Editorial Review

Even electronic toys have gone extreme. Kids love the original Bop It, an electronic toy that challenges response time to pull, twist, and bop different parts of the toy. The Extreme 2 version adds two more tasks, more sounds, and a taunting, smart-aleck announcer who directs the game. As you get better, the game moves faster until you miss a beat and lose, accompanied by a fair amount of noise and ridicule from the toy. People who don't think they'd ever want to play Bop It Extreme 2 won't be able to put it down; it instills a compulsive need to bop till you drop. It can be played in a group and makes a good party game--even for serious adults. --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Addictive
This is a fantastic game! It is a fast and furious challenge of reaction times & can be played alone, with a partner or in a group.Great for bored kids (or adults)!

Wish I could play to a higher score!
This game is very fun. It helps to to clear my mind. The down side is that it stops at 250. I've reached 250 a few times wanted to see if it was just a mistake but nope it only goes to 250. Other than that great for the younger kids helps with listening and motor skills. As far as us adults who play, the game needs to go higher than 250. Overall good fun.

This game is for Christmas - not for Life
Hours of addictive fun for all the family.Best used with some headphones if gran keeps nagging you to eat more cakes at a family gathering; which can be off putting to say the least!
I have stated that "This game is for Christmas -not for life" because it only you allows you to get up to 250ish and then it stops - Challenge over - motivation to play it GONE!
However practising to get up to 250 is great fun.Recommended.
... Read more

Subjects:  1. Music    2. Games    3. Handheld    4. Electronic   

Editorial Review

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

Reviews (31)

Rather limited in scope, but can be fun.
The game works well and has never malfunctioned, so physically it is very good. However, the letters in racks given are unrealistically skewed towards high-scoring letters like Q and X. Vowels are fewer than real games. The board is very small so naturally the probability of high scoring plays is small, but any good player could do well despite the size of board. I would not recommend this for adults who are advanced players as this device may be too limited in options to satisfy skilled players. However, very good for amateurs and occasional players, and has the added bonus of having a built-in dictionary so that one can be sure that all words employed are real words.

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

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

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Electronic    3. Handheld    4. Brain Games    5. Trivia   

Editorial Review

Even if you've been living on Mars since the 1970s, you've probably heard of Rubik's Cube, the bestselling puzzle in history. Just in case, though, here's a recap: it's a 3-by-3-by-3-inch cube with rotating faces made up of nine squares that can be scrambled into (so it's said) 43 quintillion combinations. Getting the cube back to its original position (so that all nine squares of the same color make up each face) is incredibly challenging for most, though it can be mastered and solved. For those not gifted with superhuman spatial intuition, this mindbender comes with a solution hints booklet, which examines the cube's properties and offers clues for solving the puzzle. Whether it's a difficult toy or retro '80s kitsch you're seeking, Rubik's Cube is for you. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Totally Awesome!
The rubik's cube is so much fun!at first, i couldn't solve it at all, though i could get the first side.i used the hints and strategies until i memorized them, and now i can solve the cube in little over 5 minutes!it drives my friends insane because none of them can do it ^o^.
I really suggest that you buy this puzzle, as it can keep you entertained no matter how many times you solve it.also, DO NOT peel off the stickers to fix it!!!!!this kid in my class did it to my first cube, and then it was impossible to solve.and it looked really bad, so i tossed it.it's ok to switch the stickers if you do it for the ENTIRE cube, so it's fixed, but it takes a long time, and it's obvious that you cheated.

P.S.buy a cube with instructions if you need them!

A Blast from the Past!
I purchased this toy for my daughter for Christmas.She however did not like it.But I did!It took me back to when I was in school and the Rubik's Cube was most played puzzle game.

It's definitely a game that teaches patience, logical and critical thinking skills to try to solve the puzzle of putting the game back together.

Frustration, Cubed
Ah---at long last, we have the Rubik's Cube in our hot little hands: a scaled representation of the original Lament Configuration, engineered by the mad 18th century French toymaker Phillipe Le Merchant for a jaded aristocrat bored by power and opulence and fever-drunk on the writings of the Marquis de Sade. What to do? You merely arrange the sides of the Cube in such a fashion as to unlock the Configuration, consequently tearing open a planar gateway to Hell, at which point the Cenobites, inter-dimensional space-faring demons with an insatiable appetite for the most sordid types of carnage and torture...

Wait. Ummm....sorry, wrong Cube.

At LONG LAST we have the Rubik's Cube in our hot little hands. Developed by more than 100 of America's most prestigious R&D powerhouses, administered by super-secret counterintelligence officers helmed by top Pentagon officials, built in strictest confidence and only under the most scrupulously Top Secret clearance, the very budgetary procedures for its creation concealed from the most senior personnel at Foggy Bottom and even the White House, The Cube is designed for instruction, interrogation, torture, and execution. Introduce the specimen into a series of interlocking Cubical rooms within the construct, each 20 feet on a side with a total displacement of 400 square feet, each face of every sub-cube featuring a hatchway permitting egress into another identical cube. A pre-selected random number of the sub-cubes feature cunning death traps, ranging from acid-blowguns to area-effect mesh-wire guillotines, providing hours of amusement and poltical re-education for those unlucky enough to...

Oh. Ummm---sorry, still the wrong cube.

What we have here, folks, to our eternal despair, is the RUBIK's CUBE, clearly a device introduce in the eighties from the Soviet-dominated Warsaw Pact with the express intent of destroying America and her Allies in the decades-long fight against Communism. How many hours did this fiendish Engine of Death wrest from my young life in the eighties, taunting me, teasing me, shaming me for my inability to restore the colors---Yellow, Green, Red, Blue, White, and Orange---to their original sides, all in unity, unanimity, Soviet conformity. Three rows and three columns per side: 54 cubes of filth, of ignominy, of humilation. 54 cubic means by which to reduce us to Soviet satrapy!

The Rubik's Cube is 1984, writ small: it is totalitarian Communism.

All those smirking kids you knew in high school who could solve this infernal engine of destruction in a minute? Soviet KGB plants! Each had been mailed a detailed instruction booklet (in Russian, English, and Esperanto) on how to solve the vile thing weeks, if not months before it was unveiled to a slumbering West.

Be warned: the Rubik's Cube is highly addictive and ultimately serves as a soggy, uber-spiked Cat-O-Nine-Tails on your ego and self-esteem. It was made with the express intention of destroying the West and bringing down global capitalism by humiliating the West's greatest minds. My final point: this infernal engine of destruction was developed in Hungary by a mathematics/spacialist genius who never realized one dollar of profit from his insanely popular creation.

I rest my case. You were warned.

JSG ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Brain Games    3. Brain Teasers   

Editorial Review

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

Reviews (72)

great fun!
This game is an easy version of the original classic, but with no dice to lose!I find the sound a little annoying, but you can just turn it off.
It's also a great way to get your kids doing math, it's helped my 5 year old develop amazing mental arithmetic skills, including times tables (well as long as there are 5 or less numbers involved!).
A great buy.

Yahtzee rocks!
My friends and I love this game at school.My usually boring Algebra class is made enjoyable by this addicting game.If you get Yahtzee, you will instantly become popular; everyone will want to play it.I've had this game for years and can't remember even having to change the batteries.A must-have.

PS-If you think getting a high score is hard...try getting the lowest possible score.

The Gift That Keeps on Giving!
I bought it because my roommate had one in our bathroom.I became addicted to using it while answering the call of nature.I have been playing it for over two years now, and have not lost ineterest in the least.Hell, I even sit down to pee now (while at home) so I can squeeze in a quick game!The number of hours of entertainment compared to the amount spent make this thing the bargain of a lifetime!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Electronic    3. Handheld   

Editorial Review

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

Reviews (10)

Huge Fun
The handheld version of Connect Four has only one fault:It records losses...
Really, that is the only fault in my eyes.
I love playing with my handheld connect four.I love the game connect four, plus i love versing the computer.I also love how you can decide how hard you want it.
It has sort of an educational value because it teaches you strategy and even a little bit, patience.
I have yet to break my Connect Four.
Overall, I rate it five stars and say:
GO GET IT!

A technical perspective
I know this is mostly going to be purchased as a toy to keep the kids occupied, and as far as that goes I'd recommend it. Connect Four is a good introduction to strategy games, the rules are very simple but the strategy is surprisingly complex.
But the programmers who created this handheld version could have done a lot better. In the world of game theory, Connect Four is known as a "solved game". If both sides play perfectly, it turns out that the first player will always win. This means that there are computer programs out there that (if given the first move) will win regardless of what their opponent does. Granted, playing one of these programs isn't any fun, but that's the gold standard. My point is that even this handheld version of Connect Four should be capable of playing very, very well. But I've played it a few times on its highest level, and it's not even a challenge for me. I beat it every time, whether I move first or second makes no difference. And I *don't* play a perfect game, that's for sure. I'm not saying there shouldn't be beginner levels, but the product would be much better if it was capable of putting up a serious challenge on the higher levels. It might be a good present for a niece or nephew though.

Better Than The Original Version . . .
. . . you don't have to remove all the disks to start over & you don't need an opponent, you can play against the game.This is a perfectly designed handheld game.Definitely worth purchasing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Electronic    3. Handheld   

Editorial Review

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

Reviews (9)

Great Game
I am in general one that loves the game Hangman.This electronic, handheld version made that much easier for me for several reasons.First of all, if you don't have anyone else to play with (for instance, your family doesn't like hangman as much as you do, like me), then you are all set, because you can play this all by yourself.I also like the fact that there are several categories, and THEN you can choose how long you want the word to be.
I like this game because of my love for Hangman/words.
I really don't have a strong feeling about its educational value, however it does teach some things.
I have so far not broken mine, and I've had it for a while now.
Overall, I think this version of Hangman is an absolute Must Have.

great for car trips!
The excitement of a handheld for the kids, the wholesomeness I look for.

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

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Electronic    3. Handheld    4. Trivia   

Editorial Review

Even electronic toys have gone extreme. Kids love the original Bop It, an electronic toy that challenges response time to pull, twist, and bop different parts of the toy. The extreme version adds two more tasks, more sounds, and a taunting, smart-aleck announcer who directs the game. As you get better, the game moves faster until you miss a beat and lose, accompanied by a fair amount of noise and ridicule from the toy. People who don't think they'd ever want to play Bop It Extreme won't be able to put it down; it instills a compulsive need to bop till you drop. It can be played in a group and makes a good party game--even for serious adults. --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (196)

Too much, and makes you lose track of time!
I absolutely LOVE and RECOMMEND this toy for all children and adults. Not only do you get to test your hand/eye coordination and listening skills, but you can have a blast while doing it and challenge your friends and family. My only issue with the BOP-IT EXTREME is the volume, it's not something you can play in quiet/ without disturbing others, I had to solve the SHHHHHHHH BE QUIET issue by putting some duct tape over the speaker to muffle the nosed down a little bit, there is NO volume controls. but overall it's a very fun and unique gift to give and toy, and it makes for a great drinking or party game for adults!!!

Special needs Bop-It Genius
My second son has cerebral palsy and struggles with lots of skills. However, much to my surprise he excels at this crazy little game! I am a physically able bodied woman approaching 40 and my high score so far is 17. That's on a GOOD day. My son just hit his personal best score of 130. Imagine his dismay when I looked it up online and informed him that the top score possible was 250. He doesn't know what he will do after 250. Now, if only someone creative could formulate a way to MARKET this skill. ;+) If we didn't already have Bop-It Extreme I would much prefer the second edition because of the volume control and/or headphones. However, I do like the fact that we have to master some patterning and math skills to figure out the highscore from the sound beats. Happy bopping.

Bop it Extreme II is the best!!
Bop it Extreme II is a really fun game. I first played it at my friend's house. We played it for hours and held exciting competitions. It is probably one of the best electronic games that I have ever played! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Handheld    3. Electronic    4. Memory    5. Wacky   

Editorial Review

We're groovin', we're movin', we're boppin'! This hilarious game requires speedy reflexes and a rhythm section in the brain!Musical and spoken commands instruct players to "Twist it! Pull it!Bop it! Pass it!" Electronic impulses move the random play faster and faster; players have to keep up or risk the disappointment-filled recorded scream: "Aoowww!" Played alone or with a group, Bop It keeps score and keeps the beat. All the players have to do is keep on bopping, pulling, and twisting the button, knob, and ratchet! Cymbals crashing, bass drum booming, whistles shrieking ... who can resist?The 15-inch turquoise, black, purple, and yellow toy requires 3 AA batteries (not included). For one or more players. --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (88)

Bop It, TwistIt, and Pull It too
This game is fun for all ages.

If you like moving to the beat and testing your reflexes then you'll like Bop It.This is a fun game that is simple to play.It can be played solo or in groups of any size (just "pass it").It is educational in that it requires you to listen and follow simple directions ("bop it", "pull it", "twist it").

We gave this game to our son for his 6th birthday and he loves it.

my comments for the bop it game.
i would give this game all exelent 5's for all questions on this survey, however,earlyer this morning i had a very unpleasent experience with my bop it game.

By far one of my top ten
This has got to be one of the best party games of all time. My family bought this the first Christmas it came out, and we loved it instantly. Even a little kid can play it. I've found that the other versions of this came are a LOT more challenging than this one, but if you like a challenge, go ahead and get it! (These versions inclued a flick-it and spin-it option.)
At first glance, you might think, "who would want a toy shaped like Big Foot's club... and WHAT exactly is so fun about bop-ing, pulling, and twisting?"
But you'll soon find that there is a LOT of fun in bop-ing, pulling, and twisting- even my parents were baffled by this crazy game.

HOW IT WORKS:
To turn it on, you press the bop-it button. To select the options, you press the pull-it button. There is single player, multi-player, and one other function that I don't remember. To play the requested function, press the bop-it button again. A man's voice (with drum beats in the backround)will command you to do one of three things (bop-it, twist-it, or pull-it) and you must do them before time runs out. If you really have a knack for hand-listening coordination, you'll find that the drum beats will get faster and faster. If you loose- doing another thing the man didn't say- the machine will go: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!". Pretty surprising the first time, but you'll get used to it. The thing that makes it a great party game, however, is the multi-player function. It works the same as the single-player, but every so often, the man will say "pass-it". You can also play that if a person looses, they are out. There is no function for this, however, you'll have to re-turn on the multi-player function till one person's left.

This machine is very durable. It's been with us in the car several times (even though it is VERY annoying on a two plus hour trip) and has still worked after three years laying in a heap in our toy cabinet.

This toy also enhances reflexes, seeing as if you don't do the desired option in time, you will loose.

All in all, this is a GREAT purchase for under twenty dollars that your whole family will love! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Electronic    3. Handheld    4. Memory    5. Wacky    6. Music   

Editorial Review

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

Reviews (9)

Great handheld adaption of board game.
Very fun if you're a battleship fan.. the other two modes and other skill levels is a nice touch.The only complaint I have is that the sound effects rather suck.

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

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

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

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

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

`Late

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

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Electronic    3. Handheld    4. Action and Adventure   

Reviews (6)

Boggle Handheld has nonrandomness, but still fun!
I have had great fun with this toy and continue to do so as well!But I have some geeky technical complaints about it.

Words are entered by navigating with four arrow keys, pressing the "select" key for each letter in the word you are building.(You cannot deviate from allowable letter-paths.)It's slower to enter the words than with a traditional Boggle game. It IS challenging to enter in all the longer words.Unlike a "real" Boggle game, the letters are all right-side-up.

After playing quite a few times over a week, I don't believe it really has a single dictionary nor truly (pseudo-)random letter board arrangements.

1) I've seen the same letter board arrangements more than once.

2) On certain board arrangements, you are asked if you want to "override" (bend the rules) to accept obviously CORRECT words: examples include AIM, MEET, EWE.It accepts them without complaint on most letter board arrangements. The maximum score might be wrong, if it is (pre-)calculated based on the incorrect word list.

3) It runs much faster (answers & scores are instantaneous) than the Scrabble Express Handheld, so it seems like it's not doing too much computing.

These 3 things together lead me to believe it in fact contains a fixed, finite set of preprogrammed letter board arrangements, each with a "dictionary" preprogrammed list of "correct"/"acceptable" words.Otherwise, if it had one central dictionary containing thousands of words, as claims the package, why would some words be consistently invalid on one particular board, but be accepted on others?

The occasional omissions from the word lists might throw young players for a loop.Boggle diehards might start to notice the repeating boards. But I've enjoyed it a lot on the bus, on the sofa, on a lunch break!

Doesn't translate well into electronic game
For decades I've been a player and big fan of classic Boggle. I was excited to receive this as a gift, unaware that an electronic version even existed. But I've given this game up in frustration, sorry to have lost what I thought would be a good portable version of my favorite game.

Its drawbacks are:

The keypad, which slows down one's ability to enter a word. Writing is faster and allows the player to spend more time finding words. It is possible to turn off the timer function and play against a second player or the game itself and see who comes up with more words, but it's not the same.

Second, I'm suspicious of the game's electronic dictionary, which has come up with many "words" I can't find in a large Webster's.

As an educational game, it's not bad, but requires a curious player to actually look up unknown words if any real learning is to take place. It's not a complete failure as electronic games go, but I'm back to playing the old fashioned way.

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

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

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

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

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Electronic    3. Handheld   

Reviews (5)

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

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

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

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Electronic    3. Handheld   

Editorial Review

Simon is back again in a miniature 4-inch form--small enough to fit in apocket but still featuring buttons large enough to play with friends. Press the circle in themiddle and try this classic memory test as it adds one by one to a series of tones andcolors. The more notes are added to the game, the faster it gets, so even memory prosmay have a hard time following this computerized marvel all the way through asequence. --John Longenbaugh ... Read more

Reviews (14)

WARNING - Amazon has the wrong picture for this item
Warning - I ordered this item thinking I would get the one in the picture... but it turns out the picture is actually a "Simon 2"... make sure this is really the one you want.

broke in 2 weeks
The kids had a blast with this toy.I had a lot of kids over at Thanksgiving and it broke!We had only been using it for 2 weeks?!?!!?

Looks could improve, but overall design is better
Buyer beware!I bought this in July 2004 and what came was the newer Hasbro version of this (the yellow weird-looking thing) and NOT the transparent looking MB original as in the picture.I was disappointed at first, but after I started playing this newer version for a while, I began to understand why they designed it this way.It's a little bigger than I'd expected or wanted, but it's this size in order for your hands to fit comfortably and not cramp.Also, the center button to start the game in the original is gone is replaced by a small dot-like start button, which was probably placed there in case your fingers missed the play buttons (which would cause you to screw up the game you were playing).The extra 1 inch border may increase the size in a less-than appealing way, but it makes for really easy play and less cramping.I still think they should've kept the old translucent casing, but yellow will do.I love how there are 3 types of games and 4 levels.The original 1-game, 2-3 level ones offer little variety and it's easy to master the first couple levels.This one's still a challenge to me.I've only had this for about a week now, so I don't know about durability yet.It seems well-made. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Electronic    3. Handheld    4. Wacky   

Reviews (14)

OK GAME
This is an ok kids handheld game.I agree w/everyone else that it definately needs an off switch.My daughter keeps hers in my car so instead of sounding off in the middle of the night it sounds off with every turn I make!Also sometimes my daughter is trying to push the buttons to select the answer and they do not work.She is continuously yelling "I did push it!" as if the game can understand her:)Overall it is a good idea though and has different levels for beginers.You can just chose different body parts to make a silly potato or it will flash an already made potato and then you have to choose the correct parts,very good memory game(plus some more games that I have not personally tested).It is a little loud and of course being a potato head ithas an annoying voice but has been well played with by my 4 year old.

my son never laughed so hard
My son recently received this as a second hand gift from his 7 year old cosin. The toy lasted 3 solid years in her hands and only 4 days in my son's. Only due to the fact that he hit the screen with a toy hammer. This toy captured my son's attention. He actually sat in one spot motionless for almost an hour. I have never heard my son laugh so hard as to when Mr. Potato head sneezes and says,"oops, I've lost all my parts". As for the "off" switch, it turns itself off there fore saving the batteries, and it only turns itself back on unprovoked when the batteries are dying.

A busy Mom
My daughter is five and loves this toy. I was actually shocked to see so many poor reviews. The automatic shut off isnt that bad, it's actually a blessing if you ask me, It prompts the child to play (pay attention) about 4 times and then shuts itself off.

My daughter loves the different activities it offers, and she just totally gets a kick out of making Mr. Potato head dress silly. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Electronic    3. Handheld    4. Wacky    5. Learning   

Editorial Review

Candy Land comes to life in this electronic game for young kids. Six games of varying degrees of complexity are included: the simplest challenges kids to catch falling plums in a basket, and the hardest has players looking for matching gum drops beneath rows of peanut brittle. Other games ask kids to repeat sequences of flashing lights or to count the number of visible lollipops on the game's screen. Candy Land character Mr. Mint leads players through all the fun, helping them develop skills in counting, sorting, etc. Youngsters who don't have any preconceived ideas that this game could be hard should have no problem figuring it all out very quickly. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Wish it had a good volume control...
as it's not something to take in the car unless you have a very quiet one!

I bought this for my son, and it doesn't hold his attention very well.The screen is quite small, so I wouldn't recommend it if you have a child with visual problems.

Not good for 4 yr old
I was very disappointed with this product.My daughter often finds the devise too hard to operate and the games are too easy.
As a result, it didn't hold her interest for very long.She is 4 yrs old and is used to operating video games, computer games, etc...but this game is more annoying to try to play than it is fun.

Waste of money
I bought this for my 4-year-old who is now almost five - neither of us are too "dumb", I have a grad degree and she's starting read - and neither of us can figure this thing out!!!:)If we get it to play the game she wants, it's purely by accident.Audio doesn't even sound like a real voice - very difficult to understand, video is too small to see very well.I don't think it's a game a child could figure out independently until they are 7 or 8 and I get too frustrated with the thing to help her out. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Electronic    4. Handheld    5. Learning   

Reviews (2)

THIS TOY SUCKS SO BAD
i bought simon stix and it didnt even work i got new batterys and everything so i call hasbro and they sent me a new one and that didnt even work any better this toy is horrible they dont work and you are wasteing your money i would never recommened it, it is so BAD!!!!!

A bit difficult for a 7yo.... I enjoyed it though!!
Simon is a favorite at our house. I loved it as a kid and have taught my boys 4yo and 8yo to enjoy them as well. We have had the large simon and both the 4 key hand held and the 8 key also.

Now these stixs...... well they are a bit difficult to master. The first pair we got didnt work at all. We returned them and got a new pair. The 6 batteries are difficult to put in, because of the tiny embedded screws. The lady at the ToysRUs counter ended up giving us 6 new batteries, because she couldnt get ours out of the defective stixs.

Next... the stixs play a a rhythm. You have to flick stix1- red, stix2-green, both stix for yellow, and cris cross for blue. The stix play the rhythm 1 color, then 2, then 3... etc, like the regular simon. The problem is that when you respond, there is a delay in simon responding to your cadence.

My son had the stix about 2hours befor he quit. He picks them up sometimes, but just for the freestyle option, which he loves. ME on the other hand... I play them often. I enjoy the challenge of remembering the stix combination for each color.

This game is difficult for a 7yo. Maybe for a 10yo who loves brainteasers. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Handheld    3. Electronic