Features

• Test your math skills as you fake out your opponents on the soccer field
• Test your knowledge in place values, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
• Practice math problems at your own pace
• Includes U.S. and metric measurement
• For ages 7 to 14

Features

• New in-the-field features and equipment checklists to help the serious stargazer
• Go online for up-to-date images of sunspots, auroras and weather patterns around the globe
• Upgraded observation and planner logs
• Navigate and open your saved Starry Night files more easily, through the simple task panel
• Powerful search tools locate any mapped planets, satellites, comets and asteroids

Amazon.com Product Description

You are B.J. Blazkowicz, a highly decorated Army Ranger recruited into the Office of Secret Actions (OSA) tasked with escaping and then returning to Castle Wolfenstein in an attempt to thwart Heinrich Himmler's occult and genetic experiments. Himmler believes himself to be a reincarnation of a 10th-century dark prince, Henry the Fowler, also known as Heinrich. Through genetic engineering and the harnessing of occult powers, Himmler hopes to raise an unstoppable army to level the Allies once and for all.

You must first escape from imprisonment in the castle to report the strange creatures and happenings in and around Wolfenstein to the OSA. Your mission takes a drastic turn as you learn the depth of Himmler's plans and what you must do to defeat the evil he has unleashed. Your surroundings will be dangerous and hostile. The OSA is currently tracking activities believed to be associated with Himmler in locations throughout Germany, including villages overrun by the occult, hidden crypts, forests, air bases, secret weapons facilities, and genetic labs.

Enter a highly immersive story line driven by realistic, mission-based action gameplay, believable AI, and the Quake III engine. Arm yourself with an arsenal of weapons, including Luger 9mm, Mauser 7.92mm, MP-40, SP-5 sniper, venom guns, grenades, rocket launchers, and flamethrowers. The game also features a multiplayer mode pitting players in a team-based Axis versus Allies contest for frontline domination. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

WOW!
To start out this game rocks.

Rating System- 1 Bad- 5 Great

The GRAPHICS 5-Great landscapes and the enemies are lifelike.

THE SOUND 4- Guns sound real , but sometimes its hard to hear what the guards are saying. Also the music is repeated a lot.

REPLAY VALUE 5- This has the most replay value out of any game I played (a large part of this is the mulitplayer is so fun!). The Single Player has easy, medium, and hard.

NOTE: Single player is very hard even on easy. It has taken me almost three months to complete it in easy.

The MULTIPLAYER IS GREAT!
Their are four classes you can be.
1.The soldier- Can have all the weopons i.e. Flamethrower, sniper rifle and the venom gun(chain gun).
2. The Engineer- The demolitions crew. Has dynamite and blows up walls, doors,etc. He also has the most grenades.

3. The Medic- Revives fallen teamates also hands out med packs. The Medics Health regenerates over time.
4. Lieutenate- Calls in air strikes and hands out ammo packs.

This is a great game that has come to the Mac.
I have to say Thanks to Aspyr for making it.
Please don't wait. Get it now.

An excellent game with great replayability
Return to Castle Wolfenstein is, in a word, excellent. The single-player campaign is adequately long, but action-packed and thoroughly wonderful; there are quite a few changes of scenery, and the underlying plot is entertaining. There have been a few complaints about the occult nature of the story, but I didn't find this offputting at all.

Multiplayer is where this game really shines. The maps included with the game are incredible (especially the famous mp_beach), and these can be suplemented by hundreds of custom-made maps available online at sites like . Objective-oriented, team-based gameplay as it has been implemented in RtCW is something you simply can't miss out on. Also, take note that the bonus maps included in the non-Mac "Game of the Year Edition" can be found online as well ... don't despair that our PC friends are gaining the upper hand on us!

And of course, the graphics are wonderful, as you can tell from any screenshot. This comes with a hit in performance on anything but the newest Macs, though: on the highest graphical setting, the game slowed down noticably at graphically-intense moments of the game (i.e. large, open areas with lots of enemies) on my 800 Mhz G4, 512 MB RAM iMac (with a GeForce 4 MX card).

So if you think you've got the machine to handle it, you will not likely be dissappointed with this game!

Great FPS Low Firepower
This is a great first person shooter for OS X if you own a G4 iMac or other lower end G4 machine. Haven't tried it on anything lower than my G4 667 powerbook, but the Powerbook seemed to have all the Processing power this game needs. This is a really good translation of the old third person game Castle Wolfenstein, and a much improved rendition over the original Wolfenstein 3D.

All in all, great bad guys, great single player and great network play without having to have the latest/greatest Mac to push it. Tons of fun.

Great Game
If you don't already own this game, you should. This is definately a classic game. The anticipation was so high for this game when it first released [because it was the follow up to one of THE best shooters ever]. The game followed through well...excellent graphics, great AI for single player, online play is excellent. There are many weapons, maps, etc. Online play is more than just runnin around and shooting...instead you have objectives and people on your team have jobs to complete such as Medics, Soldier, and Engineer. As I said before, this game is a CLASSIC...a MUST OWN! I am giving it 4 instead of 5 stars because its getting to be an old game but its still great...

Stunning graphics, smart AI, but not much innovative play
Remember that Simpsons episode where Homer is sucked into a higher (three-dimensional) reality and has his mind blown for a little while? If you still remember the old Wolfenstein 3D, that may very well be how you're going to feel once you fire up Return to Castle Wolfenstein (aka RTCW--I'm lazy). The graphics are stunning, including highly realistic textures, fog, lighting effects, and of course nearly photorealistic opponents. Environmental sound effects and wonderful--often hilarious--voice acting round off the illusion. All cut scenes are produced using the in-game engine, and I'd say the only way to make them look better would have been to use live actors. Facial animations are well executed, and once you get a good look at the femme fatale Elite guards, you will realize how well your enemies are built ... er, designed. Your Teutonic opposition largely speaks English with a strong accent (and unless you know German, you'll probably be thankful for this), but they do throw in the occasional catchy "Schweinhund!" and "Mein Gott!" as you tangle with them.

The AI is pretty darn smart--these certainly aren't your Daddy's Nazis anymore. Your adversaries will dodge bullets (some are very athletic at that), seek cover, and call for reinforcements or retreat if the going gets rough. Don't expect the old grenade-around-the-door-post trick to work, either. Instead of waiting until it goes off in their faces, the hostiles will back off if they can, or even kick it right back at ya. What a waste.

As far as your arsenal (that Morrissey sure is a punster, ain't he?) is concerned, you'll be wielding an array of conventional as well as experimental weaponry, all of which are exquisitely animated and sound very rich and satisfying. Since the story takes place during WW II, none of your shooters are too kooky or exotic. Instead, great care has been taken to deliver the most realistic implementation of a fairly conventional weapon, the flamethrower. The sadist in you will appreciate the sight of your howling victims vainly trying to beat out their burning uniforms (this never works, by the way). Which reminds me: you don't have to be Joseph Liebermann to come to the conclusion that this game does perhaps not belong into the hands of little game enthusiasts. RTCW is surprisingly sparing in the display of blood and gore, but the death animations are still pretty gruesome. What is missing in spraying guts is made up for by anguished screams and wails.

Visually, RTCW is breathtaking, IF you've got a beefy Mac. I played this game on a Dual 1 GHz Mirror Drive G4 with 512 MB RAM and 64 MB VRAM (ATI), and have seen the occasional frame rate hiccup with all graphics and sounds settings cranked up. There's no shame in that--it's safe to say that RTCW is among the most demanding titles out there right now. If you want to run this on an older or less powerful machine, some tweaking (most likely sacrificing some of the eye candy for performance) is going to be required.

Game play in the single-player campaign is, as a matter of fact, surprisingly easy even at the "I'm Death Incarnate" setting. If you're willing to accept a health drop to 25 % or so as satisfyingly realistic, there are few situations that you won't be able to resolve with brute force. It's a different story in some of the stealth-based scenarios, where any detection by enemy forces means the mission's scrubbed. That said, the level design is superb throughout except maybe for the predictable and oddly Super Mario-esque final boss encounter.

The problem is that there's really not much to come back for in the single-player game. Once you've played through it, the surprise factor (which plunks you in some downright scary situations at times) is gone and that's pretty much it. However, if you're a multi-player enthusiast, RTCW is well worth your money.

Unlike with many games these days, the multi-player component of RTCW is not an afterthought to the single-player game, tacked on with maybe a handful of extra maps, but a separate, dedicated application which features a fundamentally different mode of play. You get to either head into battle as a soldier with your favorite firearm, wield and defuse powerful explosives as an engineer, coordinate the attack and call in supportive (and devastating) air strikes, or do the good thing and keep your buddies alive and in the action as a medic (helping them forego the lengthy re-spawn cooldown). I haven't played too many online games of RTCW, so my observations here may not be all that representative, but I can tell you, I didn't see too many medics out there ... engineers are indispensable on some maps because you can't get at the enemy without blasting through some door or wall, but other than that, it seemed to me that everybody wants to be a gun-toting soldier, respawning wait time be damned. So in many online games, the nicely thought-out specialization system does not come to bear, but if you have some good people to play with who are willing to take on the different available roles, it should make for a very interesting play style.

In summary: if you're passionate about multi-player games, RTCW will most likely keep you very happy for a long time. On the other hand, if you don't care much for the multi-player aspect and don't have money to burn, you may want to pass on this one. It looks fantastic, but in terms of game play, there's nothing revolutionary in the single-player campaign. You'll basically be throwing your money at (admittedly serious) eye candy. Maybe you won't mind. Otherwise, save up for Unreal II. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

If you haven't yet been charmed by the adventures of Max, then Maxand the Magician will surely charm you silly. It's a game with asurprisingly simple premise, and you can tell the creators put more thought intodelighting kids than they did into coming up with a complicated story line. Andthat's fine by us.

The plot is simple. Max, the dog with the precocious little boy's Englishaccent, is sent to deliver a package to Mervin the Magician by his Uncle Pong. However, when Max arrives at the castle, he discovers that Mervin has beentransformed into a toilet brush by the vindictive witch Hagabelle. It's your jobto find the pieces of the spell that are hidden around the castle--once puttogether, Mervin can turn back into his normal self.

Like most Max adventures, the immediate task is only a small part of the fununearthed in the program. As you move from room to room in the castle, clickingon various objects to find the spell pieces, you'll uncover some amazing things:cackling witches, a chest full of magic brooms, transforming walls, and aspell-casting machine. And pointing and clicking is made especially easy for kids. Forexample, when you move your cursor over a clickable object, the small Max iconturns into a hand; when the cursor is over an object on which you can cast aspell, a magic wand appears. The game also lends itself to repeat play--eachtime you play, the pieces to the spell are hidden in different places.

Once again, Tivola has created a great Max game for young kids. Though it movesslowly at times, it has an appropriate pace for kids of this age group, whoappreciate a simple task coupled with whimsy and a sense of discovery andaccomplishment. (Ages 3 to 7) --Ara Jane Olufson ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Freddi Fish Experience gives children an opportunity to experience underwater fun and adventure with three Freddi Fish titles, featuring superslueth Freddi Fish and her sidekick, Luther.

In Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds, Grandma Grouper's kelp seeds have disappeared, and all the sea creatures are in danger of going hungry. With the help of Freddi and Luther, kids explore underwater caves, deep canyons, colorful reefs, and more to solve this deep-sea mystery. Freddi Fish's One-Stop Fun Shop invites kids to join Freddie in a world of self-expression where they design, direct, and print their own creations. In Freddi Fish and Luther's Maze Madness, kids direct Freddi Fish through more than 50 different mazes to collect Grandma Grouper's kelp seeds. Each level is full of point-scoring goodies, hungry foes, teleporting whirlpools, and other surprises. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great for little starters!
My daughter began with Freddi Fish at the age of 3 years. She would play on the computer for hours, and she was learning while having fun. This is a great program for little starters, to begin learning how to use the mouse and how to use basic computer skills. It would make an excellent gift!

Freddi Fish Experience
These three games is a great set at a great value! In Freddi Fish 1, Freddi and her pal, Luther must find Grandma Grouper's missing kelp treasure. It's a problem solving game with lots of fun. In "Maze Madness", Luther has spilled Grandma Grouper's kelp treasure and Freddi must go find it in this exciting arcade with 50 levels and a built in make-your-own-level level builder. In Freddi Fish's One Stop Fun Shop, you can make lots of cool stuff with a Freddi Fish theme...I'd recommend it any day. For more info, read separate reviews of each game. ... Read more

Features

• Enter the thick of WWII as a Special Forces agent in this single and multiplayer game
• Execute covert operations, search and rescue missions, and commando raids
• Fully realized 3-D worlds utilizing the powerful Quake III engine; over 20 levels
• Multiple online options include team combat and traditional last man standing modes
• Includes Medal of Honor Allied Assault Spearhead

Features

• Join Clifford and his friends at the Birdwell Island carnival
• Participate in lots of different activities and carnival games
• 100+ interactive and printable stories
• Win up to 18 different prizes that you can use to decorate a float for the big parade
• 3 levels of play that automatically adjust to your child's progress

Reviews (3)

for the most resistant reader
My 4.5 yr old son would much rather play nintendo than try to learn phonics, thanks to the influence of two older sibs. He received this game yesterday and already has spent countless hours on it playing the games and inadvertantly learning phonics. This game uses letter groupings as well as phonics, which is the method my other kids used with great success. This game definately requires parent participation in the early stages, but it's been fun watching him become more and more independant in his reading skills even though he is not aware of it. Only complaint is that the reward system is limited, so beware if your child is reward-oriented.

Clifford the Big Red Dog: Phonics
I bought this for my 3 year old daughter for Christmas this year. It was the first computer learning game she ever tried and it has been great in teaching her the basic mechanics for moving the cursor around the computer screen and using a mouse. But now, just 3 months later, I find that she is bored with the game. There are only a handful of games at the carnival to play. She seems more interested in decorating the float with the prizes she's won from these games instead.

some reviews below refer to "Thinking Adventures"
Note: Some of the reviews here (the 3-star one entitled "very easily bored with it" for instance) refer to a different product--"Clifford's Thinking Adventures".

The Phonics title is a completely different game, released in July 2003. If the review says at the end "refers to an ALTERNATE VERSION" check the link--might be a review for the other game. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Emergency Room is fun
I purchased this game and I like it a lot. It's great. You run tests on the patient, make a diagnosis, and treat them. It even has a spot where the nurse can give you prompts if your unsure what to do next.

Different, entertaining, has promise
The plus side is that it isn't a first-person shooter. The minus side is that after a while it feels like "Doctor" (the Hasbro game with the cartoon body and the buzzers) spiced up with quicktime mini-movies.
As a rapidly rising doctor in a busy emergency room you interact with a photo-real patient within the context of Exam Room, Lab, Imaging, and Treatment. As you apply the tools (EKG, and stethoscope, x-ray and blood workup, oxygen and I.V...) to the appropriate body parts, and make the correct entries in your chart, your score rises. At various junctures actor-portrayed characters (the crusty Chief of Staff, the caring young Intern), will speak to you and perhaps share a little of their own story.

ADDICTIVE!!!
Being a person who might want to become a doctor one day, this game was fun and educational. I learned a lot about diagnosis and what to do for different cases. The cases were intersting and the "pressure is on". Fun for everyone. VERY ADDICTIVE!

too hard to use
I bought this game, as a critical care nurse, for the fun of it. Too bad, as I can easily diagnose the problems and know what to do next, I can't get the software to do what I want. For example, when a patient has a "cardiac arrest", (has a lethal arrhythmia) I want to get the defibrillator and shock, but I can't get the software to do it...so the chief doctor comes on and says I've killed the patient. So much for fun!

Very scary and veryyyyy fun
I thought this game was totally off the hook. The only thing I didn't really like is how everyone starts yelling at you and its very scary for me!Mostly the chief of staff she's like what were you thinking.....But I absolutley loved the game!!!!!I recomend this game for anyone that is in to this ER stuff to get it and also code red just look at the price for code red.(it's very cheap so I have both games now!)
... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Introduce youngsters to the PC in a fun and entertaining way with Jay Jay the Jet Plane and his fleet of flying friends, the popular and familiar TV characters.

Your child can take part in exciting, interactive adventures, enter the land of make-believe, and embark on an exciting rescue mission to enable the Sparkleberry Tree on Pangabula Island (which has lost its shimmer) to survive, by discovering the magic ingredients to nurse it back to health.

All activities encourage children to have fun, to use their imaginations, to discover and learn about nature and ecosystems, and to sing songs. (Some of the activities also include printable sections.)

The package teaches youngsters to acquire knowledge of nature and science, learn about spelling and phonics, recognize letters and build words, practice patterns and sequencing, grasp logical reasoning and the art of following instructions, develop critical thinking and musical creativity, and practice early PC and mouse skills.

The manufacturers recommend the CD-ROM for children ages 3 to 7 years, but obviously adult help will be needed at the lower age level. The program is bright and bold, and will introduce preschoolers to the PC in a nonthreatening way. The accompanying documentation is comprehensive and simple to follow, and clear installation instructions are included. --Susan Naylor, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Typical cookie-cutter children's game
Like just about every other children's game (think JumpStart) this game is made in Macromedia's Director. And also, like just about every other children's game, it is low-budget, low-talent and low-resolution. The game forces itself into 800x600x16-bit @ 60Hz and after you exit the game, guess what? You're still in 800x600x16-bit @ 60Hz. Because the programming talent is nonexistent the game is rigidly linear, forcing you to watch the mind-numbing instructions before EVERY game no matter how many times you've played it previously. And, in what seems to be a trend among children's games, it requires Administrator privileges to not only install, but also RUN the game! I am not about to give my 28-month-old son those elevated permissions on the family computer. Not because I'm afraid of intentional mischief but because I'm afraid of the accidental damage he could do. The only things that save this title are the videos and cutscenes which feature plenty of time with the main characters and keep my son interested.

Just like the TV show, Jay Jay is still a hero!
A fun program that my nephew has enjoyed for weeks. The activities keep him coming back over and over and the theme of helping each other and conservation are messages that it is never too early to expose children to. Like the Jay Jay Earns his Wings program, this one is a winner. Where can you get the Sky Circus program I see listed as discontinued?

My little ones love cd-rom!
Great activities for pre school kids. Highly recommend this cd-rom.

Jay Jay is SuperSonic
My son loves Jay Jay and absolutely loves this game. He has played it already 3 times.

Don't waste your money
My son absolutely LOVES Jay Jay the Jet Plane, but didn't get into this software at all. The games are boring and I could just see the disappointment in his face. I'm glad I didn't pay full price, and instead bought it on clearance at a local retailer. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

If you can't find anyone to play with you because you're just too good--or you just don't like cleaning up little wooden tiles--the Scrabble CD-ROM is for you. Up to four players (human or computer) can play on a variety of boards and backgrounds (try chrome in the desert for that Road Warrior look). You can choose your computer opponent from five levels of difficulty, from Novice to Champion, or you can create your own custom opponent, based on a chesslike rating.

Play is speedy and satisfying; the sounds of the tiles clicking on the board are alarmingly realistic. You can challenge words, be challenged yourself, or find definitions of words you don't know in the online Official Scrabble Dictionary. (You can even receive hints and suggestions from the "Maven.")

Online multiplayer is in full force, too. Play with bored students in Oxford using the network features; though this slows the game down depending on your Internet connection rate, you'll find you need more time to crush your human challengers anyway. Sharpen your skills with the minigames: find two- or three-letter words, do anagrams, or find the best play with a given setup. Even if you're a regular Scrabble player, you should find yourself returning to your computer time and again, either to brush up or to try again against the champion. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Smart Scrabble
This product is great for improving your Scrabble game, and it's also a lot of fun. You can play against 1-3 computer opponents with varying skill levels, or against real people. Unless you're in tournament mode, you can take advantage of features such as a word lister that generates suggestions for how to score the highest points with the tiles you have. There are also features such as instant summaries of letters remaining to be played.

My one annoyance is with the dictionary: it challenges some words you'd think it would accept, while accepting some words you'd think it would reject. If in doubt, doublecheck a word with it prior to finalizing your move, or add words to your own custom dictionary.

Overall, though, MacSoft's Scrabble exemplifies the benefits of converting a board game to software. No more tedious adding up points for tiles--the computer does it all for you!

Scrabble for Macs
This is a great way to play Scrabble if your partner doesn't play. It has a dictionary, word lists, and other guides. It would be nice if you could click once for a new game and not have go back to the menu and re-do your preferences. Another problem (with Macs) is, it crashes when interrupted by indexing and other automatic computer functions (updates, etc.) All in all it's an easy and fun way to squeeze a little Scrabble into your life, and to improve your game.

A winner
I play this game on the new iBook (128 RAM; 10G). It may be necessary to restart your system before playing if you left the iBook on for many days without shutting it down. Otherwise Scrabble plays without a glitch.

The game is a joy to play. There are numerous modes (e.g., 2 or 3 letter words, anagrams, 'bingo' or 7 letter words, etc.); numerous set ups (one or many players, networking, human or computer players); and different levels of difficulty. Sometimes I play for the sole purpose of learning new words, in these sessions I use extensively the hint menu and the word suggestion menu. For a word lover it is pure joy.

The interface is beautiful--it is an excellent mix of the quaint traditional feel and possibilities of technology. Although different 'look and feel' are available from high tech, to desert, landscape, etc.

The game set up menu is a bit clunky (player selection, score summaries, etc.). Regardless this is a great design.

Highly recommended for all ages

Scrabble - a guilt-free use of time!
We finally succumbed to purchasing Scrabble for the computer before Christmas and promptly lost our seven year old son and houseguests to various parts of the house. Friends and acquaintances have become hooked too.

The game is positively additive. Both adjectives can be equally applied - which parent can complain when a child will sit for an hour playing a game that expands his vocabulary, spelling and strategy? Our vocabulary has been broadened too.

Although we give the game 5 stars overall, there are a couple of glitches that could be ironed out for better play. Maven (the computer player) is both judge and jury in game play and assumes that he, and he alone, knows all words. If he doesn't recognise a word opponents are instantly chalenged and loose their turn. There is no opportunity for "appeal" or the facility to educate the computer as you play. The custom dictionary feature is not entirely intuitive and can only be revised outside game play which gives the computer opponent a distinct advantage. One can avoid such conflicts by checking the on-screen dictionary before playing the word, but that's not really how the game is played.

The computer's suggestions for word play are slightly limited - it manages to see individual words, but lacks the breadth of perception to "see" stacked word play and the higher points that can be played in this manner. It also isn't particularly good on strategy.

These niggles aside, we are happy to give the game an unequivocal "two thumbs up". As a way to hone skills and play a game when either no-one else wants to or is available, it's great.

Countless Hours of Fun for Scrabble-philes Eveywhere!
This new, update version of Scrabble on CD-ROM is as entertaining as its' boardgame equivalent. Providing challenges that even the most professional players will find challenging, Scrabble is a great to kill free time or develop your vocabulary skills.

The addition of a dictionary, in addition to the games screen views only adds to the excitement that the boardgames lacks when it comes to design and usefulness. The people at Hasbro have done it again, and I am totally elated that they decided to release this updated version on CD-ROM.

So if you are a single player in look for some major competition, or want to compete with a friend online, Scrabble is your guarantee for an entertaining time. Add this to your shopping basket today, and see what I am raving about. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Kids (ages 5 to 7) discover core learning skills in this delightful age-appropriate learning environment featuring Reader Rabbit and friends. Team up with Irvin-the-Inventor and the Cloud Queen to discover why it's raining umbrellas, raincoats, and galoshes. While traveling to Raingear Forest and Cloud Nine, kids explore seven fun activities full of adventure and discovery. Along the way, Reader Rabbit and friends cover reading, math, science, problem solving, and more, creating a forecast that calls for fun-filled learning.

Reader Rabbit 1st Grade 2002 is part of the award-winning Reader Rabbit children's educational software series. Learning activities include Cloud Spelling Challenge, Raingear Forest Math, and Gumball Science. Kids also enjoy this title's fun music, stories, movies, and characters, while the program's progress reports let parents see just where their child is advancing and where they might need some help.

So that you're never without Reader Rabbit, Reader Rabbit 1st Grade 2002 comes with the bonus CD-ROM Reader Rabbit's Dreamship Tales. It's bursting with added activities, videos, tunes, and more than 100 printable games and activities--a great way to keep the fun going after you've turned the computer off. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Warning for Windows 95 users
The system requirements are misleading for this 2002 version, this software will not install on Windows 95 as listed. Wouldn't it be refresh to tell you that tech support apologized and quickly did the right thing - NOT !

Sparks the Fire to Learn!!!
As children's software goes the Reader Rabbit series is one of my favorites. Reader Rabbit's 1st Grade "Capers on Cloud Nine" captured my daughter's attention so well that she would not stop until she had finished the entire game! That says a lot since she hasn't previously been terribly interested in the computer as her older siblings have. The only reason I gave this four stars instead of five is because she was able to complete it in one afternoon. How I wish it could have gone on a little bit longer! Now the hunt is on for more...but what a great start. Still, it was definately worth the money and I would do it again as it sparked the fire!

Educational and fun!
It's tough finding something for kids to play while not spending a fortune and wasting brain space on senseless games. The Reader Rabbit series are great because they offer great ways to learn while keeping things simple and fun in a cartoon-like format. The software is easy to install and I found that my 1st grader could easily navigate the program without getting stuck. She sat on it for hours!! I was surprised to see the fun she had with the program and look forward to purchasing further copies. ... Read more

Features

• For kids age 8 and older
• A new chess adventure with Fritz, Bianca, and Chesster
• Covers openings, middle-game tactics, endgames, and more
• More than 20 mini games within the game for practice
• Powered by "Fritz", the world's leading chess software

Features

• Traverse the haunted Paths of the Dead, defending Minas Tirith from thousands of Sauron's minions as one of 8 characters
• Play as Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Sam, and Frodo with voiceovers provided by the films? actors
• Twelve interactive levels players will challenge you to swing from ropes, fire catapults, kick boulders, as you face Sauron's hordes
• Fight vicious foes including Shelob, the Witch King, the Dark Lord Sauron, and many more
• Team up with a companion in all-new Multiplayer mode -- fight side-by-side to defeat Sauron and ensure the destruction of The One Ring

Reviews (3)

Take you back to the middle earth!
Frankly I never play any other LOTR video games before, and this one really take me back to the middle earth! Footage from the movie perfectly combine with the games. (In one shot you are still enjoying the footage from the movie, the other shot game is start!) Great character detail, great atmosphere - sometimes you are in a situation that you wanna say "OH my god, how can I get through this?!" (I especially like the path of ARgole finding the dead king...) But when I said that I didn't mean to be a tough game, but just VERY exiciting and get you high... often it is so high that after the section is finish, i feel really satisfy and really wanna play again!

Bad side. Checkpoint are far far away and you can't really stop in the middle and play it next time... You had better change the keyboard control and like me, get a mouse more than one button... And I hate the way the camera working in this game... it doeen't like other FPS that the view point is control by the mouse, the game decide, so often when you walk around, the view point constantly change and your hand have to adopt it quick... and too bad it ask for 2.2GB for installation. I think the movie can be load from DVD?

And so sorry for anyone who find it constatly crash... I never crash.

I am running it on a Powebook 15" 867Mhz 1GB ram... It's okay to be run in 1024x768 but i am afarid it will slow to death during scene that contain a lot people... so I run it in 800x600; but still it look nice and I beleive it should run excellent on modern macintosh :)

At last, if you love LOTR you got to buy this game!

This Game is great!
I only got this game last sunday but it rocks! The Helm's deep level is cool at the end and so is the road to isengard. I won't spoil it. The ups of this game:
The controls are easy to remember if you change them a bit

This game has cool scenes from all three movies

All the levels I've played are fun (exept pellenore feilds)

The Downs:
The path of the hobbit is really hard

Pellinore fields is hard once the mumakil start coming

Minas tirith:the top of the wall is very confusing

You still can't replay levels with as character who beat the level until you beat the game

Apart from that, this game is very good. I was on for 2 hours straight one day. I would reccomend this game to anyone who likes lord of the rings and who can stand being frustrated a bit.in The king of the dead level, the king is the easy part. after you beat him, thye paths of the dead cave in on you! in the last part of this level, you have to fight three dead champions (the guys wits the healt bars over their head) at the same time! In helm's deep, first you have to fight off a few orcs, which isn't to hard with gimli's help, then go through a gap in the rocks created by a firey boulder to help legolas fight off a few archers. After that aragorn needs your help clearing the path to the inside of helm's deep. just fight off a few orcs and fire three ballistas. one of them hits a bucket of explosivs. once this happens, you win the level.

Anonymus, out

Great game -- big problems
This game is great, but it continually crashes on my system, rendering it unplayable. I'm using a Powerbook G4, 1 gig processor, and it easily fits within the range of compatible systems. But at certain points the graphics disintegrate into a huge mess.

So I'm forced to return a game I was very much looking forward to playing. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Enter a pharaoh's tomb to solve an ancient Egyptian mystery. Join the ever-adventurous ClueFinders on an archaeological dig in exotic Egypt, and uncover a plot to unleash a sinister, age-old force on the world. Kids will need all their smarts, spunk, and spirit to work their way out of this title's tricky spots. From building a bridge to interpreting mysterious scrolls, every activity brings children closer to unraveling the astounding mystery, while mastering essential fourth grade skills.

Explore 21 interactive games and exercises designed for kids, ages 8 to 10 and older. Build more than 60 key fourth grade skills in math, language, science, geography, and problem solving. Four levels of difficulty and a variety of tricky challenges keep ClueFinders 4th Grade Adventures 2002: Puzzle of the Pyramid fun and fresh. Detailed help features guide kids throughout, and built-in progress reports help parents navigate their child's learning fun.

In addition, an all-new for 2002 bonus CD-ROM doubles the mystery and clue-finding fun. In ClueFinders: Mystery Mansion Arcade, our adventurers are lured into a spooky mansion by an ingenious mastermind and his four villainous henchmen. Kids help the ClueFinders escape by choosing the best ClueFinder for each arcade-style hazard. Speed through the Ultimate Deep-Dish Pizza Skate Park, stay cool through the High-Voltage Circuit Zone, and much more. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Both kids loved it!
I have twins who just turned 9; I bought the first copy of this through their school about 8 months ago, and the boys were totally hooked. It's entertaining as well as educational. Some of the stuff is repetitive; but I think that helps them learn how to concentrate on completing tasks. I bought the second copy of this game when our CD drive cratered and destoyed the disk. BTW, these games are MUCH cheaper on Amazon and through office supply stores rather than through school!

Pretty Good
This was a great game. The tasks were repetitive like having to collect 12 cairoglyphys five times. The graphics and story lines were really good and I think this would be a great game for kids who already know how to read, so from grades 3-5.

A winner in our household
My third grader just received this. He loves it and has already spent several days solving the puzzles. What a great way to get him ready for 4th grade. This is the second year we have gottne Clue Finders to work on over the summer and both have been a real hit in our household. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Myst arrived just in time to take advantage of brand-newCD-ROM technology, and quickly became the number-one reason to buy anew computer. Myst and its sequel, Riven, featuredbeautiful and lonely landscapes, a strong and fascinating sense ofpervading mystery, and puzzles both fiendish and clever. Playersnavigated through the games by clicking on points of interest, andsolved puzzles by paying careful attention to the lush graphics andhaunting sounds of the environment. Myst III: Exile proudlycontinues and even advances that tradition.

Myst's ongoing story line is as convoluted as it is fantastic.Central to the story is the mysterious civilization of the D'ni, whichcreates entire worlds by writing books. Other books are used to linkthe D'ni worlds together. Myst trapped the player in a series ofinterconnected worlds, and challenged the player to puzzle through theramblings of two mad brothers in order to free Atrus, their imprisonedfather. Riven revealed more of the history of the D'ni, and sentthe player to the unstable world of Riven in order to rescue Atrus'swife.

Myst III: Exile concerns Atrus's earnest attempt at creating anew world. He hopes this world will mark the rebirth of the D'ni, butbefore he finishes his book, a thief (portrayed in the game by actorBrad Dourif) breaks into his laboratory and mucks things up. You haveto track this thief through worlds written by Atrus in his earlieryears. Within each world you must right the wrongs the thief hascreated, all the while uncovering a deeper mystery surrounding hisrelationship to Atrus and his troublesome children. Prior experiencewith Myst and Riven isn't necessary for this thirdexcursion, but familiarity with Myst's point-and-click gameplayand its often infuriating puzzle logic helps.

New to the game is a full 3-D landscape, which replaces the staticprerendered artwork of the previous games. The gorgeous new graphicsallow you to quickly pan and scan your way through an area, looking forpuzzles and action spots with the hand cursor. The puzzles have beenimproved so that you can now see changes to the environment immediatelyafter you solve one, rather than simply moving on to the next picture.Still, the puzzles are often wickedly difficult and may provefrustrating to new players.

The environment is the true star of the game, and is sure to enchantplayers of all stripes. As before, the music and artwork are topnotchand immersing, and the experience is not easily forgotten. Mystfans of old will be delighted with this new installment, and those newto the series will be enchanted, provided they are willing to spendtime on the puzzles, enjoy the scenery, and let the game carry themaway. --Andrew S. Bub

Pros:

• A strong continuation of the series
• Brilliant new artwork and music

• Puzzles can be confusing
• Not for impatient gamers

Reviews (333)

Transdimentional travel from inner space
I just finished MystIII:Exile and was not disappointed (while I was, a little bit, by Riven).

First of all, I ran it on a G3 iMac at 400 MHz, and did not encounter any trouble, except for the fact that my finder could not support pop-up windows after launching it (because of the change of screen resolution). I did a full install, and it seemed that I did not even need the disc 1 to start the program. The game, by itself, was familiar (I have played the two others) and it was even more familiar since it used "The Journeyman project 3" 360 degres panning ability (from the same company, I think). Still, progression through the worlds is still slide-like (while in "The journeyman", you got movies to keep the impression of moving through places [well, yeah, I am a big fan of "The JourneyMan project 2 and 3"]).

Exile is a hybrid between the two previous games: you get Riven's awsome graphics, but you have the exploration of different worlds from Myst that was missing in Riven (although, in Riven, you had several worlds in one place, it's not the same feel as jumping from one universe to the other [when you got to link to another world, you can't explore it...]).

Puzzles are not too hard, though I'm sure non-nerdy game players (which I'd like to be [a nerdy game player;)], even though they seem so "blase";) with new releases) will find them quite difficult, and they are logical, given you follow the peculiar logic of these worlds.

Concerning the people saying they got through too fast, I would like to add that, yes, it seems easier now that we have played the first two games (and that clones of Myst have appeared), but I wouldn't bet on you going so fast if this had been released at the time instead of the original Myst (without considering the obvious impossibility [eg, that it could not have been released at the time. Not under this form, anyway]).

So, at it stands, it is a nice equilibrium between beautiful graphics, medium complexity of puzzles and good story telling (other aspects have been mentionned in previous reviews).

The ending was, to me, a little bit disappointing. Maybe because it goes too fast, compared to the time you spend (even if not that great) solving some of the puzzles. On the other hand, the sequences following the final solvings for each world visited before was worth it.

What a relief after Riven!
"Riven" came out just after "Zork Nemesis" and its groundbreaking 360 degree rotation was introduced. So the second Myst game as a result came across as a tremendous disappointment after playing the gorgeous and immersive "Nemesis". After completely circular visuals and constantly atmospheric music, "Riven" failed to engage me much in its gameplay because of its primitive-looking snapshot style. Plus, I managed to solve it in its entirety during a single weekend...far too easy...

But THIS game, on the other hand, is something else entirely. I get the impression that the original Myst creators took one look at "Nemesis", silently cursed to themselves, went back to the drawing board...and THIS time came up with a winner. Taking more than its fair share of cues from "Nemesis" and its technological innovation (which is slightly irritating in the way of how the press is currently praising them and acting as though the Myst developers just invented them when this was already done so beautifully years ago! Come on guys, be FAIR!), the result is a gorgeous and immersive adventure which manages to catch up wtih technology.....as it existed five years ago.

I hate to say it, but this game is starting to remind me of "King's Quest", a gaming series that was considered groundbreaking with its first title and then spent the rest of two decades playing technological catch-up.

But that aside, it's a wonderful and challenging game. The only problem I've had with it is some choppy glitches with some of the animation sequences: an opening sequence with Catharine was stable except for the fact that her speech kept fading in and out and I couldn't hear her properly, and some portions of the "casual" action animation (such as when you are in an elevator and you're supposed to be watching a gate spin around it through a window) was equally choppy and unresponsive. The problems persist even after the patch was installed.

The annoying animation errors are the only thing here which keep me from giving this title a full five stars. The moment they can be fixed (hopefully on the upcoming DVD edition due before this Christmas?), I'll edit this into a full five-star review.

**WARNING!!! In closing, I'm about to explain the nature of the puzzles by sharing my reaction to the first one and in doing so am going to give away the solution to it. If you do not want to hear any puzzle solutions, read no further.**

Confusing puzzles in this game are guaranteed to lead even to most steel-bound adventurer astray, as by their sheer nature they can lead you into being tricked that they are far more complicated than they actually are. I've been a veteran of adventure puzzle games for twenty years and even I got stumped by (get this) the first puzzle. It's the one involving the revolving lamps. I had guessed correctly that I had to get a beam of light to shine through them on to a particular door's surface, but could not get any light to appear through them. Turning the crank at the beginning of the setup a couple of times didn't do a thing (I was convinced it was to power up the whole arrangement), so I thought that maybe it would all switch on once I had gotten the lamps all aimed in a proper order. Noticing that each one was a different color, I had thought at first that they needed to be done in the order of the spectrum, but when that obviously didn't work I went berzerk trying to figure out how to get the light to turn on.

I finally broke down and, despite my better nature, looked up the solution on the internet. What did I have to do?

Turn the crank ONE MORE TIME!

Afterwards, I was practically bashing my head against the wall while screaming inwardly, "THAT'S IT???!!..."

The best Myst
Myst III: Exile isn't as dark as Myst or Riven. I think it's better that way, actually. This game has some of the best visuals and scenery in the series so far. The new 360 degree free-look is awesome. The story is the deepest I've seen in the series so far. The puzzles are a little silly and out of place, but they are still fun and challenging. Myst III: Exile is certainly, so far the best in the series.

Beautiful, immersive, scary, and even a little moving...
I loved Myst, but found Riven a little flat despite the beauty of its environments.

I was therefore pleasantly surprised to love Myst 3: Exile best of all. The game is a perfect combination of the dreamlike world of Myst, with the attention to detail offered by Riven, and with a really exciting storyline, gorgeously rendered environments, and a lush immersive world to boot.

Add to all this some superb acting from Brad Dourif as a villain who's as sympathetic as he is frightening, and you have the makings of a great game. While I'd always liked him as a character actor, Dourif really impressed me here -- the drama of the game really lives or dies on his shoulders, and he brings terror and poignance to the game in equal measure.

I reveled in almost all the worlds Myst 3 presented (the first and last best of all), and the puzzles are seamless and beautifully integrated into the game. (Like some others, I did find the plant world to be a bit tedious and confusing to navigate through, but it was also a lot of fun to conquer in the end.)

I recommend Myst 3 for Myst and Riven lovers both -- but it's also just as much fun for gamers new to the Myst worlds, and may be the perfect introduction. The game even offers the possibility of several different endings, depending on how you solve the final quandaries of the game. A superb game -- one of the best I've ever played.

Note: I'm running on the XP platform and after updating with the latest patch, the game performed flawlessly for me.

disappointing
I liked "Myst," absolutely loved "Riven" but was disappointed with "Exile." Partly it was the graphics, I often ended up clicking all over the screen because it was difficult to find things. I liked the puzzles well enough, especially the magnetic world, but I did find the plant world tedious and the last world a let-down; the game ends very abruptly, I wanted to go off to those other islands.

This game isn't as challenging as "Riven" and it isn't as exciting as "Myst." Still, if you like the series, you'll probably want to buy this one. Fwiw, my husband liked it more than I did. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Infogrames has improved upon an already excellent franchise with Backyard Baseball 2003. We hope this software doesn't become a victim of its own success: the Backyard Kids are getting so good, it's only a matter of time before they start demanding astronomical salaries and brand-new stadiums.

The pace, strategy, and statistics involved in baseball make it a sport that translates easily to the computer screen. In Backyard Baseball, players can play pickup games, launch a tournament, have batting practice, or just watch the computer play its own game. Options are initially overwhelming, but add longevity to the game as well. Twelve different game fields each exert their own unique influence over play--balls bounce crazily on the gravel lot, while homers are rare in the fenceless field. Games can be tweaked to add errors or include a visible strike zone; even field chatter can be added or eliminated. A wide selection of hits, pitches, and stance possibilities at the plate keep players strategizing, while the occasional power-up or wild pitch serves as a reminder of baseball's unpredictability.

The creative team outdid themselves with character development in this software. The Backyard Kids are quirky and three-dimensional--the research done on the real players was exemplary as well. For example, did you know Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks listens to Rush in his spare time? Go figure.

Backyard Baseball 2003 will keep both young and old baseball fans engaged for a good long time. Consider it a way to fill that long wintry gap between baseball seasons. (Ages 7 and older) --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Reviews (65)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sincerely,
Ian Badeer
A True Backyard Series Fan

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

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

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

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

Amazon.com Product Description

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

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

Reviews (13)

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

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

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

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

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

Features

• You can jump right into the game show action, with the original Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
• It features over 700 tough trivia questions, which you can answer with help from your lifelines
• Try Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? 2nd Edition, for even more game-show excitement -- just like the show, from the fastest-finger competition, to Regis' wisecracks
• The sports fan can test their knowledge by getting into the Hot Seat with Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Sports Edition

Features

• Everything the experienced astronomy enthusiast needs to explore the universe
• Enhanced observation planner lets you create detailed lists of targets
• New observation logs to store notes, times, sky conditions, equipment used, and images on targets
• Equipment list allows you to store all scopes, eyepieces, binoculars, and accessories
• LiveSky panel lets you see up-to-date images of the Sun and Earth

Reviews (5)

armchair astronomy as its best
If you are fascinated by the sky, get this software now. I was
amazed by the photo realisitic rendition of the sky map
on the PC. Both the Backyard Edition and Pro Edition are
well worth the price. Many a times I do star watching
on my desk, watch the librations of the moon at high speed
(see the moon wobbling on its axis by zooming and
locking on the moon and running time at higher speed).

Many a day, this is my screen saver, locking on the sun
as it cuts thru the zodiac. Yesterday I watched the transit
of venus across sun ahead of time on my PC.

On my linux, I use xephem (it comes with source code in c),
and on dos I use alw.exe (astromony lab) to generate the almanac.
And finally pscal.sh to generate the moon phases in my
printable calendar (see google for pscal,xephem,alw.zip).

Of course, you can use to identify stars, by using on your
laptop, when you do star watching.

- Mosh http://www.cs.albany.edu/~mosh

Great Program For The Telescope Owner!
I upgraded to Pro 4.5 from Backyard 4.0 and I am glad I did! The graphics of this program are better and this program adds the ability to control a telescope (most Meade/Celestron models). You can also add your equipment lists to the program to get apparent Fields Of View (FOV) for your telescope and assorted eyepieces. You can plan your nightly observations by checking the program before you go out so you know what time Jupiter's Great Red Spot will be rotated into view.

This program also tracks satellites, The International Space Station (ISS), and Hubble Space Telescope so you know when will be a good time to go out and watch them pass over head.

It is a great learning tool to begin to understand the constellations, and deep sky objects like nebulas and galaxies.

you have to be sure to load the ENTIRE Quicktime program that comes included on the disk or the program will not operate properly.

also, it comes with a great DVD called Atlas of the Sky which includes over 2 hours of original learning programs about the cosmos.

Highly recommended.

Excellent Value
Starry Night Pro (SNP)is an incredible software package. I had used used TheSky version IV for a few years (which was 2 1/2 times the cost), and SNP is MUCH easier to use, and offers features that TheSky simply does not have.

It does help to have a pretty good background in Astronomy though, so I could see where someone with virtually NO knowledge on the subject would have a difficult time knowing where to start. Since they do offer more basic versions of Starry Night, I'd imagine that they might be more appropriate for a true beginner.

Some of the highlights: Each time you run the program, you have the option of having the database updated via the Internet, so that all of your satellite, comet and asteroid information is current. This function is very easy... you don't have to go looking for it... it'll ask you at start up.

You can "center" on any object, and zoom in (up to) a high-powered telescopic view. With the object centered in the field, the object will remain frozen in the center of your screen as time elapses, rather than moving across the screen. You can then set the time-step to anywhere from "normal" to 30,000x normal. One of the coolest things to do, is to center Saturn, zoom in until it fills about a quarter of the screen, and then speed the time up... You'll watch in amazement as the planet and it's splendid ring system rotate before you, and the moons dance around the planet.

You can change your viewing location to anywhere on Earth... or for that matter, anywhere in the Solar System --and beyond. Try looking back at the Earth during a Solar eclipse! You'll see the Moon's shadow skirting across the surface. Or, if you set your viewing location on the Moon during a lunar eclipse, you'll see a Solar eclipse FROM the moon. Again, pretty neat.

You can zoom completely out of the galaxy, and look back at the Milky Way so it is no longer a band across the sky, but rather a pinwheel of stars (depending, of course, on which direction you are looking from.) You can also zoom out to the edge of the known universe until all of the galaxies are a faint blob in the middle of the screen.... Zooming IN quickly from this point is also a cool effect.

If all of what SNP did was for "effect" only (in other words, it didn't actually reflect the REAL sky, it'd be worth the money.) But of course, it DOES reflect what you CAN see. What you WILL see. And what you DID see. (Up to several thousand years in the past, and about ten thousand years into the future... just for planning purposes!)

Starry Night Pro is worth every dollar... and more!

Verstile intuitive astro program you won't get tired of.
This is an astronomy program that really takes advantage of the high powered graphics and speed of todays PC. There are also many features in the program that are highly useful. Probably the greatest aspect of the program is that it is so practical but yet doesn't limit your imagination. In other words, if you want a session to set up your telescope for astrophotography or to print up star maps, you won't have to change programs later if you want to take a visual ride to some distant star or galazy.

Another excellent feature is the realism. Earlier astro programs would have M31 and an oval in the sky to depict the Andromeda galazy. The earlier program might also have the name or NGC number available. With Starry Night when you zoom in, you get an image that is truly representative of a telescopic view. As you continue to zoom in, it's like changing from your 6 or 8 inch scope to a 25 or 30 inch scope. Go further and you have a view that rivals the best that anyone has ever had the privilage of seeing. Another nice touch is that as you increase the "power" more stars become visible just as they would through a real telescope.

The amount of data in the program is staggering. Point at any star or object and you get multitudes of information. This is also user changeable and the combinations available are practically limitless. If you're not happy with all the known stars down to the 9th magnitude, you can download more to your heart's content. You can even set the program to automatically add new stars in whatever field you choose to explore.

Perhaps one of the most fantastic features of Starry Night is the galactic travel mode. Go to Andromeda and see what galaxies are visible from there. Go to the Virgo Cluster and be surrounded by galaxies of virtually every type, size and brightness. The program does use some generic images in this mode, but all of the messier objects and well known galaxies are shown with realistic representations. In other words, if you go to M81, you will see M82 and if you know what that looks like, you will recognize it.

As I mentioned earlier this program has so much to offer that I really don't have time to mention it all here. Suffice it to say that I was so happy with the program, I wrote emails to the company to praise their work. I got a reply saying thank you and it's nice to know the work is appreciated. It's not only appreciated, I love this program and haven't begun to explore it's limits completely. If you love astronomy and the feeling of awe it can inspire, get this program and you will have that feeling even if the night sky is cloudy.

Customer Service Went Home And Stayed There
The program is absolutly super. It has so many great features and is VERY user frendly, so anybody can use it. The manual is done well and is easy to follow.

I have two computers, one with WindowsXP and the other with WindowsMe. The program says you need Quicktime 6.3 or better, and you do. The problem comes when you download the Quicktime 6.3 that comes with the program into a computer with WindowsMe. No matter what, you don't get the full graphics. Where as with WindowsXP you do get full graphics. And they are super.

Also after installing the 4.5.2 upgrade you loose the Contextual Help when you put the cursor over each button.

Full graphics intails all the buttons and different landscapes. If you don't get the full graphics you miss some of the buttons and several features that you wiil want to operate the program. Don't get me wrong, the features and buttons are there, you just can't see them so you have to punch around too find them. Partial graphics only seems to happen with the WindowsMe platform.

Last but certainly not least is the customer support. THERE IS NONE!. Let me repeat, THERE IS NONE! I've tried several times to get questions answered, like the problem with running the program in WindowsME. And also after installing the 4.5.2 upgrade you loose the Contextual Help when holding the cursor over the different buttons. Apparently the company made the program then went home and stayed there.

Soooooo buy the program and enjoy it. It really is super, weather your new to astronomy or a pro. Just don't load it into WindowsMe. And don't bother with Customer Support. And one more thing, the Starry Night Newsgroup is useless.

You will be on your own after buying Starry Night Pro 4.5

I must appoligize to the Starry Night people. After 2 weeks I got a reply from Starry Night Customer Support and they wanted to find out all the specs for both of my computers. So it is a start to fixing the minor problems I'm having. Sorry Customer Support for the bad rap. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Good, clean (or bloody), fun...
I very much enjoyed this game. The graphics are great, the gameplay is fairly linear--a drawback for some, but I *like* linear--and the story and dungeons here are both inventive and challenging. I have tried Icewind Dale (tedious and aggravating) and Neverwinter Nights (complicated and, once again, aggravating) for the Mac, but Dungeon Siege is better than either of those games, in my opinion.

I don't want to give up half my life just trying to figure out how to play a game and then spend the other half resolving arcane puzzles that you have to get a clue book to help you with. Geeze. Unless you're a professional gamer (or college student [yeah, I still remember those days!]), who's got time for that? Just a bit of hack and slash adventure is all I crave, with an assortment of challenges (not all of them battle oriented) with a few good digital companions at your side (I found Kroduk, Gloern, and Merik to be particularly helpful). What more could you ask for?

Dungeon Siege is good fun for someone who doesn't want to waste a lot of time trying to figure out character stats and complex rules of engagement. Moreover, while there are a couple of minor side battles here (and one major one that which I missed my first time through), I still found the game entertaining and replayable. I like the idea of fully realized companions that join up with your team along the way (if you want them to and/or can afford to hire them). These are not just mindless drones but as controllable and accessible as the primary character that you create at the beginning of the game. I also like the way characters' abilities are enhanced based on the way you choose to play them; if you have a character use a bow, for example, then they gradually increase in that particular skill.

The music is great, the various levels are seamlessly woven together, and the "gore level" is adjustable, as is the game difficulty level. All in all, this game was just what I was looking for: fun, "winnable", and not irritatingly complex.

I highly recommend Dungeon Siege for Mac owners who enjoy this sort of thing. I haven't had this much fun with a Mac game since the Wizardry, Bard's Tale, and Might and Magic series of long ago. And, yes, I know how old that makes me!

A sight to behold
I was never a big fan of Diablo because all in all, the game is somewhat repetitive and you only controlled one man. I mean, come on, how realistic is that? Dungeon Siege is a nice break from the norm were you control a group of adventurers, which you control. How they level up and what they are good at is mostly up to you, and the classes are all fairly varied. The game's major strong points lie in the fact that there is only one load screen in the very beginning and after that there are seemingly flawless graphics and amazing gameplay. The voice acting is none too shabby, and the controls are incredibly easy to get use to. The drawbacks are that the games system requirements are somewhat steep, and I wouldn't advise anyone leaving too many other programs running at the same time because it'll slow down the game. My system is the best iBook out and it still lags at times when other programs are running. Luckily other soundtracks don't need to be implanted, because the music is wonderful to listen to.
Enjoy!

Good RPG but with some problems
I bought this game a few weeks ago even though the game is a little out of date. The story line is pretty good even though it is simple to complete. I Like RPGs which have a deep story line, take some skill to complete but the characters, items and skills are easy to get the hang of. The obvious answer? Diablo 2..but i already owned that and people admit it there arent any up to date rpgs with the things i said above...heck macs have a shortage of RPGs even availible. I bought NWNs and i thought it was okay but it was too complicated and i didn't like how if took 5 seconds to roll and hit an enemy. So i looked for other RPGs to buy and DS seemed like a good choice, it quenched my RPG thirst for about 3 weeks but then i beat it and the game wasnt really one u could beat again and have fun. On this i disagree with the other reviewists is the issue of graphics, D2 i thought had better graphics but was released earlier that this game was....If u have Mac and u like RPGs i would buy this game...but other RPGs to consider(if u have no problem buying out of date games) are D2 Baulders Gate 2 and Icewind dale...overall this was a fun game but i think is DS2 is going to be realeased for mac it will be much better.

Fun while it lasted
With a enjoyable single player campaign, Dungeon Siege is a solid game, but sadly is rather hadicapped. The campaign is far too short, rather simple, and not very replayable. Multiplayer is extremely lacking, needing a centralized server to be of any use.

An great game, with limited appeal
I agree with many of the other reviewers on this page. I am talking exclusively about the single player campaign, which I have managed to get a third of the way through. Dungeon Siege does a number of things very well - graphics and simplified character creation - while sacrificing character depth, interaction, and basically everything else that makes a roleplaying game special.

Good stuff: (1) There were points at which the graphics made me pause to admire the landscape - in particular the trees swaying in a light drizzle and fog falling off the walls of ice caves. All of this requires some hardware of course. I bought the game when I had a 600 mHz iBook with 256 MB RAM and a 16bit graphics card, but recently had it replaced with a 933 mHz iBook (I love the things) with 640 MB RAM and a 32bit card. On the first computer I turned everything to low resolution and got rid of the object detail and particle effects and the game was doable. On my current computer, I've maxed all the settings and the game consistently stuttered only during a snowstorm, where I guess all the falling snowflakes pushed the limits. Considering that the graphics are a major draw, if your computer can't handle them you might want to think twice about buying this game. (2) The system of character creation is simplicity itself. At the beginning you decide what your character looks like, and the game starts. Your three abilities (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence) and four skills (Melee, Ranged weapons, Nature magic, Combat magic) all start at the same low level. They are raised by doing related things, so regularly casting a fireball raises Combat Magic, which in turn raises Intelligence, and higher intelligence gives the character more mana points to cast spells. It's so simple that it quickly fades into the background of the game, and makes Dungeon Siege approachable especially for players who don't want entire lists of abilities, skills, and derived charts to worry themselves with. (3) No upload time! Wherever the characters go there is a never a pause while the new area is uploaded, which makes gameplay one continuous experience. Big "Oooooh!" factor here. (4) Great inventory control. With a single click, the computer will organize the inventory of a character. There's a spell which turns an item of loot into gold, at a slight cost. And the best innovation of any game ever - mules! Honest to the maker four footed mules that you can load with all the loot.

Bad stuff: (1) Almost entirely linear play. There are a few side areas to wander into but the game is mostly (journey during which you kill everything in sight) followed by (safe place where you can buy and sell supplies/companions/mules) followed by (another journey of death), etc. (2) Simplified characters. I'm one of those people who likes the sub-charts of derived scores as part of my character, and finds the decision about whether or not to raise my Blacksmithing skill gripping. There's not enough detail and control of your character. (3) Storyline essentially disappears early on. The game starts with a quest to tell the authorities about a new danger, but the plot is quickly abandoned for a combat free-for all. Despite talk about your character being the hero of the land, it is possible to dismiss your character and replace him/her with a hired mercenary!

I'm not against combat-fests and I really enjoyed Diablo, but I think what makes this game particularly uninspiring is its puzzling lack of attitude, or what might be called soul. Even really bad games, which Dungeon Siege is not, usually have someone who was inspired to make it and the maker's enthusiasm comes through somewhere in the game. I don't know if the speculation about it being because it is a Microsoft product are correct, but in the end there doesn't seem to be anything to this game except pretty images, good programming and killing stuff, which may be enough for some players. ... Read more