Macintosh Software

IGT Slots: Little Green Men

2009-01-07T20:50:00.000-08:00

100% actual casino slots from IGT, the world’s leading slot machine manufacturer. Featuring some of IGT’s most popular casino slot machines—both interactive video bonus slots and classic reel spinner slots. GAME LIST: Little Green Men, Enchanted Unicorn, Dragon's Gold, Elephant King, Double Diamond 2000, Red White & Blue, Double Bucks, Easel Money, Roamin Rhino's, Triple Double Dollars, Double Diamond, Five Times Pay, Cartoon Wild Cherry, Haywire, Candy Bars, Hot Peppers, Sizzling 7, Triple Diamond, Knockdown, Kangaroo.

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Crazy Machines: The Wacky Contraptions Game Win/Mac

2009-01-07T20:47:00.000-08:00

Turn cranks, rotate gears, pull levers, and use catapults or any objects to build crazy machines with this fun software game. This brain teaser will lighten up imagination with creative and addictive fun.

Features:

Create your own unique contraptions
Solve more than 200 challenging puzzles
Put your machines to work
Cool Physics engine with air-pressure, electricity, gravity, and particle effects
Experiment with gears, robots, explosives, and more in your own virtual lab

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Rosetta Stone Version 3: Japanese Level 1, 2 & 3 Set with Audio Companion

2009-01-07T19:32:00.000-08:00

Review of Rosetta Stone Version 3: Japanese Level 1, 2 & 3 Set with Audio Companion:

Best instruction you're going to find outside of a personal tutor.
By Mr. Eddie (New York, NY)

I think that this is a superior way to learn Japanese compared to slaving over the "Genki" JapanTimes curriculum or other homeschool options. These lessons can be monotonous but at the same time you really wind up learning the intricacies of conversational Japanese. My wife is fluent and has been impressed with how I can express myself simply but effectively.

This reinforcement approach is particularly useful regarding essential grammatical concepts which your mind is better off just getting the hang of as compared to reading in a book. Particularly with Japanese & its particles -- plus the fact that it is such a "phonetically poor" language, one needs to hear native speakers and their emphasis as much as possible.

My only complaint about the Rosetta Stone course thus far:

It is a little TOO much based on repetition of the same pictures and phrases; interactivity could be more advanced. By the time you reach the "milestone" tests it can be a bit daunting with the complete immersion in real-world language confrontations. In other words, I routinely get 100% on the lessons until the final one where I get an 80%. That's a bit frustrating. And because there is only a single milestone test per unit, you only get one shot to strut your stuff -- if you retake it you will remember the answers and thus not be truly tested on your weak areas.

I don't think the program should be so sheepish about verbal drilling as not to offend one's "grade". It might be a bit humbling but also speed up the learning curve. People learn by making mistakes. But Rosetta Stone is really onto something here; with increased interactivity, maybe even the program being able to detect specific weak spots in a student's responses, this technique will be even better.

As a testament to how highly I think about this product -- it utterly surpasses the UCLA Extension language course I took for a semester (although that was in Latin). Yes it was good to have a teacher to answer grammar questions and the rest, but more often than not her answers just wound up going over our heads and we were better off just plugging away and making little mistakes here and there. I am now a firm believer that you should not over-intellectualize learning a new language; immersion is the key.

(Incidentally, this was an item that became available through the Amazon Vine program, and as such now has many reviewers who obtained it for free, drove it around the block, and wrote relatively superficial reviews. I cannot believe that all of these others have spent the 40-50 hours that I have with the program. Japanese is a very complicated subject that requires a lot of dedication, and is not for the faint of heart.)

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Rosetta Stone Version 3: German Level 1, 2 & 3 Set with Audio Companion

2009-01-07T19:26:00.000-08:00

Features of Rosetta Stone Version 3: German Level 1, 2 & 3 Set with Audio Companion:

Rosetta Stone helps you understand everyday language through proficiency-based listening and reading activities, proprietary speech recognition and analysis tools
Contextual Formation makes sure you have the confidence and the cues you need to get the words out on the spot
Milestone activities quickly give you confidence to engage in real-life conversations; Adaptive Recall reinforces language so it sticks with you
Audio Companion allows you to take Rosetta Stone anywhere: in the car, the gym or on-the-go
Build a foundation and navigate your surroundings: learn fundamental vocabulary and essential language structure, from greetings and introductions to simple questions and their answers

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Myst

2009-01-04T20:11:00.000-08:00

Myst 10th Anniversary DVD Edition includes three award-winning products: Myst Masterpiece, Riven, and Myst III: Exile.

Alone on a mysterious island, you set out to explore its grandeur and mystery. In Myst a chilling tale of intrigue and injustice, defying all boundaries of space and time, is being told. Summon your wits and imagination about you. Every scrap of paper and ambient sound may provide the vital clues that allow hidden secrets to unravel before you. Each discovery you make and each puzzle you solve will lead you one step closer to reversing a wrong that has gone unchecked for ages.

Features:

DigitalGuide with multiple levels of help makes Myst more accessible than ever
Brilliant 24-bit color graphics enhance an already beautiful world
Digitally remastered music for a heightened sense of mystery and intrigue
New 16-bit sound effects enhance the sense of realism like never before

In the most anticipated sequel ever, join Atrus in his search for Catherine in Riven: The Sequel to Myst. Enjoy all-new locations, bigger environments, deeper character interaction, and amazingly real textures and graphics.

Features:

4,000 breathtaking images
Three hours of astonishing animation
Unprecedented graphic depth and detail
Two hours of alluring music and sound effects
Immersive, multitrack sound

The sequel to Myst and Riven, Myst III: Exileis the perfect place to plan the perfect revenge.

Features:

Evolution of the popular Myst series, supports optional 3-D hardware
Free-look movement system allows you to pan 360 degrees at any location
Five entirely new ages to explore
Storyline reveals a new character
Solve puzzles to uncover the mystery of this new adversary

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I Spy Funhouse

2009-01-04T20:07:00.000-08:00

Features of I Spy Funhouse:

Improve problem solving, logic & reasoning, reading, vocabulary and more
Master puzzles and play exciting games while exploring the Fun House
Build critical thinking and vocabulary skills as you solve over 30 I SPY riddles in the carnival
Practice logic and reasoning skills while solving 30 brain-teasing puzzles
33 I SPY riddles, 4 fast paced games, Scavenger Hunt, and over 185 problems

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Bridge Baron 19 By Great Games - Windows and Macintosh

2009-01-04T19:15:00.000-08:00

Bridge Baron offers you the most comprehensive, easy-to-use, bridge game available with all 53 octillion (that's 53 billion billion billion) bridge deals as possible random deals in Bridge Baron. Over 40 Skill Levels; Play Online, Learn and use over 100 bidding conventions; Improved bidding and play; When Bridge Baron claims the rest of the tricks, it states its line of play; Give you more flexibility in defining your bidding agreements: you can now set the level through which your doubles of opponents' opening bids will be takeout: Compete in Tournaments, Hints Always Available (Including Reasons Why), Double-Dummy Solver/Par Contract Analysis, 264 Declarer-Play Challenge Deals, Choose Long-Suit or Short-Suit Point Count, Conventional Bids Alerted or Announced, Comprehensive Statistics of Your Results, Bid Now/Play Now Buttons at High Skill Levels, Choose Your Leads and Signals, Flexibly Set Your Bidding Agreements.

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Rosetta Stone Version 3: Italian Level 1, 2 & 3 Set with Audio Companion

2009-01-04T19:09:00.000-08:00

Features of Rosetta Stone Version 3: Italian Level 1, 2 & 3 Set with Audio Companion:

Rosetta Stone helps you understand everyday language through proficiency-based listening and reading activities, proprietary speech recognition and analysis tools
Contextual Formation makes sure you have the confidence and the cues you need to get the words out on the spot
Milestone activities quickly give you confidence to engage in real-life conversations; Adaptive Recall reinforces language so it sticks with you
Audio Companion allows you to take Rosetta Stone anywhere: in the car, the gym or on-the-go
Build a foundation and navigate your surroundings: learn fundamental vocabulary and essential language structure, from greetings and introductions to simple questions and their answers

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Myst IV: Revelation

2009-01-01T19:52:00.001-08:00

Journey into a world of mystery and beauty as you piece together the secrets of a shattered past. In Myst IV Revelation, the next chapter in the greatest adventure saga of all time, you'll travel through environments pulsing with life to unearth a treacherous scheme involving two of Myst's most sinister villains.

Unravel an intricate mystery...
Solve elusive puzzles and enlist the help of others as you uncover secrets left buried since the original Myst.
Adventure through rich and vital worlds...
Myst's astonishing new visuals will enthrall you with opulent landscapes brimming with life, while tense, live-action cut scenes draw you deeper into the labyrinthine plot.
Original music by Peter Gabriel...
Drift away on an ambient soundtrack composed by world-renowned artist Peter Gabriel, in collaboration with Jack Wall.
Record your discoveries...
Capture clues by taking original photographs of Myst's lush environments, and keep track of your explorations in your in-game journal.
Bring along a guide...
Take advantage of the optional multilayered help system, including illuminating flashbacks and an intuitive Zip mode that transports you from place to place.

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Hoyle Casino 2008 [OLD VERSION]

2009-01-01T19:42:00.001-08:00

Test your skill and refine your strategy with over 600 of the hottest casino games! Whatever your favorite casino game, HOYLE puts you right in the middle of the action. From classic games like Blackjack and Roulette to new favorites like Multi-Pay Line Slot Machines, HOYLE Casino has something for everyone.

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Rosetta Stone Version 3: French Level 1, 2 & 3 Set with Audio Companion

2009-01-01T19:04:00.001-08:00

Foreign language learning with Rosetta Stone French Levels 1, 2&3 you connect with the world around you. With level one you begin learning fundamental vocabulary and essential language structure, from greetings and introductions to simple questions and their answers. Gain the confidence and enter the intermediate level where you will be able to talk about your environment; give and get directions, tell time, dine out with self-reliance, shop and enjoy basic social interactions. Taking what you¿ve learned in Levels 1 and 2, we help you reach an advanced level of competence. This competence allows you to connect with the world around you. You will learn to share your ideas and opinions, express your feelings and talk about everyday life; your work, current events and much more. Now Rosetta Stone with Audio Companion allows the learner to take Rosetta Stone anywhere: in the car, the gym or on-the-go! What is Audio Companion? Audio Companion CDs are activities that correspond to the Rosetta Stone CD-ROM software lessons. The learner can listen to Audio Companion and practice what they¿ve been learning on the computer, turning travel time into productive language learning time. Audio Companion lets the student access the power of Rosetta Stone lessons whenever and wherever they want, they can play the CD¿s on a stereo, or download them to a MP3 player. It empowers the student and helps reinforce the lessons in any busy lifestyle!

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The Oregon Trail, 5th Edition

2009-01-01T19:00:00.001-08:00

A decidedly low-tech era in U.S. history goes electronic in Oregon Trail 5th Edition, a game for children ages nine and older that pits players against all the hazards a wagon-train voyage can dish out. Following Captain Jed Freedman and a trio of young pioneers out West, this program teaches history, map reading, geography, and a variety of other skills. Players must keep their wits sharp if they want to keep their party healthy and well-fed all the way across the country.

Oregon Trail 5th Edition offers a good all-around workout in reading skills and problem solving. Using limited funds, players must equip their wagons, balancing the need to survive on the trail with the necessity for moving quickly. Shortages will inevitably crop up along the way, and members of the wagon train can die of thirst, fever, snakebite, or many other perils... if you don't have the right equipment on hand to deal with the emergency. Even a well-equipped party can come to grief, though. Swamped wagons can lose critical supplies, and though there are people sprinkled along the trip who might provide help or trade goods, happening on the right trade is by no means assured.

Except for being a bit slow-paced, Oregon Trail 5th Edition has few flaws. The people aboard the wagon trains come from a variety of cultures. Though the game glosses over the ugliest aspects of this historical period, it does not skirt them entirely. Players who over-hunt the resources of a particular native tribe are likely to hear about it. The game has a variety of features that flesh out the travel experience, like a trip diary and animated campfire tales--one of them about the Donner party--that effectively break up the pace of play.

For children interested in a multifaceted educational challenge, Oregon Trail makes a good choice, capturing the difficulties and dangers of the long voyages that settlers made so long ago. (Ages 9 and older) --Alyx Dellamonica

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Rock Throne Drum Stool

2008-11-28T20:27:00.000-08:00

Hard throne surfaces can be very uncomfortable and difficult to endure for extended periods of time. Without solid support and comfort, your style and creativity can be severely impaired. The ICON Rock Throne has a 2" thick cushion seat that creates a soft and comfortable sitting surface. The Rock Throne seat securely mounts onto a heavy-duty, double-braced tripod base with rubber feet and a non-slip height adjustment system to ensure stability while playing. For the enthusiastic drum soloist, simply 'unlock' the seat and give yourself a full 360 degree range of motion.

Reviews of Rock Throne Drum Stool:

This feels very sterdy and cushion is sufficiant. I'm 210 and don't feel like it has a problem handling my weight. This should compliment any one's Rock Band or Guitar Hero World Tour sessions. ~By David W. Morin "JjSeVdT" (Hampton Roads, VA USA)

This is the only way to play! I'm 230 pounds and it holds me comfortably.~By H. Cantas "Herc" (Vancouver, Canada)

There's nothing super-dee-duper about this (hence kept to a 4-star rating), but it works great. No complaints for such a good price. I actually got a chance to try my buddy's throne after I got mine, and his was a bit more expensive, and I thought that his throne's butt-pad wasn't as comfortable as mine.~By Eric Else "bonedawg8" (florida)

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Rosetta Stone Version 3: Spanish (Latin America) Level 1, 2 & 3 Set with Audio Companion

2008-11-24T20:07:00.000-08:00

a VAST improvement over version 2, By Jane Harper "trauma wonk, photographer" (Rockford, IL USA)

A few years back I bought Rosetta Stone v.2 (for a different language than Spanish) and found it very difficult to work with. The activities had no real order to them, there was very little guidance for users, the voice recognition function was horrible, and the photographs were all of upper middle class westerners. I saw the reviews of the Spanish versions in which teachers and native speakers complained about the emphasis on progressive tenses ("I am _____ing") instead of the present, which is ubiquitous in Spanish and often used to stand in for both past and future.

I had two years of Spanish in high school (FORTY years ago), but as a health care provider I continue to encounter many Spanish-speaking patients and I'm getting tired of having to use an interpreter, so I decided to dust off the Spanish I used to know and get serious about becoming bilingual. I saw that Rosetta Stone had completely reworked their system and gave it a try.

I'm TREMENDOUSLY impressed with the changes!!

They do still use too much progressive tense (or have so far, I've only worked through the first of the three levels), but the photographs are very culturally diverse and the help files and accompanying documentation are MUCH better than for version 2. I'd also heard that version 2 was a nightmare on a Mac (and I've just switched from Windows), but I'm happy to report that version 3 runs like a dream on my little MacBook.

The new packaging includes a headset that attaches via a USB port, a welcome addition.

On the down side, I haven't been exactly thrilled with the "audio companion" so far; it adds nothing to what is presented in the lessons, but rather merely mimics them. The voice recognition still has trouble; consonants in Spanish tend to be very soft, and I have to pop my P's to get the software to recognize them.

All in all, though, I think it's a very worthwhile investment, and for less than most classroom programs cost.

Now, if they'd only give me some credit to upgrade my version 2 in that other language ....

Features of Rosetta Stone Version 3: Spanish (Latin America) Level 1, 2 & 3 Set with Audio Companion:

Rosetta Stone helps you understand everyday language through proficiency-based listening and reading activities, proprietary speech recognition and analysis tools
Contextual Formation makes sure you have the confidence and the cues you need to get the words out on the spot
Milestone activities quickly give you confidence to engage in real-life conversations; Adaptive Recall reinforces language so it sticks with you
Audio Companion allows you to take Rosetta Stone anywhere: in the car, the gym or on-the-go
Build a foundation and navigate your surroundings: learn fundamental vocabulary and essential language structure, from greetings and introductions to simple questions and their answers

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World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Expansion Pack

2008-11-20T19:31:00.001-08:00

A solid improvement over the core game and previous expansion, By C. Wynes (Dyersburg, TN)

This expansion has been out for a week, and there are some who would say you can't really review MMORPG content until it's been out long enough to see how it affects the play environment as a whole. There are hundreds of hours of gameplay in this expansion set, and it will be months before anybody has played through the bulk of it. And of course, the release of an expansion has wide affects on style of play, the in-game economy, and the community. Nonetheless, I've played through the entirety of the first two zones, a couple of the new instances, and visited a few other zones, and I think I can give a fairly good assessment of this content.

I'll assume that if you are a devoted and regular player, you've already purchased this or are planning to do so soon. Reviewing the game for them would be pointless. But what about the casual player, or the lapsed player interested in coming back to WoW? For them, this expansion is really top-notch.

To start with, if you enjoy the questing aspect of the game, you're in for a treat. Each zone now has more flypoints, the quest hubs are easy to identify, and there are more quests at each hub. There's less travel time and less hassle keeping track of your quests, which makes the experience of questing much more enjoyable -- and rewarding. I was able to reach lvl 74 solely by completing the two lower-level areas of the new continent, Northrend. In general, the quests are designed very well. Where to go and what to do are usually quite clear from the quest description. Quests are also designed to lead you to other points of interest, such as another travel or quest hub or isolated quest that you might otherwise have missed. There's no more need to grind out part of a level before heading for another zone, the quest experience is more than sufficient to get you prepared for the subsequent zones. This has come quite a long way since the game was released.

The environments are quite pretty, especially for a game running on a 4-year-old graphics engine. The graphics have reportedly been upgraded a bit, but my NVidia 8800GT is still able to play the game on fully maxed-out settings in the range of 50-80fps in the outside enviroments, and up to 200fps inside. The art design is fantastic, especially on the low level zone Howling Fjord. It's impressive that these designers and programmers can do so much visually with a game that needs to be able to play on alot of computers, including those without high-end graphics cards.

If you are one of those casual or lapsed players who are on the fence about this expansion, consider giving it a try. The revisions to the game over the past couple years have really cut down on the things that often gave MMORPG players the biggest headaches. If you have a character at or near lvl 70 and can hop right into the new zones, all the better, as their design seems to be the best yet.

Features of World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Expansion Pack

World of Warcraft: Wrath of King Lich expansion pack for PC and Mac opens the new continent of Northrend
Death Knight is Warcraft's first hero class and is available for any player with at least a level-55 character
Northrend offers new environments, including Dragonblight, Grizzly Hills, Borean Tundra, and Howling Fjord
New creatures inhabit the icy continent, such as Nerubian Viziniers, Plague Eruptors, Shoveltusks and Flesh Giants
Transform your Death Knight's look with character customization that even include hairstyles and dances

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Diner Dash

2008-11-03T19:17:00.000-08:00

You play Flo, who has ditched her boring desk job and is now rolling up her sleeves and setting out to build her own empire of high-class restaurants. Flo will have to move fast to master the art of Diner Dash! Seat your customers speedily, keep them happily fed, and watch the tips and profits roll in!

Features:

50 challenging levels
Grow your restaurant through four complete renovations
Five different types of customers, each behaving uniquely
Two modes of play--Career and Endless Shift

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World Of Warcraft Expansion: Burning Crusade

2008-11-03T18:17:00.000-08:00

Features of World Of Warcraft Expansion: Burning Crusade:

This game requires a monthly fee, and an internet connection to play
Two new playable races, including the magical Blood Elves
An entirely new continent, Outland, can be reached through the Dark Portal
Hundreds of new quests, items, monsters, and more
Pack increases the level cap to 70

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Mia's Reading Adventure: The Bugaboo Bugs

2008-10-27T20:16:00.000-07:00

Mia is back in a fabulous new adventure. Developed by an award-winning team, Mia Reading is designed to spark children's interest and stir their imagination in every minute of play. This is what separates the Mia Adventure series from any other children's software, a successful mix of entertainment and quality education. The Mia Adventure series is fresh, unique and inspirational. Each adventure puts your child in full control, free to lead Mia on an exciting escapade. With exceptional 3D graphics and story-based game-play format, Mia makes learning fun. The sixth installment in the popular Mia series comes on a DVD-ROM for an even better graphic quality. Mia Mouse lives in a charming Victorian house where her family has lived for generations. The house has recently been invaded by pests. Stinking, noisy, uncivilized, these pests are sure to be seen by humans. The Bugaboos must go and Mia needs your help. Mia's Reading Adventure has been designed to support the school's curriculum from kindergarten to grade three, and includes 12 exciting reading and writing skills activities each with 4 distinct levels of difficulty.

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The Sims 2 (Mac)

2008-10-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

The Sims was one of the most popular games ever made. In it, players micromanage the lives of a family of virtual people, or Sims, and influence their paths toward success or something akin to a nervous breakdown. Its open-ended blend of cartoonish behavior and everyday living is unique in an art form otherwise obsessed with carnage and sports. With The Sims 2, longtime fans now have a deeper game with lots of ways to customize and share their experiences. The game will also attract first-timers because the goal-oriented gameplay and the luridly fun starter families make it easier to get into the action right out of the box.

Features of The Sims 2 (Mac):

Lifestyle simulation where you manage your Sim's dreams and fears over a lifetime
Mix Sim genes and see physical and personality traits through the generations
Control the camera and capture the action into mini movies
Generate unique Sims with the new Create-A-Sim feature
Build dream homes and design neighborhoods with new building options

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Groovy Shapes Single User

2008-10-20T20:09:00.001-07:00

Groovy Shapes: The first program in the award-winning Groovy Music series (ages 5 and older). Teaching music has never been so easy, or so much fun! Groovy Shapes is an exciting music program for elementary school students. Fun to use, Groovy Shapes teaches the basics of sound, rhythm, pitch and composition using pictures and animation. Students love Groovy Shapes. It guides them with a simple voiceover and lets them create their own music as well as carry out directed activities, so there's plenty of room for creativity. In fact, Groovy Shapes is so compelling that once students start making music; they just won't want to stop! And best of all, it's incredibly easy for both teachers and students. In the Explore section, students are guided aurally through a series of progressive musical exercises and games, which teach them the fundamentals of music. In the Create section, students can put into practice what they've learned by creating their own music. Shapes are used to represent elements of music such as rhythms, melodies and chords. As your chosen character walks across the screen, the shapes play their sounds. A library of preset sounds is included, which children can simply drag onto the screen to build up their musical creation. They can then play back their piece, edit it, or even see the elements displayed as music notation.

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Warcraft III Battle Chest

2008-10-20T19:11:00.001-07:00

Features of Warcraft III Battle Chest:

In the original Warcraft III, the Orcs have formed a deadly army called the Burning Legion. They threaten all of Azeroth -- use this new danger to form a power base for your nation
Side with the Orcs, Humans, Undead or Night Elves and fight for dominance in a fully-interactive 3D world
Create legenedary heroes that will complete quests and acquire items that advance your army
In Warcraft III - The Frozen Throne, a new threat called the Lich King has come to Azeroth. Take up arms and rush to battle yet one more time!
Expansion features all-new units, player-built shops & buildings, and powerful new magic abilities

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Reader Rabbit 2nd Grade Mis-cheese-ious Dreamship Adventures

2008-09-29T22:28:00.000-07:00

Reader Rabbit and his friend Sam the Lion are innocently piloting their Dreamship through the sky when--from out of nowhere--a Pie Rat ship attack knocks them for a loop. The ship crashes into a sticky mass of cheese on a high mountaintop, while Sam and Reader Rabbit fall into the sea below. In Reader Rabbit 2nd Grade: Mis-cheese-ious Dreamship Adventures, players must get the intrepid adventurers back to the ship before the Pie Rats take it over.

Aimed at children in the second grade, this Reader Rabbit program offers a challenging series of educational games. Players must climb Mount Cheesemore, for example, by completing a series of math formulas. The challenge is to place the cheese blocks correctly, in such a way that all the formulas are balanced. Getting one or two of the numbers to tally may be easy, but completing the third can be quite the test. In another game, crossing a fast-flowing river depends on the user's ability to make compound words, or to identify synonyms and antonyms.

The games are perfect for children studying or previewing a second-grade curriculum. They are set at a perfect range of difficulty, simple at first, but with an automatic increase in toughness as players master the spelling, science, and math skills presented in the activities. At higher levels, parental assistance may be required to complete the puzzles. What's more, players must complete some tasks in order to get to others--there is no way to skip out on the language or science drills if you want to rescue the Dreamship.

This is not to say that the game is low on entertainment value. It is filled with bright characters and charming animations. As a setting, Mount Cheesemore provides pleasant and consistent goofiness. The educational content is not understated--children will know they are working--but the game environment is fun and offers plenty of enjoyment and variety along the way. --Alyx Dellamonica

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Barbie as Rapunzel: A Creative Adventure

2008-09-28T22:04:00.000-07:00

Prince Stephan and his castle have been turned to stone and the gems from the prince's crown have been scattered throughout the castle. Kids must restore castle rooms and collect the lost gems to reunite Rapunzel (Barbie) with her prince. Each room of the large castle has items to restore and decorate. Sparkling hot spots lead to fun and easy-to-use decoration tools. With simple mouse movements and clicks, children choose items like colorful, animated wall candles, furniture and plants. Also in each room are items that lead to their own creativity screen. Kids design, tile by tile, the ceramic floor in the main hall for example, or pick the colors and patterns for the royal chairs. As each room is complete, kids use a magnifying glass to search for jewels. If you're okay with lots of pink and purple and Barbie's sugar-sweet voice, there are some very nice creativity and fantasy opportunities for kids ages 5-8. The "girl saves boy" theme is a nice change, too.

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Disney's Magic Artist Deluxe

2008-09-27T21:50:00.000-07:00

If you have a young graphic artist in the house, odds are that you have already seen a range of paint programs for children. All offering a collection of templates for art projects, clip art to use with the templates, and some basic drawing tools for users who wish to go freestyle, these programs' primary differences have been in their look and user friendliness... at least until now.

Disney's Magic Artist Deluxe is one of a new generation of programs designed for users who enjoy creating art with computer assistance. In addition to the standard-issue graphic tools, this package makes artwork into a game, with moving animations, sound effects, and some very thoughtful design features. While earlier graphics programs often resembled scaled-down versions of adult packages, this one is entirely bent on entertaining children and encouraging sprees of creative electronic drawing. Its kit is full of brightly colored, genuinely wacky tools, including robots that run around the screen drawing patterns on your page and a sprayer that drops animations into the page. Imagine watching cookies bake onscreen, spreading a line of crawling spiders across a page, or planting roses along the bottom of the screen. Just watching these images mutate to their finalized form is delightful--and they come with topnotch sound effects and a good dollop of humor, too.

Another area where older graphics programs broke down was in their reusability factor. Once a child had seen and used all of a package's available images, it was often time to move on to the next contender. However, Disney's Magic Artist Deluxe offers regular updates. Users can download new graphics and animations from the program's Web site, including packages designed particularly for a coming holiday or event.

For users uninterested in using prepackaged art, Disney's Magic Artist Deluxe also offers a full set of tools to allow kids to import pictures of themselves and their friends, and then to decorate, alter, and distort them to their heart's content. Whether they want to build static scenes with Disney characters, construct animated tableaus, or digitally bend an existing favorite photograph, this is a graphics program certain to please artistically bent kids and their parents through project after project. --Alyx Dellamonica

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Reader Rabbit Toddler With Free Reader Rabbit Pre-school Inside!

2008-09-26T21:10:00.000-07:00

Both programs in these toddler and preschooler variety packs are excellent. Reader Rabbit's Toddler provides playful experiences with early logic and language concepts. The program is extremely responsive and easy to use and offers many nice features. For example, parents can type in their toddler's name so that it shows up in the coloring activities. There are finger plays, shape and color games, counting activities and alphabet instruction. Testers, both children and parents alike, loved the colorful graphics, solid activities and gentle theme. Preschool teachers will appreciate that song lyrics and the words to nursery rhymes can be printed out. This is a classic program, a perfect computer introduction for your toddler.

In Reader Rabbit's Preschool, kids must help Reader Rabbit and his gang fix up the Carousel, Bumper Cars, Moose Coaster and other broken down attractions of the carnival. To do so, they collect tickets in the park's numerous locations while playing concentration, counting, letter-sound association, art and music games. At the ABC Diner, kids feed visitors by matching food with their beginning letter-sounds. At the Shape Shack, children classify animals and objects. While the animation is not quite as smooth as many recent all-new releases, the activities are plentiful and very engaging.
Teaches: colors, shapes, counting, alphabet, early reading, early math, logic
Age Range: 1 1/2-5

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