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On 10/22/00, we will started putting these reviews
directly into the review database.
Detective Barbie 2 CD-ROM The Vacation Mystery by
Mattel: Poor User Interface condemns this title to the dust
bin of time
Date: August 31, 2000
Name: Dave Mohnke
Children's names and ages: Krysty (9) and Jessica (7)
Hours: 10-20 hours
Computer: 450 Mhz Celeron
Rating: 2
E-mail: dmohnke@quikcat.com
With most software that I buy for my children (Jump Start
series, Freddie Fish, Math Blaster, Blues Clues, etc), my
children have been able to start using the software straight
out of the box. The user interfaces were very intuitive for
the age group. This means that I didn't have to spend a lot
of time teaching my kids about how to point the mouse or
where to point the mouse. Unfortunately, this title pretty
much bombed on that account. Either the point and click
targets where too small for my children (on a 17" monitor no
less) to find, or they were very difficult to find. This
pretty much robbed my kids of any joy playing this title.
The telling story of this software is that both of my girls
never finished the title and no longer have any interest in
playing it.
Math Workshop Deluxe:Something for every age
Name: Diana
Children's names and ages: ages 6-12
Hours: 1 hour
Computer: Macintosh
Rating: 4.7
E-mail: deena150@home.com
I have used this program in a computer after school program
with grades 2-5. Children always picked this software
program over others. It is diversified, with several games
at 3 levels of difficulty. There's matching, puzzles, math
problems, and higher level thinking. Students do not get
bored since they can change levels and there is so much to
choose from. It grows with the age of the student too.
Diana, Computer Teacher.
Cyber Patrol: Filtering software that does not live up
to its claims
Name: Jack Bruce
Children's names and ages: Jack 10 Cindy 6
Hours: 1 hour
Computer: comap 450mhz
Rating: 1
E-mail: w194@hotmail.com
This software makes a lot of claims the reality is that it
doesnt work. Some of the most innocent of searches had
returns with enormously undesirable material. I was appaled
at haow bad it was,these guys shouldnt be on the market.
Aquazone Deluxe (Mindscape): Good, but limited
Children's names and ages: no kids
Hours: 1 hour
Computer: Emonster 550
Rating: 4
E-mail: shadeaustar@aol.com
This is a good basic game for teaching children about
petcare, as the fish need to be fed and medicated. The water
also needs to be changed frequently, and the temperature and
acidity of the water needs to be maintained.Older kids will
find that a challenge, and younger ones will enjoy watching
the swimming fish. Interest dies fairly quickly though, once
an aquarium is set up and functioning.
GOOD: the fish can have babies
the fish varieties on the cd are pretty, colorful, and
varied
the fish don't eat each other
BAD: the fish have to be fed every day (an automatic feeder
is supplied, but it can run out of food)
there are not enough varieties of fish and plants, etc (more
can be purchased from aquazone's website)
there are only 5 of each species of fish, and if they die,
that's it.
Elmo's reading: great basic reading/phonics
concepts
Date: September 23, 2000
Name: Gabry Cornell
Children's names and ages: Jeremy (4 1/2)
Hours: 5-10 hours
Computer: Dell Pentium 166 Mhz
Rating: 4.7
E-mail: gabrycornell@satx.rr.com
Comment: Terrific software for basic reading skills. Very
easy to use and very clear instructions for the user. The
automatic level adjustment is great.
Lego Friends: Very cute and girl friendly!
Name: Nathalie
Children's names and ages: Ashley, Kirsten and Jennifer
Hours: 5-10 hours
Computer: Gateway, 11 months
Rating: 4.5
E-mail: snparrott@aol.com
Comment: This is a rare find for an all girl related
software. It is fun and easy to use. It uses animated
characters and integrated adventures to create rock songs
and a whole stage production. It shows a lot of creativity
and forethought.
Spy Fox:Some Assembly Required: More Spy Fox is great,
maybe too easy for my kids
Name: MP Mann
Children's names and ages: Susan, 8
Hours: 10-20 hours
Computer: Power Mac G3
Rating: 3.7
E-mail: ollave@yahoo.com
My children (8 and 13 now) couldn't wait for the new Spy
Fox; they loved "Dry Cereal." This is definitely Spy Fox in
all his glory, with new gadgets and new characters (but
keeping some old favorites like Monkeypenny). But while it
took weeks for my two working together to figure out the
first game, my 8-yr-old figured out this one in two days --
and now spends her time on the space game in the handset. I
know parts of the first game were frustrating -- but I wish
this one had been a little more challenging.
x-wing alliance lucas arts: great game very challanging
need joystick
Name: monique reuter
Children's names and ages: tommy reuter 10.
Hours: 2-5 hours
Computer: gateway pentium 400
Rating: 4.5
E-mail: mikermoo@gateway.net
Tommy really enjoys this game. You really have to be a pro
at the joystick though I have played it and my scores are
always low because I do not play enough. The graphics are
excellent on this game you feel like you're in the movie,
and it's still lots of fun even if you are not so hot with a
joystick. The only downside that doesn't thrill tommy as
much is that you do not get one on one combat like you do
with jedi knight. But for a gun free more gentle star wars,
this is definatly a good choice. and yes I would buy it
again definatly because we have had this program for over a
year and Tommy still plays it on a regular basis at least
once a week.
Slam Dunk Typing: Exciting to play, but the pace is too
fast
Name: Tia Turner
Children's names and ages: Petroglyph Elementary
\Hours: 20+ hours
Computer: Pentium II 350 MHz
Rating: 3.7
E-mail: turner_t@aps.edu
We have been using Slam Dunk Typing with 3rd, 4th, and 5th
grade beginnig typist for 6 months in our computer lab. The
kids find it exciting to play, and I like the 'stats'
section. However, the game emphasizes speed when most
students need to be concentrating on proper keyboarding and
accuracy. The time limits are too quick, making them type
improperly with too many mistakes. I looked for a way to
slow the time down, but didn't find a way to do it.
Reader Rabbits Reading ages 6-8 The Learning Company:
Useful and Educational
Name: Todd Aspeotis
Children's names and ages: Luke Aspeotis 6yrs
\Hours: 10-20 hours
Computer: Strike Force Pentium 120 MHz
Rating: 5
E-mail: toddaspeotis@hotmail.com
This program is very useful and time saving.It needs only
5mb of hard disk space to run and runs quite well from the
CD. This program is money well worth spent. I even stayed to
watch the ending bit part of it! Hassle free installation
and it includes a bonus disk.
Math Ace Jr. is designed to introduce young children to
basic math concepts
Name: Tana Dodge
Children's names and ages: pK-3
Hours: 2-5 hours
Computer: Macintosh, or Intel PC/Windows
Rating: 2.5
E-mail: dodgete@river.it .gvsu.edu
Comment: A K-3 teacher might use this software to enforce
math concepts that were previously introduced in class. A
higher level teacher may use this software to get an idea of
where her student's math abilities are at before teaching a
lession.
This software was easy and fun to use. I like that you
could access all of the activities by pointing on different
pictures on a master screen called "The Bridge." Several
different math concepts were covered such as shape
recognition, addition, subtraction,division, place value,
and even the concept of time.
I feel that the activity called "Seal Beach" is a bit
inaccurate. This activity is supose to enforce the concept
of place balue. It has six seals lined up, and the player
moves a cannonthat shoots balls at them. The object is to
put a number of balls on the seal's nose that is equal to
the number it represents in place value. For example, if the
number you are working with is 432, then you would fire out
two balls onto the first seal, three balls on the second
seal, and four balls on the third seal (working your way
from right to left on the screen). Children should
understand that the 4 in 432 means 400, not 4; and that the
3 in 432 means 30, not 3; and that the 2 means 2. One way to
accomplish this idea may be to just make the size of the
balls get increasingly larger from right to left. Another
thing I found disturbing was that when I wanted to buy items
at the Aquarium Store, a sign on the screen said that
everything was sold out. I tried several things to get
points hoping that something would change this, but my
attempts were unsuccessful.
Some of the games were very fun. The graphics were nice
and colorful, and there was a lot of variety. I however
would probably try to find a software program that had the
concept of place value more clearly represented. The place
balue activity on this program actually tends to reinforce a
common misconception that is made by many young
children.
jump-start 5th grade: Program waste of money
Name: Rita Fowler
Children's names and ages: 12 yearold
Hours: 5-10 hours
Computer: Compaq
Rating: 1
E-mail: ritafowler@hcis.net
Comment: Program very confusing and frustrating. Child will
not attempt again. Has not had trouble with other software
with an even higher grade level. VERY unhappy with
product.
My Very First Little People Play House
Name: John Wade
Date: July 2, 2000
Children's names and ages: Jai (2.5) and Rosalin (1.5)
Hours: 10-20 hours
Computer: Custom, AMD k6II-400
Rating: 4
E-mail: thewades@netzero.net
We purchased this software on CD-ROM from a traveling
retailer who had a booth at the Convention Center in central
TX. We paid $20, no tax. Our son (2.5 yrs old) loves to play
"big-boy" and sit in the "big-chair" and type on the
"keyboard" while smearing his little fingers all over the
monitor. He does enjoy the song that begins each of the
exercises. There's an exercise for counting, colors, sharing
foods, putting away toys from various locations, recognizing
different people in the community, finding a bone in the
yard and matching shoes. The exercises can be facilitated by
a good whack of the keyboard or any click of the mouse. An
advanced setting allows the child to actually use the mouse
selectively to pinpoint what is being asked. Unfortunately,
my son already knows his colors and can count to ten. The
exercises aren't really the attention grabber so much as the
singing/dancing puppydog with the big smile and lots of
laughs. One good thing is that if the child is too idle
either the item in question will wiggle (audibly too) or the
doggy will remind the child to "press a key to..." There's a
supposed function that disables the windows taskbar. And
with good reason too! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to
get it to work. My son deftly manages to move the mouse to
the taskbar or the windows button...happily launching
another program! For a child this age, given the attention
span, you may find it difficult to keep the wandering mouse
under control. There's too much yapping sometimes as the
puppy explains each exercise. My son usually starts clicking
away as the doggy is still talking. The software won't stop
the chatter when the mouse clicks start though (bummer).
Graphics are semi-cheesy. One good point is that they took
the extra time to include children from different ethnic
backgrounds! Kudos on that one! This is good for keeping the
little one busy for about 15 minutes...tops.
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