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

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

If there's anyone out there who thinks that the Pokemon craze would just be another fad, disappearing from public consciousness in a matter of months, well, think again. The popularity of the Japanese monster collecting game shows no sign of slowing and may in fact be growing thanks to improving technology, evidenced in new products such as this hand held Pokedex. It features electronically stored information on all 200 Pokemon Advanced monsters and features such as personalization and tracking up to six of your favorite Pokemon. You can earn trainer points as you capture the various critters on various different terrains offered. Beyond the traditional capture game, there are other challenges available including a Pokemon quiz and a new game where you help Mudkip run without tiring the poor guy out. The Pokedex may not appeal to someone who isn't already a Pokemon fan but for those who are hooked, it's a lot of fun. Three AAA batteries are required but not included. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Features

• Play Ms Pac-Man and 5 other games on your TV.
• Controller and game system in one
• Includes Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Pole Position, Xevious and Mappy
• Great retro fun
• For 1 player

Reviews (29)

frustrating, not fun
This would have been a great game but... the joystick is terrible while playing Ms Pac-Man. You can only make her move up or down about half the time. It is not just a timing thing either. Additionally, I have also seen her pass through a ghost. That would have helped my score if I would have kept playing instead of staring at the screen with my mouth wide open. I didn't have any problems with Galaga.

This handheld unit has a great concept. Three of my favorite games: Ms Pac-Man, Galaga and Pole Position in one easy to use and portable unit. Too bad the execution of the concept was done horribly. "Return to Sender"

AWESOME!
This is great! The games are just as I remember. We are playing this on a 65" Wide Screen and the resolution is great and response of the game is faster than I expected. The whole family loves it!

A blast from the past
This is great. I just loved these games in the Arcade and I love them at home too. They are all so much fun. The problem with the Ms Pacman is the person not the stick. Like someone else said, you don't have to force it. A few weeks ago I would have agreed that it sucks for Ms Pacman but now I realize that I was trying too hard. You don't have to hold the stick to move her just push gently in the direction you want to go. Also make sure you are holding the game straight. If you are kicked back on your couch, chances are, your not. Sit up straight and hold it infront of you until you get the feel then you'll see, it works just like it used to.

Just like the arcade!
<br /> I've become a big faun of these plug-n-play joysticks, so naturally I grabbed this one as soon as I could. Great product! Ms. Pac Man and Galaga alone are worth the price. Xevious is also excellent - better even than the Gameboy version I recently picked up. Mappy is also a lot of fun. But the biggest surprise was Pole Position - the stick actually twists left and right to function like a steering wheel!<br />

Fun for all ages
I purchased this for my 2 1/2 year old and he loves it. The whole family cannot get enough. I agree however on the joystick for miss pac man. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This electronic handheld version of Scrabble, the classic word game, will help long train commutes or plane journeys pass more quickly. With four games to choose from (two that accommodate two players) and the ability to determine the computer's intelligence, the same game isn't likely to happen twice. Bad: when you raise the computer's IQ level, it uses words like "padri" and "Varna." Good: it accepts words like "vibrio" and "bize." Sound can be turned off, and, if not in use for more than a minute, the game goes to sleep to conserve the three AA batteries (included). --Pam Lauer ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Scramble
This game is perfect for the summer. if you miss school then you can play this game to learn how to spell. If you just want to have fun this would be good too. ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

addictive but flawed
The Scrabble Express is a lot of fun in a little bit of time but can also eat up a lot of time because it's so addictive.
The main problem I experienced was when the computer played a phony word and I couldn't challenge it off the board. "RU" is no good. Later, I tried playing the same word IN THE SAME GAME and it wasn't allowed. This bothered me. Playing phonies IS part of strategic Scrabble, so there should be a challenge feature built in, or at least as a feature to toggle on and off. Bottom line, the computer shouldn't be playing phonies unless you opt to have that included as part of your decision-making.
Another flaw is that many playable words are not acceptable because the built-in dictionary is the OSPD, which omits many words deemed offensive for school play. So, short words suited for the 9 by 9 grid, such as LEZ, won't fly.

Its Word List Is Valid
I agree with the other reviewers' observations regarding the length of time it takes the computer to take its turn as well as the lack of vowels the human player is given versus the number the computer receives.
But I would like to point out that the words the computer uses are accepted "tournament word list" Scrabble words and not nonsense words as other reviewers have asserted. I've found a couple of Scrabble words the computer will not accept, but most of them are there.
Despite its shortcomings, for the money it's definitely worth it. And it's an excellent way to learn some strategies and words.

Fun, but will frustrate many serious Scrabble players
As other reviewers have indicated, this game has a 9X9 grid which causes the board to get cramped rather quickly. One of the results of this is that the opportunity to play large words, especially when playing all 7 letters for the 50 point bonus, is next to impossible unless you make the play within, say, your first two to three turns. After that it becomes just about hopeless. As a result, serious Scrabble players who utilize their ED, ING, and other such letter combinations will be severely handicapped.

This seems to be a common problem with this game overall. The better you are at Scrabble, the more this game will handicap you - such as when you set the game's IQ at its highest level and then you're repeatedly given no vowels. About the only positive from this, from a serious Scrabble player pov, is that you are forced to use your vocabulary more. Winning a game isn't so much about playing as many tiles as possible in a certain location as it is knowing obscure words to play within the confines of the board.

It should also be noted that the game has no real off button, just on and what appears to be a sleep mode. I guess the idea was to prevent anyone from accidentally shutting down the game in mid-play. But still, it's a rather annoying feature to put the game down and just wait for it to tun itself off.

These reservations aside, it's still a great game and will be fun for most people who enjoy playing Scrabble. But after several years, it's time for an improved redesign with features closer to a real Scrabble board.

Not bad for twenty bucks
WARNING! This is NOT a complete scrabble game. The board is
9x9, and it only goes a few turns. So if you are a serious
enthusiast, then get the pocket PC version.
The interface is fairly user-friendly, although the blocky LED's
get annoying after a while. The BIGGEST weakness is the bad
program that racks you with zero vowels a lot of the time! It
amazes me that the Scrabble Assn has authorized this game, because what's the probability of getting all consonants 3x in
a row?? But the dictionary (not accessible as a dictionary by the way) is replete with over 100,000 words no doubt, and based on
the OSPD 3rd ed. So you can definitely learn new words in a
fun way without just memorizing words. The machine sometimes
takes a long time also, which is surprising, since I've played
chess machines which must calculate much deeper and yet move
much more quickly.
Being also a chess enthusiast, I was surprised to find only one (1) handheld scrabble machine on the market and this was it! So although this portable game has many weaknesses, it still has a
strong dictionary, 9 playing levels, and should appeal to anyone
who remotely enjoys Scrabble on the go. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This microcosm of Neopets is a portable world for your pocket. Meridell, the land of heroes and legends that was long hidden within Neopia has now been uncovered and is delightfully rendered here in miniature. The pocket Neopet world folds up into a small gold colored pod that you can take anywhere. Open up the case and you can play with your three Neopets: Lupe, Draik, and Lxi. Name them, choose their personalities and preferences, and then proceed to play with, feed, and generally care for them. The sensors in the electronic ports they sit in know which pet you're playing with. There are six games you can play on the small LCD screen with four toggle buttons--they aren't the most engaging games, but winning them scores you points you'll need to buy food and toys for your pet. If you don't give your pet everything it needs, it will run away. Of course, you can always reprogram it to come back to you. There are three little slots to tuck the pets neatly into when you close up the case and hit the road. --Megan Sullivan ... Read more

Reviews (28)

This game is OK...
This game is very cute, but the instructions that come with the it are not clear. The game can become frustrating after a while. It is also a low-tech game and can have some problems.

Awsome toy
This toy is so cool,i couldn't find it in stores so i ordered it online,i have a regular pocket neopet,but this one is cooler.I do not no what those other people are thinking,well duh the graphics are bad,what do u expect for 20 dollars,A flatscreen moniter?I think it works just fine the way the graphics are,and the neopoints aren't hard to get ,it a fun challenge,and that's what teaches you responsibility,so if you don't care about it it will leave you,and if yo have skewl,you can just turn it off,thats a good feature for when you are goin somewhere and you don't want to take it with you,It really makes you think about about the responsibiliy of taking care of a real pet,over all this is a worth it toy if your into neopets.

I bet this will be fun...until your pet runs away.
What i have heard is that the pet runs away and has specific times for everything. That is definitly a con. Some people have school ya know!

pros: fun, and teaches responsibility
cons: your pet runs away, has specific times, and neopoints are hard to get.
I recommend the voice activated neopet instead

Only mediocre.
I am an avid Neopets fan and when I heard they were coming out with merchedise, I was quite pleased.
This product, however, disapointed me. The screen is too smal to do anything with. THe games are fun, yet the graphics are someof the worst I've ever seen. In the ned, I endd up taking the Neopets (A Lupe, Ixi, and Draik) and playing with them without the set. I would recomend a voice activated pet, rather then this game.

Fun1
This toy right here was sooo kewl and fun! It teaches you how to take care of pets very good. You can play fun games to earn money and such to buy food,toys,and petpets. I would recommend this to any kid who is 8 and up and is hooked on neopets ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Great Game
This is a great game. My 4 year old son loves it!!(so does the rest of the family when he lets us play). It is good for the development of his hand-eye coordination. Good price for hours of fun!!

Excellent value
I bought this game for my daughters 6th birthday and it is a very entertaining toy.It plugs directly in to your tv so its easy to use.It is even fun for adults because there are so many levels to play.Because it is so small its portable for a night at grandmas or a friends and you get an entire game system with 5 games for less than the cost of one game for another game system.My kids enjoyed it so much that we went and bought the Pac Man game and plan to buy more.

Fun for Families
I bought this for my four year old son since he is a big fan of Spongebob. He LOVES it! The entire family has enjoyed playing it together, something that only games like Mario Kart or Mario Party have done in the past. The games are pretty easy to learn and it helps his hand-eye coordination as well. Another really nice thing about it is that it is not violent like so many games out there today. It is also VERY easy to hook up; we brought it with us to to my parents' house for Father's Day and hooked it up there so all of the kids could play together.

My son has invited many of the kids in the neighborhood over to play, and they have all enjoyed the different games. The only downside is that they have to take turns playing since more than one person cannot play at a time.

Like one of the other reviews said, it does drain batteries, making the colors go out. But buying batteries is still cheaper than buying a video game that can easily get scratched. This is easily worth the $20 that I paid for it!

Think alot before you buy
I bought this toy for my daughter on Sunday afternoon. She played with it for awhile and she loved it. I couldn't get my husband away from it. But then after you play it for awhile the color goes off.
Monday morning she turned it on and there is no color at all. I can't decide if I will try another one or just get a refund.
Think before you buy this one. I made an impulse buy that most likely I will regret.

Not user friendly for lefties
I purchased this game for my son. Once he was off to bed I decided to play it myself. Well, I discovered that it was not user friendly for us lefties. What I mean is most lefties would hold the joystick with their left hand but if you do that then you cant use the fire button because its on the upper left corner. I was really dissapointed. Of course the games dont compare to our PS2 or Gamecube but they arent supposed to. The games are similar to Atari games. But back to what I was saying,if you are a lefty you may not want to purchase this game. I tried turning the game around making the fire button easy to reach but that didnt work either.
Like I stated earlier the games seem fun but they obviously did not have left handed people in mind when they made this game because they didnt put the fire button in a easy to reach place for a lefty. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Now everyone can enjoy the classic game of Yahtzee in a nifty electronic version. Small enough to fit in your hand, this addictive game lets you "roll" the dice with the click of a button. Press "hold" to keep the ones you want, and then roll again. Get 5 of a kind, and you've got "Yahtzee." A row of options at the top ("3 of a kind," "small straight," etc.) is available to select preferred scoring for each round. like the original, this fun game can be a bit noisy with its sound effects and victory song, but it does include a silence feature. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (68)

So much fun!!!
The display graphics for this game are top notch. Very easy to read and to play. It is EXACTLY like real Yahtzee but without worrying about keeping score. The unit also tells you how much your score would be for each requirement. It's so much fun, even my airline pilot husband couldn't put it down! I would like it to have a case of some kind. I have a feeling it may not take the bumps and bruises of travel very well. I'll find out soon. Worth the price!

Great Travel Buddy
This game is great. It is all the fun of Yahtzee, in your hand. All of the same rules apply and all of the objectives are the same. The objective of the game is to save the dice to get a full house or a 4 of a kind to name a few. The set up and buttons are very clear. You could learn without the instructions. There is a handy dandy point sheet on the back of the game that tells you all of the objectives and how many points they are worth. This game is small so it is perfect for a long car ride, gym or can fit in your pocket for when ever you have some free time. It is worth it.

What A Game!!
What a great game for a great price. I found myself playing this for hours when I first got it and continue to play it all the time. It is a terrific little game and will keep you occupied on those long trips and periods of boredom (LOL.) It is easy to use and has a silent mode on it. My only minor complaint is that the sound is too loud and therefore I usually play the game muted. I wish there was more than one level of sound. But I guess if that is my only complaint (...) I really shouldn't be complaining at all. Get this game, you won't be sorry! : )

Ever yell Yahtzee on a crowded plane?
My grandmother gave this to me for a Christmas gift, and it's quite addictive. The game plays just like Yahtzee and is very easy to learn. It's very durable, and turns itself off after a short time of inactivity, to conserve the battery. I did manage to rack a score of 526, to which my grandmother claimed she got over six hundred, to which I said she was a lying sack. (I was just teasing her, as I know she is a very honest woman and I am sure she got me the game after she got over 600 points on her game just to watch me try and beat her score, knowing I probably wouldn't.)

Anyway, a couple of nice features is the game displays the score, if any, of the current dice configuration as you move across the screen to decide where to best put your roll total. The game also allows you to turn the sound off as the noise of the electronic dice 'rolling' does become annoying after awhile. And the game will save the highest score in memory for as long as the single AAA battery lasts.

Favorite airplane entertainment
I've had my handheld Yahtzee game for years and it still works great. I've never had to replace the batteries. You can play this game like a zombie for hours and before you know it you're at your destination! ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Worth every penny!!
I think the game is a great value! I mean for the price you can't go wrong. At first the joystick felt a little arkward while playing pac-man, but now I'am use to it. I also would have preferred that the reset button be on the side or back of the console because I find myself hitting it by mistake. But overall... I think it's the next best thing to the original arcade version. After Pac-Man, my next favorite game is Dig Dug and playing that game just brought back a lot of memories. It seems soooo authentic!! For the price I am so impressed. I only wish that Ms. Pac Man worked as well as Pac-Man. I was about to purchase Ms. Pac Man but after reading the reviews I think I'll wait until Namco comes out with a new and improved version.

80's flashback
Wow! This is so fun! It works so well and is so easy to install. This is fun for the whole family, we all love to play the games. Graphics are good, joystick works well. It reminds me of going to arcades when I was young...

Greatest Toy in Years
Its about time this was created, ITS the most Superb thing I have played in years.

really fun, don't forget the batteries
at first i wasn't sure about buying this toy, but i did, and i have absolutely no regrets about it. it cost me about 18 bucks, and i know that i would have spent WELL over 18 bucks if i'd played these games in the arcade as many times as i've played them at home. there was one game on there i'd never heard of (bosconian), but it turned out to be the best one. the only one i don't really like is galaxian, it's kind of boring. but the rest are great. it takes 4 aa batteries, and when they start to go dead the picture gets funny. the batteries are not included so don't forget to buy them like i did. i would recommend this toy to anyone who likes video games, and some people who normally don't. i gave it a couple stars for educational because video games help hand-eye coordination, etc, etc.

Fun as hell
Alot of people gave this guy bad reviews on it's shoddy quality. I don't know if I just got a good unit or not, but I've been playing this thing almost everyday since I got it a month ago and have had 0 problems. Not only have I not had to replace the batteries once (I guess these old games don't suck up much), but it's held up through my various slams and harsh playing styles. So, I guess I'd say..buy where you can return it (i.e. not on ebay), but don't hesitate purchasing it based on the bad reviews. ... Read more

EDITORIAL REVIEW

It may seem odd that a game could combine elements of Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering, and grocery store shopping, but Skannerz does just this. Here’s how it works:All UPC symbols scanned into this device are converted into virtual monsters, some of which join your team voluntarily, some of which you must electronically defeat in order to conscript them. From there, you can play special games that train your monsters to become more powerful and compete against other players. We had some difficulty at first figuring out how to scan the items, and wouldn’t recommend this for younger children for whom the technology might be frustrating. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Reviews (11)

To HARD TO USE
Well I got my Skannerz for Christmas And EVRYTHING I scan Comes out nothing ...

Commander has more problems than the old Skannerz
My son had a blue Skannerz but didn't like that he could only collect certain monsters so he saved his money to get the new Commander version that he expected to be better than the old one. But the new one has more problems than the old ones so we ended up returning it. Battling on the Commander is VERY different from the original and complete instructions are NOT included in the manual. The manual says they are on the website but they aren't there either. When I emailed Customer support, all they did was send me a copy of the tiny manual that came with the game. As far as we could figure out, you have to wait for a counter to go up to a certain number and hope to hit the button at the exact time. The only numbers that they tell you to wait for in the manual are either your monster's number or the opponent monster's number. It says other numbers do other things but doesn't tell you which numbers or what they do! It doesn't tell you which items you can collect or what they do. The outside of the package advertises that there are 126 new monsters. But they don't tell you that you only have enough space to collect 53 of them. My son loves the idea behind the games so if Radica can just get it together on providing a decent product launch, he would be happy.

super
I couldn't put my toy down for days after I recieved it. This is my favorite toy ever!

Fun, probably worth $20
My 7 year old LOVES this toy. The first one we got did not work at all but we exchanged it for one that did.

Not every UPC has a monster in it - maybe one in 20. But it's exciting when you get a monster. He had trouble understanding the directions for battle on his own but once I read them (a few times!) and explained them, he's been winning most battles and enjoying it.

It's nice to have at the store and we find UPCs on everything now. If it was more than $... I would say don't buy it, because I can see him getting tired of it soon and I'm not the only one to have had a problem with one, but for $... he's had a blast.

I agree, any kid younger than a bright 7 year old could scan the monsters in but would not be good at understanding the battles, etc. Still, it's a fun gadget.

Poor product; poor customer service
Bought the original scanner as a gift for my son. No one in our family was ever able to get it to scan even a test bar code from the manual. And Radica's customer service was basically non-existant. I really expected them to go out of business since they wouldn't respond to phone calls or emails for support, so I'm surprised to see they have a new product out.

I don't recommend buyng products from this company. ... Read more

Features

• Play 10 classic Activision arcade games on your TV
• All games stored in the joystick: just connect to your television and play
• No game console needed
• Games include Pitfall, Atlantis, River Raid, and Spider Fighter
• Other games include Crackpots, Freeway, Tennis, Boxing, Ice Hockey, and Grand Prix

Reviews (5)

this sucks!
all the games are not good,cheap, and boring. don't get this prouduct.

Woah, the other reviewers are nuts!
Dont be fooled by those guys makin that noise... This thing rocks! Holy COW! If you grew up in the 80's - eating cereal on the living room floor with ur legs in a sleeping bag watching superfriends and peewee's playhouse, or maybe spiderman and his amazing friends, or perhaps the arcade block with q-bert and donkey kong... Then this is for you! Relive those days with these awesome games!! I played pitfall for three hours yesterday... I have always wondered since I was lil one whether u can beat that game or not and I gave it my all yesterday... After three hours I was still rackin up points with no end in sight... but there is no frustration, just the desire to go play it some more! Get thsi product, and also shrek 2 and spiderman 2 for xbox or ps2 and you will have everything you need! It seems only activision, take-two, and majestic have been doign anythign right in the video game industry lately!

PAYCE!!

Decent games, and reasonably comfortable
After playin', enjoyin', and just plain geekin' out to the other TV Games systems-- well, except for that SpongeBob SquarePants dealie; I gotta maintain SOME semblance of dignity, after all-- I decided to give the ActiVision version a go. And after trying its ten offerings out, I found the whole thing a mixed bag. A few of the games were pretty fun and challenging, while others were a bit repetitive and/or nigh impossible to beat no matter how hard I tried.

While the headlining title, "Pitfall!", was kinda frustrating at first-- especially when I was tryin' to get across the gator-infested ponds-- I eventually got the hang of the controls and timing for the most part. Well, except for leaping over the coiled cobras and giant scorpions just right so's I didn't kill myself. The only other problem I had with this title was that the frames that I was running and leaping through appeared to be in a loop-- I managed to survive the first half-dozen frames, and the next half-dozen looked exactly like the ones I just completed! Unfortunately, I never really played this title much when I was but a wee 'Norch, so I have no idea whether or not this was how the original "Pitfall!" was set up. If anyone can give me the 411 on this bit o' weirdness, head on over to my About Me area and drop me an e-mail, willya? Thanks...

While the ActiVision console includes four sports games (Grand Prix, Tennis, Boxing, and Ice Hockey), the only one I really enjoyed playing was Ice Hockey. The Tennis game is so hard for me to score against the computer, I usually get blanked in several straight sets-- which isn't the kinda "love" I'm lookin' for, if ya catch my drift. On the upside, the computer and I can get that ball ricocheting back and forth for up to two minutes on end before the inevitable happens. The Grand Prix game pits me against a bunch of other cars on a straight-line track, with the object of setting the best time whilst trying to avoid potholes and bumping into other cars, both of which can slow me down. Only problem is, this system doesn't save any of the scores and times, so I don't have any records to beat. The boxing game is pretty good if you can keep pushing the button at a maddening pace to try and keep up with your opponent's number of landed hits. I played this particular game for a minute before quitting from fatigue on my fire-button thumb.

Probably the simplest game is "Freeway", a low-budget "Frogger" wanna-be. The object of the game is to get as many chickens across a ten-lane highway as you can in 2 minutes and 16 seconds (why in two minutes and 16 seconds, you ask? Hey, beats me-- I didn't come up with the freakin' game). Like "Frogger", there's quite a bit of traffic one has to dodge to get to the other side. Unlike "Frogger", however, the chicken can only move up and down, not side to side. Also unlike "Frogger", when a chicken is struck by a car, it's not squished flat, but is pushed back one lane (on one setting), or right back to the side of the highway where it started (more difficult setting). Needless to say, this one gets kinda monotonous after a while, especially with the traffic patterns being so predictable.

"Atlantis" is a fairly fun "Missile Command" ape, although you've got to get used to which directional controls activate the three gun batteries you're using to fire on the enemy ships. Speakin' of enemy ships, one of 'em looks kinda like the Enterprise from "Star Trek" and a couple others look a little like X-Wing Fighters and Imperial Star Destroyers from the classic "Star Wars" flicks. I usually get utterly trashed by the enemy in this game, but I manage to have some fun before my inevitable demise...

My fave adventure game in this system, though, is "River Raid". With a supersonic jet, the player flies over a river, destroying enemy ships, choppers, bridges and fighter jets whilst trying not to hit the refueling markers the player needs to keep his gas tank full. The player can move the plane left and right, and use the forward/back control to speed up or slow down. While I've gotten a bit more used to the left-and-right dealie, I'm still tryin' to get the hang of the speed-up/slow-down angle. Well, actually, I just need to work on the slow-down angle; it's the speed-up thing I do TOO much work on! It's true what they taught ya in Driver's Ed., kids: speed kills! In the time I've been playin' this bad-boy, I've probably crashed the equivalent of the entire U.S. Air Force twice over! But I'm not gonna let that deter me from my mission, oh no...

But even though I found only half of the games here really fun, I hafta say that the ActiVision control joystick is the most comfortable to use out of all the TV Games systems that have come out so far. Unlike either the Atari or Namco renditions, the corners of the ActiVision stick's base are nice and rounded, which won't dig into and cause too much discomfort to my control-holding hand. The ActiVision joystick's smooth response is also a big improvement over Atari's offering, which ya really hafta lean into to get the subject to move where you want it to go. As for the extra Fire button on the top of the joystick: I didn't like it quite as much as I did the sideline Fire button. Were the stick a little longer and the Fire button more off to the side of the control than right on top, however...

'Late

sigh...
I was so disappointed with this thing after having such high hopes of playing this retro style system. The games are not true faithful renditions of the classics! Pitfall has many glitches...sometimes when you go on to the next screen, Harry will be swinging on a vine without you even jumping on it. The vines swing too low, you are practically inside the pits that you are trying to jump over. The sound is absolutely horrible and are not close to the original sounds of the originals. The tones are much lower and also, this unit cannot reproduce the classic thruster sounds of the old 2600. When playing River Raid, (one of the best Activision titles ever) the plane sounds more like a car engine than a thruster. The explosions on Atlantis are more a series of weird tones than explosions. And speaking of Atlantis, its a cool game, but it is NOT an Activision game! It was done by Imagic for goodness sakes!!! I just think of other cool Activision titles like Barnstorming, Laser Blast, Starmaster, Pitfall 2, etc. that could have put on here instead of an Imagic title. I was so psyched to get this when I saw it, but was incredibly disappointed. The Atari 10 in 1 is far superior. I'd rather play Pong with a joystick than a half baked conversion of Pitfall. I cant believe in this age of technological advancements that they cant faithfully reproduce an Atari 2600 game. 2 stars for a cool retro style joystick and
for a halfway enjoyable gaming experience with the sound muted.

an okay way to play some Activision classics like pitfall
This is a pretty average console with some pretty average games and a few Atari 2600 hits. It is a fun game to play with a few catches.

First, the games. Some of these games are very good like Pitfall, spider fighter and Grand Prix, a few average games like Freeway and Crackpots, and there are a few lousy games like ice hockey.
Though the game selection is above average, it could have easily been better. It's missing some amazing Activision games like keystone Capers and H.E.R.O. Those could have been added just from a slight increase in memory.

Next is there is nothing new at all. If you already own these games on Atari 2600 it's not worth getting if it wasn't portable.

Third is durability. It is made out of cheap plastic that is not very durable at all. I left this in my car during hot weather and some of the plastic melted in top of the chip inside and ruined it.

Fourth is multiplayer, only a couple games are multiplayer: River Raid and Freeway. River Raid only has alternating multiplayer while Freeway 2 players can play at the same time.

Overall, this is a neat way to play some classic Activision Atari 2600 games, but you're much better off getting Activision Anthology for Gameboy Advance. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In this electronic adaptation, the hangman is a cowboy in a Western town. There are 11 chances to correctly guess the word from a memory bank of 8,000 words arranged in 10 categories. The game fits in the palm of a hand, and there's much to control. Select the skill level and word length (even whether or not to have sound effects play a victory tune when the cowboy is saved from the rope). Only Level 1 allows the player to pick from categories like Animals, City, Music, and Wild West. Otherwise, it's as random as traditional Hangman. Game 2 scrambles the letters, so it's even harder to guess which letter to pick from the lot and to guess the word. It comes ready to play, keeps score, and has an automatic shutoff. Great for long road trips. --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (8)

It's Ok!
This Electronic Hangman Game is fun. I'm not sure how educational it is but it's a great for kids to play with in the car on what they would call long boring road trips and the size is small and can fit in pockets and even a handbag.

Best Ever = um... BUY!!!!!!!!
THIS IS THE BEST GAME EVER, HAS OVER 100,000 WORDS. YOU CAN SELECT YOUR CATIGORY AND HOW MANY LETTERS. EACH TIME YOU GET THE WORD RIGHT YOU GET POINTS, AND THEY GET HIGHER AND HIGHER, AND IF U GET IT WRONG IT GETS LOWER. ...

It's Fine????
This is an okay game, though it sometimes gets a little boring. This game can teach kids different words. There are 8 categories to choose from, plus you can choose how many letters you want in the game. You get 11 guesses to guess what word they are giving you.

This One's A Winner!
I gave this hangman game last Christmas to my fifth grade daughter (a great stocking gift) and nearly a year later she's still playing with it and enjoying it. A terrific function of the game for me is that the user can *mute* the sound while playing it.

GETTING THE HANG OF IT
THIS IS A FUN TOY. HANGMAN IS A GREAT GAME ANYWAY AND THIS ELECTRONIC VERSION, COMPLETE WITH VISUALS OF THE HANGMAN AND THE EXTRACTION OF HIS VARIOUS LIMBS, IS FUNNY AND ENJOYABLE. A VERY ENTERTAINING TOY. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Checkers has never been the same since Connect Four. Now there's even more of a challenge with Electronic Hand-Held Connect Four. Here, you're going up against a machine. Play the traditional game of trying to get four in a row--horizontal, vertical, or diagonal--while blocking the computer opponent. Add more of a challenge by choosing Game 2: the checkers disappear, and it takes memory and strategy to win. The arrow keys keep you in complete control of the game, and you can even shut off the sound to better concentrate. There are three different skill levels to keep things interesting, or if it's too hard, the computer will offer hints with the press of a button. --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (7)

FUN FOR EVERYONE
This little game is the best. My grandmother loves it, my mother loves it, and I love it to death. We only have one so we are usually fighting over it. And the thing is, i have had it for years. So not only is it soooo fun, you dont have to change batteries every 5 min. I would Highly recomend this product to ANYONE big or small old or young This thing is the best!

very good
i saw this toy online than i got it at the store. its really fun i play it everday. even my brother that is 26 likes it. he plays it a lot to. i give this toy 5 stars.

EXCELLENT!!!
i bought this almost two years ago for myself, play it EVERY day, and only replaced the battery once. I just bought three more for my grandchildren (10, 7 & 5) because they can't keep their hands off it when they come to visit me, and fight over whose turn it is to use it ne×t!

classic fun!
I bought this for my 8yr old nephew for Christmas and he's had a lot of fun with it. The graphics are basic and the goal is easy. The computer opponent can be sometimes tough to beat though. Both the kids and adults of our family enjoy this game. I keep thinking I should have bought one for me when I bought my nephew's!

ustomers Review
This is a good game but sometimes the opponent is too hard,even on Skill One. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The e-Reader is an accessory for use with the Game Boy Advance that reads information from collectible trading cards and translates it on the GBA into standalone games or enhancements to some traditional games. The e-Reader connects into the GBA cartridge slot and can also connect to another GBA or even a GameCube. Players simply slide the paper cards, available for as low as $1.95, through the e-Reader much as you slide a credit card through a point-of-purchase machine at a grocery store. When you do this, the unit scans the codes imprinted on the card and stores the information in its 1-megabit flash ROM for as long as the power is on. Animal Crossing for the GameCube takes advantage of this technology, and many more uses are planned. This set includes the e-Reader unit and the e-Reader card for the NES version of Donkey Kong Jr. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Gimmicky, but has some useful applications
The e-reader has the potential to be a truly amazing peripheral for the GBA. Unfortunately, the e-reader is kind of being ignored by Nintendo. Why this is, I don't know, but there still are some reasons to buy an E- Reader:

Unlock Extra Levels and Items in Super Mario Bros Advance 4 (using special cards)

Some great NES games in 5.99 packs (Mario Bros, Excitebike and Donkey Kong)

You can use them to unlock cool stuff in Animal Crossing

Some reasons not to buy the E-Reader

It's 40 dollars

Little support from Nintendo or any other company

The games for it, while fun, get old fast

That's about it. If you have Super Mario Advance 4 or Animal Crossing, and some cash to burn, I would recomend getting this. You can unlock some awesome stuff in both games. If more games supported the E-Reader, it would definately be a must buy item. Unfortunately, the small support for the device hampers the E-reader greatly.

goodness
I love this product but I think it should be cheaper. If it was cheaper more people would buy it. But I think it works likes a marvel.

please, help me!!!!
Hi! I'm french and I would like to know if the e-reader works with a french gamecube, if someone knows it, just tell please!!!
Because the e-reader will certainly not exist in France...
Tell me please!
Thanks!

Good idea, mediocre execution
[THIS REVIEW IS ONLY FOR THE E-READER - NOT THE GAMES INCLUDED.]

In 2002, Nintendo decided to bring a popular fad in Japan to America - barcode scanning for the Game Boy. This was done through an accessory called the E-Reader. The accessory has been in America for nearly a year and a half now, and has been selling surprisingly well. How does it measure up? Read on for my review of this little accessory.

PROS:
-Through the usage of this accessory, you can greatly expand the things you can do with your Game Boy Advance.
-If you buy the accessory, you can purchase classic Nintendo games for just five bucks each (that's the suggested retail price.)
-If you buy Super Mario Bros. 3 for the Game Boy Advance, you can purchase E-Reader cards to expand the game greatly - and even cards that will create items for you!
-The accessory has a link port on it, so you can link up with friends and still have the accessory attached.
-You can save one game to the accessory's hard drive.
-The newest collections of Pokemon cards can be scanned with this accessory, and by scanning them, you can get interesting bits of information.

CONS:
-It's not worth the forty bucks Nintendo is asking.
-ONLY ONE game can be saved to the hard drive at a time.
-Scanning the cards takes a lot of time.
-You must scan the cards JUST RIGHT.
-The games available for the system get old fast. Why haven't NES classics like Metroid and the Legend of Zelda gotten E-Reader releases yet?

OVERALL:
I think this was a good idea for Nintendo, but ultimately the concept just falls flat. If you can find one of these things for a good price, by all means make the purchase, but otherwise, don't bother. As good an idea as this was, it just wasn't used to its maximum potential.

e-reader
yes the e-reader works with the gameboy sp. the sp is more advanced than gba so get over it. the port does not have to connect to it just rests on top of open gba-sp, and does not interfere with gameplay. the e-reader is most useful for animal crossing. of course you need the cable to link gba and gc. more e-cards are expected in the future to enhance current games and you can play classic games. look at your ecards.... on mario bros there are strips on both sides , all you have to do is scan both sides. just scan the card slowly and it works great. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Best,,, Game... EVER!!
AAAAAAAAAAH! I LOVE MYSTERY DATE!! WOO-HOO! I play it all the time with my buds, this game rocks!

What a blast!!!
I bought this game for my daughter for Christmas. Her 12th birthday was just a couple days after Christmas, and she had a few friends spend the night. They played this game almost all night and all I heard was giggles!!! It was a huge hit with her friends and is the perfect slumber party game!! They all want one!! The "dating" theme is more of a friendship thing than a romantic theme, so it really is age-appropriate, although I do think 9 is a little young. I played it with her and had a blast with it as well. There are actually 3 different games to play, so that increases the entertainment value as well. We have not had any trouble with the phone at all. A great game for older pre-teen and teenage girls!! A very wholesome approach to the whole boys and dating issue!

Don't waste your money!
My daughter wanted this game for Christmas so I bought it for her and wish that I would've saved my time because it went back to the store! The telephone worked for about 2 minutes tops and then became distorted. I changed the batteries and it still didn't work right. Maybe you will have better luck but I'm not going to buy it again.

What a hoot!
An updated for the new century version of the old "open the door" to your mystery date we all remember. My daughter is only 6 so was definately young for the game but we were looking for something to add to our 'family game night' toys that was girly. My 8 YO son enjoys it - just because he gets to play with the phone I think. I rate it as high in fun because my husband and I just got such a laugh out of this game! The kids liked the phone, we play in teams (mom against dad, switching children back and forth) and at least when playing with his family, our son did not seem to mind that it was more of a girls game then a boys game. They really should modify this concept for boys..it would not involve dating at all though for boys! Mystery monster maybe!!

Lots of fun.. but didn't work long!!
We loved the game. But the middle 3 digits including the number 5 stopped working after 20 minutes. Since all the phone numbers start with 555, we were unable to play a full game. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

if you're a fan of boggle...
Portable boggle unit for boggle fans. Dictionary is depressingly thorough - tells you all the huge long words you missed!

It's a little slow to enter the words via the arrow keys, if you are used to scribbling them down on paper in the traditional game. You can obviously still play that way if you like, then the advantage of the unit is that it's a lot more portable than the traditional game. If you do enter the words, it will check them against the dictionary and compute your score automatically.

They need to make a handheld version of "master boggle"; or a unit that could play either "boggle" or "master boggle".

P.S. Another reviewer said you can't turn off the sound, which is incorrect. RTFM. In the game setup screen, you hold down the "left" and "right" buttons together for 3 seconds to toggle the sound.

Boggle HandHeld Game
Overall this game is very good.
Pros: 1. Great game you can play with 2 people.
2. Great game for a challenge.

Cons: 1. Sound can't be turned off. (I opened it up and disconnected the wire)
2. Can't add words to the dictionary, the memory isn't writable.
3. When playing the computer in an untimed game, you always go first. It would be good to know how many words the computer found. I've played it for over a year and I've never beat the computer on the untimed or timed game.

A fun addition to any Boggle-lover's collection!
This is a great addition to any Boggle-lover's collection! Its small size is convenient to carry most anywhere. There are two basic games, timed and untimed. In the timed variation (3 minutes), two players can challenge each other. This is probably the device's strongest point. When playing against the computer, you can easily lose by 100 points or more! Unfortunately, the computer only gives you a partial list of words which it thinks you missed. But it's good practice anyway. In the untimed variation, you can only play with one player. The manual indicates that you can play an untimed variation with a 2nd player, but this is not true. The only other concern is that the screen is sometimes difficult to read - the lighting has to be just right. The screen is also not back-lit. Despite the few complaints , I still think this is a really fun gadget for Boggle lovers who would like to practice on the go!

Excellent, educational and fun!
This game is challenging on many levels...especially if you have a fascination with words! It even tells you the words you missed finding! Having a timed and untimed game option makes play even more fun. You can play the computer or another person. Sounds are a bit annoying, but you can turn them off. This game is much more challenging than the handheld Scrabble game. Only bad point (why I gave 3 stars for durability) is that replacing the batteries is difficult. The screw securing the battery cover panel is extraordinarily hard to remove. Other than that, it is an excellent game! ... Read more

Editorial Review

You can't yell, "You sunk my battleship!" at your opponent in this version of Battleship, because the adversary is a palm-size computer. There are 5 ships--just like in the standard full-size game--to position strategically on the tiny but remarkably easy-to-see display. Choose auto or manual positioning and skill level, then bombs away! Hits and misses are tracked alternately on the 9- by 10-inch square grid for you and your electronic rival. Three different games require different naval maneuvers to score the most points. Just see if you can stay afloat and sink all of the computer's battleships at skill level 3. --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Torpedoes & broadsides
In a state of nostalgic glee, I recently grabbed this portable one-player LCD game to see how it compared to the original. I found it to be a great diversion during those times when I don't have a human opponent to go up against. Which seems to be quite often nowadays, but let's not get into that; time for me to give this product a proper review. And to do so, I've decided to follow Amazon's toy ratings format and break this down into the three big ratings factors...

FUN: Although the entire unit is quite small (about 5" by 3.5"), the game screen is big enough to be able to make out all the action, which is definitely an advantage. I found each of the three different game settings (the traditional alternating shots, one shot for each active ship, keep shooting until you miss) reasonably challenging on level one. It's levels two and three, however, that REALLY makes these little battles a tough outing for me! If I somehow manage to survive on L3, I usually have only one vessel left, and one shot to go before sinkage! You can also either have the computer choose how you want your vessels arranged with selections you can scroll through, or you can rotate 'em and place 'em down yourself.

The only thing I miss somewhat when I play this is the sounding out of the grid coordinates and hearing 'miss' or 'it's a hit!' Y'know, the classic things you hear and say when you're playing the original Battleship™ with a good friend-or complete stranger for that matter. Instead, all you'll hear here is the beeping of the shot cursor as you select a square to fire upon, as well as the dropping of the bomb and (hopefully) the hit. Then there's the playing of 'Taps' after a defeat, or a victory tune if the opposite outcome transpires. If you wish to keep your little simulated vessel combat scenarios discreet, however, there is a 'sound on/off' button. This feature is especially helpful at keeping folks from road-ragin' on you during those long cross-country road trips!

DURABILITY: So long as you don't touch the LCD screen, drop it on the ground too many times, or throw it into a body of water in utter frustration, this handheld game should bring you many a happy year of playing enjoyment. Oh yes, it might help to replace the large button-cell battery every once in a blue moon or so. Fortunately the game has an auto shut-off when left idle for a minute or so, which of course means longer battery life.

EDUCATIONAL VALUE: I find the fun in Battleship™ to be more diversionary than educational. Well, unless you consider the strategic spacing of your shots to get a better chance of hitting an enemy ship to be a high point of scholastic achievement that is. Otherwise, I don't think electronic Battleship™ will help you grab top honors in vessel combat tactics & strategy at the naval academy. Class dismissed!

'Late

Electronic games are sweet!
This Electronic Handheld game is a great game. It is a great part in my game collection. Instead of lugging around the regular game, this one fits right in your pocket! My family owns these electronic games: Yahtzee, Uno, and Battleship. I've played them all, and I have to say that they have addvantages that the regular games don't. Yahtzee: Instead of keeping track of the dice, cup, papers and pencils, it's all in a pocketsized game. Uno: Ever had a problem with all those cards such as shuffling, puting away, or just keeping track of. Well, in this pocketsized game it keeps track of all of that stuff. And Battleship: The regular game can be played electronicly, but there's still all those small pegs. With the electronic game, all of the pegs aren't needed. Just a simple dot on the screen tells you where you have shot. The only problem (which isn't much of a problem at all) with electronic handheld games is the batteries. They will wear out, but a simple replacement will put you back in the game. So when your shopping for a present, or just a fun toy or game, consider electronic handheld games.

A 47-year-old kid loves this game...
I love Battleship. OK, maybe because I was in the Navy. Who knows. But I enjoy the regular game and I really enjoy this hand-held version. I slip it into my briefcase and turn it off and during boring seminars I very subtly take it out and play away. It's also great for when I have to go to the doctor. I hate waiting and waiting for in the doctor's office, and this helps pass the time. My doctor is so used to seeing me playing battleship that when I visited him the last time and was reading a magazine, he asked me if I'd lost my Battleship game! The batteries last forever and even these weary 47-year-old eyes have no problem with the image on the screen...What more can any overgrown kid ask for?

THis toy sucks
it has know fun. no education. and is a wayst of time.

This is Great!
I have looked at some other hand held electronic games, and this is one of the best. It's small, durable and, for anyone who used to play the regular game when they were younger, this is a LOT of fun! The computer is quite hard to beat, I should add. It seems to get a lot of "lucky" breaks. All in all a good and inexpensive game! ... Read more

Features

• Single joystick controller to play classic pinball games
• All games stored in the joystick: just connect to your television and play
• Three pinball tables each with three difficulty levels
• Uniquely themed tables include Paleolithic Pete, Super Star Strike, and Skate Scene Pinball
• For 1 player