Reviews (17)

War, anyone?
The Advanced Mission takes this familiar game to a whole new level. Here is the list of the new weapons and tactics now at your disposal: 2 exocet missles fired from your aircraft carrier; 1 tomahawk missle with a massive footprint fired from your battleship; 2 apache missles fired from your destroyer; 2 torpedoes fired from your sub; two recon airplanes for surveillance; and sonar imaging from your sub! While the older version of this game had some strategy, it was still a mostly guessing game, but with the Advanced Mission you really have to plan your attack and keep track of your available assets. One hint: have your recon planes take off from the aircraft carrier ASAP to avoid them being destroyed if the ship gets sunk. If you play this game with some strategy in mind you will find yourself doing very little guessing, which makes this game much more interesting and NEVER boring!

Very cool...But mesy
I got this toy for Christmas from my grandmother. It is pretty complicated, so I do not really agree with the age ranges. My eight year old neighbor who lives across the street from me tried to play it, and in the process she got very confused after many times of explanation. It is extremely fun, but it is also extremely mesy. What can I say. I love this game and it is definalty worth all that money. Accualy, It is worth a lot more.

Could be fun if pegs fit better
I think this game could be lots of fun. I played with my 6 year-old boy, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE PEGS USED TO RECORD HITS AND MISSES EITHER FELL OUT OR WERE SO HARD TO PUT IN, WE HAD TO USE PLIERS TO PULL THEM OUT.

This pretty much ruined the fun. Maybe I got a lemon (bad quality control?). If someone reads this, please tell me if their version did not have this problem. Otherwise I can't see putting my boy (and me) through the agony again.

Fun for the whole family
There is something about hearing the noise that tells you you've score a hit- call it a Pavlovian reponse, but it's lots of fun!! We're getting this for the second generation of recipients this Christmas.

Advanced Mission could be even better..........
I bought this game for my daughter. She has the old version but cheated too much. Of course I cheated too. Believe me, you would never find my patrol boat. I'd just keep moving it around.
Advance Mission puts an end to that. You have to program in your coordinates so it's impossible to cheat. This is a good thing.
Advanced Mission has four different games to be played:
The Classic Mission - each player gets one shot apiece regardless of hit or miss.
The Salvo Mission - each player gets one shot for every ship left unsunk. I really like this one.
The Bonus Mission - each player gets one shot unless they score a hit in which case they can continue on the same turn until they miss.
The Advanced Mission - each ship has special weapons and you have two recon planes, however if you use the recon planes I will defeat you. IMO the recon planes are a bit too much. Deploying them counts as a turn and you don't get to fire a weapon. I never deploy my recon planes. I have never lost, yet.

Another thing that sets this game apart is the ability to play the computer. You don't even need any friends to have a good old fashioned war at sea.
There are also 3 different skill levels to choose from. ...
Of course the game now has sound. You hear the weapons being fired and the explosions from hits.
All that being said I still see room for improvement. On the old battleship you could adjust the top grid for better visibility, much like you would a laptop. On Advanced Mission the top grid is fixed and depending on the lighting can be hard to see.
Unless you are sitting at eye level with direct lighting you will inevitably place a peg in the wrong grid resulting in frustration and possibly a failed mission.
The makers of Advanced Mission should have gone a step further by lighting the grids, at least the top grid. It wouldn't take much to accomplish. It would look really cool and certainly be easier on the eyeballs.
The other thing is the volume, which is relatively low...
Bottomline is it's a fine game but with a few improvements it would really be something. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Step right up, boys and girls, for the greatest game in the living room! Balloon Lagoon, designed by the creators of Cranium, is possibly more fun than the carnival it emulates. After all, there's no sticky cotton candy mess, no nauseating rides…but plenty of entertaining activity for everyone. A noisy musical merry-go-round timer keeps the pressure on while players take turns fishing for letters to spell words, collecting matching snacks at the Snack Hut, pressing levers to spin wheels to unscramble pictures, or flipping frogs back into their pond. Players keep score by collecting little plastic balloons--the first person to fill a mover piece with 15 balloons wins. The game includes game board, timer, four carnival games, four player movers, 72 scoring balloons, and a balloon bag. Three AA batteries required (not included). You can pretty much assume that if it's Cranium, it's going to be a blast! --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Features

• Five games featuring your favorite Disney characters
• All games are stored in the joystick: just plug into your TV and play
• Games include Donald's Disney Golf Tournament, Stitch's Search for Lilo, and Aladdin & the Gems of Agrabah
• Other games are Timon to the Rescue and Simba & the Tree of Trials
• For 1 player

Reviews (3)

Much like the Classic
As a person who's rumored to have been playing Trivial Pursuit since she was six years old, I have to admit that version 6 of this game has to be one of the better ones to come along in years. Much like the first Genus edition, the questions have a great range in both subject matter and level of difficulty. However, a problem plagues Trivial Pursuit 6 that has plagued all other recent editions: NOT ENOUGH QUESTIONS. After about 5 full length games, I found myself and my companions repeating the questions! Trivial Pursuit 6 has about half the number of question cards that Genus I (from 1979) had. The new version 6 is great if you're a casual player who won't play it that often, but for any die-hard fans, this game is going to get really old really quickly.

An educational activity that is still enjoyable.
Trivial Persuit is a game that brings something unique and refreshing to the "board game" genre. It is'nt educational in the traditional sense, but it is a great way to learn about specific interests for children and parents alike. A classic game with potential to last for years as childeren grow and share the game with their own families. TP is a neccesity for any person that enjoys games, learning or a stimulating challenge.

Another great edition of a great game!
After several years, this game is still challenging and can keep you guessing for hours. It also makes a great gift, as my brother was excited when I bought this for him at Christmas. Who said random bits of trivia were useless? Get this game and put those tidbits to good use. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Today’s video games with all their bells and whistles had to begin somewhere, and that somewhere was your living room, in, say, 1982.Remember Asteroids, Missile Command, and Breakout? How about Centipede, Adventure and Gravitar? This TV Games Video System--just a "smart" joystick and nothing else--delivers 10 classic games in all. The joystick has the typical up-down-left-right movements, and single functions to select, start, and reset games. Front-and-center is a big, red fire button ("fire" being the only way to propel or kill things back then). The unit hooks up to your TV via those yellow and white AV output jacks (which should already be on your TV or VCR), and requires 4 "AA" batteries. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Great nostalgia kick
I was a huge Atari fan back in the day, so I was very excited about this product when I saw it in stores. My wife took the hint and picked one up for me. What a great little product! I have had a great time getting into the old classics, and even my kids are enjoying it. ADVENTURE is especially good and is easily the game I play most. There is only one dark spot on this product - some of the games they chose for this joystick product were originally designed for the old paddle controller. Pong and Breakout just aren't the same.

Not worth the money
I thought this would be a fun purchase, but it's not! <br /> <br /> Like the reader before, the games don't even look like they did in the arcade, for example Centepede, when the game is about to boot up, the screen shows the original screen with mushrooms but when the game play starts the mushrooms turn into red blocks! <br /> <br /> None of the games match the originals. Very dissapointing!

COOL gaming system!!!!
im Erik Brillhart and when i was growing up, my parents' freinds had an Atari 2600. when i was playing it, i didnt wanna stop! then i saw this when i used it, it was just like the Atari 2600! i really love this thing and it can take a heck of a beatin'. but u wont learn anything from it exept how to have a fun time!

Review
My grandma got me this game and I love it I also have the controller with 10 games.

NO GOOD!
I am very disappointed with this product. It's not even worth 20 bucks. The graphics/sounds aren't even close to the original games. Plus, it doesn't even work properly. TOO many glitches have started appearing and it's only been used a few times. (and not by abusive children, but by adults) Please don't waste your money on this poorly made product. MS pacman one is bad news too. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Heroscape line of toys is like the all-star game of make believe. While other games might focus on a specific era of history, the age of chivalry, perhaps, or the Jurassic period, Heroscape puts everyone together on one enormous madcap battlefield. Vikings, World War II soldiers, ninjas, mutant monsters, samurais, dinosaurs, dragons, they’re all there, done up as tiny, highly detailed figure. It would be sort of comic if all the players didn’t look so gosh-darn serious. 85 interlocking terrain tiles are also included so you can craft exactly the landscape you wish for all the action to happen on. Multiple dice are featured along with game cards and detailed instructions on how to play. We liked the boundless imagination of this game and the open-minded versatility of its imaginary protagonists. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Still the best
Years before "fantasy baseball" became a fad, Strat-O-Matic was giving youngsters the opportunity to manage their favorite major league baseball players. Only those who are baseball fans can appreciate how much fun it is to play a tabletop dice game that accurately re-creates major leaguers' performance so well on so many levels.

The original version of Strat-O-Matic Baseball, which is still around as the game's "basic" version, is pretty simplistic. But beginning in 1972, when the "advanced" version was born, the company has continually added rules and made improvements that make the game more challenging and realistic. The game today also has a "super advanced" version, which re-creates just about every variable that means anything in a baseball game.

You can still play the basic game if you want. But those who grew up with the game, or left it and returned, will find the super-advanced version a fun challenge. Alas, the "fantasy baseball" mentality has robbed the game of some of its innocence; many SOM draft leagues and their general managers take this game a wee bit too seriously.

All teams come with 27 players plus perhaps one to three optional "mixed players" who didn't finish the season with the team. (All 30 major league teams and the mixed players come with the game sold here.) In the bad old days, teams came with only 20 players each, or 24, if one bought the optional "additional players." And if a key player was traded from his original team to the other league, he may not have gotten a card at all. Fortunately, that's no longer the case; in the 2003-season set, for example, Ugueth Urbina has two cards, one each for the Texas Rangers and Florida Marlins.

Gripes about the game are minor. The perforated player cards come on giant sheets that you have to break apart yourself, and this is a real chore. The six-sided dice are small and cheap, and the super-advanced fielding charts are on flimsy, decidedly nondurable paper. (Cardboard charts are available from Strat-O-Matic.) The game rules are long overdue for a new printing; the separate list of rule clarifications, corrections and additions is two pages long, mostly single-spaced.

Despite these complaints, the game is well worth the money, especially through Amazon.com, where the price is surprisingly a bit less than what the game company itself would charge for exactly the same thing. This is all the more reason for baseball fans of virtually any age to give SOM a try.

great game
i loved this game. Especially being a very true baseball fan i was glad to see something other than a video game capture the real spirit of baseball.
in this game you get to call the shots like a major league manager. Cant wait for 2004 to come out.

Best Baseball Game Ever
I've been playing this game since 1970 and have every team that has been issued since. You can't call yourself a true baseball fan without playing it. You get to be a big league manager, make out your lineups, choose your strategies: sacrifice, squeeze, hit and run, steal, position your infielders, hit the cutoff man, its all in there and more. Every player rated and simulated. Play any fantasy lineup you choose. Set up any matchup in history. Its all in there.

The Ultimate Baseball Game
I've been playing Strat-o-matic baseball since 1964; I believe it was first advertised in the back of baseball magazines in 1963. Over the years the game has evolved into an internet game. The original board game has improved. For a baseball fan the world of statistics and probability is opened. It develops problem solving skills as the player acts as a baseball manager. Besides its educational value, the game is also a lot of inexpensive fun. Let's see, I was 12 when I first played Strat-o-matic, and now I'm an avid player at 50! Only now I don't have to "score" the games to compile statistics. The game is played by a computer, three games a night, and all I do is pick the players in a draft and adjust the lineups and strategy. If you love baseball, playing Strat-o-matic is like having your baseball cards come to life.

The Greatest Sports Simulation Game Ever Made
It may even be the best table-top game in history. No kidding. It's that good. You don't even have to like baseball to like it, though I suspect you'll come away with a much greater appreciation of the game. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This enchanting activity game will keep younger kids happily distracted, whether it's played indoors or out. A cute, blue elephant blows 30 feathery, vinyl butterflies from its 4-foot trunk into the air. The trunk, made of flexible plastic, stands straight up when the small, quiet motor in the elephant's bottom is turned on. Kids use mesh nets (four included) to capture the most butterflies, same-color butterflies, or just catch 'em period. Requires four C batteries, not included. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (135)

Not Worth The Money
My son wanted this game really badly. So, he got it for his birthday and it seemed to entertain him for maybe 15 minutes. On the commercial it looks like a lot of fun with the butterflies flying everywhere. Well, when you get your game home and start to play you can go to the kitchen and get yourself a drink and you probably still won't miss a butterfly. The pressure is poor and the butterflies come out 1 every 5 minutes. This game is a big disappointment.

Kids LOVE this game!
I first came in contact with this game at my daughter's preschool, when she was about 3 years old. This was, without a doubt, the favorite of the younger kids (2.5-3) and the older ones (4-5)eventually copuldn;t help themsekves, and joined in too! This game helps them with hand-eye coordination - it's not as easy to catch those fluttering "butterflies" as one might think! Just try to be gentle with the "trunk". After LOTS of use, it can become sort of "bent" and this will prevent the "butterflies" from getting to the top of the trunk. That takes quite a bit of use to happen though, so my only downside would be the bunch oif batteries it takes, which really is not too big of a deal. Cute and fun toy!!

no fun
My daughter wanted this so bad for her 4th birthday, it was such a disappointment. The butterflies barely come out of the trunk! Not at all like they show it. My kids had more fun playing with the nets!

This was a HUGE disappointment and WASTE of $$
This was a HUGE disappointment. I thought it would be an ideal gift for my son, but I've spent more money than I like to think about just to keep fresh batteries in it. As soon as the batteries start to wear down (which is pretty quickly), the fan slows down and the butterflies become stuck in the trunk. I'm sure my almost-four-year-old would give it five stars for fun if it always worked when he wanted to play with it, but because of this game, I've begun to ration my batteries. As other reviewers mentioned, there needs to be a lot more butterflies included. This could be a great game for kids if the manufacturers made a few changes, but as it is, I recommend that parents save their money.

The butterflies refuse to come out!!!
I was so excited to buy this for my three year old daughter. I figured it would reinforce counting and colors as well as eye hand coordination. When we started playing, the butterflies took forever to shoot out. I opened it and mixed them around as the instructions stated but still only one or two popped out. The rest kept blowing around on the bottom. Very disappointing. After a while my daughter said "all done Mommy". She was bored standing there waiting for the butterflies. I dont blame her, I was bored myself. The fan worked fine and the trunk fully extended & I put fresh batteries so Im not really sure what went wrong. Its such a nice idea but Im sad to say its a lemon of a game. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Even electronic toys have gone extreme. Kids love the original Bop It, an electronic toy that challenges response time to pull, twist, and bop different parts of the toy. The Extreme 2 version adds two more tasks, more sounds, and a taunting, smart-aleck announcer who directs the game. As you get better, the game moves faster until you miss a beat and lose, accompanied by a fair amount of noise and ridicule from the toy. People who don't think they'd ever want to play Bop It Extreme 2 won't be able to put it down; it instills a compulsive need to bop till you drop. It can be played in a group and makes a good party game--even for serious adults. --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (18)

The Best game!
Bop it Extreme 2 is the best! My sister got it for her birthday but, I love playing it! Before I could only get 1 or 2 but, now I have 38.
I play it when I wake up, when I have extra time, & before I go to bed!
I like all the things you can play on it and, that it has a volume control and, that it tells you what the high score is.
This game is really fun! People should purchase this item.

Bop it extreme 2 vs Bop it extreme
Hi, I'm a 19 years old college student attending UCSD. I live in a suit with other students and we use to hang out, but we got nothing to do. I decided to buy this toy to promote some social interactions. To my surprise, everybody just jumps in and have a blast. We played endless Pass it! games. It REALLY trains your reflex skill. I find it so much fun that I had to write a review, which I rarely do.

As for the difference between the Bop It Extreme and the Bop It Extreme 2 versions.(I had this question when I buy this toy)
1) The Bop It Extreme 2 version has 3 levels of volume, while the Bop It Extreme has one LOUD volume.
2) The Bop It Extreme 2 has an earphone jack for personal enjoyment, while the Bop It Extreme doesn't.
3) The Bop It Extreme 2 TELLS you at the end your score(i.e. "You scored forty-eght"), while the Bop It Extreme plays different sounds to denote score(i.e. "whistle, whistle, rachet, rachet, rachet, drum, drum, drum, drum"). Hence requiring you to count and decipher which sound worth more points than other.
4) The Bop It Extreme 2 has more music than the Bop It Extreme as advertised.
5) The Bop It Extreme 2 has rubber grip and better grip-mold for the Spin it! wheel.
6) The Bop It Extreme 2 just looks much cooler, hands down! :D

Playing this game Solo is fun, but get together w/ your friends and you all will have a BLAST!

NOT soooo great,
VERY,VERY noisey. It is hard for me to get a high score. They whant you to do it so fast. (Yes, I know a game should be challinging.) And to tell you it takes a odd number of batterys,3 of 'em. One time the batterys got corroded so it made it hard to get out. I never did play with it again. The sound got scratchy too. (...)I do not recomend any of the Bop It toys to anyone.

So much better then Extreme 1!
Wow! This is a pretty fun game. The original was so loud and annoying, and the speaker was tinny. Bop it Extreme 2, though a little easier, is so much better. It also has a Bop It button that is less prone to getting accidentally hit.

EXTREME fun for all ages!!!
Bought as a gift for my son, the whole family has enjoyed this unique little gizmo. I can't help but think that this must help with thinking skills. Totally portable, it's a favorite at sleep-overs... it's even more popular than Gameboy, and that's saying something. A very healthy family game! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

You can wait til May 19...
...or you could get this now and see tons of footage from Return of the Sith [sic] a few weeks early. That's really the only reason I bought it, and I was not disappointed in the slightest. Many questions are in the form of a movie clip, and there are quite a few questions on Episode 3. And none of it is from the 11/04 teaser trailer or regular trailer that's been out for months. Though if you really want to see these clips, you're best off just playing the DVDs, rather than actually playing round after round of TP with them...

Okay, so I couldn't possibly have played it yet.But C'MON!
Sure, it's not even out yet and I'm rating the holy hell out of it.But C'MON!Imagine if the original Star Wars Trivial Pursuit and the game Scene It had a kid together...There's no way it wouldn't be great!


Again, I argue...C'MON! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Voted a Best Party Game of the Year by Games magazine, Wise and Otherwise belongs next to Pictionary and Scrabble in your arsenal of fun. This creative, interactive game (read: everybody shouting, flailing, laughing) revolves around 500 cards, each emblazoned with five obscure and long-forgotten sayings from around the world. For example, one old Chinese saying is, "Don't add salt to a boatload of salt fish." One side of the card states, "Don't add salt to..."and it is the job of the players to devise probable endings. "Don't add salt to salty soup," for example. Or, "Don't add salt to the open wound." (The actual endings are listed on the flip sides of the cards.) A player wins points when other players vote for his or her special ending, or when the player guesses the actual ending, so the goal is to finish the proverb as convincingly as possible given the geographic region in question. Each elegant box contains one game board, 500 cards, six writing pads, six pencils, one die, and six player pawns. People who love language, oddly hilarious translations, offbeat proverbs, or just making people look foolish by guessing their very clever answers will adore this game. We predict: The one who plays this game ... will hear the laughter. ... Read more

Reviews (126)

Wonderful game, despite the price.
For some reason, when I first saw this game I thought it was a bit overpriced for the what it was. However, with the amount of phrases on the cards and the enjoyment it has brought to many of our gatherings, this game was well worth the investment.

Just to inventory the contents... you get with the game a game board, 6 game pieces, 6 pads, 1 die, 1 box or cards... and, most importantly, 6 sharpened pencils. ;)

In terms of game play, this game is the best "bluff 'em" type game on the market, hands down. It's very similar to Malarkey or Balderdash, but deals specifically with proverb and sayings from all around the world. Though the box says 2-6 players, after playing it on several occasions, we thought it best played with at least 4 people.

I would definitely recommend this game for the avid game player, who normally find themselves hosting get-togethers with their witty and imaginative friends. Don't be surprised if you find yourself laughing uncontrollable, throughout, at the proverbs your friends concoct.

A really great game for all ages
We've played Wise and Otherwise a number of times now with friends varying in age from 9 to 75, and all have found it very enjoyable. It's surprising how much fun younger players (age 9 to 12) have trying to outsmart the adults--and how funny it can be when they succeed.

The old proverbs are very enticing and stimulate everyone's creativity. The end result is usually raucous laughter. This is a completely non-threatening, enjoyable activity for any family gathering. If there are more than six people you can play in teams, which makes it even better. END

Hysterical!!!
This is a great game, expect hysterics from everyone concerned. If you can manage to retain your ability to speak while you play, you are in good shape. My husband and I played with a bunch of our friends who were also in our wedding party. Our wedding favors were fortune cookies with customized fortunes so we used sayings that our friends had come up with during various games. The guests were confused, but we were amused all the same.

Don't know about the 12 and above . . .
We actually played with six people, three of them being 6, 8 and 9. Talk about real hilarity!!! These kids came up with unbelievable endings we would never have guessed. It was lots of fun. Truly, we cried with laughter at almost every turn!

Laughed so hard we cried!
The first time we played this game, 6 people (grown adults) were in tears laughing at the absurdity of some of our responses! We continued in this gasping for air style of play for about 3 more rounds before we calmed down enough to get into more of the subtleties of the game. It is at times hilarious, thought provoking and insightful of those you play with. How funny or insightful depends on the players' effort, but if you are truly trying to win, you'll be surprised how many people you can fool with bogus phrase endings. I highly recommend this game! ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Pixter is like a personal digital assistant (PDA) for kids. But instead of storing boring appointments and phone numbers, they get to draw, do puzzles, and learn a little, too. The Pixter is about the size of a small book, and has a pretty solid weight to it. It's made out of brightly colored and durable plastic. The main action of this toy is drawing with an attached stylus. The Color Pixter offers much better graphics then the black and white version, which comes in handy with activities like Paint-by-Numbers and Connect-the-Dots. You can draw a picture free form, or you can use one of the starter backgrounds. There are tool buttons, like on a PDA, that give you access to fun stamps, special effects, and the eraser button. You can also save your creation in the Pixter's memory. There are some boppy tunes playing along with all this creative activity, but luckily for parents, there's also a jack for headphones and a volume adjuster. An expansion slot on top of the Pixter accepts ROM-based expansion cards that contain additional software and games. Requires 4 "AA" batteries. (Not included.) --Megan Sullivan ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Has entertained my child for 3 years!
We first bought our pixter in 2001 while taking our 4 year old on a three week trip to Europe. It entertained her the ENTIRE time. We even had people coming up to us to take pictures of her playing it because she was so quiet for such a young child! Of course, the next year, we upgraded to the 2.0 version (giving her old one to her cousin). She still plays with it constantly. We have a large variety of software (which I buy on sale every so often) that she keeps attached to the carrying case (I do recommend, it keeps everything in one place and is handy to carry everywhere) in a small mess bag I had. She plays it with or without the sound depending on where we are. I asked her if she wanted a gameboy or a pixter 2.0 in color for Christmas and she immediately said Pixter! It's much more imaginative and allows her to be creative. It also is great for us to play games while trying to pass time like when we are waiting at a doctor's office. We can draw, play tic-tac-toe, bingo, etc... and she doesn't make a fuss. She loves it so much, that she shows every kid she sees how it works and lets them play. It does wear the more she plays, but what doesn't? Her current one has lasted for over two years with almost daily use. All ours have lasted through tons of train, plane and automobile rides, many of them over 10 hours in length. I would definitely buy it for the 3-7 year range. I'm sure the older children may not get as much entertainment out of it as they would other systems. We'll be buying her the color version for Christmas this year!

Pixter-Color
Great toy better that the monochrome version. However, it lacks durability. My 5 year old son got one as a christmas present in 03'. We have had to exchanged it 3 times in 8 months. The primary problem been accuracy of the touch pad. Even after recaliburation the accuracy slightly improves if at all. There is no place for light as in the previous version. My son loves it when it works but gets very frustrated when it doesn't.

Broken on the second day....
We used to own the pixter but it quit working after just a few months (I was disappointed but assumed that it was just my child's overuse/rough handling) so we thought we would upgrade to the color pixter as they had since been released. We should have learned from our mistakes about the durability of this product. My daughter had it out of the box for not even 24 hours, it slipped out of her hands onto the floor, and the screen cracked and the product no longer works. This drop was only 12 inches to the floor. This is quite an expensive toy to not be able to withstand more. My children own gameboys and have dropped them numerous times and even left them in the car on a hot day, and they still work. In fact, my friend's child left his out in the rain and after drying it out, it continued to work! I am truly disappointed with the inability of the Pixter to stand up to a child's environment. I would think twice before buying this toy.

Not a satisfied customer!!!
I purchased a Color Pixter for my neice's 5th Birthday. She already owns and loves her Leapster so I figured she'd really enjoy the Pixter.Before I gave it to her I myself tried it out and honestly thought it was kind of neat but a bit limited. I know the Leapster talks to you and the Pixter doesn't. For over $80 this thing should talk. Anyway, I give it to her and she literally had it out of the box for 5 minutes and I look over and the screen has been scratched beyond belief!! I know for a fact she used nothing but the stylus on the screen. Obviously she pressed too hard which they do warn you about in the owner's manual but lets be reasonable! She did exactly what she usually does to the Leapster and the Pixter can't withstand anything but a very gentle touch which is not what you're going to get from 4 and 5 yr olds. This is not the quality that I expected. She's not a destructive child with her toys. She's had the Leapster since Christmas, has no problems with it and loves it. I had read the reviews that these Pixters don't seem to hold up very well but for heavens sake...I paid well over $100 for this thing along with another software cartridge to use with it and it's in her posession for literally 5 minutes and this is how it holds up?? Fischer Price states that this toy is for ages 4 or 5 and up but take heed!! Unless you're buying this unit for a child who's older, I would not recommend it. In fact, I don't recommend buying it at all. I do highly recomment buying a Leapster and then buying the "Draw and Learn" software cartridge for about $25. It's very nice, and the Leapster is extremely durable. If I'd known they even made such a cartridge for the Leapster, I wouldn't have even bought the Color Pixter in the first place. Anyway, I returned the merchandise and recieved a full refund so no harm done but just a warning to all. When they say the screens will scratch, they're not kidding and it doesn't take much to scratch them. The Leapsters the way to go....hands down.

A nother *GREAT* toy,
Hey ya people. I bought one of these things and I say it is the best toy ever! O.K. here is the detales about this toy: 1:There is tons of other feachers on this than the first one. So don't go out and buy the older one. (It will bored to death!) 2: It is color. (duh,I don't know why I put that.) And the old one is, well, black and white. Witch can sometimes stran your eyes. 3: There is better games included with the color. For instince, pick a seane and draw and put stamps and stuff. create words and put them as stamps. (witch is cool.) color the number. Draw by yourself. And conect the dots. wonce you conect the dots a mini show like-thingie will have to do some thing about the picture. 4: Now this is about the batteries. Well, I played it A LOT and I repeat A LOT and STILL HAVEN'T HAD TO CHANGE THE BATTERIES! And to tell you it takes four of those batteries. 5: Here is a kind of cool feature. It tures off when you don't play with it after a while. 6: It can take both black and white softwere and color softwere. So make sure you have the adapter. And wene you want a color softwere make shure you pick up a color one beacause I picked up a black and white one on accident. That's all about the stuff about it! About the learning,well what I think is educational is if you don't have paper at home you can use it whoa, I was talking about education, It teaches you to be a good artest. Durability, you know you wouldn't want to damage a PDA for kids. I don't know what will happen but DON'T TRY IT! It also makes a prefect gift for Chistmas! So go out and buy it! You will be satisfied and so will your kids. Oh goodie! I got more things about this toy! You can save one, I repeat ONE piture or something you can save in a file. Which is a drag beacause you want to save more than ONE. And I tried to set the volum because it was noisey and it got scrachey. Eventually, it didn't scratch no more. And if you look on the bottom, you can put headphones. Which to me is nice. And once you get your pixter color, just follow the dierections you ain't going to be confusied. There are SIMPLE! Later dudes and evreybody else! P.S. Hope this review helped you! A LOT! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Horses hold a magical appeal for children. This colorfully designed board game provides an exciting fantasy environment for two to six horse lovers. In the first game, players pretend to be wild mustang stallions galloping through mountains and valleys, gathering a herd to protect while facing such obstacles as cougars and bad weather. The first player to round up a herd wins. In two other games, players are ranchers rounding up strays and competing to fill out their herds. Players are sure to enjoy the in-depth educational information about horses and horse breeds that is included. This is a great game to saddle up when it's rainy on the ranch, providing enough challenge to play with parents as well as with friends. --Lee Strucker ... Read more

Reviews (29)

The perfect game for any horse lover!
When I recieved this game as a Christmas present five years ago, my parents did not realize how much I would love playing it! For a horse crazy girl, it was the perfect gift. The idea of being a beautiful, wild mustang fighting to reach safety in a race against other stallions and obstacles was enchanting. Along the way, the player has to build their own herd by collecting unique picture cards of various horses. The cards inform on the horse's breed and personality, including information that is educational and interesting. The two alternative games are also fun to play. All in all, the game's colorful format and imaginative appeal make it a guaranteed favorite for any horse lover!

fun!
this game is adictive,FUN and educational.it is all my 6 year old sister has thought about since she played.

Great Game!!! Worth your money!!
I bought this game for my 8 year old neice in November last year. It was a big hit!! This game is so great. There are 3 ways to play it. The horse cards are beautifully illustrated and have lots of great facts about each horse on them. This game is so much fun for the whole family. In fact, I think I'm going to buy it for my 5 year old son. Every time we visit my neice, that's all he wants to play. It's a really fun game and a MUST for any horse lover.

I LOVE THIS GAME!
It is very fun and interesting to play! Even if you don't LOVE horses you will still really like this game!

Herd Your Horses! probably the best board game in the world!
i got this game 4 my b-day about 2 years ago. i LOVE it!! i have a GREAT LOVE 4 HORSES. they are jsut sooooooooo coool!!
i would recommend this game for ANYONE who loves horses. there are a lot of neat things in the world, and horses are DEFINATELY 1 of them!!!!! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Ever play "Hot Potato" with a spud that ticks and talks? Welcome toElectronic Catch Phrase, the battery-powered (three AAA, not included) blend ofclue deduction and race against the clock. Two teams of two or more players eachalternate turns, guessing the answers to clues in 11 categories, from Food &Drink to Tech & Inventions. Set the timer on the discus-like game unit, and theclue-giving countdown begins; if a team's guess matches the response on thegame's readout, pass the unit to the opponents. Just don't get caught holdingthis potato when the buzzer sounds (after about a minute of increasinglyinsistent beating), as the other team will score a point, possession being nine- tenths of the "Awww!" With its infectious mix of fast, nerve-wracking, high- pressure passing the buck, Electronic Catch Phrase spreads a serious case offun. --Tony Mason ... Read more

Reviews (67)

A Nerve-Wracking, Yet Highly Contagious Game
"Catch Phrase" is one of the many cool things I have discovered since being in college. I'll bet hardly anyone has heard of it (no one had heard of it where I come from anyway), but it is one of the most contagious games around.

The premise of the game is simple: After setting the timer, your team has to guess what word or phrase is visible on the screen. The unit cannot be passed until someone says exactly what is on the screen. When someone does guess correctly, you pass it on to a member of the other team.

For example, if the word was "pumpkin," you could say something along the lines of, "Okay, guys, Peter-Peter-blank-eater!" If someone has been keeping up on their nursery rhymes, he or she will know that the word in place of "blank" is "pumpkin." Make sense?

This game is a blast when you get a huge amount of people to play. About a month ago, around 20 of us were playing it at the same time. Good times there, folks!

Fun: Fun, fun, FUN. I can't reiterate it enough. It's interesting to see how nervous people get when the timer starts beeping faster; hence, the buzzer is about to go off. For some reason, people get really panicky when the pressure starts to build. It's only a game, people! Of course, you don't realize that at the time. Everyone is yelling out answers, and with all the excitement going on, your heartbeat can rise in a hurry.

Educational Value: This is a thinking game. That's the only way I know how to put it. You have to think about what it is your teammate is trying to say without he or she actually coming out and saying it. And they're not all as easy as "pumpkin." There are some real stumpers in this game, and that only adds to the fun (or frustration depending upon what side you're on).

Durability: This game is very durable. Just don't drop it! It probably wouldn't hold up very well since this is the electronic version.

In short, "Catch Phrase" is a very cool game. It's great to play with a lot of people, and it never gets boring. I've played this numerous times, and I always have interesting stories to tell the next day.

Best.....Party.....Game.....EVER!
I really can't fid anything wrong with this game. There are 10,000 words, so if you find a repeat word, it is incredibly rare. The educational value isnt that good, but, it isn't a game you buy for educational value. You buy it for fun, and that's what it delivers. Everyone will be laughing at the hilarity of some of clues. If you haven't already, buy this game.

Awesome!!!!
I fell in love with this game ever since I saw my parents and their friends playing it at a New Years Eve party. The game is great for both kids and adults. There's even a 'Family' category, which gives easier words to guess. No matter how old you are, you're bound to love it!
The only annoying thing about it is the sound, which you can't turn off or down. But if you lay it flat on the table or put your hand over the speaker while you play, then it's more than bearable.
Probably the best thing about this game is that you can bring it anywhere. It's just one little electronic game. No cards, game pieces, or anything else.
I would definitely recommend it for everyone!

Great Adult Game
We bring this game where-ever we go. We even gave one to my sister-in-law. All of us adult cousins will play once the kids are in bed. We even got my mother-in-law in one game. And she loved it. Some questions test your knowledge. Others are real simple. Sometimes we rhym especially if we can't think of anything else. The one I remember: answer was Long Johns - our Rhym was Slong Bongs. We still laugh over that clue! This is one gift we always give for Wedding Showers and Birthdays. The electronic version is so much better than the other cause all you have is one piece - very portable and packable. I guarantee you'll love it. We take ours everywhere!

Great Party Fun
This is the updated version of the original CATCHPHRASE. Instead of having cards to insert into the slot and also keep score, this electronic version takes all the fun of the classic game and updates it with 10,000 words and phrases, timer and scoring device in an all-inclusive, easy-to-carry electronic unit. This fast paced game of words and phrases lets players rattle off as many clues as they can until somebody on their team yells out the answer. Players keep passing the game unit as they talk and try not to get caught holding it when the buzzer sounds. This fast-paced game is perfect party entertainment. ... Read more