Holiday 1999
Seal of Approval
Product Testing Report
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I
Spy Junior
Scholastic,
Inc.
There is a certain thrill that comes with unearthing
hidden treasure. Many parents
recall the hidden pictures they used to search for in Highlights Magazine.
Now in a new twist designed to introduce younger children to the fun of
the object hunt, I Spy Junior brings hours of sleuthing fun to the computer
screen. Objects are hidden in plain
sight among a jumble of other items. Voice
prompts encourage and tip off children to the secret hiding places that unlock
the puzzle further and allow them to advance.
The game is fun, the setup is easy and the play value is top notch.
The best part was the faces of the young children when they finally found
that last piece which had been eluding them. Now that's satisfaction.
Recommended Age: 3 to 5 Price: $29.95
I
Spy Spooky Mansion
Scholastic,
Inc.
Loaded with luscious images that hide countless surprises
for your child to unearth, this latest version of I Spy will entertain for
hours. Challenged to escape the
Spooky Mansion by obtaining pieces of a mysterious puzzle which holds the key to
your freedom, we were captivated by the fun.
There are loads of richly detailed settings that require close inspection
for those wishing to find all the hidden clues.
The sounds, the voices, the puzzles all add up to a superbly entertaining
software experience.
Recommended Age: 6 to 10 Price: $29.95
Looney
Tunes Photofun
MGI
Software Corp.
Fun with photos, fun with Bugs and Daffy, fun with the
computer, this program is...dare we say....FUN! This super software title brilliantly engages children with
Looney Tunes characters who playfully guide your child through a variety of
projects that take full advantage of all the things a true multimedia computer
can do. When your child signs in, a
little on screen hosts floats around welcoming them by speaking their name and
encouraging them to explore and have fun. There
are loads of unique projects such as inserting their own digital images into
scenes, making cards or buttons with favorite characters.
If you can think of it, rest assured the folks at MGI software have
beaten you to it. Its all here and
the very easy to follow design makes it a blast.
If you've got a scanner or digital camera you'll love how easily this
program puts fun at your fingertips.
Recommended Age: 6 to 10 Price: $29.99
Star
Wars Yoda's Challenge Activity Center
Lucas
Learning Ltd.
There are software titles that feature rich images and landscapes that often come at the expense of the quality of the game play, others are flat visually but are creative nonetheless. Yoda's Challenge from Lucas Learning is the best of both worlds. There are lots of fun games and activities that are engaging and stimulating. There are wonderful special effects and sounds that we have come to expect from the Lucas crew. Yoda casts your child as a member of the Rebel alliance and together with Queen Amadala, Jar Jar, Anakin and others, the fate of the universe...you know the drill.
Recommended Age: 6 to 8 Price: $29.95
Math
Blaster 2nd Grade
Knowledge
Adventure
For many school-aged children, math is associated with
worksheets, pop quizzes and repetition. The Math Blaster series was one of the
first software titles to attack the perception that math is not much more than
crunching numbers. It gives young children a forum where they can play and have
fun with math. This version of Math
Blaster which attacks 2nd grade math skills with a flourish, entices children
with fun and games and then, when they least expect it, it sneaks in some pretty
impressive math lessons! Addition
and subtraction, charts and graphs, fractions and even some multiplication are
presented by a couple of animated partners who are encouraging, enthusiastic and
engaging. Kids were proud of their
achievements and their parents were pleased with their improved attitude about
math.
Recommended Age: 7 to 9 Price: $30.00
Music
Ace 2
Harmonic
Vision
Music Ace, one of the finest music teaching software
tools, has been upgraded with wonderful results.
This new version teaches an appreciation of music to children and adults
with such sophisticated style that it is hard to stop once you've started.
The maestro/host introduces rhythm, tone and pitch along with musical
scales and notes in a witty and engaging manner.
The program tracks each users progress and allows them to pick up where
they left off. Whether you are
anxious to introduce your child to the world of music or curious to see what you
know and what you can learn, Music Ace is a music teaching system that will have
you hooked.
Recommended Age: 8 and Up Price: $49.95
Star
Wars Pit Droids
Lucas
Learning Ltd.
Mind-bending logic puzzles hold a strange fascination for
many of us. Trying to unlock the
code that solves a riddle placed before us, while frustrating to some, is a
thrilling challenge that is sought out by others. If you love a test of wits, then Pit Droids is right up your
alley. Brilliantly animated puzzles
(you were expecting something less from the Lucas Arts gang?) suck in the player
tempting them with their simplicity and confounding them with their complexity.
Its all great fun and the added attraction of great effects from the Star
Wars movie makes it all the more appealing and attractive.
Recommended Age: 9 and Up Price: $29.95
Encarta
Africana
Microsoft
It is unique to find a software title that delves so
deeply into the rich history of one segment of our population.
Encarta Africana does a splendid job of incorporating and illustrating
the accomplishments and achievements of great historical figures of African
heritage. Nelson Mandela, Martin
Luther King Jr., Bob Marley, and many others are featured in wonderful
multimedia sections. Life in
African villages depicting lifestyles, music, fashion and history are
highlighted as well. Using audio, video, timelines, essays and photos, the user
is invited to delve deeper and discover more about the diverse, often painful,
but extremely proud history of Africa and it's people.
Recommended Age: 10
and Up
Price: $69.95
What
Every Babysitter Should Know
Viva
Interactive Learning, Inc.
If you have a child who is of baby sitting age and you
want to arm them with all the knowledge you would want your own baby sitter to
have, then this brilliant software program is as good as it gets.
Loaded with do's and don'ts, safety issues, and everything else when it
comes to the care and feeding of kids, this comprehensive software covers it
from A-Z. There are quizzes to
ensure that the user grasps the important issues correctly.
The design and production are all first rate.
They feature bold animations and strong voice-over announcers to engage
and inform. If your older child is ready to care for younger siblings or
preparing to watch other children, you can feel much better knowing that they
have been through this courseware.
Recommended Age: 10 to 14 Price: $22.95
Life
Begins
Quality
Multimedia
Designed to serve as both an informational and educational
CD-ROM, Life Begins is really a celebration of the birth process.
This in depth multimedia presentation pulls no punches as it fully delves
into all of the aspects of physical maturity, sexuality as well as conception,
pregnancy and birth. Parents have the opportunity to use a "lock-out"
function before allowing their children to use this software.
This can eliminate certain scenes that some parents may find
objectionable. The attitude here is
to present the subject matter in a factual manner without sugar coating.
There are sections that deal with medical complications and illness such
as breast cancer and more. Designed
to be used in either the home or in a health classroom, this would be a solid
addition in either setting.
Recommended Age: 11 and Up Price: $69.95
Earth
Science Series -
The Water Planet & The Universe
Videodiscovery
Two titles within the Earth Science software series
(designed for school use) really caught the attention of our educational
testers. Designed to give an
interactive insight into the diverse realms of underwater and outer space, these
in-depth works are superb support tools for students wishing to delve into a
subject. The vocabulary, sequencing
and the science lessons are all first rate.
There are photos, diagrams and videos that bring the lesson to life as
well. Used in a computer lab
setting, these software titles would be a strong addition to a middle or high
school library.
Recommended Age: 12 and Up Price: $199.00
First Aid - Computer Based Training
Viva Interactive Learning, Inc.
This CD-ROM based teaching program packs in so much First
Aid knowledge that it amazed everyone who used it. There are 23 complete lessons on an enormous variety of First
Aid situations. The first 5
offerings are the compulsory lessons required to prepare you for certification.
You are learning at your own pace and you can review sections as many
times as you'd like. The breadth of
information here is exhaustive and the presentation is superb.
There are videos that demonstrate potential scenarios, and check lists
where you can understand and determine a course of action to take when
confronted with an emergency medical situation.
If you are a parent, a teacher or anyone who would like to increase their
knowledge and ability to help out when people are in danger, this software is of
the highest quality.
Recommended Age: 13 and Up Price: $22.95
Interquest,
Inc.
Do you have a photographic memory?
Can you recall faces, down to features like eyebrows and hairlines?
This interesting software title, while designed to provide some insight
into the highly specialized field of police sketch artistry, intrigued our
testers. The added game that gives
you a snapshot of a face, which you must then recreate after only seeing it for
a few seconds, was a real hit. It
really is a powerful tool on many levels, but by far the most fun was playing
the memory game. The other
interesting tool was trying to create faces from the thousands of features to
match your own or that of a loved one.
Recommended Age: All Ages Price: $49.95
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Last Update: November 12, 1999