Editorial Review

Video game makers have been experimenting with live-action video in games since the early 1980s but EyeToy (a digital camera for PlayStation2) marks the first time it's been done right. The device magically superimposes video-game graphics onto a player's image and translates his or her movements into controlling elements of the game. It is the best improvement of video game controls since the joystick.

The EyeToy camera plugs into your PS2

EyeToy has two components: a digital camera that plugs into one of the USB ports in the front of the PS2 and a disc of party games. In the EyeToy games--there are 12 on the disc, but some of them are little more than variations on the same theme--your image is at the center of the action. The game is totally controlled by moving your body in front of the camera. For example, in one game where the object is to beat back invading hordes of kung-fu fighters who come at you from the four corners of the screen, you must move your hands (or elbows, head, hips, whatever) to connect with the fighters onscreen and slap them away. Unlike most contemporary video games, EyeToy is so intuitive that most users will be able to play in a matter of seconds--even toddlers and senior citizens. Watching someone play EyeToy is fun: onscreen, the games are like the fanciful mix of live action and animation á la Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and off-screen, the player's movements are almost as goofy as those playing Dance Dance Revolution.

EyeToy is best enjoyed by groups

Setting up EyeToy is simple--just plug in the camera and drop in the disc--but fine-tuning it for your game environment takes a little effort. First, you'll need to have adequate, well-balanced lighting. We found that a bare 60-watt light bulb positioned behind the EyeToy camera worked pretty well. Next, you should clear away as many objects as possible between you and the EyeToy camera. Not only can extra objects impede the camera's function, they can present hazard when playing the game. A uniform background helps, too; we found that a light-colored wall worked better than a dark background. Before you drag the couch out on the lawn and pull pictures off the wall, try out the camera in different positions to see if you can find something that works without redecorating. The recommended placement of your EyeToy camera is right on top of your TV, but if your PS2 is situated farther than the 72-inch attached camera cord, you will have to get creative. We tried pointing the camera up at us from a coffee table and it worked fine.

The EyeToy games, while fun, are too simple to keep solo gamers interested for long periods of time. EyeToy is best as a party game played with groups of friends, or as a way to show off your PS2. And as a peripheral for future games EyeToy holds a lot of promise. Let's hope that Tony Hawk and John Madden find a use for this little camera. --Porter B. Hall

Pros:

• Totally unique approach to video game design
• Great for groups
• So intuitive that anyone will be able to play it immediately

• Only the pathologically vain will find lasting fun in this as a solo game

Features

• Comes with twelve mini-games, including: Wish-Washi, Beat Freak, Kung Fu, Soccer Craze, Boxing Chump
• Can also be used to instantly create personalized video messages
• Funky Playroom feature (visual effects) and multiplayer options make EyeToy the perfect party peripheral
• USB digital camera makes the player the "star" of the game; camera unit is 2.25" tall by 2.25" wide by 3.5" deep
• Motion-tracking technology instantly translates body movement into on-screen interaction

Reviews (144)

Decent fun..
This ' game ' is decent fun. It's VERY innovative and capable. ( I've heard of it soon being able to hook up online and you'll be able to chat with people. ) This game is just repetetive. And a workout! There are times when at the end of the day when I played this when my arm was about to fall off. Buy this though if you want a strange, original, yet obvious idea, ' game ' . You most likely will not be too dissapointed in your first few outings with it.

A Priceless Treasure for the PlayStation 2
EyeToy: Play is really fun game for the PlayStation 2. It's one of the top ten reasons why the PlayStation 2 is the BEST gaming system in the whole world (at least in our opinion). It allows you to play a variety of old school arcade-style minigames while being able to see yourself on your very own television set and create your own backgrounds through the USB camera. It does this via a motion-sensor detector, which means that no controllers are required. The minigames are broken down into 3 levels of difficulty: easy, medium, and hard. They allow you to choose from a variety of characters, and they never get old. Some of my personal favorites include "Boxing Chump", in which you box a robot-like opponent for points; "Rocket Rumble", in which you blow up as many rockets as possible turning them into fireworks before they exit the screen, "Soccer Craze", in which you are given three chances to keep a soccer ball in the air with your head or hands; "Wishi Washi", which consists of you cleaning windows; "Beat Freak", in which you catch floating CDs by beating them into a four-sided speaker sytem; "Mirror Time", in which you mimic the actions presented in a series of mirror directions; and "Ghost Eliminator", in which you play a ghostbuster in charge of exterminating ghosts simply by waving your hand over them. Additionally, each game comes with a training guide, so as to eschew confusion on how each game is played. There's also a playroom, which allows you to do things like swim under water with different colors of fish, pop bubbles, play with falling snowflakes, perform crazy actions while the computer mimics them, or see the background environment with no effect. In each of the games, it is possible to obtain a high score (as with most other old school arcade-style games). In doing so, it can take your picture by having you pose for a photo.

EyeToy: Play is also an ideal choice for a fun way to exercise. You can blow off steam in "Boxing Chump" (makes good anger management), or practice some dance moves in "Disco Stars." It offers some very pleasant music at the selection menu and in each of the games (which kinda sounds like the Agent 9 levels in Spyro 3) and combines this with a solid gameplay experience. In short, this is just one product that no self-respecting PlayStation 2 owner should be without (this is PS2 exclusive by the way). Now, if only they'd release EyeToy Play 2...

The KAB ratings -

Fun Factor: 10
Replay Value: 10
Graphics: 10
Sound: 10
Gameplay: 10

Overall Evaluation: 10 Perfect!

Reviewer: Baron

Interesting idea, but poor quality for the money.
The Eyetoy is an interesting idea in videogames... a camera that actually maps your movement onto the screen. I love the idea, and I love that the technology now exists. However...

For the amount of money involved, Sony could have invested in a higher quality camera. The image is too fuzzy to be satisfying, the unit detects light and dark spaces poorly, and adjustment is a pain. Though the camera is a fun toy, it need stweaking before I can take it seriously as a lasting accessory. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Controller    2. Rumble Packs (Paks)    3. Cables (Cable)    4. Adapters (Adapter)    5. PS2 (PSX2)    6. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    7. Playstation2 (Play station2)    8. Great Deals (Outlet store)    9. Cases    10. Storage    11. Video Games    12. Sony Playstation (Play station)    13. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)   

Features

• Bonus material from the Simpsons television show
• Animated gags and hiddden jokes for the true Simpsons fan
• For 1 to 4 players
• Hillarious mission based driving game for Simpsons fans
• Takes place in the interactive world of the Simpsons: Springfield

Reviews (129)

A Simpsons game that is actually go-diddly-od?
If you look at many a Simpsons game since the show started, they've been pretty awful. Such "classics" as Bart's Nightmare and Simpsons Skateboarding are just some of the games that are in the catalogue. So finally we have an actually good Simpsons game, if only for a few snafus.

Story: It's hard to detail the story without giving so much away but basically there's something wrong with Springfield and it involves mysterious black vans and Buzz Cola and these flying bee cameras. It only gets nuttier from there.

Graphics: It was strange looking at Bart and Homer in 3D from the Halloween episode so when everybody looks like that, it's even more strange. But it matches the show's tone with Springfield broken up into 3 sections.

Sound/Music: You get the classic theme by Danny Elfman and other pieces of music that you might've heard from the show. The voice actors reprise all their roles which gives everything a feeling of authenticity and something familiar.

Gameplay: Best way to describe it is kind of GTA-meets-Simpsons. Springfield is divided into 3 sections: first includes the Simpsons House, the Kwik-E-Mart, Springfield Elementary and the Old's Folks Home, the Trailer Court, the Rich/Poor area codes, Mr. Burns castle and the Nuclear Power Plant. 2nd area includes Krusty Burger, Moe's, the Arena, the Movie Theatre and City Hall. 3rd area includes Burns casino, Krusty Studios, Camp Krusty, the Duff Factory, and the Comic Book Store and Bowl-A-Rama.

The player controls 5 characters(Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart and Apu) and they have story based missions. Also in the level is races, hidden vehicles by doing a secret mission, collector's cards like the hidden packages from GTA and the bee cameras.

The story missions can be quite frustrating. One particular mission has you destroying close to 30 street stands then making it back to Krusty Studios within a small time limit and you barely get close to the Studios before your time runs out. The traffic doesn't help either or the rather shoddy steering. Another mission has you literally dashing from the Nuclear Power Plant to Springfield Elementary in at least a minute and it's quite a long ride.

However, like a weird addiction, you just wanna keep going no matter how angry you get.

If you are a Simpsons fan, this game is for you.
This is one of very few games I enjoy that are cartoony adventure games. This game should be fairly simple to most adults, semi-easy to teens, and maybe a bit challenging for kids. This game as i'm sure everyone could guess, is along the lines of a GTA Simpsons game. But to be kid friendly, in this game when you hijack a car, you just get in the passenger side... :'(. This game is so rad though..! Even ask Wee-Man. ( He was playing it on TV and saying how cool he though it was. ) All this praise i've been giving it...it must be perfect. Not really... It's an adventure game, so it will get old quickly. ( But you can get coins you find and go around and buy new stuff for your Simp. ) This game also has another flaw: Camera control. I havent played this game for awhile, but I think it was with Homer, and i had to collect some stuff at the Nuclear Plant. The mission involved a lot of jumping, and I got mad at the camera... ( to me, a bad angle view in a game is almost the worst thing in a game... ) But all in all, aside from the bugs and little things that are annoying.. you'll find this game to be GREAT.

Grand Theft Auto meets The Simpsons By The Z
Well, the game doesn't have guns or blood so it doesn't really make the game like Grand Theft Auto. The voiceovers and jokes make even the dullest person cry! You can get extreme cars and even better, you can enjoy the pleasure of running over an innocent pedestrian! But the only cons in the game are the insane missions. The frustration makes you explode. Some of the charctors, like Apu, Marge, Lisa, and Bart have really cool costumes [Sorry Homer..]. Although the beginning is pathetically boring, once you get to level 4, you will be laughing like a hyena! Overall, this game is hillariously cool! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adventure    2. Racing    3. Flying    4. Sony Playstation (Play station)    5. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    6. Ground race racer racing car auto automobile    7. Great Deals (Outlet store)    8. Video Games    9. PS2 (PSX2)    10. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    11. Playstation2 (Play station2)    12. Action   

Features

• Remake of two SQUARESOFT titles that laid the foundation of the FINAL FANTASY series.
• Original event scenes have been revamped and new event scenes added to intensify the emotional impact of story elements.
• Enhanced graphics breathe life and detail into all game elements, from deep dungeons and vast worlds to menacing creatures and wandering heroes.
• New opening theme songs and improved sound quality immerse the player even further into the game experience.

Reviews (63)

Final Fantasy origins warning
Overall the game is a tad boring, and it takes a long time for stuff to really happen in FF1.
...

The games that launched an empire....
It pains me. Only when all nine planets are in perfect alignment is it possible for me to hate a Square-Enix game. For the game to come from the much-loved Final Fantasy franchise, there has to be a lunar and solar eclipse at the same time. Anyone's heard the story right? Square was a struggling developer back in the eighties facing bankrupty. They made a RPG styled after Dragon Quest, Japan's top-selling RPG, which turned into a mega-hit, saving the company and launching one of the most revered videogame series ever.
It's strange that I never played Final Fantasy when it first came out on NES. I know that my family owned the cartridge, but I'd never played it. I figured that the first game would be something special. Final Fantasy to me has always been the epic stories, the memorable characters, and the solid gameplay mechanics. Those were the qualities that just enthralled me when I became hooked on Final Fantasy II (the 4th one really) for the SNES. Unfortunately, the story is barely there and the characterization is nil. You are a band of heroes that is plopped down in a medival fantasy world and given the task of restoring the four crystals which will save the world. That's it. Most of the time you are wandering about aimlessly, trying to figure out where you are supposed to go. The method of exploration is go into cave, if monsters kill you in one hit, leave cave and find another. There are some towns you can visit and be treated to wonderful dialogue like "Bless the Crystal!" only thing half the idiots in this world say.
If that weren't frustrating enough, this is a really hard game. Unfortunately, the difficulty feels like it comes from poor game design than actually being meant to challenge you. Perpare to spend tons of time leveling up. You'll be attacked often, after one or two steps sometimes, the monsters appear in droves, and your attacks will miss as much as they hit. In dungeons, there are no save points for you to save and restore your health with a tent. The healing items and magic is woefully inadequate most of the time. The magic system is also messed up. Instead of having magic points to use as you please, Magic is divided into 8 levels and you can buy 3 spells from each level. You can only use magic from each level a certain number of time. This annoying because by the time you reach level ten most of the low level spells are practically obsolete but you'll have tons of them and few higher level spells. There are also no items to revive fallen party members, so you have to leave the dungeon, track back to town, and get a priest to revive you. This is really annoying when the town doesn't have a priest and you have to go halfway around the world to find one.
I managed to play for 10 hours before I could stand no more. Final Fantasy II is a little better. You play as a group of youths fighting for a rebel resistance movement. The characters have personalities and the game actually gives you missions to accomplish. However, I didn't like the leveling system. Depending on how you fight, your stats increase and decrease accordingly. You'd think that would have the characters highly customizable? Wrong! The characters are still inclined towards certain jobs and weapon types. Maria has low HP and can't hit the broad side of a barn, so she has to be a mage. Give her a javeline instead of her bow and arrow and some animals will have gone extinct before she lands another hit. It takes forever to get the stats to increase.
The presentation of the games are pretty good. The graphics and spell effects are bright and attractive. The music is still exceptional. If you loved Final Fantasy I when it first came out and have been itching to play it again, ignore this review and buy this right away. These games have never looked better and they come will a host of unlockable extras. For everyone else looking to play the RPGs are yesteryear, get Final Fantasy Chronicles or Anthology, as Square has perfected the formula for RPGs by then.
Final Fantasy Origins is a relic of a long-ago era in gaming that has aged like Buddy Hackette. It's a definitely a historic benchmark for the industry, but for me it's only novelty is that it shows that "You've come along way, Baby!"

The origin of Square Enix
A great collection of the games that started THE greatest video game series of all time. The first chapter in the series is a great game but still not as great as the second which is a lot more story involved. I loved them both they show that they are the games that defined the roll playing genre. Loaded with special fetures, there really is no reason not to buy this collection of RPG greatness. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    4. Role Playing Games (Game, rpg, rpgs)    5. Action Fantasy    6. Action Science fiction (scifi sci fi)   

Reviews (2)

Great Product!
Bought this for my 6 year old gaming/tv freak, very sturdy construction with no worries of tipping the 27 inch tv. Currently we have a DVD/VCR combo on the second shelf and a GameCube on the bottom. The only problem we have had is the spacing slats that hold the DVD's in place don't hold them tightly enough and they sometimes fall off of the stand. Easy to put together and even easier to keep clean.

way way better than the first 2!
this video game center is way better than the first 2 video centers from step2, this one fits all my ps2 and gamecube games perfectly and neat, the other two are more old fashioned and don't fit ps2, gamcube, and dvds like this one does.this game center is real strong the other 2 are'nt. my 27 inch tv fits good and looks nice on the game center. and the other bad thing bout the other two video game centers is you can only fit 19 inch or smaller tvs on them and if your a real gamer you would want a bigger tv cause your games look alot better. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    4. Cases    5. Storage    6. Gamecube (Game Cube, Game-cube)    7. Protectors   

Editorial Review

PlayStation owners no longer need to borrow their friend's Nintendo 64 inorder to have a rollicking good old time racing virtual turbo-charged go-karts throughoutlandish environments. Crash Team Racing does an excellent job of re-creatingthat same thrill on the PlayStation.

Crash Team Racing has all the marks of the kart-racing genre, includingbig-headed characters driving diminutive go-karts, power-ups to increase speed and slowdown opponents, and thematic tracks with multiple paths for exploration. WhatCTR adds to the mix is fairness: tighter-turning cars are rewarded for precisiondriving, skillful jumping, and strategic placement of booby traps. Sure, the playing fieldis level, but the better the driver, the better chance he or she has of winning consistentlywithout any annoying "catch-up code."

The one-player game is wonderfully presented as an exploratory adventure, while themultiplayer mode is a split-screen must-play for anyone with a PlayStation (and, ofcourse, friends). Twenty-five tracks, 12 characters, and responsive control makeCTR the gotta-have racing game. --Jeff Young

Pros:

• Excellent kart control, including power slides, hops, and wheelies
• Wide tracks encourage passing
• High replayability, especially in multiplayer mode

• Characters aren't as cute as those in Mario Kart

Reviews (137)

Great Game!
A great game for all ages.My 5-year old sister likes it, my 41-year-old uncle likes it.When you race, don't concentrate on trying to get all the weapons to shoot people in front of you, just try to race and butt in front of people.Eventually, you will collect weapons and defence mechanisms.Those are in the Question Mark box.The life points are in the blank box.And always chose a good guy.The bad guys are hard to steer.The god guys are easier to steer but slower.If you can steer good, you'll win (it doesn't matter how fast you are really).I reccomend this game to everyone, especially thrill seekers and video game freaks who just want to master every game.

Fun to play
Fun to play especially if you have a young child. You'll enjoy playing this with your kids and they'll love playing it too.

COOL!
This game is asome because its a racing game and i LOVE racing games this game you can pick up to 5 places but thats not all because it just isn't.If you beat all 5 or 7 i'm not sear you can go on to MORE places. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Action and Adventure    3. Cars    4. Racing    5. CTR    6. Sony Playstation (Play station)    7. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    8. Ground race racer racing car auto automobile    9. Race racer racing kart    10. Great Deals (Outlet store)   

Editorial Review

Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex, the first PlayStation2 installment in the Crash Bandicoot series, delivers the same mix of intuitive gameplay and elaborate adventure that fans have come to expect, offering many enhancements and all-new environments and missions. Neo Cortex is back, and he means to rid himself of Crash once and for all. To energize his most diabolical creation to date, Cortex channels the power of the Elementals, a group of renegade masks with the destructive power of air, earth, water, and fire. To stop the Elementals and Cortex's new weapon, Crash or Coco (a fully playable character for the first time) will face five game hubs, 25 dynamic levels, and five unique bosses, as well as a new character that will rock the Crash world.

You can complete specific levels of the game to play as Crash's fiery sister. Coco will have a wide variety of moves and animations tailored to fit her personality. New free-roam sections will be implemented within certain levels of the game. These sections feature puzzles and hidden areas never before seen in a Crash game. New bosses and minibosses offer up a Noah's Ark-sized list of new creatures. The game also has an all-new graphics engine that brings vivid life to environments and characters like never before. ... Read more

Features

• The biggest adventure ever: 30 new action-filled levels in jam-packed environments.
• Multiple modes of vehicular mayhem: Control 8 different vehicles - from a Crash Glider to a giant robot suit.
• You go girl: For the first time, Crash's tough-as-nails sister, Coco, is fully playable.
• Positively eyeball popping: The most dazzling special effects ever seen in a Crash game.

Reviews (194)

Load Loadicoot: The Load of Loading
Crash Bandicoot on PSone was perfect. But after CTR, Naughty Naughty Dog sold Crash. Then came out a Non-Naughty Dog Crash Release: Crash Bash and it was great. But now: Konami has created a monster: Load Loadicoot. He and his loading sister Loado Loadicoot must load through lots of loading times in order to load out Dr. Loadex and his evil new loading Loadunch Loadicoot. About 30 loading times to watch. That was a description of 99.9% of this so-called GAME! 0.1% is playing as Crash and Coco while beating up Crunch and running through fun levels with excellent graphics, great SFX and music, terrific voices but slooooooooooowness...

Pros:
Crash and Coco both on hand.
30 levels.
Hard bosses.
Tons of vehicles.

Cons:
CANT... STAND... MORE... LOADING...
Crash and Coco are both slooooooooooooow...
Too hard bosses.
I mentioned the loading times are bugging?
135441368412 billion years of loading.
Loading.
More loading.
I mentiones there is lots of loading.
(un)sweet load. (Un)sweet loadiot...
Load... load... load...
Loading Times are everywhere.
Loading.
Loading.
More loading.
Loading madness.
ZZZZZZZ...loading...ZZZZZZZ...
Load that loading!!!
You want loading with that?
More loading.
Loading, anyone?
Load 'ala loading.
Loading...
Loading...
Livin la vida loading

Game part:
Graphics: 8.5
Sound: 9.5
Gameplay: 6.4
Replay Value: 9.5
Fun: 9.5
Overall: 9.5

Loading part:
Graphics: 3.5
Sound: 2.5
Longlasting: 10
Rewatch Value: 1.5
Fun: 0
Overall: -10

Final Verdict: RENT, Dont buy.

Good game, but bad loading
Crash is back, and even though not made by the original Crash Bandicoot creators, Naughty Dog, its still a pretty good game.

Graphics: 9/10
Graphics are pretty good.

Sound 7/10
Some sounds are just ripped from the original Crash games, which is cheap and junky. But, oh well.

Fun Factor: 8/10
The loading times STINK! So if your not patient, maybe you shouldn't get this game. But there is fun in this game. Trust me.

Overall: 8/10
A good game with bad loading, and feels like the original.
Some levels can get boring and you only face one boss, Crunch.
Its a good first game to get.

ANOTHER GREAT GAME OUT THE SERIES.
As all, these seem to carry on from the last! I thought the psone version was excellent and still i could just keep on completing it now and again and get it done within an hour. Now i have a ps2, i normally get the ps2 version that come out. Crash bandicoot on psone is the only game now i can buy on psone becuse it's so much fun and the graphics are amazin. I recently bought twinsanity, that is brill and if you are looking for an adventure type, thats definitely your game. That isn't through doors like the others, its on an island in the open so its changed on the last one. After enjoying each and every one of the crash bandicoot games, there was defintely a reason for buying this because i am a huge fan of these games. I heard so many good reviews aswell on this game so i got so dying to buy it. Still through doors, not in the open but brill graphics, and great levels. Although the games have not improved as they go along, all are worth buying as you get hours of fun out of these. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    4. PS2 (PSX2)    5. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    6. Playstation2 (Play station2)    7. Action    8. Adventure    9. Great Deals (Outlet store)   

Features

• For Xbox™, PlayStation® 2, PS and other game discs
• Radial resurfacing action removes or reduces the severity of harmful abrasions, scratches and other surface imperfections
• Patented radial polishing process
• Restores discs to optimum performance
• Includes drying cloth, felt buffing square and resurfacing liquid

Reviews (68)

A gamer's must
I used the non-electronic Game-dr. for a year and had to buy the electronic one. If your a gamer and want to resurface your old scatched cds I highly recommend it. Most of the pople who gave this bad reviews probably resurfaced it too much or didnt buy a new resurfacing disk. All my games and Cds that didnt work work excellent now.

The Real Deal
I did a lot of research on this product before deciding to purchase it, but with all the negative reviews posted i was real hesitant.I finally decided to throw caution to the wind and buy it.I needed something to repair my X-Box games that were deeply scratched and would not even boot up.After getting the game doctor i choose a game that i did not cared about loseing.I followed the directions to the letter and put my game in the system and turned it on, and just like magic it booted flawlessly!!I would recomend this product to any one with the same delema.

Lame Doctor This Sucks
I agree with all the other bad reviews. Spent the money on the doctor and it made 2 discs worse. Followed instructions to the letter. I'm gonna sue for malpractice!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    4. Controller    5. Rumble Packs (Paks)    6. Cables (Cable)    7. Adapters (Adapter)    8. Sega Dreamcast    9. PS2 (PSX2)    10. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    11. Playstation2 (Play station2)    12. Great Deals (Outlet store)    13. Cases    14. Storage    15. Gamecube (Game Cube, Game-cube)    16. Protectors    17. Xbox (x box)    18. Microsoft   

Features

• Beginning learning skills for toddlers in Winnie the Pooh Preschool
• Full of all your favorite Disney characters
• For 1 player
• Kids experiment with food and fun kitchen gadgets in My Disney Kitchen
• 6 unique learning activities in Winnie the Pooh Kindergarten

Reviews (1)

Great for Kids!!!!!
This bundle is great. I bought a PS ONE for my 6 year old god daughter and got her this bundle. She loved the games. Especially Mickey's kitchen game. She loves creating food and it is very simple to follow. Her cousin was playing "Need for speed" and a couple of minutes later was hooked cooking cakes. The Animation is very cute and there is a lot of interactivity. The other two games are from Winnie the Pooh. Though very educational they are very fun as well. Disney has made a great product. My only suggestion would be that the third game should have been from another character. Great for young KIDS! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)   

Editorial Review

The history of video games is littered with translations of films--mostof them bad. This game, while decidedly based on the feature film'svisualization of the Harry Potter story, is actually very good in its own rightdespite being too easy for most experienced gamers. It's a fun, colorfulexperience even for the few of us on the planet who have neither read the book nor watched the movie.

Electronic Arts thankfully bestowed a lot of production value on this releaserather than trying to cash in on a quick buck. Aside from the occasional pop-upproblem that makes walls vanish quite unmagically, the graphics are beautifuland fun. Chocolate frogs (an appropriate health power-up) and other elements andcharacters from the book and film are wonderfully animated. The sound effectsand, particularly, the voice acting are top-drawer, which helps suck the playerinto the Potter experience. Also, the gameplay is nicely varied throughout.Players go from learning a new spell in class to retrieving fire seeds forHagrid to participating in magic fights against the Slytherin bully Draco Malfoyto riding the broom--which is especially fun. There's even a Quidditch levelearly on, but there's little to do and it's over very quickly.

On the downside, the game suffers from some really odd controls. Like manyadventure games, jumping is really important, as many levels require you toclear obstacles or reach out-of-the-way items. But, unlike in nearly every othergame in the genre, there's no jump button. Instead, players automatically jumpfrom the edge of a platform from either a full stop or while running. It takes alot of getting used to; if you're not at full run or full stop, it's easy tojust walk right off the edge and fall. And, like too many other games, you canonly save your progress at predetermined locations.

Another fault of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is its lack ofchallenge for experienced gamers. It's nice that the developers are trying tomake it accessible to the entire cross-section of PlayStation-owning HarryPotter fans, but without varying levels of difficulty, it's less of a game thana tour through Potter's magical world. Still, it is an interesting world, andeven though it's easy, the action is still varied enough to be fun. --PorterB. Hall

Pros:

• Good use of characters and plot elements from the story
• Varied gameplay
• Great production value
• Broom riding is really fun

• Very little challenge
• Odd control scheme
• Lethargic camera movement makes it sometimes hard to see what you're doing

Reviews (125)

HP1
This game gets boring if you play it for a while. The further that you get, the more repetitve and boring it becomes. Graphics stink, but what can you expect from a PS1 game?

Great For All Ages
Ok, I'll cut to the chase. I've never read any of the Harry Potter books but love playing these games. They stick pretty close to the storyline (from what I've seen in the movies,) and although not incredibly difficult, are extremely fun to play. I'm a teenager, yet still enjoy casting spells and collecting the chocolate frogs. The game has good gameplay and dialogue with plenty of variety. Still, it has a few downfalls: 1) Jumping and doing special maneuvers can be difficult with the controls. 2) Save Points: You kind of have to play for a while to be able to save. This can be frustrating if you're really far and die or really have to turn off the game but haven't gotten a chance to save. *Otherwise the game is awesome. I highly recommend all 2, soon to be 3 games in the series.

ernie
this game is terribly illmanered it passes gas i love this game ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    4. Action Fantasy    5. Adventure    6. Great Deals (Outlet store)   

Editorial Review

Three years ago, gamers were introduced to Aya as she resigned from theNew York Police Department and enlisted as a NMC (neo-mitochondrion creature)hunter for the shadowy government organization M.I.S.T., a secret agency ofmonster slayers somewhere between Ghostbusters and Men in Black.Wherever there was a neo-mitochondrion outbreak, Aya and her team were on thescene to put the boots to the mutants. From the outset, it's evident thatSquareSoft revamped the entire game to give gamers a better looking, sounding,and (most importantly) playing experience.

The game starts with Aya training in the agency's shooting gallery in LosAngeles. Just as she begins to get in a groove, she is asked to look into somestrange happenings at the Akropolis Tower. When she arrives on the scene, anexplosive, full-motion video flashes across the screen and showcases the deathand carnage as Aya surveys the scene. Her entry into the Tower is where this RPGbegins.

SquareSoft has kept some of the excellent elements of the weapons systems fromthe first Parasite Eve title, but went for an entirely new battle system.Combat is delivered in real time and allows players to run, hide, and open fire.Aya can tap into her parasitic powers and can unleash elemental, magic-basedattacks on the many foes she encounters. Ammunition is plentiful in the game andthere are plenty of entertaining weapons to choose from. Auto targeting andinvolving puzzles are back, though the arrow-pointing interface for solvingthese puzzles is really hard to operate.

The cinematic mix of story and action is very well done, and the numerouscutscenes do an excellent job of moving the pace along in a believable way.

Even though the original Parasite Eve had its problems, SquareSoft haspieced together an excellent sequel that will satisfy fans of the first game andhelp create many new ones. --Todd Mowatt

Pros:

• New, real-time battle system is an improvement over first ParasiteEve
• Great weapons and plentiful ammunition
• Great mix of story and action

• Clunky interface for solving puzzles

Reviews (62)

I cant believe how much fun i had
I had so much fun with this game. I have not played the first but i hear many good things, the game play is fun, u know u are in a battle b/c ur controller and the screen shake and invert to black and white. The monsters are various and very different, then any Resident Evil game, it is almost like Resident Evil yet itn't i never really got into RE until i played this game now i have RE Zero and some for PSone. If u dont like a kind of game that has some of the sickest guns u will ever see, then u are in need of mental help, the bosses are different. Some of the bosses i could not beat until i decided to try a different way that i would have never done before b/c usually it would be suicide. So u have to think outside the box for the bosses in this game. They are not just hit hit hit and hit some more. like the final bosses u can die no matter how high ur health is u will still die from one hit of it's "core" beam. so to find out what is so great go out and buy it b/c it is inexpensive.

A bad sequel
I am not what one might call an overly hyped video game player. I dont go out and buy the next installment of FF (after VIII, it really got bad imo), I enjoyed .hack and its storyline though (but I felt that the series could have been brought together into one large game like with FFVII). Then there is the PE video game, I loved the first one, had some trouble, but over all it was a great game. I knew there was a part 2, so I found a copy and started playing it. Boy...was I disappointed.

First, the game play is terrible, the movement is haphazard, the angles are horrific, and its down right troublesome (unlike the first one). I loathed the movement, there was none of the smoothness of the first one.

Second, I hated the leveling, what leveling there is. You dont go up in your hit points, you barely go up in MPs and parasite powers, and even worse, when you go to a next scene (from one point to the next in the story) you go back down to your 100 hit points.

Third, which is related to the angles, the combat is atrocious. There is nothing quick and exciting, in fact its down right stressful because (since you rarely have a chance to get items for health unless you spend "money" between the scenes at home base) you end up dying again and again until low and behold you get through with maybe 1 hit point left and then WHAM you are hit by another attack and you have to do the whole stupid thing over again. Even worse, the camera angles are so bad you rarely if ever see the enemies and just shoot blindly.

Fourth, connected to three, the weapons are horrible to use. You end up getting killed repeatedly because you have to jerkingly reload so many times that when you are facing multiple opponents (unlike the smoothness of the original first story) and youre going to get killed unless you spend hours dealing with one combat situation.

Fifth, items, with the original first game, you got lots and lots of items. With this game, you are in luck if after three or four attacks (bringing you down to 1 hit point) you finally strike it and get a recovery2 pill that brings you back up to original hit points but then again those hit points are taken down again by the end of the next combat round.

While the story line might be interesting, it fails in comparison to the first one and by all means, the poorness of this game in the controlling just makes you so fed up that you dont care how this story ends. Its a bad, bad game that could have been a great sequel if only the company had followed the original game's beauty. Dont buy this game unless you have lots of headache medicine.

I can't believe it, but I actually hate this game.

Squaresoft scores with a flashy new sequel
Okay, a disease that quickly infects people and animals rips flesh, opens sores and disease quickly erodes all resemblance to what they once were and transforms them into rabid beasts. Don't you just hate it when that happens.

While completely unbelievable, I find myself quickly immersed with Parasite Eve II. An attractive woman called Aya Brea with a hardened background in New York crime fighting is back again fighting 'NMCs', neo-mitochondria, basically the disease mentioned above.

I'm impressed with the realistic graphics and the all-too chilling cutscenes and rampant beasts; some are laudable, some disgusting, some chilling. Parasite Eve II now has an even darker glow to it, but loses it's RPG edge in place of Action/Adventure.

I really love how anyone can sit down and play this without ever hearing of the first game, its a solid game with a good storyline. I can always play this game again and with more than one possible ending and multiple difficulties there is little chance I'll be bored.

I give this four stars, mainly because I think the lines could have been snappier, the people sometime off-character and there are quite a few angles later in the game that are very annoying to manuever around. Otherwise this a great game that is worth the nine bucks they sell it for. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    4. Role Playing Games (Game, rpg, rpgs)    5. Action Horror   

Editorial Review

Spyro is a cute purple dragon in a bit of a pickle. Each of Spyro's dragon friends has fallen victim to the nefarious Gnasty Gnorc, who has turned them into crystals. Accompanied by Sparx the dragonfly, Spyro sets out to free his buddies, while collecting gems and dragon eggs. Sparx also serves as Spyro's health-o-meter, glowing gold when Spyro is healthy and turning dusky green as he tires. To boost his energy, Spryo can blast docile creatures with fire, turning them into butterflies, which Sparx transforms into much-needed fuel.

This title has bright graphics in six well-developed worlds, each with several subworlds, including bogs, deserts, and ice worlds. Unlike some action games, in Spyro the Dragon the enemies are more fun than frightening. In the Peace Keepers world, for example, Spyro must burn down the monster soldiers' tent, sending one of the minions running out, quaking with fear or, if you're lucky, dropping his drawers and shooting a moon.

Spyro's movements (fire breathing, gliding, jumping, and climbing) require entry-level gaming skills. For this reason, Spyro the Dragon is an excellent title for youngsters or less experienced players, who want to play without having to master complex movement combinations. --Kasty Thomas

Pros:

• Large worlds provide hours of game playing
• Variety of scenarios
• Engaging graphics

• Low game skill requirements may prove less challenging for expert players

Reviews (128)

i played it with kasty thomas in arizona and had a ball.
it is easily contrloed and i am inexperienced ,lol.but i played it and thought it was funny.i miss kasty too.

This game rocks!!!
spyro is a cool little dragon off to defeat nasty nork and save the dragon relms while reclaiming the gems nork stole on the way. Explore the different worlds and defeat bosses which range from a giant robot to a sheep on stilts!

Great Game!
This game is really good, but not the best of all my games.The best is Spyro, Year of the Dragon. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Exploration    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    4. Action Fantasy    5. Video Games    6. Action and Adventure   

Editorial Review

The feisty little adolescent dragon is back in a sequel that is far superior to theoriginal. Both Spyro fans and those who didn't play the first game will revel in theexploratory greatness that is Spyro: Ripto's Rage. Gone are the impossible tasks,unbeatable enemies, and fragmented game flow. This game sports superior controls, morecolorful and faster graphics, a tighter story, achievable goals, and plenty of gameplayvariety.

Don't be fooled by Spyro's cuteness--this isn't a kid's-only game. With multiple goalsand side quests, a fantastic soundtrack by ex-Police band member Stewart Copeland, anda veneer of understated humor, Spyro: Ripto's Rage is highly addictive. Theplayfulness of the main character comes through in the exploration of the otherworldlylevels using the new moves, including super high jumps, rapid underwater swimming,and extended flight and hovering maneuvers.

Determined explorers are always rewarded--sometimes with an ice hockey match or othersub-game, sometimes with riches enough to learn a new move or uncover a new area.Simply put, Spyro: Ripto's Rageis one of the best action/adventure games for thesystem. Despite the fact that this game is a sequel, it manages to bring a fresh new lookand feel to PlayStation gaming. --Jeff Young

Pros:

• Massive, fun levels are completely navigable
• Cute and quirky sense of humor will appeal to all ages
• Responsive controls are an extension of Spyro's upbeat and exacting personality

• Camera angles can be problematic, but are completely adjustable

Reviews (137)

SPYRO ROCKS!
I have all the Spyro PS1 games and they rock! The best PS1 games you can buy.
I have Gateway To Glimmer instead of Ripto's Rage though, but they are exactly the same but with diff names and covers.
All the worlds rock, and it's nice to see more friends to help Spyro on his way to beat Ripto- and when you finally beat him, the game still isn't over! How cool? There are many skill points to earn,a amazing new level- the cool Dragon Shores, and a permanent fireball!!
If you have a PS1, you have to play this game!

Spyro!
Spyro fun aholoic sweet game!!! Very fun but not hard, it can be very very easy but it is alot of tottaly wicked fun!

Great, but not Insomniac's Best
I was a little bit disappointed with this Spyro.Don't get me wrong, it's an awesome game, but Insomniac could've put a little more effort into it.With only three worlds and about twenty-one levels, this game may only be for true Spyro fans, but, I strongly encourage you to buy this game. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Action and Adventure    3. Exploration    4. Fantasy    5. Sony Playstation (Play station)    6. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    7. Action Fantasy    8. Great Deals (Outlet store)   

Editorial Review

Spyro is back for his third PlayStation adventure. Jump down the rabbithole to recover all the eggs stolen from Dragon World by the evil sorceressand her henchmen. The cartoonish look, the goofy sounds, and thescavenger-hunt gameplay will be familiar to anyone who has adventured withSpyro before. New to the series is the ability to play as Sheila, thekangaroo; Sergeant Byrd, the flying penguin; Bentley, the Yeti; and Agent 9,the space monkey. In Year of the Dragon, Spyro still has all of hissignature moves--as well as the special moves he learned in Spyro theDragon 2--and can control such vehicles as tanks, submarines, andspeedboats. There are over 30 levels in which to recover 150 eggs andseveral minigames that complement the standard gameplay, includingboxing and skateboarding. ... Read more

Reviews (137)

Gr8!
I playd this game at a friends house and it is brill. Try it for yourself!

awesome!
spyro is sooooooooooooooo cool anyone anywhere should get it.i play it everyday and my brothers are obsessed with it.its all they ever talk about.

Go Spyro
My son and I have beaten both Spyro 1 & 2 and got 3 this Christmas. We love it. Spyro can do more things and the "areas" are great. We haven't tried Spyro 4 yet and after reading many reviews I am tempted to not try it at all. This game was worth waiting for the price to drop. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    4. Action Fantasy    5. Great Deals (Outlet store)   

Features

• Hidden characters
• Multiple game modes
• For 1 or 2 players
• Battle Capcom characters and Street Fighters
• Choose from 28 characters

Reviews (20)

Amazing job Capcom and SNK!
This game is really good.Even though the DC really didn't do so well, this game really makes you wonder why.The game has the classic 2D look, with amazing special effects, and the gameplay is really cool.You can choose whether to use the SNK system (which is like a DBZ way of fighting, as you can gather power for your Special Combo), or you can use Capcom (which I really recommend using, since you have control over how strong your SC is).Also, you can unlock many different versions of characters, even Evil Ryu!The only problem is that the DC controller will destroy your thumb with all the thumb-sliding you have to do for the special attacks.But anyway, pick this game up if you wanna have a good ol' time with your buddies for hours.

Get Fatal Fury or Project Justice instead
You can not do any 10 hit airial combos because the screen does not pan up when you hit your opponent into the air.

The graphics are very bad. It look like a SNES game. Don't wate your money on this, you will be disoppointed as I was. I expected much better from a game with SNK and street-fighter characters.

Capcom's VS. Series continues to DOMINATE!
After four vs. games with Marvel, Capcom continues on with this legacy with SNK.This game is cool since you get to play with fighters from the KOF (King of Fighters) Series and the Street Fighter Series.There are also included two hidden bonus characters, one from Samurai Showdown and the other from Night Warriors.The stage entraces are another unique feature that makes this game really cool.I would recommend this game to anyone who likes to play fighting platform games or likes Capcom or SNK games. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    4. Sega Dreamcast    5. Fighting    6. Great Deals (Outlet store)   

Reviews (5)

Not bad for PS1
For what it is, a PS1 game it's about as good as it gets on the ageing system. Player models are blocky but the game play is fluid and smooth.

The batting / Pitching interface is incredible. Very pinpoit.

Only gripe I had was pitching. It is really easy to strike batters out ( I mean ridiculously easy ) and starters can go 12 inning before they start to lose something off their pitches.

Other than that, if you keep in mind this is a playstation one game, it should deliver the baseball fix you need if you're still using your original playstation with the LCD screen like I am.

>:(
Rosters aren't that great, and it is impossible to hit homeruns with guys that normally hit around 10-15 in real life.It's completely bogus, go for mvp baseball.Barry Bonds is also not in mine, and A-rod is still a Ranger.

The Reason
That Barry Bonds is not in is because he is no longer liscensing his likeness through MLBPA.Sort of like Michael Jordan did and Lavar Arrington of the redskins is doing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    4. Sports Baseball    5. Sports Basketball    6. Great Deals (Outlet store)   

Features

• Goal-oriented, learning-through-fun play
• Designed especially for preschoolers
• For 1 player
• Elmo and his Sesame Street pals take preschoolers on a 3-D learning adventure
• Kids learn about letters and numbers

Reviews (3)

Not For 2 year olds
When I bought the Elmo games (4 yrs ago) for my 1st son when he was 2 year old, I thought he'd love it Since he was always asking to play my games and knew who Elmo was. I sat down with him in my lap and try to help him move Elmo around (which was hard for him) and within minutes he'd got bored and walk away & I thought it was how the game worked as to why he'd lose interest in it. Now that he is older and I have 3 sons (ages 6yr, 3yr & 2 yrs old) I realize it's not the game but the *****AGE*****.

2 yr old attention spans is short, even when their absolutely favorite character is on the tv. When my son turn 4 years old I pulled the Elmo games back out and he master the controls with in minutes(with zero help from me) and would play the game for hours!!! When he started preschool the teacher told me what a wonderful job I did teacher him his ABC & numbers. I told her I never did flash card with him, he learn it all from his Elmo games. Now that he is 6 yr old and in 1st grade he doesn't play Elmo anymore but from learning how to work the controls he can play madden 2005 football.

And now my 3 1/2 yr old plays the Elmo games and he too can play them all on his OWN (with zero help form me I don't have to sit there and be bored by the game) and he plays it for hours and because of the game he now can recognize & say all his letters of the alphabet at the age of 3!!!! Most children can't accomplish their ABC till age 4 or 5.

My 2 yr will sit & watch his 3 year old brother play Elmo and if I give my 2 yr old the controls he needs help often with moving Elmo and pushing the right buttons and gives up on the game within minutes. This really is not a game for 2 yr old even some 3 yrs olds, you need good hand & eye coordination and understand of Letter & number. To a 2 yr old what is so fun about finding the number 4 when he has no idea what a 4 is!!! I definitely recommend this game for 4 yrs old it will start them out on the right path for preschool.

DON'T BOTHER TO BUY!!!
If you are expecting a fun Elmo game for your child, THINK AGAIN! This is the MOST boring game in the history of PS games! Well, that's what I think at least. Let me give you a lineup of reasons why not to buy this game. 1. It has the SLLOOOOOOOOWEST character (Elmo) who goes so slow you'd think his legs were made of rubber! You'll fall asleep before he takes 3 steps! 2. The game character(s) ask your child sometimes to press this button, or that button, or press restart on the Ps1. You'll have to help your child about 1,000 times to get to the second (bonus perhaps) level(s) after the first level. The only reason I even rate this one star is because most young children adore Elmo and his friends on Sesame street, the second levels in numbers I have to admit is sort of cool, the space exploring level in letters is sorta cool, and it helps kids in Pre-K to Kindergarden or in their speech. 3. Elmo talks on, and on, and on, and on, until you do what he asks you to press or do. Leave the game on an hour and don't mess with it, and Elmo will still be talking! It bores you till you want to get an exterminator, give him an axe, jump into a coffin and let him obliterate you! Take my advice or if you can put up a risk to keep the terrible game, you do it. I'm warning you though. Every time your child wants to play it, you will be TORTURED the whole time!

Possibly THE single most boring 'game' - EVER!
Please read all of the reviews for each of the two 'games'. When I say 'games', what I really mean is 'excercises in boredom'...

My daughter is 2 and a half, and purely out of her love of Elmo she requests these games every so often. Within about 3 to 5 minutes she is bored silly, and we're packing them away again.

The gameplay is just soooo painfully slow, and there is no way to speed through the 'game interludes' (read 'excruciating delays').

Movement is restricted to forward, back, and sidestep - basically, you just push the controller forward the whole time and Elmo automatically follows the path - in his own sweet time. I admit that the controls are nice and easy for a youngster, but the speed of response (or lack of it) is the killer here.

Beyond recognizing letters/numbers, there is no real challenge or 'point' to the game. My daughter can count in both English and Spanish, and already knows her alphabet. She can even spell her name! She needs more of a challenge than this! And the reward for completing each level (if you can stay awake long enough to get that far) is a 'bonus game' that puts the final nail in the coffin!

And there's more variety in a small box of chocolates! It is sooo repetitive... It is sooo repetitive... It is sooo repetitive... It is sooo repetitive... Enough already! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)   

Reviews (1)

I like this game alot
I bought this game from a store, and I REALLY LIKE IT...My children adore it and it is really life like.The sounds are just like you are in a casino.When my ex calls on my cell phone...and I happen to be playing the game...I turn up the voume on the TV and tell him I am on the boat...Good game ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    4. Strategy (Strategic)   

Features

• Play With The Best: More than 500 official licenses, including 18 leagues, 500 teams and 10,000 players are available.
• In-game Management: Prove your tactical genius on the fly, by making adjustments mid-game and calling plays in real time via D-pad.
• For 1 to 4 players
• Groundbreaking Gameplay: FIFA 2004 offers a fine-tuned game engine, and new animations dramatically enhance the smoothness in player movement through organic motion
• Off the Ball Control: Take command of players not in possession of the ball. Call in tackles, jostle for space, lose your marker, and send players on runs at the touch of a button

Reviews (2)

???????????
How can you still have a ps1 or buy a ps1 game! Buy a gamecube for $100, man how can you live with just a ps1. I have every new system and all that costed me was about $720.

STUPID AND USE LESS GAME!
Buying this game for the PlayStation-1 was a complete waste of money. There was no career mode in this version plus no OFF THE BALL CONTROL! The graphics were pathetic, there were no new internationl teams or no new leagues or division. It looked like FIFA 98 for The PC. I strongly advise You that you do not buy or rent this game as you will be throwing away your money. The only reason why I have given it one star is because the PC version is quite good. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    4. Sports Soccer