: Off-Road Adventure lets kids design and build their own courses, promoting imaginative play, encouraging creativity, and building problem-solving skills. It even features a two-player driving adventure offering twice the action. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A simple game my son loves
This is a real good deal, compared to the prices that people normally pay where I live, in Europe (about 25-40$ for a single cd-rom). All you do is race cars around, dodging obstacles etc., but it is a nice time-passer and interactive so a little better than TV. OK, it is mindless and there's nothing to learn, but there is a place for that!

Recommended, if you know what you are getting.

Great game for preschoolers
I bought this game for my 4-year-old and he loves it! Kids get the chance to build their own race track with different types of obstacles and then see how many they can run over to earn points. When they have earned enough points they can make their own driver's license to print out. It is a great game for younger children who love race cars. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

This is wonderful!
This set is fabulous. My 26 month old son has only used the farm and the airport cd so far, but he LOVES them! They both have several games, and he goes from game to game, playing them all. On the airport game you can "build" and decorate your own plane (with "paint" and "stickers" of fish, frogs, turtles, flowers, hearts, stars, etc.), and then it flies around in the background while you continue to play. There are games that revolve around the flight tower, luggage sorting, putting pets on the plane and feeding them, and the weather. There are other little things that make it fun. You can click on a frog and he jumps (and my son erupts in giggles), the windsock becomes a sock or a fish when you click on it, etc. There is an "old mcdonald" song on the farm one, a game that shows how things are planted, grow when watered, and then harvested, you can feed the animals, help the babies get matched up with their mommies, and help the scarecrow say "boo" and scare away the rabbits (more giggles, everytime he says boo). There is a little insect jug band playing in the background on one of the games. It's all very appropriate for toddlers, and there is nothing my son loves more than airplanes, helicopters, and animals. All of which are included! So far, we have been playing with and helping him, but I'm sure there are parts he could do on his own. I highly recommend buying this, and then exploring it with your child to find all the neat little things they've added in addition to just the games (which are great, too). It really makes it fun. By the way, we have a new HP laptop, with Windows XP, and haven't had any problems getting those two c.d.'s to work appropriately.

Fisher Price Discovery Pack
This is a terrific purchase. It was the second software we bought for our daughter after Reader Rabbit Toddler. She was 18 months when we started her on these Fisher Price CD's, and there has been no stopping her since. All three CD's are both fun and educational. She was already proficient in the use of the mouse, and so she was immediately able to enjoy these games, and does so almost endlessly. I only wish I could figure out how to download them so that I don't have to swap out the CD's so frequently. She is now 22 months and can competently handle and play all the activities and games at all three levels. We often hear laughing coming from the den, and its great to peek in on her to see her amusement, and watch her eyes light up has she tries to explain whats going on. My one complaint is I wish I could disable the printer option, even when I turn off the printer, the program powers it up, and she comes running out of the den with her pictures with a big smile of accomplishment like look what I've done. Every day she wants to play more on the computer just for these games. While I don't think boredom will set in any time soon, I am starting to wonder what new software I can get for her 2 year birthday that will continue to challenge her and to keep her entertained. One side note, I have a brand new 2003 gateway computer, and amazingly enough the old Fisher Price Barn program told me I have to upgrade my quicktime version. You'd think the CD would provide what was needed, but it does not. However I had no problem downloading a version upgrade for quicktime and now it works fine.

good for a 3 year old
The first two disks are great as soon as a child begins to understand how to use a mouse (2.5-3yrs old). The airport has much more movie-like introductions and more levels of difficulty which should be good for a 3 year old.

Great for little ones
I have a barely 2 year old and a 4.5 year old.

Ready for School Toddler: With the exception of the rational (as opposed to rote) counting skills and letter recognition, the content of these games is elementary even for my 2 year old. The advantage is that she can focus on learning to use the mouse in a way that will provide her with a lot of encouragement because she knows the answers. The two remaining sections will continue to offer her some educational value when she's more comfortable at the computer. There are two difficulty levels for each activity.

Discovery Airport: Though the activities are somewhat elementary for him, my 4.5 year old loves to play this game because of the theme. The advantage of this game is that there are three difficulty levels, which make it educationally suitable for 2.5 to 4 year olds.

Discovery Farm. Like the Airport game, content is better for 2 - 4 year olds.

All in all a great set for younger children.

Great Toddler Computer Game
I can't say enough good things about this 3 little people disk set. My 3 year old twin boys loved Reader Rabbit Toddler but could not handle many other computer games because they were not able to control the mouse well. The little people Ready for School Toddler CD was so un-intimidating and encouraging. The kids could just push keys on the computer for the animal parade game and other activities would continue even if they were not able to point and click. They felt comfortable and found it so interesting that both twins actually taught themselves how to point, click, and drag with the mouse well using this CD because they weren't frustrated. They love playing all three CDs in the pack. They love feeding the animals, making music, and playing the memory game on the farm CD. Right now their favorite CD is the airport CD. They love building the plane with Michael and printing out a copy of the plane they made. This 3 CD pack is such a great value and has given my children hours of fun. It is educational and has taught them to feel more confident on the computer. If you love Reader Rabbit and are having trouble finding other starter type games for your kids, try this one. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Exploring the great outdoors has never been so much fun. Little campers meet Ranger Rudy; discover wild animals; earn ranger badges; and learn about plants, safety, science, and the environment. In this forest of fun, your child's natural curiosity will lead to trail after trail of exciting exploration in the great outdoors. (Ages 4-7) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great for Pre schoolers
I thought it really tought the kids about shapes, colors, the ABC's and the 123's ... Read more