Features

• Build imaginative machines in this creative and addictively fun brainteaser
• Turn cranks, rotate gears, pull levers, and more to build unique contraptions
• Solve more than 200 challenging puzzles; put your machines to work
• Physics engine with air-pressure, electricity, gravity, and particle effects
• Experiment with gears, robots, explosives, and more in your own virtual lab

Reviews (35)

We'd give it 10 stars if we could!
Kids and adults love solving the puzzles.It is a great intro to basic physics (w/o your kids realizing it!)There are problems to solve and you have to place tools (pulleys, balls, dominoes, candles, etc.) in the right place in order for the goal to be accomplished.Our 5 year old needs help; our 8 year old plays alone.Our friends' teenagers enjoy it also.

~WOW~
This game is a lot of fun. You need to use your head and think about how to solve all of these "wacky contraptions." At first, I thought it was a challenge, but then it got easier and easier. I'm almost at the end of the game and can't wait to see what happens!

North Dakota Kid
I am 8 years old and I got Crazy Machines for my Birthday.This is the best game in the world but if you don't like complicated things you won't this game.The four main things are fire, rope, electronics,and the next one I will let you discover.You can either build your own machine or you can figure out problems that may seem hard but after you've done them awhile they are easy.Some of the things that you can build with are boards, balls, robots, cannons, goo, blimps, cords, gravity controlers, scissors, tubes, and plants.Buy this game and have tons of fun! ... Read more

Features

• CD-ROM
• When the king and queen go on vacation, young Fritz is left in charge of the castle. As he explores his surroundings, he'll learn all about chess, from the basics to advanced strategies -- and so will you!
• Discover 7 great arcade-style games that introduce chess fundamentals and advanced concepts
• Fun characters like Fritz and Chesster make learning the game fun and interesting for children
• Also includes a one-year membership to playchess.com

Reviews (56)

Don't buy this worthless game unless you love to be frustrated
I was looking for an intructional CD to help my daughter to learn chess.I read the reviews and endorsements and thought that this was what I was looking for.WRONG!
Great Trainer for New Chess Player
Our 7-year old loves this program and is learning chess the fast, fun and easy way.

Disappointing chess product
I was extremely disappointed with this chess software. With my newest PC I bought this year, the program is buggy when it comes to sound and music, which they do acknowledge in their manual.
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Features

• CD-ROM
• Explore fantasy worlds and engage your brain
• Three fantasy worlds: Undersea, Outer Space, and Dragon's Lair
• Nine different adventures with 54 I SPY riddles
• Designed for kids age 6-10
• For one player

Reviews (36)

Buy this one Now
We have been fans of the I Spy Books & Software for some time, but this is our new favourite.The graphics are great & the levels within each "story" keep my 6 year old twin boys busy when Mummy needs a break.The I Spy Team should keep up the good work - this is a computer game that won't turn kids brains to mush!

i spy fantasy
i bought this cd rom for my son who thinks this game is fantastic, very easy for young children to use.

Neat!
My six year old daughter was reluctant to try this, but she did and she LOVES it! Great graphics, fun, challanging. Not sure how "educational" it is, but it is a neat, non-violent, gets-you-thinking game! ... Read more

Features

• CD-ROM
• Help Barbie get ready for fashion week in Paris
• Complete 10 exciting fashion assignments
• Advance through 3 different design studios
• Choose the styles, fabrics, and colors
• Select the stage, music, and special poses

Reviews (56)

This is the Defination of something great!
This game is the coolest it gave me no trouble at all. Buy this you won't be disapointed and its only a click away.

Very fun game
This is a very fun game especially for little girls that LOVE to dress-up.My daughter was so excited to get this game and wasn't a bit disappointed.She will probably spend hours playing this game.

Fun game for girls
This is one of my 8-year old daughters favorite game.I love sitting down and creating fashions for the models and watching the fashion show.I love how you have different options for the stage & music.This has brought hours of fun in our home! ... Read more

Features

• CD-ROM
• Over 10 mini-games
• Interact with your favorite characters from the film
• Authentic voice talent from the movie
• Help Mater hook up the junk cars & tow 'em all away
• Steer your way through Sarge's crazy obstacle course

Reviews (11)

Do not buy it
It appeared to be a surprise that Disney can't produce a reliable product.
great fun
My 5 year old son loves it. It has a good mixture of fun and intelligent activity- some are tough but challenging. I enjoy it as well.

Cars ages 4 + maybe 5+
My Grandson gets frustrated with some of the games because they are too hard for him also for an adult.
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Features

• CD-ROM
• Build your own empire of high-class restaurants in this action-oriented game
• Seat customers quickly, keep them fed, and watch the tips and profits roll in
• Grow your restaurant through 4 complete renovations; 50 challenging levels
• 5 different types of customers, each behaving uniquely
• Fast-paced puzzles; 2 modes of play--Career and Endless Shift

Reviews (11)

Make A DASH for "Dinner Dash"
I rarely buy PC games, but this one is clever and fun. I thoroughly enjoyed playing the demo several times so I decided to purchase it. Yes, this is a game that you can play for hours and hours. Every so many years they come up with a game that captures the imagination. I remember being blown away by "Roller Coaster Tycoon." But games like "Dinner Dash," "Cake Mania," and "Luxor" are bringing the fun back. I like the fact that a lot of these games have different skill levels or goals that you have to reach. It's challenging. I'm an adult and I'm finding myself addicted to PC games again. It's hard to beat arcade classics like "Pac-Man" and "Centipede," but the current crop of PC games seems to be headed in the right direction.

Hours of entertaining play
The older I get, the more I appreciate what are called "casual games" - simple objectives, like Tetris are more my speed. I grew up playing Asteroids, Centipede, Root Beer Tapper & Frogger... in many ways, this game is a combination of all of those. The main character of the game tells her boss to shove it (in a nice way, of course) and starts her own restaurant. She has a variety of customers... college kids, senior citizens, businessmen & women - and all have different levels of patience, tipping and fuses.
Great PC Gaming
This is a great game. It's ery addictive, and doesn't get boring. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This fantastic program will have your brain working as hard as a mandrill on a conveyer belt with bananas dangling in front of it. Don't worry, we'll explain. Read more

Features

• CD-ROM

Reviews (13)

Even More! Contraptions Galore!
I played this game in Video Production every so often, and while making contraptions, I literally NEVER wanted the end-of-the-period bell to ring for at least another hour. This game has no limits to what you can create. Imagination is the tool of success!

Crazy Machines Style game
I love this kind of smart software for kids. I would give it more stars but it is dated.

The Incredible Machine Strikes Again!
We had to play this game in school in our tech ed. class. Every day, I found myself wanting badly to go to 3rd Hour(My tech ed. class.) I would recomend this game to everyone. ... Read more

Features

• CD-ROM
• An unknown assailant has vandalized the whale-watching boat owned by Nancy's host, Katie Firestone. Nancy will explore Snake Horse Harbor to uncover the truth to this new mystery!
• Use Nancy's new cellular phone & GPS system to collect clues and chart a course at sea
• Uncover clues and interact with townsfolk, as you study the strange threat in the rolling fog
• Click on the Second Chance option to avoid making mistakes
• Go kayaking in crystal clear waters and shadowy sea caves, and figure out if this crime is related to the orca whale that's been spotted in the harbor

Reviews (680)

Fabulous! Stupendous! Awesome!
OMG! This game is like, the best! The graphics were great, and the personalities of the people were great too! Almost everyone seemed like a suspect, and more than one person was the culprit. Being herinteractive's second game, this is great!
Nancy Drew and the Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake
I thought that this game was totally awesome! I really enjoyed it! I played it in 4 days, and it usually takes me much longer! It wasn't too hard, but hard enough. It's not as scary as some of the Nancy Drew games. There are four charactors: Sally McDonald (the lady who asked you to come there), Red Knott (a birdwatcher), Emily Griffen (a lady who owns a store), and Jeff Akers (the closest thing to a police officer that the town has). You never meet Sally, but you meet the other three. Oh, yes. I forgot you meet the ghost dogs...

BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really didn't like this game at ALL! The mystery about somone dead was good and all, and I know it's Herinteractive's first game, but come on! Cartoon characters?! Plus, it was easy and short, and not hard at all. If I were you, I would NOT buy this at all, NAH-AH! I hope this review helped! =) ... Read more

Features

• CD-ROM
• A new chess adventure with Fritz, Bianca, and Chesster
• Covers openings, middle game tactics, endgames, pinning, and more
• Over 20 mini games within the game for practice
• Powered by "Fritz", the world's leading chess software
• For kids ages 8 and up

Reviews (15)

Excellent product for kids
This is an excellent product for kids. My kid loves to learn with this software. I had issues installing this product. Other than installation issues, it has been excellent. We are having fun now!
Powerful training games
Although this game maybe aimed for kids, it can still offer powerful training games in an entertaining way. Each assorted machines is like an arcade that trains each tactical aspects individually. Such as blind Chess, eye-training, memory training of chess positions are most notable that separates it from the other beginner chess training programs.
Happy Mom
My children absolutely love this version. They wake at 5 a.m. to play before school. My son says "it's great--I've learned lots of tips, and now I'm a much better chess player."
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Features

• CD-ROM
• Play as Nancy Drew in this interactive mystery-adventure game
• 20+ hours of thrilling game play; interview suspects
• New puzzles tie directly to the storyline and give important clues
• Solve the mystery on your own or team up with family and friends
• 2 difficulty settings for both experienced and new detectives

Reviews (56)

A Great Game
Guess what? Just last week, I was exploring this old ghost town and was suddenly knocked out by a bank robber! (I think) Then, as if that wasn't enough adventure, I woke up in the ghost town's jail! Using my lariat, some old bricks, and a chair, and an old key, I managed to get myself out of there. The next day, I explored some ancient Indian cliff dwellings, found treasure, and turned in a criminal. And I won't even tell you about my first day...
???
A lot of people are saying the toolbox and screen are annoying. I wonder why because I always wanted a bigger game screen since TRT (that was my first game) since the old toolbox/converstion box take up almost half the screen. Plus the old toolbox always had problem. If I scroll down I have to scroll down 3 times usually for the scroll bar to stay in the same place. The game is meant for people ages 10+ if you are older than 5 you should be able to understand how to work the tool box. You point, you click, you get whatever you want, you X out. Oh, so hard. Not.
Secret of Shadow Ranch-Wow.
In The Secret of Shadow Ranch, you are invited to Arizona to stay on Bess and George's aunt and uncle's ranch. Unfortunatley, Bess and George seem to have a (ahem) "little" delay getting there with you, so for now, you're on your own. Spanning over a 3-day period, Shadow Ranch is definatley one of the best Nancy Drew games. The "new" big-screen, a cellphone in it's own compartment (with internet and email, though you can't send email!), and (my favorite), a notebook where Nancy keeps a journal (for all) and a checklist (only for Junior Detectives). And, as always, the toolbar, which takes up less space but holds more items. (A LOT more.) Begin your visit with a mystery. Where are the Rawleys? It turns out, at the hospital (!). Seems Ed Rawley had a little accident. He'll be OK though- but the Rawleys are staying at the hospital. And- what's this about a- PHANTOM HORSE??? Seems there's a lost treasure in the area- is it truth, or just a legend???
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Features

• CD-ROM
• Join Harry Potter on exciting adventures in this 4-in-1 game collection
• Master all things magical in a world filled with wizardry, fun, and danger
• Overcome adversity and challenges; turn-based battle sequences
• Interact with over 100 unforgettable characters from the book
• Enjoy stunning 3D environments and special effects

Reviews (19)

Enjoyable even with Technical Glitches
Each of the games reaches a point where, in the words of one of the game's programmers, "poor coding kicks in." Rather than go through each of the points in the games where bugs surface, I'll simply suggest potential buyers go to EA Games' website and flip through the 4 pages of the technical support issues with the Harry Potter games on PC. If you still want to buy the set, then beware:at some point, there you or your kid will be, having a ball, and just about to -- [hey, what the..., why did the screen go black?!]. Caveat emptor.

A lot of fun!!!
I am currently playing the sorcerers stone. It is very fun. I like all of the puzzles. One thing that I don't like is that there is no freedom to wander around the castle. It is still very fun though.
Good summer fun
Good summer fun when it is too hot to be outside.Fun for all ages! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Features

• CD-ROM
• Based on the 1st book and commemorates Nancy Drew’s 75th anniversary
• Drive Nancy’s classic blue roadster
• 1930 setting with vintage cars, clothes, and slang
• “Second Chance” option erases of making mistakes

Reviews (77)

The Secret of the Old Clock is Fun Time Spent

omg
OMG how can u think the music is dull??????????? Its some of my favorite music for the games. It's lively. You might not like it but it's definatley not dull! Why would you have scary music in a friendly scene???? This game is not scary!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fun, But Short
I really like this game, especially that you get to drive [having 4 more years before I can even touch a wheel, this is awesome! :-)]and that it is set in 1930 (awesome!), and that you get to use a 1930 payphone (don't ask me why I like this, I just do. Maybe because you don't have to dial numbers? YAY!),and that you can talk to Nancy's dad (first time ever!) and that in my opinion, Bess and George are really funny in this one (and they have "a nosy busybody", as Bess puts it, sharing their phone line), and that you get to go fishing (though it's not exactly hard. Strange, the fish is in the same place.....EVERY. TIME.) and that there's a minature golf course (which, though sometimes annoying, is actually quite fun overall)! Sooo... what don't I like? For one thing, saying the game is based on the book is exagerating. Hello? The game is nothing like the book. OK, there's a clock. Oh look, another clock. And- *GASP* - ANOTHER clock???? As I recall, the book had ONE CLOCK (that was significant) in it! Also, Nancy stays at Lilac Inn in........the FOURTH book! Plus about every other change you can think of. (Guess what? In the game, the banker, Jim Archer, is about 50 and married, and the president of a bank. In the book, Helen Corning marries Jim Archer. I can tell you this: the two Jim Archers are NOT the same person.) OK. I don't really care if it's not like the book, it would be cool, bubt also pointless- you already know what is going to happen! So, I can see why the game is nothing like the book, but saying it is based on the book is not true! (In case you read the book and you think you know what the game is like.) I didn't really like the ending. It's different, which is good, but...I don't like it. (It's a...chase. No more said in case I spoil the ending.) But even though I probably seem like I hate the game, I actaully like it. It has pretty good graphics, an "upgrade" for the most part, there are quite a few puzzles, none particuarly challenging but more or less interesting, I like all the characteres, though Richard Topham and Jan Willobee talk a LITTLE too much. Plus I wanted to... do something to Jane. She annoys me SOOOO much.But she's funny (not on purpose)at least, her eyebrows go waaaaay up. It's funny. LOL. See for yourself. I actually reccomend this game if you don't mind solveing it quickly (I solved it in 7-8 hours, about 3-4 hours per day). It's good for beginners and people who like fast-movingn games. Overall, it's not at all a bad game. I play it over and over again! ... Read more

Features

• Choose from two crazy new themes - Jungle and Prehistoric
• 9 new scenarios, 8 great new roller coasters, 18 flat rides and 4 transport rides -- including a huge paddle steamer
• Select from 6 different wild animals, all with their own needs
• Maintain the grounds and keep the animals happy -- and have a tranquilizer gun ready in case they attack
• Play with the animals to keep them happy - then get them to breed for new attractions or for selling to other zoos & parks

Reviews (19)

Buy Nolimits Coasters! Pitch this crap!!!
Yes, you may think this is a very good expansion pack, but unfortunatly, it's not! Here are my complaints.
A good expansion
This is a great expansion for RCT 3. You get to add animals and animal shelters for your guests to look at. They are very easy to set up and understand how to use.
A Brilliant Expansion to an already great game
I originally had the rollercoaster tycoon 3 gold game, which was the rct soaked expansion along with the base game. When I was looking through the internet I found this expansion pack. I decided to get it and it is still working brilliantly ... Read more

Features

• CD-ROM
• An internship gives Nancy a crash course in Mayan culture. But when the artifacts go missing and the only clue is a mysterious scarlet handprint, she's on the case.
• Unearth the clues and learn about Mayan culture -- tie the two together and see if you can solve the mystery
• Wander through the museum to learn as much you can, then visit unique places like the D.C. subway and the Mexican Consulate
• Test your thinking skills by solving the challenging quizzes and passing each level
• Unravel a long-lost secret and recover the priceless ancient artifacts as the world-famous teen detective!

Reviews (680)

Fabulous! Stupendous! Awesome!
OMG! This game is like, the best! The graphics were great, and the personalities of the people were great too! Almost everyone seemed like a suspect, and more than one person was the culprit. Being herinteractive's second game, this is great!
Nancy Drew and the Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake
I thought that this game was totally awesome! I really enjoyed it! I played it in 4 days, and it usually takes me much longer! It wasn't too hard, but hard enough. It's not as scary as some of the Nancy Drew games. There are four charactors: Sally McDonald (the lady who asked you to come there), Red Knott (a birdwatcher), Emily Griffen (a lady who owns a store), and Jeff Akers (the closest thing to a police officer that the town has). You never meet Sally, but you meet the other three. Oh, yes. I forgot you meet the ghost dogs...

BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really didn't like this game at ALL! The mystery about somone dead was good and all, and I know it's Herinteractive's first game, but come on! Cartoon characters?! Plus, it was easy and short, and not hard at all. If I were you, I would NOT buy this at all, NAH-AH! I hope this review helped! =) ... Read more

Features

• DVD-ROM
• All Fantastic Four comic books from November 1961 through December 2004, including debut issue. , Over 550 complete printable comics, cover to cover, that s over 20,000 pages. , Plus all annual issues , All articles, Fantastic Four fan pages, Bullpen Bulletins, Pinups and every single advertisement. System Requirements: Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0.1 (which i

Reviews (4)

20,000 pages for pennies a page
44 YEARS OF FANTASTIC FOUR compresses decades of comic books (20,000 pages according to the box, and I'm not counting them to argue) onto one DVD-Rom.
44 Fantastic Four years for 40 bucks?For cool!
Now you can keep the originals in the bag in the vault!

Hopefully the start of something big
This set (and the already-released X-Men and Avengers sets) are hopefully the start of something big in comic collecting. I'd love to see this done by DC and other publishers, and definitely want more of these from Marvel (upcoming sets include Amazing Spider-Man, Mad Magazine, and Ultimate X-Men, and sets for the Hulk, Daredevil, and Captain America were hinted at as well). This is a great way to get an entire run on a comic book title (including ads, letter pages, etc.) without tracking down and paying a fortune for the original back issues.
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Features

• CD-ROM
• Over 25 hours of spellbinding game play
• Enhanced challenges with two difficulty settings
• Suspects move, sleep and interact according to game time schedules
• Forgiving ""Second Chance" option erases blunders and rookie mistakes
• Play alone or with friends and family

Reviews (75)

Great family game
This is the first game I was able to play with little help from a walkthrough. My family has two computers: I played this game on mine and my 8yo and 12yo played it on theirs. It was fun to be able to help each other when needed.
Disapointment
I have to say I thought this game was going to be really good but it wasn't. It was OK. I think it's very hard. Partly entertaining. But Her Interactive wasn't exactlly in it's finest hour with this game.
The curse of blackmoor manor
OK I looked at other's people's review and a lot gave it 5 stars. I have to say I disagree. 3 is as good as itgets. I guess thoswe 5 star people like really hard stuff and dont mind that it is extremely difficult and alchamy and hard. Mostly i dont like the secret passage. you know i spent a LONG time trying to find this stone thingy that you pick up and then trying to get back. well u dont use it for anything u dont need it. so i havethis thingy. i solved the mystery then i played again and didnt find the stone thingy. no i dont mean the glowinggo onei think its a map type thing. but i love the nancy drew series. there really good. but i reccomend buyning an easier one and better one first if this is ur first game. then try this one later once u get good at nancy drew. hey i like this game its just way down my list of nd games. it my 3rd least favorite after the first two. but i like it im just saying that its not the best one and her interactive just didnt do as well on this one. but if u like really hard puzzles then here you go. just my opinion. the other ones are better exept ofr the first two. enjoy! either this one or another depending on what you like.
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Features

• CD-ROM
• 3D baseball where you control your own Backyard sports team
• Play with 30 Backyard Kids and 10 kid versions of MLB pros
• Play on different Backyard fields with creative surroundings
• Full stats and customizable players; unlock 6 MLB Stars
• Action for a single game or an entire Backyard season

Reviews (33)

Fantastic
Simple to learn.Teaches the basics of baseball in an entertaining way.My 6 yr old loves it.

Fun at First , But gets Boring
After getting the 2003 version of this game I was crazy to buy this version. When I got it at first It was incredibly fun, but then when you play on rookie mode after a while it gets way to easy and you start winning 53-0! I figured it was no problem and switched to pro mode. Same thing happened, first very fun, but then you figure it out and you switch to the highest diffuculty, all star. You guessed it, it posts the same result as the first two difficulties.
OWNAGE

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Editorial Review

Step into the stylish shoes of teen supersleuth Nancy Drew to crack thecase of the haunted mansion. As Nancy, you'll hang your hat in San Francisco,where you've been invited to help a family friend renovate a historic Victorianhome. Some strange things have been happening in the old house--could it bespirits from the past, or just shifty characters on the make? Use yourmagnifying glass to search the place from top to bottom for clues. You'll findtrap doors, personal papers, keys, tools--all sorts of spots and items toexplore or hang onto for later use. You never know when you might need a paintscraper or crowbar to help you out of a bind. To fill in some of the gaps, talkto characters in the game, and choose your responses to their questions based onwhat you want to know.Read more

Reviews (680)

Fabulous! Stupendous! Awesome!
OMG! This game is like, the best! The graphics were great, and the personalities of the people were great too! Almost everyone seemed like a suspect, and more than one person was the culprit. Being herinteractive's second game, this is great!
Nancy Drew and the Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake
I thought that this game was totally awesome! I really enjoyed it! I played it in 4 days, and it usually takes me much longer! It wasn't too hard, but hard enough. It's not as scary as some of the Nancy Drew games. There are four charactors: Sally McDonald (the lady who asked you to come there), Red Knott (a birdwatcher), Emily Griffen (a lady who owns a store), and Jeff Akers (the closest thing to a police officer that the town has). You never meet Sally, but you meet the other three. Oh, yes. I forgot you meet the ghost dogs...

BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really didn't like this game at ALL! The mystery about somone dead was good and all, and I know it's Herinteractive's first game, but come on! Cartoon characters?! Plus, it was easy and short, and not hard at all. If I were you, I would NOT buy this at all, NAH-AH! I hope this review helped! =) ... Read more

Features

• CD-ROM
• 3D-Worlds Chess with machines from the past and future
• New 3D boards with realistic physics
• New more powerful, intelligent engine
• New Coach and handicap functions
• 1 Year free access to playchess.com

Reviews (17)

Get Chessmaster Instead
I gave my Chessmaster 9000 to a friend and bought Fritz 9 as a replacement. Big mistake. Fritz may have a slightly more powerful engine but there are only a few Grand Masters who would even test the limits of any chess program. For 99% of the people, Chessmaster would crush them.
Chess review
This game is highly interactive and has the ability to personalize in many ways.I have enjoyed many hours of playing.

Fritz 9 has the software, but not the engine
You want a simple chess program? Go search for WinBoard. If you want to play 3D Chess just for the look, then I am sure you can find all sorts of swanky looking 3D chess boards out there. If I want to play on-line I can go on yahoo games and play any one of the thousands of chess games for free for as long as I want. If however you are interested in chess engines (the AI behind the chess software) then obviously you are considering getting a decent piece of chess software with some brains rather than just a ritzy looking chess board (why not actually spend on a ritzy look chess board instead!). The Fritz 9 package is basically offering the latest Chessbase software and the Fritz 9 engine. There are many engine players out there who like to play with the best engines such as Rybka, Hiarcs, Shredder, TOGA II, Deep Fritz or Fruit. Fritz from Chessbase currently offers the best chess analysis software. Most people who want to play chess complain that it is too complex for their needs. Chess players, who play computer chess, play it with Chessbase. Even the GMs (grandmasters) are known to use it. So for people who just want to play chess, then Fritz is probably not for them, especially at the price tag, which is near a whopping $40 for chess and can be upgraded to a $100 worth of chess software if you go with the latest engines. Let us just state for the record right now that there is a very cheap and excellent Chessbase product called "Deep Fritz: Grand Master Deluxe" for $20. It comes with the Deep Fritz 8 engine and the Fritz 8 Chessbase software. That is a very powerful engine and a very nice piece of Chessbase software, which has all the same analysis tools as the latest Fritz 9 Chessbase software update. For $20 that kind of chess power is an absolute steal. The problem is that it is just not the latest Chessbase software. Before we talk about engines we should talk about the Fritz 9 Chessbase software which is at its cheapest in the Fritz 9 chess package. The Fritz 9 manual is a bit better than any previous offering. It is in full color. There is also an entirely separate manual for the on-line Playchess feature. Fritz 9 loads quicker and runs quicker. It defaults to a blue and white board that is not so harsh on the eyes. The icons are nicer. The arrows indicating movement are transparent and do not look as stark. There are some new game types. The 3D board is greatly enhanced with a new 3D control panel for moving the board and camera. There are expanded 3D settings with new character animations, such as the Turk, Mia and the Fritz room with enhanced visual effects with fully rendered backdrops. The manual however is probably what sets Fritz 9 apart from it predecessors as the tutorial is much easier to follow and if you spend a bit of time you can learn all there is to learn about Chessbase just by reading the manual, something that was not really possible with earlier versions without asking someone who knew what they where doing. Is it worth the extra $20 to go from "Deep Fritz: Grand Master Deluxe" to Fritz 9? The answer to that depends on what you want. If you find that Deep Fritz 8 does not offer much of a challenge anymore then you will probably want to improve your engine. The problem is that Fritz 9 might not be the best improvement available to you. The "CSS - Rating List" is a good chess engine rating list. The "bff-liste" is also good and so is the "SSDF Ratings list". Although Rybka leads them all there is some discrepancies between Hiarcs 10, Shredder 10 and Fritz 9. TOGA II is free from UCI and Chessbase can import UCI engines. That is a phenomenal free upgrade. If you want to pay for the best then Rybka is where it is at, but that costs a whopping $70 without Chessbase software. Hiarcs 10 and Shredder 10, come with the new Chessbase software but at a price of $50. Fritz 9 is $10 cheaper with an engine that can compete (note compete, not always beat, but compete and even loose) with Hiarcs 10 and Shredder 10. Fritz 9 is currently the standard Chessbase offering. It is available almost everywhere. Hiarcs 10 and Shredder 10 are a bit harder to get because they are professional chess engines and not mainstream like the Fritz and Deep Fritz offerings. The truth is that your best deal is "Deep Fritz: Grand Master Deluxe" for $20 which gives you Deep Fritz 8, the last Chessbase software without a great manual but with full analysis and an import function for the UCI Toga II engine. That is a very powerful piece of chess software for $20. If you really want the latest Chessbase software then Fritz 9 gives you just that for $40 plus the Fritz 9 engine. Fans of Hiarcs or Shredder would probably feel better shelling out the extra $10 for their favourite engine that comes with the Fritz 9 software package. The top professional players will probably get Fritz 9 for $40 just for the Chessbase software update and buy the Rybka engine for $70 for a whopping $110 chess software package. Right now it is all relative to how much you want to spend and if you have a preference for Hiarcs or Shredder. Also Chessbase software is not the most stable software in the world. Fritz 9 chessbase software does solve some its old crashing problems and analysis bugs. A lot of the mystery lockups and functions that cease to work in previous editions are working now. The bottom line however is that there is nothing like Chessbase software out there, but there are optional versions of this software. Since nothing can compete with it we should be lucky to get a Chessbase upgrade at all, even if it is a poor one, it at least tries to correct a few things... but it could correct a whole lot more. If you own a previous Chessbase I don't think you should be worrying too much. If you have bought Hiarcs 10 or Shredder 10, then you have the latest Chessbase and some of the nicest engines out there. What you really need to know is that you can work out a better engine configuration than Fritz 9 with "Deep Fritz: Grand Master Deluxe" plus TOGA II, for half the costs ($20). For $40 you spend an extra $20 on the latest Chessbase software, but the TOGA II engine can beat the Fritz 9 engine. The very existence of TOGA II for free with Chessbase's ability to import that engine is why I would say doing a bit more research is important. However you can easily slap down $40, get Fritz 9 with the latest Chessbase software, and TOGA II for free also. You can pay an extra $10 and have the same configuration with Hiarcs 10 and Shredder 10 with a free TOGA II. "Deep Fritz: Grand Master Deluxe" offers the best value overall. Fritz 9 is nice to have but absolutely not necessary, but it is still a great engine, and not as bad as many would like to make it out to be. I am sure many software users are waiting until Deep Fritz 9 comes out... and probably rightly so. Maybe then we would have a new Fritz engine worth talking about.
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Features

• CD-ROM
• Experience a learning travel adventure with Dora the Explorer
• Valuable skill development for preschoolers, including colorful puzzles
• Popular Dora songs from the TV series--perfect for singing and dancing
• Classic storybook tales throughout Fairytale Land
• Includes bonus Dora figure for kids to take on their own adventures

Reviews (5)

Very simple!
This is simple and mindless.Luckily, I only paid $6.99 because it's not worth more than $5.I got it at a regular store, and it was the regular price.It wasn't on sale.$6.99 is their regular price.I only bought this because my kids like Dora.

Collect the stars
My almost five year old loves this game.She needed help in the beginning figuring out the controls, but as time goes along she's learning more and more about the computer.I worried that the gaming aspect would be over her head, but it isn't.She follows the story quite well and there are plenty of other activities on this disk to keep a child going for a while.
Keeps child's attention!
We got this for our 4 1/2 year old daughter for Christmas.She was able to figure out how to play all of the games without any help.I recommend this game to any parent with a child who loves Dora and loves to play games on the computer.It's more than just a "game", as it's educational, too.It keeps my daughter's attention and she hasn't gotten bored with it yet! ... Read more