Amazon.com Product Description

Disney Learning Toddler featuring Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh is an early-learning tool that enables children to learn age-appropriate skills with their favorite Disney characters. Whether your child is visiting friends in Mickey's neighborhood or exploring the Hundred Acre Wood, they'll learn important skills that enhance memory, observation, and listening. Other exercises will teach them letters, numbers, colors, shapes, and music--all in an atmosphere of gentle encouragement and fun. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Good fun
my cousin loved this book. She is 2 and learnt her alphabet, numbers and can begin to write through books like these. I enjoyed showing her the bright pictures, and the large fun text. thank you disney and amazon. ( I also enjoyed it too, even though i would never tell anyone that i love toddlers' winnie the pooh books! i advise parents to have a read too! :)

Great for young toddlers!!!!!
This game is great for young toddlers!! My 20 month old LOVES it. When ever she hears the music starting it up, she comes running. a few of the games have children drag the mouse over "hidden" letters. This is great for children who do not know how to click. It would be great if you had a mini mouse. they are meant to be used with notebook compters, but are smaller, so little kids can use them easier! This is a great program for teaching children how to use the comptuer.

Wish I hadn't bought it
I bought this for my two year old son after he fell in love with, and practically wore out, Winnie the Pooh's ABCs. This game, however, turned out to be very dissapointing.

First - it has issues running under Windows 95. For starters, it requires you to run in 256 colors instead of 16 bit color, so it is necessary to change video modes every time we switch in or out of this game. Also - the sound track is not very high quality - it has scratchy moments, and some sounds don't play at all.

Second - the game just isn't as good as other childrens games out there. It isn't as educational as Winnie the Pooh's ABC's or 123's. Its more like a bunch of little animated movies that occasionally have clickable things to do.

I wouldn't advise purchasing this game - I'd suggest getting instead Winnie the Pooh's ABC's and/or Winnie the Pooh's 123's. Blue's ABC Time Activies is also a much more interactive and educational game.

Fun but software issues
The game seems fun for your toddler however, it's fairly easy to master even for a two year old. I also found that I had problems with certain sounds and images with my Microsoft ME. Certain sounds could not be heard and certain images never appeared. The technical support that we called was not helpful to the task.

Great first computer game
My son is two and loves this game. It was amazing how quick he gained control of the mouse to pop the balloons and move from game to game. This is a great starter! ... Read more

Features

• A totally configurable interface -- make your own board, word lists, and bonus words!
• Numerous competitive opponents, each with adjustable skill levels and his/her own running commentary!
• Network play on the Mac via GameSmith.
• Many different boards and scenarios!
• Special word lists for kids, for experts, even for Manx Gaelic-speakers!

Features

• In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer?s Stone, you'll become Harry Potter and interact with characters like Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, and Rubeus Hagrid -- while attending classes and learning to cast spells
• Collect wondrous magical items, potion ingredients and Famous Wizard Cards, to improve your powers
• Explore rich, detailed environments like Privet Drive, Dragon Alley, the Forbidden Forest and more -- while overcoming 29 challenges to graduate your first year
• Harry Potter and the Chamber Of Secrets brings you back for a second year of adventure. The Chamber Of Secrets has been opened and the Heir To Slytherin is causing havoc -- Harry and his friends have to stop it.
• Combat the deadly menace unleashed by the Chamber with all-new spells and techniques

Reviews (7)

Demanding of hardware
This is a good add-on to Allied Assault, but you probably shouldn't try it unless you have the hardware to handle it. I first tried Spearhead on a G4 with 768 MB RAM, and eventually gave it up in frustration. In some levels (particularly the one that has you riding around on the top of a truck), the frame rate slowed down so much to make the level impossible.

However, I've recently gotten a G5 with 1 GB RAM, and tried Sprearhead again. This time, the computer was able to handle the graphics nicely, and I was finally able to beat that level, although it was still really tough. I found that the later missions (defending the frontline, and infiltrating Berlin) were quite fun.

All in all, a worthwhile purchase if you are not frustrated by slow performance.

Huge Let Down
I loved Allied Assault, it had challange, yet ran smoothly and was beatable. But sadly, Spearhead is a major dissappointment. I made it to the Ardennes mission far to easialy, at which point it is unbeatable. My 800Mhz machine is running at about 2 fps for parts of it (the driving part), so is simply unbeatable. Friends with faster machines, even a duel 1 Ghz find it all but impossible. But on a positive note, the Multiplayer additions are very good, with New Maps, Skins (sadly they took out Manon :( ), Missions, and weapons.

Simply awful performance, but a good game
This is an add-on pack to MOHAA - which was a great game. The content of this expansion pack is great. Essentially more of the same. More missions, etc.

However, the performance is so bad on this that I ended up quitting it and un-installing. My system is pretty fast, too (G4 tower, 867 mhz, 768 mb RAM).

The first few levels are ok, but the performance issues keep getting worse and worse with every successive level until finally, it just grinds to a blurred halt (ardennes forest, winter, half-track).

I've looked on the Web site for tech support or patches and haven't found a thing.

As a result, I really would have to discourage people from buying this game unless you have a super-fast machine to run it on.

Frostbite at Ardennes
As to the Wermacht, the weak point to this game is the snow, the Ardennes forest stage has no autosave feature and the quicksave doesnt work. Other snow bugs are:

-1 out of 2 times planting the sticky bomb on the first battery of artillery stalls the game, forcing to quit.

-The mountain top stage slows the game to a point can not be played at all. That happens even with the video and advanced options at minimum. Even playing in a 1 Gb RAM machine.

The sound, the graphics, the play is superb, but dying from bugs is the worst thing can happen at any war, even a digital one.

I would prefer to play this game in the PS2. The MOH Frontline is the best game I ever played. And I didnt find any bugs at all.

(This information refers to the MAC version)

A good expansion, but the original was better.
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault Spearhead is an expansion pack to the popular Allied Assault. It requires the original game to run.If you played it on PC, you'll be happy to know everything runs, looks and plays the same.

Spearhead is a fun FPS. It is set in World War II, right where Allied Assault left off. However, Spearhead doesn't seem to be as great as the first. For one, there is nothing like the Omaha Beach scene from the first. A lot of the levels here, while fun, actually seem a bit bland. Secondly, some of the levels can get frustrating.

Graphically, Spearhead is good, but looks a tad dated. There are no improvements from the first game, which was great for its time. However, there are some annoying problems with the framerate, especially in multiplayer. The sound effects are excellent, and music is good.

Overall, Spearhead is a good FPS, but the first Allied Assault was better. However, the online mode is fun, and the single player mode is still worth playing through. Worth buying, but it is not a classic. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Instant Immersion Language Lab includes eight full language-learning CD-ROMs in one package. The Talk Now! series is designed for beginners who want to start learning a new language as soon as possible. By hearing and practicing authentic everydayspeech, your natural language ability will develop. The World Talk programs take you to the next stage, offering added dictation, new activities, and a recording section. Topics covered include "the calendar," building sentences, asking directions, and using numbers. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Amazingly easy to learn French course
I never thought that Fench would be as easy as it is. Really amazing French course for novel people into that language. First step in learning. Great multimedia development, in order to improve pronuntiation. If this is your choice for your first French classes, you are right, this is the best choice.

Good up until the 3rd CD
I've been working with the IM German now for some time (it's part of the 4 CD set). I had fun and learned at a faster pace with the first CD. The 2nd CD was quite a jump. I think you have to do a little studying on the outside before 'mastering' this CD. However! I tried out the Dictionary CD, and it is HORRIBLE!!! I've been studying German long enough now that the speaker isn't even pronouncing the words right. It sounds like someone reading the words for the first time. Be careful this CD can throw you off. If someone has a explanation for this let me know!

Couldn't even get past installation
Installation of the German TalkNow module would hang with no explanation on Windows 98SE. I "Opened" the CD next and tried to launch instal32.exe and instal16.exe manually instead of from autorun. Both hanged. When I attempted to autorun the CD again it produced an error message "Astra32 - System Error -5, 12, 0". The only printed documentation consists of a poorly xeroxed page inside the box with installation instructions for Windows 3.1, 95/98, and a Mac.

This product definitely did not impress me.

The best and the cheapst!
This program lets you learn 4 languages for $30! If I wanted to d tha at learnalanguage.com, I would have to pay up to $600. Ths is awesome!

'Talk Now' and 'World Talk' deliver as stated
If you want a program to teach you how to speak the basics in a fast, fun, simple way, this would be a good one. If you want a program that will teach you as if you were taught in school, including grammar, writing, and verb conjugation(I did, she saw, we went, etc.), you will probably be disappointed. This program gives you two CD-ROM's per language, one for basics, one for intermediate level learning. The first CD, "Talk Now" gives you excercises in foods, colors, phrases, body parts, numbers, time, shopping, and countries. Under each heading, you play two word games, record yourself speaking and compare it to native speakers(your computer needs a microphone to do this), print vocabulary flash cards, and play a "Memory"-style game with the words you learned. They work on the premise that people remember things better if they've learned in fun situations. Though a bit cheesy at times, it _is_ fun, and you _will_ build your basic vocabulary. The second CD jumps more to full sentences, listening skills, identification, and writing dictation, all still in game-like form. It's a bit of a leap in knowlege, and can be a bit frustrating, but it's a good start for 'learning by listening', much as you would if you were struggling in the actual country, only without making a fool of yourself. At this level, if you have never been exposed to the language, the help/? icon becomes your best friend. Still little in grammar and verb forms, though. To get the most out of it, I would also recommend purchasing a pocket dictionary of the language(s), and maybe even one of those "500 [the language] Verbs" books, so you can actually have a better understanding of your vocabulary and how to form sentences. Overall, these programs are fun & effective as a means of learning to speak, by yourself (or with a friend), on your own time. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

SPY Fox is out to save the world again in his latest thriller,Operation Ozone. In this episode, the iniquitous Poodles Galore haslaunched a giant can of hairspray into space, and the aerosol is slowly blastingaway at the ozone layer. Unless SPY Fox can outwit Poodles, the citizens of theworld will be forced to buy Poodles's super-powerful SPF 2001 sunscreen toprotect themselves from the ravaging sun.

Anyone who loves SPY Fox games won't be disappointed. The meat of the mission isto collect the ingredients for a Congeal Pill that will put a literal stop toPoodles's hairspray space satellite. To accomplish this, SPY Fox travels allover the world and meets up with an amusing and witty cast of characters. You'llnotice here the thoughtfulness that went into creating the game. From BobbyLlama, a Marlon Brando-esque recluse à la Apocalypse Now, to RogerBoar, an undercover agent with a penchant for new hairstyles, the characters arenothing short on character.

And, of course, SPY Fox comes armed with a double-breasted jacket full of spygadgets to help him outwit Poodles and her goons. The most charming include theSticky Stun Bun, which explodes caramel and nuts all over enemies, congealingthem into one tasty mess. Other favorites include the Grappling Granny, SpyMint, and Canned Laughter.

Gameplay is slightly complex, but it's nice to see a game that actuallychallenges kids to think, instead of hand-feeding solutions. Operation Ozone requires that kids pay attention, as clues are dropped left and rightthat will be of use later in the game, and strong logic skills are certainly anasset. We only got slightly frustrated by the exactness expected in clicking. Ifyou're trying to use a spy gadget, you must move that gadget to exactly theright place or SPY Fox will tell you that's not the right tool for the task.

However, that quibble aside, this is a SPY Fox game not to be missed. In fact,you'll probably be disappointed when you finally finish the mission. But don'tfret, there are multiple mini-missions and endings within the game, encouragingreplay. In fact, it's so entertaining that parents--and older kids--might evenfind themselves playing along as well. (Ages 5 to 8) --Ara Jane Olufson ... Read more

Reviews (20)

We Were In There Like Swimwear!
My daughter and I have worked our way through just about every Humongous title on the market, so we were eagerly anticipating their latest release. "Operation Ozone" didn't disappoint. We found this one slightly less challenging than the first Spy Fox (and the first Pajama Sam, for that matter), but we enjoyed the scope of this game much more than earlier Spy Fox titles. There are more locations to go to, and more situations encountered. Another fun and well-done offering by Humongous!

Operation Funzone!
This newest game of SPY Fox's is really great. Poodles Galore is destroying the ozone layer so that everyone will buy her newest sunscreen. SPY Fox saves the day, after solving many puzzles. It's for older kids than the other SPY Fox games, but I don't know why. There's also a weird but neat soundtrack of eleven songs that can be played inside the bowling alley on the jukebox in the game, or on a CD player in the real world. This game teaches kids thinking and problem solving skills, but is also lots of fun to play. If you liked this game, try Freddi Fish, Putt-Putt, Pajama Sam, and other SPY Fox games ("Dry Cereal" and "Some Assembly Required").

Very Fun!
I just bought it today and couldn't stop until I solved the mystery...I have all 3 and have enjoyed all 3. I am 11, but this game still made me think, but still have fun. It's vibrant and colorful, the characters humorous as well. They should have a Spy Fox television show!

Great Game!
This was a great game. I'm 12 and I still enjoyed it and it still made me think! Give it a try, it is very fun!

The best ever work by Humongous
I really like this. Spy Fox is just the coolest spy ever. He beats them all, James Bond, Solid Snake, Austin Powers (maybe not him). The game is targeted for the pre-pre-teen age group, but anyone can sit down and enjoy it. I have every Humongous
game ever made, and I can safely say that Spy Fox is their best creation ever. The first one was great, the second was great (but it felt rushed out), and OpOz is even better. I am killing myself waiting for the fourth installment! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Achieve! Math & Science brings four award-winning educational titles in one to your child's desktop. Designed for younger learners, a series of challenging puzzles, brain-boosting problems, and irresistible games explore essential math and science skills. Tackle topics like addition, subtraction, money math, science basics, and more. Featured titles include: Mighty Math: Carnival Countdown, Mighty Math: Zoo Zillions, Sammy's Science House, and Thinkin' Things: FrippleTown. When math and science are made this much fun, little learners achieve at learning. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Wonderful resource for the serious homeschooler!!
We have been proud owners of this package for two years and have used it diligently to supplement skills and concepts introduced throughout the year for first and second grade. It has been a WONDERFUL supplemental resource. Unlike a lot other educational software packages that claim to cover a wide range of ages, this one means it when they say "First through Third grade". It is simple to use: After a concept (example: 2 digit addition) has been introduced to the student, you specifically set up games to reinforce those particular skills. After those skills have been mastered you then go back in (with a simple click of the mouse and check-mark skills you want to reinforce from a large pre-set list) It is honestly very simple to do. Explaining the process actually takes far more time that it does to actually do it. Although the games are very "friendly", with engaging characters and settings, the software is not meant to "entertain" as much as it is to teach. I would not at all be surprised to find this package in a lot of school computer rooms for kids to reinforce their skills on. If you are looking for a true educational software package that would be appropriate for (no younger than)first through third grade, this would be perfect for you and your child.

I would give it ZERO stars if I could!
I completely agree with what everyone else has said. This was a total waste of money. The other reviewer was right when he said the extra software included (for us it was Star Flyers) was the ONLY good thing!

How can they market programs that were designed for 3-5 year olds for Grades 1-3? Its ludicrous!

DO NOT waste your money! The whole thing is unprofessional. There are no guides and even the paper inside the CD looks like it was BADLY photocopied.

Again, if I could give it ZERO stars I would!

This is going back
I was looking for some software to help my fourth grader with math facts, computations, etc. (He's an Everyday Math victim.) The activites, even at the most advanced level, are much too easy for him. Pointing and clicking at different piles of cookies is not division. This is a complete waste.

This is being returned to The Learning Company
I just purchased this today, and it is extremely disappointing. I was looking for a software package that would help my 2nd grader learn his math facts, and this certainly isn't it, as far as I can tell. There is zero documentation included, so there is no way to steer your child towards games that would help his or her weak areas. I couldn't find a game that drilled them on anything, just a lot of pointless point and click activities.

Product is not very good
I got this product for my 5 year old, and it is about right,
any 3-6th grade would not like it at all. The best thing in the game is the free cluefinders monkey adventure in my costco box.
Most of the games look like they were designed for windows 95.

I liked the clips from grammar rock, I remember these as a kid, but you could by the DVD of Schoolhouse rock and get better versions of those. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

A package of three educational titles. In JumpStart Reading for Kindergartners kids are invited to help Hopsalot the Bunny discover thesecret of the lost carrot-patch treasure. They'll travel around the worldvisiting family and friends, searching for clues to the treasure'swhereabouts. Meet Frankie the Dog in JumpStart Learning GamesNumbers. Frankie loves his dog biscuits. The problem is he has eaten everylast one. Kids help Frankie find more tasty biscuits by blasting asteroids,dueling in the Old West, and searching for buried treasure. The magic andharmony of the Land of Music is threatened by Sir Sour Note in JumpStartLearning Games Music, and the instruments need the user's help. Collectthe sour notes scattered about the land by playing games and learningimportant music skills. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Jump Start Software
Jump Start software is one of the best educational/fun softwares there is for young children. My kids both learned a lot about computers and prep for school from this software. Now I am buying it for our niece. You can't go wrong! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

As Alistair Cookie (Cookie Monster wearing a robe and cravat) welcomesguests to Monsterpiece Theater, he launches a reading adventure thatcontains the warmth and wit we've come to expect from anything bearing the name Sesame Street.

Cookie directs kids to choose one of two stories to read: "Grover's Travels" or "The Three Grouchketeers." Grover's story is a wide-eyed adventureduring which our hero learns about his feelings. "The Three Grouchketeers" isabout cooperation, and has a tad more attitude, since it involves Oscar theGrouch. After deciding on a story (younger kids will lean towards "Grover'sTravels," while the top of the age range will probably like "The ThreeGrouchketeers"), kids can either read it straight through, or read a versionwhere activities must be completed to progress. Both stories contain sixactivities based on early learning fundamentals, and a choice of two levels ofplay. The tasks are simple and educational: counting in sequence will untieGrover, following Oscar the Grouch's directions arms the Grouchketeers withenough "royal junk" for their mission, and helping Big Bird complete a rhymemakes Grover's getaway balloon inflate.

Text appears above each page, and words light up as a clear-voiced narratorreads the story. Once kids have read through the story, they can use an indexfunction to go directly back to their favorite page or activity without havingto sit through the whole "book" again. There are some musical interludes thatrange from awful (Grover is no Pavarotti) to cute ("Oh I love triangles! They'repointy and pokey and stable!"), and the animation is bright and busy. Our onlygripe is that the producers didn't follow the rule of threes--one more storywould have given this CD-ROM real staying power.

One of this program's great strengths is its capacity to surprise. "I've got tarin a jar, an iron bar, a fast car, and a Mylar sitar!" intones Big Bird duringthe rhyming game. On another page, the word "minuscule" crops up, alongside aclickable thesaurus that recites every other word for "small" imaginable. Dozensof cleverly animated hotspots adorn both stories. In true Sesame Streetstyle, Reading Games teaches kids, yet never talks down to them. (Ages 3to 5) --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fun Game for Kids
My Kindergartener really enjoyed this game. He was having problems with rhyming and this really helped him. I would recommend this game to everyone with kids between 3 and 7. ... Read more

Features

• So you've got a great house & a sweet family in The Sims. Why not let other Sims enjoy them too? Now you can, with Sims House Party!
• Choose the perfect setting -- three new neighborhoods are here to choose from
• Buy the perfect items for your party and get things prepared by having some food catered
• Create a theme for your party, anything from luau to RAVE
• Use the phone feature to get other Sims over, and get the party started

Amazon.com Review

Designed to make learning fun, Franklin the Turtle Goes to Schoolis a set of two CD-ROMs filled with games and activities that don't require anyreading, making it perfect for younger players. Concentration and listeningskills are crucial, however, as all instruction is provided verbally.

Areas for play on the first disk include the schoolhouse, theater, andplayground. Each features three fun activities, found by moving the cursoraround the area. (It changes from an arrow to a star when you've found a game.)Every game's difficulty level can be set individually, and once each game ismastered at each skill level, players get to attend an official graduationceremony with Franklin and friends. Basic preschool- and kindergarten-levelskills are reinforced, including counting, measuring, sorting, identifyingcolors, practicing phonics, recognizing words, and learning the alphabet.

The second disk in the set is mainly for parents. It includes a list of skillseach game is designed to teach, as well as nearly 30 pages of printableactivities, which kids will love to color when computer time is over. A shortsynopsis of each of the books in the Franklin series is also available, as areinterviews with the creators of the series.

The activity CD-ROM installs painlessly, and many children won't have a problemnavigating around the screens by themselves after the first couple of visitswith an adult. No installation is necessary to access the second, moreinformational disk, so you can pop it in when you have the time. A freeJumpStart activity disk is also included in the package, and its simple learninggames geared toward the same age group should provide a few additional hours ofentertainment. (Ages 4 to 6) --Jill Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Buy this for your little one!
My first reaction was that this program might be too difficult for my 4 year old ~ she'd rather swing from the chandelier than sit down and learn her letters. Much to my surprise, she LOVES this CD! In fact, after sitting down with her only 2 times to perform the various tasks, she is now able to work through the program herself. The highest skill level is still too hard for her, but she is learning her upper/lower case letters, numbers and is following directions nicely. My 8 year old also requests time with this CD simply because it's fun.

Wonderful software!
I bought this for my four year old grandson for Christmas, and he loves it. This provides hours of entertaining education.We check his progress report,collect stickers from Mr. Owl, sing with Franklins friends and have silly fun. This is a must have software game.

Freakin' Franklin Is Friggin' Fun!
What can I say, I play it for hours after my kid goes to sleep. Man...I dig that school play stuff. Its so crazy, it make me want to laugh some more! =)

MORE! MORE! MORE!

The Best Game My Kids Have Played. EVER!!!!!!
This is such a wonderful piece of kids software. I can't believe that such a magnificent treat for children exists. My kids love Franklin the Turtle and the just can't get enough of this game. It's extremely nice to know that amongst all the crap on the shelves these days (and believe me, I've purchased my share of stinkers...ahem...Disney), that there IS quality software for kids out there. And knowing that this game comes from the developers at Nelvana, a company that truly cares about fun and learning for kids, is a real assurance that I'm dropping my hard earned cash on something worthwhile. I'm going to buy the other Franklin game now for my kids for Christmas, your kids will love it too! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Greetings, space rangers! Toy Story's Buzz Lightyear and theplaythings that inhabit Andy's bedroom will change your definition of"educational toys" as they make light work of some fairly advanced learningmaterial. Andy is gone, and Buzz takes it upon himself to rally the toys forsome teaching and fun. "Are you ready to exercise your romping skills?" he asks,gesturing grandly across the bedroom.

Nine activities provide a full curriculum of early-learning challenges: math(including fractions), music, geography, spelling, reading, and telling time.Disney's designers didn't forget the fun factor, either: kids build theirvocabulary and spelling skills by helping Buzz shine his flashlight around thedark bedroom, looking for items that match the words and images on another toy'sscreen. And for a geography lesson, Buzz helps kids place continents on theglobe.

The music area is a real standout. There's a full four-octave keyboard completewith reverb, and exploration yields click-and-drag cassettes that transform theboard's sounds into anything from a rock concert to a circus tent. Musicallyinclined kids will have hours of fun in this spot alone.

This CD-ROM takes full advantage of the audio and visual possibilitiescomputer-based learning can offer. Listen for background music composed specifically forcertain activities, and watch for the shadows that the precisely renderedcharacters cast. (Ages 5 to 7) --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not a strong effort
I bought this software for my son, he is 4, because the other kindergarden software I had bought was not interesting enough. Some of the games he was simply not old enough, that is not the fault of the software. The games he could do, he finished off very quickly and wanted more than the software provided. There was nothing tracking his progress from session to session so he had to keep doing the same thing over and over. When trying to play the Jessie game he kept accidentally clicking the icon to go back to the main screen. There is no confirmation dialog so he had to go back and repeat what he had just done. He was very frustrated by that. Maybe an older child would not face those problems.

For a younger child we found the Blues Clues 1-2-3 Activities to work much better. The games get incrimentally more challenging and there is a better variety.

I had to call customer support and get a patch to run this on my PC and could not install it at all on my Mac because I had to install it on the boot volume even though I had pleanty of room elsewhere. Over all, I was disappointed. We are all big Toy Story fans here.

Fun and educational
My in-laws bought this game for my 7 yrs. old son. The day he unwrapped and put it into PC, he was on the computer for nearly five hours. We couldn't get him downstairs for lunch. We could hear him laughing the whole time, with his 4 yrs. old brother. My younger one enjoyed play some of the games as well.

The software teachs spelling, math and writing with children's favour charactors. I'd strongly recommend it for boys 6 to 8. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Childhood gaming chestnuts like Old Maid and Snakes & Ladders get sospiffed up on this CD-ROM, adults may find themselves indulging in these gameswhen the kids aren't busy with them. The multilevel appeal of Hoyle Kids'Games is best illustrated by their version of Hangman: not only can playershang 'em high in settings that range from the Wild West to a sandy beach, but atthe advanced level, the game throws players words like dysprosium.

There are 15 games to play on this Mac- and Windows-friendly disc, and up tofour players can compete at once. The standards are: Tic-Tac-Toe, Old Maid,Crazy 8s, War, Hangman, Snakes & Ladders, Chinese Checkers, Checkers, Go Fish,Battling Ships (similar to Battleship), and Memory Match (a.k.a. Concentration).New games include Bump 'Em (imagine Aggravation with cars and oil slicks),Placer Racer (an aiming game that requires spatial skills and strategy), TheMusic Game (hearing and repeating musical sequences), and Speedy Racer (type theletters that are rapidly falling out of the sky to save the houses of the ThreeLittle Pigs). In addition, this game has the best "build your own face" functionwe've ever seen. Realistic noses, eyes, and mouths coupled with arrow functionsthat allow players to stretch necks, slide mouths, and widen eye spacing turncharacter creation into engrossing mad-scientist fun. The characters the programprovides as opponents aren't too shabby either. Among them are Ethel the granny,Roswell the alien, and a pup named Pepper who whines, "This is worse thanobedience training!" when he's losing at War.

Technically, it's all here. Graphics are great, games can be interrupted fordinnertime and saved in mid-play, and nothing takes too long to load. An optionto play the game in a window allows use of the computer's other functions whilethis program runs. Folks who have forgotten how to play Checkers (you know whoyou are) will appreciate the many different helpers at the bottom of thescreen--they range from a genie who reads the rules out loud to various cop-out buttonsthat will give hints or do your next move for you. And, of course, upper-levelGo Fish players can get rid of the help bar, and simply immerse themselves inthe Zen of casting for the perfect card. (Ages 5 and older) --AnneErickson ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Adults will love it too
This is a great computer game! My 3 year old loves to play "Battling Ships" and my 5 year olds favorites are "Go Fish" and "Placer Racer". The computer characters are fun to play with (we especially love Marvin) and you can also play against another real person at the computer. They list the appropriate ages for this product at 5-12 but I confess to sneaking a few games of "Chinese Checkers" by myself and enjoying a game of "Bump Em" with the kids. there are different levels of play from easy to very difficult to keep different age levels happy. Gotta have this one!!

Wonderful CD
I have bought a number of Hoyle CDs since they began coming out with this type of game compilation. This one I play with my duaghter who is two but she likes trying to figure out the games. She does like Tic Tac Toe and Crazy eights though she can't understand what she is suposed to do yet.
I liked the characters that play the game with you. I think they are friendly and not too irriating like some of the Hoyle personalities in other games.
I like the format of how you choose the games; where it is like your bedroom and you click on the shelf to pick something. That is how Hoyle used to configure their games till you got so many one one cd. They increased how many games were on the CD each year.
Bump "em is like Aggravation. It is my favorite game; better than Parchisi. I like how they make games seem whimsical like using frogs as Checker pieces; using a goldfish to make Xs and Os for Tic Tac Toe; using little men to climb a treehouse for Snakes and Ladders.
The games are kid friendly but they are classics that grownups can enjoy playing even when the kids aren't around. I think that board games teach kids things like rules, strategy, counting, and cause and effect. So this is a good way of teaching kids how to play and master these games.

THIS IS GREAT!
I BOUGHT THIS CD FOR WHEN MY GRANDCHILDREN COME TO VISIT. THEY HAVE ALL GIVEN A "THUMBS UP" TO IT. I PLAYED EACH GAME WHEN IT FIRST GOT HERE SO I COULD SHOW THEM HOW. I NEED NOT HAVE BOTHERED! IT IS SO EASY TO LEARN THE CONTROLS AND BUTTONS. THE KIDS HAD A LOT OF FUN MAKING THEIR OWN FACES. I WOULD RECOMMEND TO ANYONE! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

In this game, kids apply lessons in language arts, math, history, science, art, and music to rescue 13 lost friends before they turn into monsters. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

My boy actually doesn't really like it.
I've usually been quite pleased with Jumpstart products, but my boy who is usually quite easy to get to go play educational games doesn't like this one. He says it keeps sending him back to the same thing over and over even if he gets a perfect score. I think he would have just liked a little more variety.

Great fun! She forgot she was learning!
I recently bought Jump Start 4th Grade for my daughter. She loved it! It quickly became her favorite computer program. She introduced two friends to the program and they went out and purchased it as well! She prefers this computer game over television, so it was well worth the money. You won't be disappointed! ... Read more

Features

• Play machines that have every variety of betting -- Triple, Five, Ten, Fifty and Spin Poker!
• All the machines include helpful guides with strategies to help you win
• You can even record your mistakes to study your playing style and fix mistakes
• Full Motion Video offers you instructions and tips
• Also includes full tutorial programs for Blackjack and Spanish 21

Reviews (1)

A bargain if you find it
Like I did. Actually you get two bonus games with it; Masque Blackjack and Spanish 21; a form of Blackjack.

The game itself is great, and makes a good supplement to other single play video poker machine games. Sound, graphics and game play is of the usual high quality from Masque. The best thing on this game is the Spin Poker, really great, totally unique, as I have never seen an actual machine in the slot parlors. Worth it for this alone.

Word of warning:

I just received notification from Masque that they are upgrading their original Slots game (which is the IGT machines) to look and play like the Slots 2, and Bally Slots standards. IN ADDITION, this new software wil contain the Multiplay Poler, Black Jack and Spanish 21 games.

So be on the lookout. If you don't have slots one (previously reviewed) wait for the new one. ... Read more

Features

• 10 activities that sharpen thinking, counting, and language skills
• 3 adjustable levels to ensure children are comprehending
• Automatic help allows for independent play
• See and hear the characters and voices from the hit TV show
• For kids ages 4 to 6

Features

• Blaster and G.C. are trying to win the Grand Prize at the intergalactic carnival, and you'll use your math to help them get it!
• Throw space pies, squish alien fruit and sling spaceballs around to earn the points you need
• As kids play they'll develop important math skills like multiplication, fractions, patterns, chart analysis, sorting and more
• Fun new SmartPoints system will motivate kids to achieve their personal best while they play
• For ages 7 and 8