Reviews (1)

Solid Game with only a few flaws
Ford Racing 2 helps fill a hole in mac gaming, namely the lack of racing games. Great graphics, fairly good sound. It's main weakness is playability hampered by extremely sensitive keyboard controls that make you crash your car from side to side, like you have a high blood alcohol level. Unfortunately, the in game controls are not helpful, but you can adjust the keyboard response rate in System X's System Preferences. Ideally a wheel should be used with this game, though at this point I can't justify the expense and with some practice and frustration you can control the cars with a keyboard.Also,the physics model is not very realistic in that no damage shows up, no matter how much you run in to walls or cars. Ferral's racing games get better and better, and I would recommend this game to someone that enjoys racing games and has a fair amount of patience. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Don't let the word advanced in the title scare you. It doesn't mean that your child must be a genius to enjoy this program. It does mean that JumpStart has worked hard to create a program that delivers a specialized educational experience that will both challenge and engage kids. JumpStart has abandoned the unimaginative classroom setting of earlier versions of JumpStart 1st Grade and instead opted for a hipper venue: a scooter race. The makeover isn't merely cosmetic. Unique additions include seven learning buddies who can tutor your child based on his or her skills: your budding Picasso might do best with the artistic Kisha as a helper; your active child could get coaching from sports-star Casey, whose help is more movement oriented.

A kid could get lost in all of this audio, visual, and educational stimulation. There is simply a lot going on here: a quiz to match learning styles with the appropriate buddy; another quiz to set difficulty levels; a collapsible toolbar that changes game levels, reveals progress reports, stores power-ups, and accesses learning buddies; eleven games with activities ranging from pizza-making (fractions!) to news reporting (writing!); plus power-ups to collect, tracks to build and scooters to customize, all leading up to the big payoff--a scooter race to end all scooter races.

Fortunately, designers did a good job with the flow of this program, and it is easy to forgo the quizzes and just get on with playing games, collecting rewards, and building the best scooter in the universe. JumpStart Advanced 1st Grade assumes fluency in counting, spelling, and reading. Also, this is not a good first program for a kid who has never used computer software before. Concepts like fractions, decimals, sentence building, punctuation, and science are explored here. There's a place to create printable artwork and compose save-able tunes, but the strongest emphasis is on the three Rs. (Ages 5 to 7) --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Features

• Provides superior interactive game play tailored to each child's individual learning style
• Fun activities that encourage active learning through movement games
• Skill leveling that automatically adjusts game play and content to each child¿s growing abilities
• Enhanced motivational game reward structure
• Advanced curriculum to better prepare kids for the next grade

Reviews (1)

The Jumpstart "Advanced" products are a keen investment.
I think the thing to keep in mind is: what a child may have no knowledge of today they can pick up tomorrow, next week, next month. That said, Jumpstart _Advanced_ Grade One assumed a lot. And I far prefer that than for them to dumb it down so it's easy to beat quickly, and a big waste of money to you.

To me, Jumpstart Advanced Grade One *is* advanced. It's got Grade Two cirriculm coming on strong. But so what? The child playing it doesn't know the difference between grade one and two 'ideals' so they play, and the game naturally advances as they do. And that's what's great about these Jumpstart Advanced, they do, in fact, *advance*!

Without partental supervision or help, this is a CD for a child who can now read (or at least take a shot at sounding out) 'See spot run' and has a basic grasp of phonics. Having watched my 5 1/2 year old child play it over the last month, I have not noticed *any* phonics in it. But she plays the Reader Rabbit Phonics CDs and the Jumpstart Phonics CD, in addition with this one. If your child has no phonics skills, get a phonics CD ("Reader Rabbit I can Read! with Phonics" is good)I can sit beside them while they play and help them out while i do the laundry. It's astounding how fast they learn if you teach them to sound things out.

This particular CD, the Jumpstart Advanced 1st Grade is a very full, rounded CD. It's teaching them fractions (they build pizzas and have a list: one half pepperoni, one quarter green peppers, etc), reading, addition, subtraction, grouping, analyzing, etc.

It's entertaining. It assumes. But far better that then them have played it out in 3 weeks or become bored of it because it's too easy.

Worth the money. I plan on getting *all* the jumpstart Advanced products. I have the Jumpstart phonics one, and the Jumpstart Advanced preschool which was a huge hit.

Jumpstart Advanced (no other previous Jumpstart products *but* the Advanced) has thoughtfully included an assement test your child can take over and over again and which will automatically reset the levels of learning they are at by the score results - you can also take the test then adjust them manually if you like. There's also a report card of sorts that allows you to see which parts of the game they are playing and how many right answers they score. I never mention what they are scoring to them, but it is interesting to see what they do and what they like and what needs work.

Great product. Well worth the pennies. ... Read more

Features

• Over 20 various thrilling missions, allowing for hundreds of quests
• More then 80 different characters and creatures

Amazon.com Product Description

Join the irrepressibly curious and adventurous Madeline as she busies about on a rainy day, travels around the world, attends school, and stages a puppet show. Play with her friends, her Miss Clavel, and her ever-faithful dog, Genevieve. This engaging, four CD-ROM set features colorful graphics, learning activities, videos from the Madeline TV series, and more. The collection remains true to Ludwig Bemelmans's classic tales about a clever little girl with a very big taste for adventure.

The deluxe collection includes Madeline Rainy Day Activities, Madeline European Adventures, Madeline Thinking Games, along with Madeline and the Magnificent Puppet Show. Dress up Madeline, her friends, and Genevieve in the enchanting Madeline Rainy Day Activities. Print postcards, masks, door signs, and stickers, and enjoy 40 activities that let you carry the fun away from the computer.

Adventure through France, Switzerland, Italy, and Turkey with Madeline in Madeline European Adventures. Learn about cultures as you help her solve the mystery of the missing magic lamp. Six activities build skills in geography and creativity, as well as add more than 100 French and Spanish vocabulary words.

Madeline Thinking Games takes you to school with Madeline. Explore her schoolhouse while working through fun and challenging learning activities. Build problem-solving skills as you solve more than 30 puzzles and 11 activities with multiple difficulty levels. Successfully complete these activities, and awards and certificates can be printed for you and your friends. Or, take a break from school to watch one of the six included videos from the Madeline TV series.

Stage a puppet show with Madeline to help her save her neighbor's house. Journey with her through Paris to find items needed for the big event. Madeline and the Magnificent Puppet Show delights as well as builds critical vocabulary, thinking, and creativity skills. Christopher Plummer, the famed British actor who played Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music, narrates. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great problem solving!
My almost 5 and almost 3 year old girls love these games! We rented the Europeon Adventures from the library, and decided to try this out, since that game is included. What a bargain for so many games! If your kids like Madeline, they will enjoy this!

Madeline software is delightful
My daughter has an earlier Madeline computer program, and it has been the best we've bought. Unlike Reader Rabbit, which I think can be frustrating for small children because it takes so long to "win" the game by collecting items, the Madeline program builds smaller, more easily attainable arenas for success. Plus, the program grows with the child. We bought ours when she was not quite three; at five years old, she can still enjoy it using the higher level activities. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

This two-disc set is packed with 15 educational activities covering math, reading, creativity, and more. Arthur's 2nd Grade teaches a full year's worth of second-grade skills and entertains your child in the process.Plus, kids can track their progress with the Goal Checker and enjoy the three new reward activities after successfully completing the learning activities. (Ages 6 to 8) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Arthur's Second Grade
This is a good game that will prepare your child for the 2nd grade.

A Good Buy
Arthur's Second Grade is a fun, challenging CD for 1st and 2nd Grade Children. Auto leveling (which challenges the child upon completion of a section of the CD), options to turn on and off the printer and background music, as well as suprises and rewards along the way make the CD experience interesting, stimulating and educational. My only complaint would be that the child's reading skills sections are uneven: sometimes too challenging, while in other places too easy, and that some math techniques could be more clearly explained. However, this CD is well worth the money and should provide hours of educational fun for your child. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Ms. Frizzle missed her calling: she should work for NASA. Fromengaging games to fascinating facts to stunning photographic imagesfrom Mars, this interplanetary adventure doesn't miss a single detail.As the bus adeptly dodges satellites while it screams away from theSun, it's obvious that this will be anything but a normal field tripwith Ms. Frizzle and the gang.

Once the Magic School Bus settles, kids can play inside or venture ontothe surface of Mars. Both areas are cluttered with gizmos that yieldeither a game, an experiment, or a compelling fact. (Did you know thatMars's moons are named for the Greek words meaning fear and panic? Wedidn't.) There's a lot to learn here: kids can put objects likewatermelons and marshmallows into the Pressure-O-Meter to see whathappens to them in the atmosphere, or try to land a module on Marswhile coping with fuel loss and Martian gravity. There's even arover-building station that hones deductive skills as kids decide whether asolar panel or a battery will work best to power their vehicle duringthe Martian night.

Attention to detail is what launches Magic School Bus Lands onMars into the rarefied atmosphere of educational CD-ROMs thatentertain as well as they teach; new players can enter how old they areon Earth and learn their Martian age, then later play Mind over Mars, arobot-hosted game show that dishes up tough Mars-related triviaquestions and--better yet--elaborates on the answers.

As Ms. Frizzle zips about Mars's surface in her jetpack, we can't helpbut wish NASA would recruit the Friz to get all of us excited aboutspace exploration again. The woman has the right stuff. (For ages 6 to10.) --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Poor Value for Money
As with MSB Whales and Dophins, this is not a full-fledged Magic School Bus CD, but is just an activity center. The Magic School Bus CDs fall into two categories: full-fledged exploration programs and activity centers. The full-fledged programs are excellent and represent good value for money. Three of my children (ages 7, 5 and 3) spends hours exploring with MSB Oceans, Animals, Solar System, and Dinosaurs. They are great. On the other hand, he is quickly bored with the Activity Centers, such as Whales and Dolphins, Flight, and Mars. They simply present one screen with things to click on.

Since a full-fledged MSB CD has half-a-dozen or more places to explore, the activity centers represent less than 1/6th the value of a full-fledged MSB CD. Don't buy them unless you get them for less than 1/6th the price of the full-fledged CDs.

Not a good MSB choice
My 5 year old daughter loves Magic School Bus. She has a few of the games (Human Body, Inside Earth, Dinosaurs, and this one). She plays the others repeatedly, but almost never plays Lands on Mars. Though I haven't studied the game myself, I suspect it just has fewer activities and less interesting activities than the others.

Picks up where MSB: Solar System left off!
All of the Magic School Bus series is wonderful but now they have gone in depth into one particular subject. My 7 & 9 year old love the programs and must have them the minute they come out! Lands on Mars is packed full of Trivia and Games, tells about Mars Missions and shows pictures! There is so much to do she won't be bored with it for months. Aside from the educational factors it is incredibly easy and fun to play, I usually try them out for an hour or two myself.

If you want to make learning fun for your child, you must look into these programs. As my daughters have in the past, I am sure if the time arises that they need research on Mars, Lands on Mars will be the first thing off the shelf! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Such delicious fun.
Max Payne is one of those rare games that does everything right. Great plot, amazingly fun, and it doesn't take itself seriously at all. You are Max Payne -- an ex-cop whose family was killed by junkies. As the game's plot unfolds, you are sucked into a conspiracy that takes you from exacting your revenge on petty mob bosses all the way up to those responsible for ruining you. The game's Bullet Time system gives you the edge you need to defeat the hordes of mobsters, mercenaries, and more sent to stop you from discovering the truth about your past. I also highly recommend downloading the Kung Fu mod, which essentially turns Max into Neo. This game is worth every cent. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

A classic and much-loved children's story is given a vivid interactive finish in The Little Prince, a CD-ROM that will thrill young readers and their parents. With elegant animations and a low-key, whimsical delivery, this CD-ROM tells the tale of a stranded pilot and his friendship with a strange young man who lives alone on a small asteroid with only a rose for company.

As an interactive storybook, The Little Prince is absolutely gorgeous. Antoine de Saint Exupéry's story is ideal for a multimedia format, since much of the tale centers around the act of drawing pictures. Kenneth Branagh's cheerful and appealing reading of the text is enhanced with sketches that not only appear on narrative cue, but interact with users--changing colors at the click of a mouse or sweeping the book's text aside to highlight the simple, but beautiful illustrations.

The Little Prince offers an intriguing mix of the simple and the sophisticated. While the humor in the story will be more appealing to older players, the games and activities in the program are extremely simple; for the most part, they are composed of animations that come alive at a single click. One game involves maintaining the ecosphere of the Little Prince's home, asteroid B-612, by destroying young baobab plants and watering his rose. Another involves making regular visits to see a wild fox, which will eventually become tame enough to play hide-and-seek with players. Little is required in either of these games except diligence and patience. The animations are simple and repetitive, and many players will tire of them quickly. However, this may only serve to refocus their attention where it deserves to be: on the story itself.

The Little Prince does justice to the original book, adding motion to the illustrations while remaining faithful to the creator's original vision. It also adds an audience-participation element that a simple home-video rendition could not provide. Though it is neither a traditional CD-ROM nor a video game, this presentation will delight its users thoroughly. --Alyx Dellamonica ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Awesome story.
Although it isn't very user-friendly, this software is very good.

"If you don't get it, you DON'T GET IT !"
This book was known by every child in my country. I was suspicious about its computer version, but was delighted with what Tivola did. They fully preserved the spirit of this masterpiece and offered something that stands way out from any other children's products that I've seen and that money can buy. The only thing I don't understand (in fact I do...) is why Amazon dares to put this book/CD in the same ballpark with Dr.Seuss!!! They could afford hiring those who feel the difference. Anyway, if you don't find this book/CD a jewel, you must be either a real "sad old man" or one of the characters described in the Little Prince. I truly hope you are not either one of those!

"The Little Prince" finally came to life for me
I had read "Le Petit Prince" many years ago when I was a child. It was given to me as a gift, and at the time I put it away. A few years later I dusted it off and gave it another try. Then, in a literature class we read the book again. Many of my friends loved "Le Petit Prince." Our campus in Québec even had a showcase window with all of the "Little Prince" merchandise you could want. But somehow the story was lost on me.

Along came this marvellous software from German publisher Tivola. Contrary to what some reviewers have said, I found that installing and using the software to be very easy. Once I opened the box there was a small manual that covered the interface, gameplay and troubleshooting that got me started on my way.

The game interface on "The Little Prince" is the coolest interactive menu I have ever seen. You start out floating through the universe, past stars, the moon, spinning planets populated by characters from the book...you can move in any direction, accompanied by soothing spacemusic.

There are several different options with the software. You can have the story narrated and click on interactive illustrations, care for the Little Prince's home and rose on Asteroid B-612, explore an interactive biography of the author Antoine de Saint-Éxupéry, play the Fox Taming game on Earth that, when you tame him, you are given access to personalized stationary and a diary. All of the animations and music are top-notch. This is a labour of love that finally breathed life into "Le Petit Prince" for me. I entered his world and saw things through his eyes. Perfect for children of all ages (including grown-up ones).

Creative and Unique
I originally was disappointed with this software but my son finally figured out how to use it. It's not as user-friendly as the software we're used to buying but your patience is worth it. The reading of the story, along with the pictures and music, is superb. It allows the reader to imagine with the story, unlike much American software which turns reading into a video-watching experience. The story has over 20 chapters, and has kept my 8-year old's attention. I highly recommend this software.

Save your money - buyer beware!
This may be creative with pretty graphics and pictures but is probably the worst software I've ever bought. Neither myself nor my two very computer-literate children could figure out how to get the interactive story to run. I called the support line in Europe and they also did not know. The instructions that accompany it were also not helpful. I finally sent email to the support group and they never answered my email. I'm very disappointed with this software. ... Read more

Features

• Exploring Clifford's fun-filled neighborhood, children discover reading activities
• 7 adjustable levels that continually introduce new letters, sounds, and words
• Over 100 reading lessons; 15 printable activities; interactive and printable bonus books
• Kids practice reading aloud by recording stories in their own voice
• Progress report allows you to track your child's development; for kids ages 4-6

Reviews (1)

excellent
My daughter is almost 5 years old and loves this and all the scholastic games we have purchased since she is 2 years old. Very educational AND FUN and superior to other brands. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Doesn't Deserve a Medal
This game is ok and can be entertaining - but hardly a classic deserving more than 4 stars. Its just an average game and that's why I went with 3 stars. I'm surprised at the number of great reviews, and perhaps the reviews pumped up my expectations, but I'm left disappointed by the overall game's experience.

PROS: The graphics are great and the plot is historically interesting - especially if you like WWII type games

CONS: Boring weapons (that hardly ever change), no gore, parts of the game oftentimes seem way to hard or way to easy.

If you like the realistic things this game brings to the table historically with the plot, weapons, etc you'll enjoy it. Otherwise I would suggest you skip it. The game has left me very disappointed. There are so many FPS out there and I don't see how this one deserves a medal outside of the graphics. As examples - I thought Soldier of Fortune II and Return to Castle Wolf were all around better experiences. Both of these games were constantly absorbing me and scaring the heck out of me. With Media of Honor I feel like I am playing a lame Quake 3 WWII mod with limited weapons and linear action.

Good game!
Medal of Honor Allied Assault is a fairly good game. The combat situations are fairly realistic, along with the sound affects, and once again a great music score.

Gameplay: I though the gameplay of allied Assult was pretty fun. I mean how could running around shooting-up Nazi's NOT be fun? Though the combat in general is pretty realistic for a game, once again the running around by yourself killing 250 Nazi's isn't. It's pretty much impossible if you not at a machine-gun nest in real life. If Allied Assault had more combat with your brothers-in-arms that would rock! Which I have heard there is in Spearhead, Allied Assault's expansion. The controls were good for me, but if find there not for yourself they can be customizied. Which is very handy. Most of the levels in Allied Assaul are fun. From peration Torch to Operation Overlord and more.

Score/Sound Effects: Wonderful. The sounds of the the gun and everything are realistic. And like al MOH games the score is great.

Graphics: The graphics are a bit dated. Not the best but thhere okay.

Multiplayer: Awsome! You can play as Axis or Allies and there are plenty of maps. plus you can choose your player model.

Overal: Well there are a few things I dont like, I think all-in-all it's worth it's mone and will provide fun for sometime!

Demanding but immersive
First off, let me just start by saying that MOH is the most well-written FPS out there. The story line continues from mission to mission and doesn't resort to the shambling zombies and cyborg enemies that another "WWII-era" FPS does (initials RTCW?). While I will admit that the Normandy Beach mission does seem lifted right out of Saving Private Ryan, it does lead on to some very interesting hedgerow missions.

That said, there are some problems that I'd like to discuss in this review. For starters, there's game performance. I own a PowerMac G4 867DP (MDD) with a GeForce MX440 32MB card and 1GB RAM. This was a heavy-duty machine when MOH came out. And I get frame rate drops all the time, even with resolution at medium, detail at medium, and resolution at only 1024x768 (sub 30fps numbers). This is compared with >45 fps with RTCW on max settings at 1024x768 res (Both are based on the Quake3 engine BTW). The game almost drops to 1fps briefly when you hit a checkpoint. I have upgraded to the latest version which is supposed to include routines that allow for both of my processors to be utilized, but this hasn't made much impact on the gameplay.

Second off, the graphics at the resolution I've had to play (as mentioned above) aren't as impressive as the box art, and the colors are not as deep. The texture mapping is poor, and granted this is an effect of both the lower memory of my Apple GeForce card and my settings, it is kind of disappointing.

Third, and final, the game can be astonishingly hard (I had to replay the Normandy Beach mission 8-9 times before I got past the beachhead into the bunker) even on the easy setting. It is no walk in the park like RTCW.

Getting back to some pros and leaving the cons aside, the missions are engrossing. The mission where you sabotage a U-boat by infiltrating the base as a Nazi officer and then getting discovered when you plant the first explosive is great -- and I had almost sadistic fun intentionally blowing my cover and anhillating the whole base with an MP40. The sniper alley mission in Normandy is impressively difficult but very satisfying to beat (hint: you don't have to kill EVERY Nazi but it is fun to do so!).

The sound effects are excellent too. The "ping!" of an M1 clip running out, the "rat-tat-tat" of the Thompson, and the "crack!" of a KAR-98 sniper rifle are more realistic than the sounds from RTCW.

The weapons selections are a history buff's fantasy. You get to use the following:
US Army: M1911A1 .45 cal pistol, M1 Garand rifle, Browning Automatic Rifle, Springfield Sniper rifle, Winchester Pump 12 Ga. shotgun, Thompson .45 cal SMG, US "Bazooka" antitank rocket, and Browning .50 cal machine gun.
Axis: Luger 9mm pistol, MP40 SMG, KAR98 sniper rifle, Panzerfaust antitank rocket, STG44 "Sturmgewehr" automatic rifle (the first modern assault rifle), MG44 machine gun
You also get to fool with explosives of every sort.

The detail to the levels is amazing, and realistic as well. '88' antiaircraft guns can block your path and require an airstrike you can call in. Grenades bounce like the real thing (and do require some serious practice to get the hang of). P-51 Mustangs fly overhead in the Normandy missions. German soldiers speak German (not accented English). There are no "secret labs."

This is a very satisfying game with serious attention paid to realism and detail which immerse you in the environment, but it is very demanding on even the upper echelon of G4 processors.

THE BEST GAME IN THE WORLD!!! NEEDS MORE STARS!!!!
Medal Of Honor Allied Assault is the greatest game out there it's graphics are just spectacular! Don't listen to the people who say it's a bad game. Medal Of Honor Allied Assault is historically accurate and the enemy A.I. is excellent plus the D-day levels are the best I have ever played and I've been playing for 12 years. Settle for noting less buy this game and it's expansion I BEG OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

This game rules!!
I have always been a big fan of first person shooters. But also adventure games. Games of this type I've played in the past include Marathon series, Tomb Raider series, and Unreal & Unreal Tournament. (There would be more, but I only have so much time.) The story is important to me. If I want to just blast things, I'll play Unreal Tournament. Anyway . . .

The first thing I noticed about the game was how real it felt. You start out in the back of a german transport truck, you know the kind with the canvas cover, getting trucked into a German compound. The tension and anticipation is amazing!! Your first job, with your squad, is to rescue an SAS agent being held hostage there. I'll just say you encounter resistance. When one of the truck drivers papers don't check out, the mayhem begins.

Other campaigns involve capturing and then driving tanks, stealthing through winter forests at night to take out antiaircraft guns, sneaking into bases to gather intel, demolition missions, rescuing pow's, infiltrating and planting charges inside a german UBoat, and the most insane - storming Omaha beach to commence operation Overlord, infiltrating their defenses, and taking out the gun towers - totally harrowing!! Sometimes you're alone, sometimes with others - Rangers, SAS, etc. The missions are believable, sensible, and seem necessary to the allied effort.

While the game is basically a 1st person shooter, there is always a mission to guide you. It always takes a little thinking to get the job done. On your compass there is a general guide as to what direction your mission should take you, as well as a general distance guide, but it's not that easy. Let's just say the shortest distance between two points isn't always a straight line, and getting there is no stroll down 5th Avenue.

I think the AI is great. Very few stupid guards and enemies. A little advice: Stealth works. Staying out of searchlights, and walking rather than running are quite effective. Sometimes not killing enemies is preferable to machine gunning everything. Often, if you're too loud the germans will sound the alarm, which brings others quickly. And it's damn tough finding your way out of town after destroying their radio communications, when you have twenty to thirty highly trained nazis with machine guns looking for you.

The weapons are appropriate to the period - which I like. This helps the learning curve. The range on the pistol is very different from the machine gun, from the sniper rifle. Reload time is a factor! At the beginning, I would run out of a clip at just the wrong time. Pay attention. This is especially true of the sniper rifle. I like that different weapons are useful in different situations - it's not just a "machine gun always" kind of game.

My favorite part is that skill works. Thinking works. If you walk in the middle of a road, you'll likely get taken out by a sniper - in one shot! Sometimes you have to impersonate German soldiers and officers. Know how? Neither did I. You have to learn. Hint: don't run.

Good games always feel a little short, and this is no exception. There are twenty levels, and they're all fun! The finale (which isn't Omaha beach) is so damn exciting and difficult, that you'll really feel like you've accomplished something!

Graphics and sound: Outstanding!

A couple rants: 1) Sometimes you can be firing a rifle or machine gun, say to take out a guy in a tower, yet 50 yards away, others don't hear it - good for us, but not too realistic; 2) No knife to use when you sneak up on folks; 3) You should have to drag dead folks out of the way - into closets or behind walls to maintain your secrecy; 3) When you're fully loaded up, you can carry two machine guns, a sniper rifle w/ scope, a silenced pistol, ten grenades, approx 1000 rounds of ammo, and sometimes a bazooka. Can you say 75 lbs? Hardly inconspicuous. Sometimes, you might start with just a sniper rifle, or a pistol, but you can load up pretty quick, with no adverse effects; 4) On a couple missions you end up killing like two hundred folks - by yourself. Hmmm . . . . These are small points - I just get excited about the realism and envision the next level.

I haven't enjoyed a game this much in a long time. Can't wait for the sequel. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

This bundle combines the hit game The Sims with the first expansion pack Livin' Large in one value-priced package for your Mac.

The Sims
From Will Wright, the creator of SimCity, comes a strategy game that hits close to home. You are in charge of a neighborhood of Sims, and it is up to you to show them that they're living in your world now! Force them into a life of crime or help them live life in the fast lane. Build them a sprawling mansion or dump them into a dilapidated shack. Let them party like swinging singles or fall in love, get married, and raise a family. They can live out your wildest dreams or experience your worst nightmares. It is up to you to decide--their fate is in your hands.

The Sims Livin' Large Expansion Pack
The world of The Sims just got larger. With the Livin' Large Expansion, you'll be able to give your little humans five new career paths (including slacker and journalist), new objects (could that lantern hold a genie?), and new decors (how does Vegas lounge grab ya?). More than just cosmetic additions, there is also an assortment of new situations for your Sims to deal with. Without spoiling too much, let's just say you're going to want the name of a good Sim exterminator. ... Read more

Features

• Combines the hit The Sims with the first expansion pack, Livin' Large
• Build a simulated neighborhood and run--or ruin--the lives of the people that live there
• Unlimited open-ended game play allows you to help your Sims develop and mature
• Livin' Large adds five new career tracks and 125 new objects
• For 1 player

Features

• Pick the location and decor that suits you -- play anywhere from a haunted house to the deck of a yacht
• Multiple skill settings from beginner to advanced, to keep the challenges interesting
• All the most popular rule variations are here, for a different game each time
• Pick the right partner -- whose playing style suits you best? The monkey? The alien? The archaeologist?
• Animated, talking opponents are interesting and fun to compete against

Reviews (8)

Freeverse 3D Pitch is a well done implementation
The 3D Hearts/Pitch pack will keep a Pitch or Hearts (or both) player busy for many hours. Beginners can play against the computer to learn the rules and then the strategies for these games then go online with the included GameSmith connection software (built into the game) to play with real people all over the world. The game really shines when able to play with others via GameSmith. One can play with or without offleading, partners, smudge, smudge wins all etc... and these games both support a choice of puppets, 2 of which, allow you to put a picture of your choice in their head. It is easy to chat while playing or out in a lobby trying to get a game going. Cards are social games and this product plays this up and delivers.

Hearts, Spades, Pitch (Setback) Wow!
If you like the idea of playing games online with a friendly group of people then any Freeverse card game and an internet connection will bring you to a fabulous place to play. Unlike the randomness other places you can play, you play with people you get to know (and like!) and the level of conversation is always adult, but not vulgar. The graphics are great and the fun never stops. If you like card games, how can you go wrong for $20? Think of it as two pizzas, but these game will last a lot longer and bring you a lot more pleasure and fewer calories.

Big fun for pitch players
I was pleasantly surprised after discovering the Freeverse community. Not only have I found lots of good Pitch and Hearts players, but as a bonus I found players with a sense of humor. Unlike some sites where the lobby talk can get fairly nasty,this place refuses to put up with any swearing or bashing of any kind.Kind of a nice environment.
I recommend Freeverse as a great place to find tough and amusing opponents.

Great gaming fun
Never have I gotten so much out of $20. The people online are great and fun to play with, especially that guy Broham, and you are always able to find a game with people playing your game. Possibly the best part is that the server is FREE, meaning after you pay $20, you can play online all you want.

A Great Way to Play Hearts
Who knew when I plunked down $20 for 3D Hearts Deluxe so many years ago how many hours of fun were in store for me? Freeverse Software's 3D Hearts Deluxe offers several common rule variations, computer opponents of varying expertise, and playing with people from around the world via Freeverse's GameSmith server. The CD also include 3D Pitch Deluxe.

Most of Freeverse's card game titles share the same basic card-playing engine and thus provide by far one of the best user interfaces for playing cards on a computer. You and your opponents are represented by puppets and appear seated around a table. The cards in your hand are clearly laid out in front of you. An optional score pad shows the progress of the game and the hand. And when playing against human opponents, a chat area appears at the bottom of the window so you can also enjoy the essential social aspect of playing card games.

3D Hearts Deluxe, however, has its not-so-minor problems, two of which I mention here, which is why I'm giving this title four stars instead of five. First, a complaint common to most computer games: the computer opponents, or bots, do not play particularly well. While they may be adequate for learning the basics of the game, they are lacking when it comes to the finer points of strategy, skills which separate the decent player from the expert player. Second, the program does not allow salvaging a network game by substituting another player or a bot for a player who drops out in the middle of a game. This can prove to be very frustrating when a hard-fought game has gone on for close to an hour only to end prematurely because a player's modem disconnects him or her from the internet.

Freeverse is actively developing the 3D card games series and plans to address these issues in future updates, which will also introduce more player-suggested rule variations and improvements to the user interface. In any case, the drawbacks are far outweighed by the hours of fun you will have playing games or just chatting with other people from around the US and the world. Freeverse has fostered the growth of a community relatively free from the rude and obnoxious players that commonly hang out on services like Yahoo!'s. Provided you have internet access, free access to the GameSmith server is included with the games. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Engaging and useful software game
This program is cheerful and fun. My kids love it. The educational content is strong yet it still manages to hold children's interest. Good for children who need to reinforce simple phonics, like beginning sounds, ending sounds, long and short vowel sounds, etc. Inexpensive and very recommended!

poor excuse for a phonics program
This program has nothing that could assist any child learn or review phonics. The so-called game reward is merely more work, and the work has no value ! If you are looking for a program that provides a learning experience, look elsewhere. If you think this will provide some sort of meaningful review of phonics, you will be quite disappointed.
The producers of this program should hang their heads in shame! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Magic Wardrobe combines clothing enthusiasts' favorite activities with history, for a product that both parents and players will adore. The game lets players hear historical facts about clothing and accessories from 12 historical periods. Players can also color and decorate clothing, accessories, and environments, using 72 Crayola crayon colors and 84 stamp decorations. Players can even write letters on stationery from the different historical periods. (Ages 6-12) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great, creative, Fun
My 4 year old daughter loves this program. After spending time with educational programs she needs a fun break. She has created the most beautiful horses of every color, style and breed. It's easy to use and she hasn't gotten bored. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

GHOST RECON RULES!!!
I love military games and I like 'em hard and realistic. No extra ammo, no health, and no extra lives. With that said, Ghost Recon gets it right. I am a big fan of Rainbow Six and Rogue Spear, so as you can imagine I was pretty excited to get a copy of Ghost Recon for OSX. Ghost Recon is pretty different from the previous games in both game play and graphics. http://www.methodshop.com/games/ The planning interface is more informational than graphical. I'm not sure how I feel about this. On one hand it's easier to set up your team, but on the other it isn't as much fun. The graphics and sound are pretty good, but not the best out there. I'm probably a little spoiled from playing Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. One thing I really liked graphics wise was the uniforms. Your snipers look more like a tree or a bush than a soldier. This also gives them some extra stealth and the enemy has a harder time trying to spot them. But the real amazing thing to Ghost Recon is the game play. When you send your teams out, you better secure all possible angles and move in slow, otherwise be fully prepared to have all your guys picked off one by one. Almost every time I get lazy and skip by an area, some terrorist comes up behind my guys while they are laying in the dirt and shoots them in the back. This brings me to another cool thing about this game, the AI. The computer players are good. Here's a good example. I tried to secure a corner of a building by standing right up next to it. I was able to pick off a handful of terrorists when BAM, one of my guys got hit with a grenade. As soon as the AI figured out what I was doing, it changed strategies. How's that for realistic? Here's one final thing I liked about the game, the weapons. Rogue Spear gave you a ton of machine guns to use but most of them were crappy. Ghost Recon gives you only good guns and everything from anti-tank rockets to rocket propelled grenades. I love blasting one of those anti-tank grenades into a room full of terrorists. This game isn't like Quake or Return to Castle Wolfenstein. There are no monsters or zombies, just terrorists and your team. It's more of a simulator than a game I guess, but it's still a ton of fun. I used to have a view of the World Trade Center from my window. Now it's just a memory I keep fresh while I clear board after board of Ghost Recon. This game is available for most platforms including PSX2, PC, Mac, Xbox and Game Cube. by JLOVE

GHOST RECON is the real thing....
I love military games and I like 'em hard and realistic. No extra ammo, no health, and no extra lives. With that said, Ghost Recon gets it right. I am a big fan of Rainbow Six and Rogue Spear, so as you can imagine I was pretty excited to get a copy of Ghost Recon for OSX. Ghost Recon is pretty different from the previous games in both game play and graphics. The planning interface is more informational than graphical. I'm not sure how I feel about this. On one hand it's easier to set up your team, but on the other it isn't as much fun. The graphics and sound are pretty good, but not the best out there. I'm probably a little spoiled from playing Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. One thing I really liked graphics wise was the uniforms. Your snipers look more like a tree or a bush than a soldier. This also gives them some extra stealth and the enemy has a harder time trying to spot them. But the real amazing thing to Ghost Recon is the game play. When you send your teams out, you better secure all possible angles and move in slow, otherwise be fully prepared to have all your guys picked off one by one. Almost every time I get lazy and skip by an area, some terrorist comes up behind my guys while they are laying in the dirt and shoots them in the back. This brings me to another cool thing about this game, the AI. The computer players are good. Here's a good example. I tried to secure a corner of a building by standing right up next to it. I was able to pick off a handful of terrorists when BAM, one of my guys got hit with a grenade. As soon as the AI figured out what I was doing, it changed strategies. How's that for realistic? Here's one final thing I liked about the game, the weapons. Rogue Spear gave you a ton of machine guns to use but most of them were crappy. Ghost Recon gives you only good guns and everything from anti-tank rockets to rocket propelled grenades. I love blasting one of those anti-tank grenades into a room full of terrorists. This game isn't like Quake or Return to Castle Wolfenstein. There are no monsters or zombies, just terrorists and your team. It's so realistic, it's more of a simulator than a game I guess, and it's a ton of fun.

One of My All Time Favorites!
A GREAT game! The single player campaign is challanging, great story line, great weaponry. Mulitplayer is also great, and easily expandable with a plethora of Mod's (http://www.planetrainbowsix.com/damnr6/start.html is the best source). Highly recommend to anyone who likes strategical challanging.

Ghist Recon Rules!
I think that Ghost Recon is the best Game which Tom Clancy has made. it has a realy fun and interising story line. Any one would want to play it, well not every body...
Any way i think this Game rules!
You shoud use Game Ranger with this as a type of battle.net
Enjoy!

Ghost Recon...best fps ever
I have the ghost recon desert siege pack, and it is great! The graphics are incredible and are realistic. And with gameranger you can play online and it is tons of fun. Also, with some mods you can get over 300 new guns and different levels. I HIGHLY reccomend this game to all gamers. ... Read more

Features

• Unleash ghastly spirits scaring the citizens of Gravenville in this haunting game
• Grim Spectres, howling banshees, and things that go bump in the night--that's just your starting team
• Strategy, adventure, and resource management games; solve puzzles and unlock mysteries
• Over a dozen hair-raising, humor-filled scenarios from Weird Seance to The Unusual Suspects
• Spooktacular technology pushes gameplay to unearthly levels; recruit new ghostly allies

Amazon.com Product Description

Storybook Weaver DELUXE is packed with thousands of story-starting images to stimulate your creativity. Write English or Spanish for hours of creative possibilities. And the text-to-speech feature lets you hear your story read aloud. (Ages 6-12) ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great for your imagination!!
In this game, you get to make your own story. You can add music to it, put pictures in it, borders and soo much more!! I think it's also great if you need to write a story for your report in school too. You'll have hours of fun making up your own stories. I found out about this software at my school for computer class, I didn't get to finish my second story. But I know you'll have a great time with yours. I recommend this for ages 7-12. Or when your child starts to know how to type and read. A great and imaginitive mind for a great and better story. When you're done with your story, the great thing is that you get to print it out.

Quality time together!
My 13 year old neice and I have spent countless hours laughing until we cried making silly stories with this program. Now that she is getting into her teen years, it takes longer for her to open up and be herself. But whenever we start talking about our past stories or start making new ones, she instantly relaxes and she is my easy-going neice again who isn't worried about cheerleading practice and fitting in. There is also so much pride involved when completing a story. Age is not an issue with Storybook Weaver. It is as much fun for me as it is for her!

Great counseling and therapy tool
As a school counselor, a student introduced me to this program. If you work with children who don't trust, you know that they do not like traditional talk therapies. I have found Storybook Weaver to be helpful both in assessing students and as a way to introduce alternative ways to cope and see the world. It is great corrective play therapy. Most students enjoy the process and usually finish their pictures with a satisfied "There! I'm done!"

A Really Great Game
I went over to my friends house one day and decided to play this game. We added sound, pictures, and wrote a great story. We had such a fun time on her computer. I wanted to buy this game for myself but it was out of stock. I'm so upset because I wanted to record my voice on it to read the story. It's a really great game and lot's of kids would love to play it.

Teacher Endorsement
I have used Storybook Weaver with first, third, and fourth graders and have found it flexible, interesting and inspiring. The ease of creating pictures makes it ideal for beginning writers, and the format options allows advanced writers to produce more detailed and complex compositions. It's an effective way to both finish a final draft, as well as begin a story with a picture based prewriting exercise. Kids of all ages will find the varied and imaginative picture possibilites fun. Highly recommended for children reluctant to write and for those who can't seem to write enough. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Designed for first and second graders, ages 5 to 8, Excelerator introduces kids to a learning environment filled with eye-catching graphics, lively music, and captivating animation. The two CD-ROM set includes Letters & Numbers and Smiletown. With its interactive instructional activities, these titles transform learning about spelling, reading, and early math concepts into an adventure. Eleven educational karaoke songs, 15 amusing games, fun characters, and challenging puzzles help kids build essential skills, while keeping them excited about, and interested in, learning. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

This four-program collection nurtures essential early reading skills through warm, whimsical experiences designed just for younger learners. Explore key topics in the pre-grade school reading and writing curriculum through a series of exciting adventures, engaging stories, and irresistible games. Tackle topics like letter names and sounds, short and long vowels, building simple words, predicting story events, and more. ... 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

Reviews (1)

More kids games should be like this!
An edutainment game that will help your children learn about science (botany, cellular biology, zoology, genetics, and human biology) as they solve puzzles and make their way through the world of Bioscopia. My nine and six year-old children love this game. Children under eight will probably need some assistance, but adults should enjoy this game as well.

PS--Although it doesn't mention it in Amazon's description, this game is a hybrid PC/Mac (OS 8.1 or higher) game! ... Read more