Editorial Review

Honk! Honk! It's gridlock and the little red car can't move.The player is a traffic cop in the Rush Hour Traffic Jam Puzzle wherethe objective is to get the red car off the road. To play, pick one of40 challenge cards; solutions are printed on the back of each card.Then set up the cars and buses in a specified pattern on the6-inch-square road grid. Move the vehicles one by one (obey those trafficlaws!) until the red car can escape the traffic jam. There are fourlevels of difficulty. Kids can alternate turns with another player orjust "play in traffic" alone. The game from Binary Arts received anational award from Mensa and is used in elementary school mathclasses. The design includes clear instructions printed on the sturdybox, which can be used both as a playing tray and for storage. The gamecards stow away in a drawer in the road grid. This is a 1999 Parents'Choice recommended toy. --Marcie Bovetz ... Read more

Reviews (96)

Excellent intelligent game for all ages !!
Games has a simple objective -- get the Red car out of traffice. And boy! it is difficult and changelling at higher level. Set up the *cars* as described in cards and figure out a way to get the Red Car out.The best thing is complexity raange from very easy to very hard. So it captures kids interests and provides the extra incentive to move to the next level !!

Simple rules -- once you have placed the cars on the Grid, you can only move them forward or backward.

A great addition to this game is "Rush Hour 2, 3 and 4 Gift Pack" for less than $12/-. Each set has 40 cards or in total 120 different levels. The highest level is really really difficult. Meant for the "Pros" only !!!

Awesome Game!!
I first encountered this game at a friends house while I was house-sitting, and I tell you...without it, I think I would have lost mt mind!It is basic yet challenging all at the same time...and it really is for all ages!Since I bought it off amazon.com, my niece and my father-in-law have both enjoyed the thrill of playing Rush Hour.I would strongly recommend this game for anyone who thinks they would be too good for this game...cause they won't be!!

Great fun and awesome game!!!
My husband and I gave this game to our daughter for Christmas. When she first unwrapped the present she looked uninterested. Later that day she pulled it out and asked what it was about. We got it out and tried it out. Instantly she was hooked as was I. This game is really a great game, but it is also a wonderful educational product. It truly teaches thinking skills and as a homeschool parent I can truly appreciate that. I highly recommend this for anyone regardless of where or how your children are schooled!!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Board Games    2. Family Favorites    3. Puzzles    4. 3-D Puzzles    5. Strategy Games    6. Brain Teasers    7. Activity    8. Games    9. Grid Games    10. Brain Games    11. Learning   

Features

• New Parking Lot Brawl match
• More detailed characters and attire
• Classic superstars include John Cena, Randy Orton, Booker T, Ric Flair, Batista, Triple H, Chris Jericho, Rico, and Charlie Haas
• Sequel to WWE Here Comes the Pain
• Six-person simultaneous play

Reviews (141)

Both Pleasing and Disappointing
Pros:

1. Improved graphics, with the wrestlers looking like their modern-day selves.

2. Improved music and sounds.

3. Improved animations and moves.

4. An all-new submission hold type that allows the opponent to kick-out or even reverse it (Like turning the Figure-Four Leg Lock into an Indian Deathlock).

5. Better legends, including Mankind, Andre the Giant, and Bret "Hitman" Hart.

6. An all-new Royal Rumble style elimination in which instead of just punching your opponent out, you actually have to push them over the rope. You can even double-team.

7. Voice-over and Online Play

8. An option that allows you to either fight "Clean" (Signature and High-Flying Moves) or "Dirty" (Low-Blowing and Eye-Poking)

9. All new Turnbuckle Chop Battle and Pre-Match Staredown Challenges.

Cons:

1. The Season is very short. You only play in half of a year. (For Example: If you play as J.B.L., you can only fight at Judgment Day, Vengeance, SummerSlam, No Mercy, Royal Rumble, No Way Out, and Wrestlemania because he's a Smackdown! wrestler. Also, the storylines are all poorly made up. You can only win the World, WWE, Intercontinental, and U.S. Titles, and the storyline for one title is the same for the others. There is only 3 possible type of matches you can have at a PPV: 1. Title Challenge, 2. Title Defense, 3. Non-Title Grudge Match.

2. Many modern wrestlers aren't in the game (Spike Dudley, Billy Kidman, Paul London, Eugene, William Regal, Orlando Jordan, La Resistance, The Bashams, Kenzo Suzuki, Nunzio, etc) and the game has some wrestlers who aren't even wrestling anymore (A-Train, Chuck Palumbo, Rico, Garrison Cade, and Sable). Plus, for the first time you can't be Mr. McMahon (?).

3. Create-A-Wrestler is harder than ever.

4. No more Lumberjack or Hardcore Diva Matches. The Parking Lot Brawl is fun for like the first 3 times, but easily gets boring. Also, the backstage area has been reduced to one hallway that has ladders, tables, chairs, and more. What is that?

5. You can't be Kurt Angle in Season Mode because he's the General Manager of Smackdown. How long ago was that? Man did THQ screw up.

6. They included Piper and Snuka as legends. That's no real problem, but they already were in Here Comes the Pain. They also included Masked Kane and Legend Undertaker as legends with the SAME MOVES AS THE MODERN WRESTLERS! THQ is so stupid. Also for some weird reason The Rock is a legend (?!?).

7. There's not even 50 wrestlers in the game. Thank goodness this the last Smackdown! THQ game for PS2.

THQ keeps the hits coming
This game, the latest in the perennial "SmackDown!" series, boasts the best graphics, the most features, the smoothest wrestler control, but lacks in a few areas earlier games excelled in.

The new features arrived with fanfare, but some fall short of their expectations.Online play, albeit fun, is very basic.Only two match types (Single or Bra & Panties) are available; it would have been nice to play an Elimination Chamber match online or even a simple tag team match.The new match style, a "parking lot brawl," is essentially a sugar-coated hardcore match in a special area.There are cars that you can smash your opponent into, but that's about it.

Graphically, this is an amazing game.Entrances are done very well; managers now come down to the ring with their wrestlers while the wrestler's original entrance proceeds.The Elimination Chamber looks very nice, Hell in a Cell looks nice, and we get the added bonus of CAW images on the character selection screen.That's been a pet peeve of mine since the inception of CAWs, so I'm glad to see it.

The game's audio is a double-edged sword.I like the inclusion of real music in the game (especially being a huge Powerman 5000 fan).It adds a lot to it, and hopefully this trend will continue.On the other hand, the superstar voiceovers are at times tacky, unenthusiastic, and boring.Vince McMahon shines in them, but that's to be expected from Vinnie Mac.Eventually, they suffer the same fate as the season mode: repetitiveness.

The season mode starts the day after WrestleMania, and it takes a huge step backwards from WWE SmackDown!: Here Comes the Pain.With the voiceovers, there aren't half as many storylines, so after a few seasons, everything's been seen (and heard).Furthermore, none of the characters used in season mode act as their characters in real life would.Kane and Triple H both coming to Bischoff's office to complain?I've never seen that happen.Also, these storylines are the most misogynistic I have ever seen.The only role of women is to be your superstar's "manager," which implies sexual relations pretty explicitly.Stacy Keibler strips to her underwear for your character and promises to let you "play Santa" later.Apparently THQ isn't down with the whole women's lib thing like the public news station is.

Gameplay is solid in this game.The controls are smooth, easy to understand, and generally effective, save for one irritation.In a match with multiple opponents, say, the Royal Rumble, your character instantly switches focus to the nearest opponent.This is good when you're being attacked, but horrible when you send your opponent to the rope with an Irish Whip and can't re-select him to attack when he runs back to you.Speaking of the Royal Rumble, however, this game features the new "Ring-Out" meter, which means that the Big Show won't be punched over the ropes by Rey Mysterio anymore; Rey'll have to work at it to get him over.It also allows for two wrestlers to team up against another and send him over the top, or for one wrestler to save another from that fate.It's not all-inclusive, however, as the Big Show reserves the right to send you over instantly with a gorilla press.

The Create-A-Wrestler (CAW) feature of this game leaves something to be desired.It's not that it's that much worse than previous games' CAW systems, but that the menu system for it is illogical and that it takes a long time to load.Once you've spent three hours perfecting your character, who wants to actually play?The one good thing I'll give it is the ability to give your created wrestlers separate outfits for their entrances, in-ring action, and cutscenes.

The legends are a nice addition to the game, but they really shine in the all-new Challenge mode, which is easily the most fun aspect of the game.Having goals to beat (some of them extremely difficult, such as winning the Royal Rumble while starting it or beating the Big Show in fewer than three minutes) is a nice touch, and the added money for the in-game WWE ShopZone helps too.

I've a few other problems with this game, starting with the contemporary wrestler selection.Stars like the Hurricane, Rosey, Heidenreich, and Carlito Caribbean Cool aren't in the game, nor are Lita, Victoria, or Molly Holly.Another problem is that the hardest difficulty setting isn't really that hard for experienced players.Finally, the new button-mashing submission system makes it nearly impossible to make superstars with a high submission rating, such as Chris Benoit or Chris Jericho, to tap out; on the other hand, they'll readily tap after a submission move of the old kind.

Though it may seem like I'm tearing this game apart, I still give it 4 stars because it has a lot of redeeming quality and is genuinely fun to play.I've been playing it for a while now and probably will until the next incarnation of this franchise comes out.

A pretty fun game
I rented this game when it came out and I loved it. This sequel to Here Comes the pain is very cool. The story mode has the WWE superstars doing voice overs to add to the game. There are also secret characters to buy like Bret Hart, The Rock, Andre, and more. In this game insted of 5 smackdown icons they've been reduced to 3. This is probably the best smackdown game I've played. If you like this get Day of reckoning for GC. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adventure    2. Fighting    3. Video Games    4. PS2 (PSX2)    5. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    6. Playstation2 (Play station2)    7. Action   

Editorial Review

Power up your favorite toys and games with this pack of AA batteries. Includes 12 alkaline batteries in one of the most common sizes for a wide variety of electronic toys, games, and action figures. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent Batteries
I have used Ray-O-Vac Alkaline batteries for years in Toys, Radios, and Flashlights and they have always worked great, compared to low budget store bands and cheap "Heavy Duty" batteries that run out of juice quickly.

I like Ray-O-Vac because many times they are priced lower than the overhyped Duracell and Energizer batteries and work just as well.

The best thing is they are still being made in the USA, other famous brands are now making thier Aklaline batteries in Mexico, China and other countries. So support a company that still manufactures batteries here.

I guess the only "fun" you can have with these batteries by themselves is if you lick the end of a new 9-Volt! Real fun! Zapp!

Batteries
Batteries rule!When I don't feel like plugging something in, I totally turn to batteries.I'm all, like, "hey, batteries, why don't you give power to this object?"And the batteries are all, like, "OK, Chris.Just put us in the right way, and we'll do our stuff."And then I'm, like, "of course I'm going to put you in the right way.What am I, some kind of idiot?"And the batteries say, "Of course not, Chris.We were just reminding you--"And then I say, "No, I know what you were doing batteries, and I don't appreciate it.You think you're the boss of me?You don't pay my bills."To which the batteries usually have no response.Ha!Stupid batteries.

Great Batteries for a Great Price.
As much as I like the Engergizer Bunny, I think Rayovac is becoming my favorite brand of batteries. They last just as long as any of the other major brands (Engerizer, Duracel, etc) and are less expensive. Plus, Rayovac often has special packs you can buy giving you even more bang for your buck. In short, these are some great batteries for a great price. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Electronic   

Features

• Licensed stadiums with authentic crowd chants
• Career mode lets you play from both the pitch and the front office
• Single player, multiplayer, and online multiplayer modes
• Soccer sports game
• More than 350 official team and league licenses from around the world

Reviews (28)

EA Sports ruins soccer
EA Sports should be stripped of thier rights to all the teams and KONAMI should have the ability to have The Arsenal instead of North London.If you are under 10 years old and never wathched soccer before then this might be the game for you.A real fan of the beautiful game would be better off getting Winning Eleven.EA lost the plot years ago...I think the last EA game I really enjoyed was FIFA World Cup 98.

My Fifa Review
Wow, what a bad soccer game this is. There is so much to complain about about this game. First off, the foul shots. First of all, it is incredibly easy to commit a foul. As long as you do a slide tackle and get the person with the ball, its a foul. And if you are lucky enough to get a foul shot that is close to the goal, you know that circle you use to aim so you can hopefully make a goal, no matter how weak you choose to hit the ball, it goes over the goal post. (?) Then the passing. Actually the passing is not incredibly bad, but it is not good either. Then comes the cycling of players. I have no idea why they did this, are you that lazy to press X to switch to another player? Why have the computer do it for you? Let me paint you a picture here. You have the ball, your opponent steals the ball. Immediately you have another player on your team who is closer to the ball come, and try to get it. Then the opponent passes it. The person getting passed to is not that far away. So you have the same person you had just about to get the ball go and get the ball again. About halfway there, the computer decides to switch players to the person who is about 30 ft behind, therefore screwing up your plan to get the ball. Now another scenario comes up. Stealing the ball from your opponent. You no longer have to press a button to conservitively tackle your opponent, instead, you basically run into him. Which is much harder than pressing a button because the opponent can easily do a trick on you and pass you leaving you wondering what happened. And, somehow, your opponent always can run faster than you. (?) Now I am not dissing this game because I hate soccer. I love soccer and watching the fifa cup (Go Romania!). But damn it, when will EA games come out with a flawless soccer game. If they can make good football, baseball, hockey, and basketball games, why can't they make a decent soccer game? My point is, don't buy any soccer games made by EA. Just buy some other, more realistic game.

-Peace Yo!

DO THESE PEOPLE PLAY SOCCER?
This game is sooo awful,im writing to complain to ea sports!
graphically good but the game play is just terrible!
you can't fairly win a ball back without giving away a free kick.
if you lose posession ,there is no way you are catching the guy running off with the ball which is absurd!
passing is very twitchy regarding direction!
gamespeed is like yawning in church!
the computer picks your defender to use(usually the one 15 yards behind) and always chooses the wrong guy so by the time you get who you want they are bearing down on you keeper!you can't switch this function off!
if you deadball kick long you will find none of your players anywhere near, no matter what formation you pick!
the shooting is either in the stand or straight at the keeper!
once every 50 times you'll score!
dont listen to these goons who write good reviews for this tripe game!!!!
idiots who never played the game in real life probably made this game.
not being funny but i used to play at a premier league club so who they took advice from is beyond me!!!!
oh and you wonder at times if it's you playing or the computer doing most of it for you(over assisted).
god i cant believe i paid $50 for this garbage!!!
... Read more

Subjects:  1. Outdoors    2. Video Games    3. PS2 (PSX2)    4. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    5. Playstation2 (Play station2)    6. Action    7. Adventure    8. Sports   

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Nintendo Game Boy Advance (Gameboy)    3. GBA    4. Action    5. Adventure    6. Role Playing Games (Game, RPG, RPGs, CRPG, CRPGs)    7. Strategy (Strategic)   

Editorial Review

Future scientists will thrill to the physical world revealed to themunder the magnification of a genuine microscope. A slide containing cells ofhuman skin looks like a magnificent intricate art pattern in rainbow colors. This microscope is the real McCoy. With three objectives--4x, 10x, and 40x--hours of scientific collection and observation await your young biologist.Heavy and heavy duty, this microscope is not for young children and is not atoy. Advertised for those ages 11 and older, it comes with five prepared glassslides. More blank ones could be purchased at a science supply store to createcountless new samples to explore. The model plugs into a three-prong outlet toproduce the light needed for magnification and will probably require adult helpfor initial use. This solid metal scientific tool should pique the curiosity andstretch the imagination and scientific acumen of most preadolescents.--Lair Showalter, mother and elementary school teacher ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Arrived in unusable condition
(...) The microscope is metal which I like however it arrived unusable.I can't comment on the optics because I can't see anything through the lens--very disapointing.Amazon on the other hand is great, they are already sending me a replacement.I hope that this was a fluke and that I will be satisfied with the replacement.

Great for Beginners
All Metal construction, decent objective lenses, integrated light source, fine and coarse focus knobs, a small specimen kit, and a very good price all add up to make this an outstanding purchase for the budding scientist.

This microscope would do well in a high school lab or even as a solid backup in an undemanding college lab.

I bought one for a twelve year girl, and she has no idea how to use it, but she's willing to try, especially since we know it will WORK unlike the plastic garbage being sold in the sub-hundred dollar range.

This is a good buy.

Exceptional beginner microscope
I bought this microscope for my daughter, age 5, to answer her questions relating to how things grow or how people get sick. Explaining bacterial or viral infections and cell mitosis just isn't the same as showing it and giving a point of reference to understand the microscopic world. Now she has that point of reference and her wonder at the microscopic world has just begun.

This microscope came with 5 excellent slides that show plant and animal cells and insect parts.

We looked at salt, rice, sugar, hair, onions cells and root tip cells which further amazed her.

The quality of this microscope is amazing for the price. I used very expensive microscopes in several of my classes (i.e. bacteriology, embryology) and the lenses of this microscope rival the expensive ones. The stage dosn't have a left / right, forward / backward adjusting wheels on it so you have to manually move the slides around. But the price for the quality makes this microscope one of my daughters favorite gifts. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Science   

Editorial Review

Thrill-seekers young and old glide through the air with this deluxetrolley ride. An adult is needed to follow the detailed installationinstructions. Once the 70-foot steel cable is mounted to two trees or otherstable upright supports, the trolley can be grasped for suspended riding fromone point to another. The Fun Ride Deluxe is excellent for building motorskills, upper body strength, and physical confidence. Kids who learn by usingtheir muscles will particularly appreciate the physical activity, and thenatural endorphin release is an additional perk for all users of the trolley.The Fun Ride Deluxe can hold individuals up to 225 pounds, and as one would suspect, adult supervision is required at all times during use. -- Lauren Bernard, mother and elementary school teacher ... Read more

Features

• All-weather vinyl grip handles
• Mounting platform design plan
• Super Deluxe Trolley Ride
• 70-foot steel stranded cable

Reviews (10)

Lots of fun
We stretched it across our pool but we have a stoper in the line so you fall in the pool. we just used some special clamps and a high compression spring. The kids love it because they can fly right into the pool.

Full Disclosure
While I am sure that this product will be a huge hit in our household, we have yet to assemble it.I was not aware that depending on the size of your tree, you may have to buy an additional strap extension for another $11.So, as a word of warning, you'll need to measure your tree first before you order the product.Be prepared to pay more.

Pricey Fun
We bought this for our 8 year old daughter this Christmas.She is having a great time with it, as are the neighbors' kids.I gave it only four stars due to the price.We still can't understand why a plastic handle grip and a length of wire costs $100.Plus, my husband spent an additional $50 on lumber to build the kids a sturdy platform to take off from.But, we spent it and we are enjoying it.We do not have it extended the full 70 feet, but the kids are getting a great ride at 40 feet anyway.Recommended if you want to spend the money. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Outdoor Play    3. Pretend Play    4. Gadgets    5. Gyms   

Reviews (3)

So much has not been discovered...
CoP marks the first major expansion of the FFXI world since its release to the US. This expansion does not add any new jobs or raise the maximum level you can attain in the game (still 75), but it does add many new areas, monsters, missions, quests, NPCs, recipes and equipment. The new areas are divided into those you can enter as soon as you install the expansion, and those which you need to complete missions to get to. The ones you can freely enter include new monsters, treasure and fishing areas, but are not hugely different than the areas adjacent to them. However, one thing I've learned is that there is more than meets the eye since many changes are below the surface and take many weeks for them to be discovered.

The areas that are locked out require quite a bit of work to get to. You will need to have a character of lvl 30, with appropriate equipment in order to complete 3 missions to gain access. Since there are a few job combinations that work well, you may need to start a new job, or gain a high enough level in that job to use it. This can be a big time commitment, however many people already have a job or two that they can use around level 30 so it's not terribly difficult to participate. Each of the missions may take between 1 and 4 hours to complete, and you will need between 6 and 18 players to help you. This makes it quite a hassle just to enter the new zones, so don't expect to be able to see everything advertised as soon as you install the game.

The areas that I have been in are absolutely breathtaking and the music fits the atmosphere of that area. There is a new beastman race that you can fight called Moblin, who have their own cities, culture and history. There are new super powerful dragons that give those that are already 75 something to do. One of these dragons took 30+ level 75 characters over 5 hours to kill. There are new recipes for crafters, new spells for mages, new avatars for summoners and new weapons and armor for melee jobs.

That being said, I still give this 5 stars based more on my experiences with the current game than on what is in the new expansion. It will take many months for people to complete all the missions and gain access to all the zones included in this expansion, which is really required to write a comprehensive review. This is probably the reason why very few review are posted.

Was hoping for more..
FFXI has it's flaws. Well, okay, quite a few.
I was sincerely hoping this would at least attempt to fix some of them. I have no idea what I was thinking. Not only did the customers who ordered the game as it came out have to run hours worth of upgrades to fix glitches in the expansion, most of the quests and items weren't available due to further problems. Which makes me wonder if Square-Enix just threw the game out as soon as possible, without actually putting any effort into it.
So far, there's absolutely nothing I find useful from the expansion. It HAS introduced a few new items, but most can only be used by classes that already have a nice variety of items available to them. The expansion pack also introduced new areas, one of which is a new city. Wait, no, Square isn't just going to let you go to the new town after you bought the expansion, you'll have to undertake series of horribly tedious missions to unlock the passage. The missions are exactly the same; wait around a few hours to form an alliance then try and survive a trip to a boss fight, except each area looks *slightly* different.
I will admit the new areas that can be accessed freely [...] were pretty fun to explore and introduced some fairly cool monsters, but haven't benefited me in a single way.
NO new jobs were introduced with this expansion. The J&R Music review points out you can get Dark Knight, Summoner and Ninja, but all those jobs are available without Chains of Promathia.

All in all, this expansion didn't introduce much of anything useful (with the exception of some interesting boss fights with familiar FF characters and new areas). Though, it's not horribly expensive so you might as well get it.

The new world of Vana ' Deil, gets even bigger
The world of Vana ' Deil gets bigger in this new expension pack.

Chains of Promathia features new regions to explore, frightening new enimies to engage in cobat, and an mystery to confront.

See ya' ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. PS2 (PSX2)    3. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    4. Playstation2 (Play station2)    5. Action    6. Adventure    7. Role Playing Games (rpg, rpgs)    8. Strategy (Strategic)   

Features

• An extensive experience system features over 100 different skills to customize characters to the players preference.
• A new and improved complex battle system utilizes team combination attacks, a refined boost system, double team attacks and a zone attack/break system. The turn-based battle engine requires even more strategy and provides a deeper challenge.
• Shion, KOS-MOS and other favorite EPISODE I characters return with more mature,refined character designs and all new mechs.
• Hours of dazzling cinematics are complemented by high quality English voice acting.Complex philosophical themes add depth to an already sophisticated, dramatic storyline that could stand on its own as an intricately woven masterpiece.

Reviews (31)

Playing this game is like channeling saidin.
The story is Good.The movies are always entertaining, and the story is always interesting.It never reaches the emotional depths that the last game did.There seems to be a greater emphasis on making the whole thing more...unrealistic.The first game presented a believable future - all the technology was explained, things behaved realistically, etc.That's all thrown out in this game...it might sound strange, but it seems to be more "Japanese" than Episode 1.Characters now swordfight in a Samurai style and shout things in what sounds very similar to Japanese.They shoot lasers out of their swords (and it's never explained why).There's even a character that wears samurai-ish robes.It destroys any believability this universe had.

Also, I'm personally disappointed that the game focused so much on Jr. (couldn't stand him from the first game), and not so much on wonderful KOS-MOS, who's not even present in the first half, and barely says two words in the second.And this is a Very Good Thing, because some of the voice actor changes were not for the better.Shion's VA is improved, but KOS-MOS's was a huge downgrade.

The music is also terrible compared to last game's.Episode 1 marked the first time I ran out and bought the soundtrack to a game.The beautiful orchestra and haunting chorus from that game have been replaced by forgettable boppy tunes, with maybe one decent melody in the whole thing.

Now, one to Dark One's taint = the gameplay.The battle system is easily the worst I have ever seen in any RPG.Ever.They aren't random - the enemies are onscreen.This is the One and Only Good thing.When you do touch an enemy, it takes a strangely long time to load.Your characters appear, one-by one.Then the monsters appear, one-by one.Sometimes, you'll be surrounded by the enemy.Other times, you'll surround the enemy yourself.This is Completely Random.Even if you attack an enemy from behind, you won't start the battle at the enemy's back.Which is too bad, as Back Attacks do more damage, and every time you enter a battle, you'll be desperate to scrape up as much damage as possible.

There's no such things as Powerful Moves here.You're forced to hit an enemy in specific "zones", which you do by hitting Triangle or Circle (did I mention the moves you do have no titles?Bye-bye, Moonlight Serenade or Spell Ray).Hit Triangle/Circle in the right order, and you get what's called a Zone Break.Now, you have to Boost your other characters in so they can damage the enemy while it's in this "break" stage.You boost the other characters by having them sit there and Not Attack during their own attack phase.

You are FORCED to do this - while some enemies do have special weaknesses, they're not exactly mind-blowing helpful for the majority of enemy types.Instead, you have to do the Zone Break, or all of your moves will do about 20 damage...to a creature that has 5,000 HP.And there's still 3 other creatures in the battle, all with 10,000 HP each.

Sound fun to you?Admittedly, once you DO get an enemy's weakness down, and get a Zone Break in, then Boost all of your characters in a row to take advantage of the enemy's weakness and the zone break, you can rack up huge damage.Sometimes it's even enough to take a single enemy down - and it only took 10 minutes to build up!

So, yes, the battle system will corrode your soul.Expect every battle to last at least 5 minutes, and that's if you're quick and know what you're doing.Meaning that you've already fought this enemy before and have either memorized it's Zone Break and weaknesses, or you've taught one of your characters a Memory skill.

And here's another embarassing part of the game.Every single character can learn every single skill.This completely destroys any individuality the characters had.KOS-MOS still has a couple special skills only she can use, but they're not nearly as impressive as the classics from the first game.Instead of being awed by what your characters are capable of, you cooly assign specific skills to each character based on what attributes you want in each battle.If that sounds fun to you, it's not.Many of these skills are useless, and characters will repeat skills that are helpful.

It's possible to "unlock" new skills and Double Attacks (two characters team up to attack) by undergoing the torture that is the game's sidequests.You run around, doing good deeds for people.These good deeds are very loosely explained, and very often involve playing fetch from place to place.I didn't even attempt it.

Other things that will leave you a blackened husk inside when the game is done: The puzzles in the dungeons.Oh how I wish my mind could let me forget them so I could live again.Unfortunately I can't, and so I will always remember shooting boxes to form a bridge, shooting boxes to clear a bridge, and shooting boxes of a specific color that explode other boxes of the same color around them.To form a bridge.

In conclusion, let me just say that I hope Episode 3 is better, or I will go insane.Or the Red Ajah will come for me in the form of Final Fantasy XII.

Nothing on the original game!
Xenosaga Episode I Der Wille Zur Macht, was a breakthrough in gaming!It had deep characterization, a deep storyline, innovative battle system and a soundtrack that blew you out of this world!It was a plot driven game with an intoxicating storyline.Episode II doesn't compare to the original in very many ways at all.Things have been changed that shouldn't have been changed, and in all essence, it's more like watching a season 2 of a declining TV series.

Xenosaga Episode II isn't a bad game.It's actually really good!It's just that it suffers from the sequel syndrome.The first one hit a level that was so high, and now this one has to compare.Either you'll be quite surprised by where it goes, or quite disappointed.

The game opens up with a flashback of Chaos being sent to Miltia with a realian named Canaan to see why all the Realians have gone berserk.Chaos and Canaan meet up with only one who still seems to be in control of himself.General Jin Uzuki, and to prevent spoiling more, let's just the say we rejoin our main cast from the first game in mere moments.

Where as Xenosaga Episode I put an emphasis on storyline, Episode II seems to put an emphasis on character development.It does a fairly good job too.You'll learn more about these characters, and be able to cope with them.Unfortunately, if you haven't played the first game yet, it's all mysterious to you.

A few things about the gameplay have changed.The battle system is refined just a bit.Now enemies are in "zones".Either Zone A, B, or C.Depending on the zone they're in they could take a lot of damage from your attacks.You can also knock them in the air, or down on the ground.You can also link attacks together to perform devastating combinations.Characters attack using points.If you decide to "stock" (by defending) you can attack more times in one turn.

Xenosaga Episode II is not an easy game.You can't just mash down on buttons and expect to win battles.There does need to be strategy involved.Without strategy, you'll more than likely lose.

The character raising is different.In the first game, you had Ether Points (Magic), Tech Points and skill points.In this one you only have ether points to improve your magic skills.Truthfully, that's sad since all your characters learn the same skills, and once you've learned everything (being that there are no Tech points and Skill points in this one) you'll have a bunch of Ether Points sitting around begging to be used, and they never will.

The graphics in the game have been updated from the first one.I personally didn't think this was neccessary.They tried to make the characters look more "human" and I personally thought the anime look of the first game was just fine.Some of their actions look a little strange, mostly because the dubbing of the game to English was terrible, but otherwise, the graphics are smooth and rich.KOS-MOS looks the nicest out of all the characters.

The voices, for whatever reason, have also changed.I was not too fond of this.The voices from the first game were perfect. These voices are either superb, or they're terrible.MOMO for example, has a terrible voice actor, while Chaos has a fairly good one.

The music is no where near as good as the first game.Actually, to be truthful, the music in this game is forgettable, and you won't care too much for it in the end.It's not the first one.

There aren't as many cutscenes as the first Xenosaga, and while the story is intriguing, the cutscenes don't flow quite as well.Also, it's sad to see this game isn't as long as the first one, and there aren't as many secrets.I thought the game would have more secrets than what I got.

It's also very disappointing with what you get from having a save file at the end of the first Xenosaga.Just a bunch of skills and whatnot.Nothing more.No impact on the story or anything.Really, the save file is useless.

Xenosaga Episode II does work, but it's sad that it can't live up to the first game.It had potential to live up considering how long it was in development, and what the first game gave it to go with.I just wish it could've fallen through.

If you loved the first Xenosaga game, pick this up.You won't regret it, but you probably won't remember it as well as the first game either.

Well Done
I thought the first game was so-so; the 2nd much better.The combat is simpler to understand but more complicated to use - you start with all the fighting techniques you're going to get.Its up to you to figure out which characters and combinations of attacks work well in a given situation.Its a bit confusing until you get the hang of it. Bosses are a bit more complicated - you need to mix up the attacks of more than one character to be effective.There's always one major weakness to be uncovered.

As far as the series - well, the story doesn't end here - if anything, it gets more complicated.Only a few loose ends are resolved, and several new ones are added.

After the game ends, be sure to save - then continue using saved data.The game continues with a huge side quest that's not series related but has a story all its own.

Over all - there's room for improvement, bt I'd say its better than FFX2. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Strategy (Strategic)    2. Video Games    3. PS2 (PSX2)    4. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    5. Playstation2 (Play station2)    6. Action    7. Adventure    8. Role Playing Games (rpg, rpgs)   

Features

• Superstar voice-over and commentary
• Become a Legend online via Xbox Live
• Four-player head-to-head online play with multiple match types and voice chat support
• New online create-a-belt feature will change the wrestling genre
• Character Evolution Unique character-building story mode allows you to upgrade your Superstar's appearance, abilities, entrance, costumes and move-set as you attempt to win the WWE Heavyweight Championship

Reviews (27)

This game is Kinda cool...
Well, I was really excited for it to come out and all, but when it finally did, it wasn't SOO exciting.... Sure, the graphics, Voice Overs, and Matches are cool, but there are things that totally suck. Like the fact that you cannot make a female wrestler, you can only get 1 voice over for your custom wrestler (male) and the overall gameplay. Get it if you think the graphics are cool and if you only want to make a guy... It was a bit dissapointing, so I don't really recommend it...

Nothing Special
While the graphics are amazing on the entrances, everything else seems to be over the top. Like Raw and Raw 2, the look of the wrestlers and the entrances are the only things that seem to be concentrated on, nothing else. The wrestling is crazy and boring, and the commentary and music is almost all copied and pasted from Smackdown vs. Raw. Studio Gigante, the new developers are not impressive on their first outing but who knows, maybe they will improve over time.

Why THQ, why?
WHy THQ, why? After playing this game, i have come to the conclusion that this game is probobly worse then the original Raw for Xbox. I will make this review in PRO/CON format as usual.

Pro:
1.Voice over
2.Graphics are pretty good in terms of character models
3. Blood is realistic looking

Con:
1.Tons of glitches
2.Game freezes often
3.Career mode is way to easy to beat
4. Commentators repeat themselves way to much
5. Roster is to small (Under 45 superstars)
6. Limited gametypes (NO hardcore, WHAT?!?!)
7. Put them in a submission 8 times in a row and you've won.
8. Unbalanced difficulty levels

As you can see, i would not spend 50 dollars on this game if i were you.
... Read more

Subjects:  1. Sports    2. Outdoors    3. Xbox (x box)    4. Microsoft    5. Video Games    6. PS2 (PSX2)    7. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    8. Playstation2 (Play station2)    9. Action    10. Adventure    11. Fighting   

Features

• Comes with a free carrying case from ALS
• Just like the classic Nintendo Entertainment System
• Features the classic games Super Mario Brothers, Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, and Ice Climber
• Comes with headphones designed exclusively for the GBA SP
• Game Boy Advance SP Classic bundle

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Nintendo Game Boy Advance (Gameboy)    3. GBA    4. Consoles   

Editorial Review

Executing a clear and comprehensive crossover strategy between a board game and a set of familiar characters can be a tricky enterprise. But this synthesis of familiar Disney and the increasingly popular board game Scene It works exceptionally well, relying on DVD technology and the familiar faces of Disney's beloved characters to form a consistently entertaining family play experience. Included in the set are a game DVD, a game board, four category reference cards, 30 "buzz" cards, and 160 trivia cards with special sets for kids and adults. The game's designers thoughtfully included some Disney classics for Mom and Dad but there is more of an emphasis on Disney properties of the last fifteen years or so, The Lion King, George of the Jungle, the live action 101 Dalmatians, in order to appeal to the youngsters. Game play between the physical board and the action on the DVD is well executed and we found it easy to understand the rules and have fun. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Scene It Disney Game Review
The name of ths very exciting game is called Scene It Disney. This game to me is very ''interesting''. I think this game is very interesting to me because I like the thing's that they have in their cartoon movies that I'm interested in like the kind of clips that they play that are on nickelodeon. This game has lots of colorful objects that will make you want to play;Like the game board that we play on and the dice has little pictures on it to be able to tell us what to do. The movie clips are colorful, but I think theres only one cilp that is Black and White.
This game promises you family trivia game cards with magical Disney Clips! It also promises that you willhave fun and I thought the same thing. This game also promises a DVD and a boardgame. I think the rules are kind of easy because some of the questions I might not know and there are to much. Scene It Disney is more fun when you play with a group because it's more ''EXCITING AND FUN''. There is alot more action then just playing with 2 people because it makes the game more boring This game has movie clips like, Lion King, Flubber, Rapunzel Finding Nemo etc. That's why it's also interseting.
This game has a remote, two dyes, that are diffrent.I had fun plyaing because it had action in it because we was plying in groups.This game did build skills for me because I learned from the questions that I didn't know. If I had brought this game I would get what I payed for because it came with all the materials.
I would play this game again because it has fun and excitement in it. I hope all the people that hear of this game willlove to play this game because it is vey interesting.

Disney Scene It?The DVD Game
I think this game is a very fun and energetic game.Iplayed it once and lved it.It is the BEST game I have ever played.

A. M. T.'s review for disney Scene it
I couldn't wait to get this game I was so excited when it was finally in stock at Toys R Us. I got the game and played it right away. I was rather disappointed when the game started repeating clips and questions. It started repeating them the 4th time I played so that is a bad point about the game, that the fun didn't last as long as I had hoped. There are good things too. I hadn't seen some of the movies it mentioned and seeing the clips about them prompted me to see the movie. I also think this is really a game for all ages. I have a lot of cousins and we all played it together. Everyone had fun even the adults. The funniest part of playing with my whole family was that my grandpa had the most fun. Overall I think this is a pretty great game to have and I am looking forward to sequels of the game to come out.
~*~A.M.T~*~ ... Read more

Features

• Timing Action Commands help you dodge or inflict damage, and impress the crowd to give you power for super attacks.
• Fold into a paper airplane and take to the air, turn sideways to slip through narrow passages, and roll into a tube to bounce to safety.

Reviews (121)

A kiddy game that adults will actually laugh at? Wow.
Back in the Nintendo 64 days, Mario, Nintendo's mascot, was in the uber-successful Mario 64. And pretty much since then Nintendo's been trying to have it's "sequel" or successor. They did that with Mario Sunshine but it probably wasn't what we had in mind. Paper Mario was released then and it had Mario and Co. as 2D characters in 3D backgrounds so Mario was essentially paper-thin literally. We now have the "sequel" to the original and it vastly improves on the original.

Story: One would be pretty stupid to try and think the Mario storylines were deep or original. Princess Toadstool is kidnapped and Mario must save the day by beating Bowser. Well Toadstool has been kidnapped only it's not Bowser's fault. This apparently ties into a treasure map and the mysterious Thousand Year Door.

Graphics: Basically with these kind of games like Wind Waker is that they're beautiful only on a different level. Nowhere near the brightness of Mario Sunshine, the realistic ultra-detailed Resident Evil 4 or the brilliant level design of Metroid Prime but it more than captures the essence of the game.

Sound/Music: Maybe they learned that Mario Sunshine's voice acting was pretty bad so Nintendo isn't even bothering. You still get Mario's "let's-a go!" or "oh yea!" and some other voice samples but nothing full speech. The music isn't immediately catchy but it fits.

Gameplay: All games come down to this. Paper Mario's "gimmick" is that it revolves around, yes, Mario as paper form. In this form he can fold himself into a plane and fly to a far platform, squash himself and launch himself into the air or squeeze through tough spaces.

The battles in Paper Mario unfold on a stage with it's own audience. This probably one of the most unique ideas to come in a long time. Basically battles are like Paper Mario and Superstar Saga with timed presses and dodges and you get a cast of characters to be your battle buddy.

The audience however plays a key part in everything. Let's say you're not showing off your extra damage attacks or not using cool moves then the audience goes down and some members will even through rocks at you. However, if you're the fan favorite they'll throw goodies on stage. There is also stage elements like the stage can collapse or these spiky guys can randomly fall from the ceiling. This isn't a press A constantly RPG, you'll be busy.

One of the big pluses is the dialogue. The dialogue in Paper Mario 64 was downright horrible. Here, it can actually be downright funny. My ever favorite Bowser line: "Crystal Stars you say? They sound like world conquering tools, I want them!". And Luigi doesn't join you on the quest but he has his own quest to tell you about should you go chat to him.

It's sad that games like this get past over for others which is a shame cause this is one of the Gamecube's must-play titles.

SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THIS GAME ROCKS LIKE ANYTHiNG!!! I love all of the chapters!!!! I could play this game a thousand times!!!!!

The Best Mario Game Yet!
This game is a ton of fun if you are into platform games.
There are loads of partners (7 to be exact) to choose from and each partner is unique! You have to collect 7 crystal stars and a long journey has to be taken for each one!

The problem is that when you are talking to someone who is telling you what to do, it takes for ages!

You get different abilitys such as Plane, Roll etc. and they are all briliant!
I think the best bit is the battles, you have to fight bad guys when you bump into them on the field mode! Each crystal star gives you a star attack and they are all fabulous!

If you like platform games and/or fighting games then this is the game for you! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Gamecube (Game Cube, Game-cube)    3. Action    4. Adventure   

Features

• Scooter Suspension: Front --Allows for smooth turns and absorbs the bumps in the road.
• Brake Type: Rear Wheel Friction Brake--Allows you to stop the scooter smoothly by applying pressure to the back fender.
• Adjustable Handlebars--Height of handlebars adjusts to accommodate any rider.
• Wheelie Bar--An extended bar that allows you to pull manual wheelies.
• Wheel Size: 98 Millimeters

Reviews (2)

it sucks
you should definitely get a motor or electric scooter man this sucks do not get this razor is a bad manufactuer and needs to shut down....foreverrrrrr!!!muahahaha lol

THIS SCOOTER IS FROM HEAVEN
It's EXTREMELY good. This toy has really good brakes. It goes really fast.It jumps really high. I LOVE THIS SCOOTER!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Scooters   

Reviews (17)

Portuguese mom
I bought this lovely doll for my mother,who is Portuguese.She was thrilled. I ended up having to buy several more for the grandkids, as she won't let them touch hers! She is one popular and beautiful doll and everyone that has recieved one has been delighted.

This doll is ugly!
Omg! This doll is sooo ugly when i saw her i got freaked out but her dress nice. But her face is soo ugly her make up is yuck(barf)i gave this doll a one. She deserve it!

Portuguese Princess
The Portuguese princess is overall a lovely doll. There was nothing that jumped out at me that was postive or negative about this doll. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dolls    2. Fashion Dolls    3. Collectible Dolls   

Features

• Earn up to 20 weapons, with four levels of upgrades for most weapons
• Beautiful, cartoon-style graphics
• For 1-4 players offline; up to 8 players online (broadband only)
• Platform action game
• Fight Dr. Nefarious' plan to destroy all organic life in the Universe

Reviews (163)

Awesome game!
This game is the best game made for PS2!The newest and best addition to the Ratchet and Clank series so far!Online play with this game is the best...you can get up to 8 people in one game and fight with each other to the finish!Siege, Capture the Flag, and Deathmatch...along with the single player story mode, makes this game the best!I am addicted to online play and I have made many friends.Cooperate with your teammates with a PS2 headset and you get to talk to your team and strategize to win! 1000000 Stars! -bryanleo

Ratchet and Clank-AWSOME
Ratchet and Clank is a good game. It has good graphics, and an EXTREMLY fun story mode. The story made is funny and fun, with some challenge mixed in. Also free weapons and discounts are available if you have saved files from Ratchet and Clank 1 and 2. If you have an online broadband connectoin for your PS2 then play this game online. Play against other people in the 3 different modes deathmatch, siege, and capture the flag on many different maps. And if you own a headset for your PS2 then chat with your team. Online can play from 1-8 players and up to 4 offline. Make friends...or enemys with your fellow online players and have a blast!!! Good graphics, online, funnyness, and enjoyablity, what else could you want?CHEAT CODES!!!!!
Cheat codes can be gotten by getting "skill points". You can get skill points by doing secret stuff. I would tell you the secrets and codes but that would spoil all of the fun! If you get this game and wanna take me on go online and message "Gamefreaktrev". My main message of this review?BUY THE GAME!IT IS GOOD.



I am a registered user of RCarsenal.com
Trevor2

Super awesome
Of all the cool games ive played this has to be one of the coolest. Not only is the single player good but the online is awesome. You can play with your friend down the street or something or have loads of fun upgrading weapons in single player. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adventure    2. Strategy (Strategic)    3. Video Games    4. PS2 (PSX2)    5. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    6. Playstation2 (Play station2)    7. Action   

Editorial Review

Let's face it: Lego is the standard by which so many toys these days are measured--and fall short. In a world where creativity seems to be going out the window, replaced by step-by-step instructions for proper construction of toys with pre-determined stories, Legos are basically stackable blank slates. This particular bucket o' blocks features 1,000 small elementary pieces. A pamphlet with 13 instructions (and 28 ideas) is included, inspiring young builders to create anything from clowns to dinosaurs, but most children will probably do their own thing anyway…flying tractors, anyone? Parents and kids will love the big, sturdy blue storage tub with space enough to hold far more than 1,000 Legos. A true classic. --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Legos
This bin contains 1000 Legos(Legos are VERY fun and safe!!).If your child likes building Bionicles, Star Wars, Clickits etc. then they will like this!Legos are also very educational.They teach kids to use their imaginations.But, if your child is under the age of about 4, dont worry!There are also bins containing Duplos, and Quatros, wich are made for youner children(they are like Legos only bigger).Legos make a great gift.

Great Value
I'm not sure if we just timed our purchase right or what, but the price we paid for this Lego bucket was great.After we ordered it on here and were shopping in stores for other items, we realized we had gotten a deal!LEGOS are always a great toy, who could go wrong, especially at such a reasonable price!

Great Value but You'll Want More
I bought this for our four year old, and he really enjoys playing with them.I like this generic collection of mult-purpose bricks better than the sets that are designed to build one unique item.For the price, you really get a lot of stuff.On the down side, there are a lot of the smaller bricks (1 x 2 and 1 x 1), but it is still a good value.After playing with this for a few days I found that my son wanted more plates, bricks (2 x 4 and 2 X 8), and wheels (my son loves to make cars).I went to lego dot com where I was able to buy more of these specific things.

In summary, buy this set first from Amazon and then go to lego dot com to buy additional wheels, bricks and plates. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Construction   

Features

• 24V system
• Speed: 12 to 15 MPH
• Up to 45+ minutes of drive time
• Hand controlled accelerator and brake on steering wheel
• Seatbelt

Reviews (14)

Great ride, but tires wear out fast.
My son loves this thing, but with such a low ground clearance the chain drive catches on the bumps sometimes.The tires lasted about a month with him driving it almost every day.

I did adda switch to it so it now has reverse.Pretty easy, but tough to get an open space inside the engine cover to mount it.

Now I am on the look out for new tires.Hopefully I can get real inflatible tires.Has anyone seen any?

Quit after 4 weeks
Bought Kart for 8yr old daughter.She loves it.Its fun to ride however it quit after 4 weeks.It appears the Electronic Control Module has failed.Its not the circuit breaker.

Great Fun for All Ages!!!
This is a fantastic product!I bought one of these for my own use, hoping that it would carry an adult.Easy to assemble, durable construction, sharp design, very clean and quiet to operate.It fits easily into the tiny trunk of my Honda Civic, and is great fun to ride in the parking lot at work during my lunch breaks.So much fun that I bought two more - one to race, and one as a gift for a friend.All three run very well, whether operated by a child or an adult.Even skeptical adults who have ridden this end up giggling like school children!

Of course, it runs a bit faster when the driver is an 8-year-old child, but it has been plenty of fun for everyone.Even with riders up to 180 lbs., or climbing gentle slopes, I have yet to trip the circuit breaker.I am over six feet tall and can fit easily into the kart, although a bit more legroom would be welcome.(Note: The three karts I purchased have a chain drive, but newer models use a rubber belt instead, so your mileage may vary.)

I cannot wait for Razor to start selling a truly adult-size version of this product.Drive safely! ... Read more

Editorial Review

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

Reviews (30)

Don't buy Pixter...Go for a Leapster
My 3-year-old loves her Leapster and plays with it in the car o