Lego Make & Create Café Corner Review

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(More customer reviews)It will take some patience and time to put this together. But is is a good time, especially if you don't try to rush it. My 12-year-old son and I are having a blast putting this together. Neither of us are full fledged Lego hobbyists, but both of us enjoy the concepts and quality of good Lego kits.
The building assembles in three major sections, each corresponding to one floor of the three-story structure. The parts bags are labelled with their section numbers, do you don't have to mix the parts together for all three sections while you are building it, saving a lot of part-searching time (but never fear, the high number of pieces in each section means you will still spend plenty of quality time hunting for elements).
This kit makes fantastic use of basic Legos and has virtually no large pieces that are overspecialized, making the kit far more flexible to rebuild into other types of assemblies. For instance, the large white fan-shaped sunburst decoration over the main door is composed of a number of small Lego "ski" pieces using a creative way to link them together. The creative construction techniques in this kit encourage you to think of new ways of using Lego bricks that will help you design your own creations if you are so inclined.
This kit was definitely worth the price we paid at Amazon, although you should be aware that some third party Amazon sellers try to charge far more that list price for it. To look up the list price for this (or any other) Lego set, I recommend you seek out dedicated Lego sites like Lugnet or Brickset.
One note: this kit is inapproriate for very young Lego builders based on the sheer size and the number of different building techniques they would have to use to assemble this kit correctly, unless an adult could sit with them and work through it with them. My 12-year-old could easily do it by himself, but my 7-year-old would lack the patience.

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Welcome to another incredible Lego world! The Lego Make & Create Cafe Corner features all the activity, colors, and architecture of a real town building. Realistic decorations include cafe tables with umbrellas, striped awning, hotel sign, trash can, street light, bench, and more.Create and Expand Recommended for ages 16 years and up, this Lego model is more than just child's play. Like a good puzzle, it's fun to assemble the 2,056 pieces of this model. Built in sections, it can even be taken apart in three sections for easy storage and transport. The top two stories lift off to reveal inner rooms, staircases, and handrails. Perfect for Lego-maniacs and collectors with other sets, the modular design of this town corner allows urban planners to expand the street with a neighborhood or a hotel. Or, with connectors at the base of the structure, four Cafe Corners can be joined together. An Active Town Developed in co-operation between consumer requests, fans, and Lego designers, this detailed and realistic street corner scene features special and rare Lego colors and pieces, and also incorporates new building techniques, including an opening front door and door top decoration. The kit includes three mini-figure townspeople -- two males and one female -- as well as neighborhood-themed elements such as a dustbin and a bike. The interior and exterior are different from each other, and special Lego colors in this set include dark blue, dark red, medium blue, and transparent red.Built To Last Built completely on mini-figure scale, the street base is a 10 by 10 inch square and the building stands more than 14 inches high. Durable plastic Lego construction makes this micro-scale town building sturdy and reliable.About LEGO The world-famous building block set encourages a unique type of play that is fun, creative, engaging, and challenging. Taking its name from an abbreviation of two Danish words, "leg godt," meaning "play well," LEGO has been inspiring children and adults to do just that since 1932. Seventy-five years later, LEGO is one of the world's largest toy manufacturers, with products sold in 130 countries.

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Electronic Catch Phrase Music Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a fun variation of the Catch Phrase game that has been around for years. My family has enjoyed both the electronic and standard versions of this game.
This version asks users to guess song titles from the 60's on up. It gives you the song title and artist and you must get your team to say the song title without using any of the words from the title. It has a very fun added twist with the new "singing" rules. You can opt to play with the old standard rules, too. But for the new rules, you must get your team to 15 points (instead of 10) and you can get a bonus point when you win a round if someone on your team sang their clues. You're never required to sing, but you'll find yourself compelled to do so if you are competitive and that makes the game a lot more fun.
One minor annoyance is the electronic display width. It is too narrow for some of the long song titles. If you're unlucky enough to get a long title you'll have to sit there for a few extra seconds waiting/deciphering the words while they scroll across across the screen.
Another annoying problem we encountered was the game automatically shut itself off after being inactive for several minutes. We were in the middle of game and took a snack break and the game shut off and lost our scores.
Despite that, I would still highly recommend this game because it is so much fun if it didn't also have a fatal flaw. Repeats. After just a couple of games played we started encountering repeated song titles! We thought at first it was an aberration, but not even close. We scrolled through 10-20 songs just to find new ones that we hadn't played already in the hour or so we'd been playing. Then we would hit new titles for a while only to find a short time later the same problem!
It is not as if we went through thousands of songs before this happened. I think the first time we had probably been through about 50-100 songs when the first repeats hit. We were playing on the combined category settings (instead of one particular era it was giving us songs from the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's). I suspect that is how most people will play it so to have this bug in the electronic game is just inexcusable. I'm sure we likely went through a small percentage of the songs stored in the games memory. Too bad the game comes to a screeching halt with this horrible bug. The game is a riot until the party comes crashing down once the repeats hit after a couple rounds.


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There is no better party game for music lovers than Hasbro Electronic Catch Phrase: Music Edition. Recommended for ages 12 and up, this game grills you on music of all genres from the past four decades, forcing you to rack your brain for every bit of musical knowledge that you have. A Thrilling Musical Quiz Electronic Catch Phrase: Music Edition is essentially a high-speed musical quiz, except that you're the one giving the clues. Just like classic Electronic Catch Phrase, you've got to grab it, guess it and pass it on before you get buzzed. When it is your turn, the electronic display will give you a song or musically themed phrase that you will have to describe to your teammates. It is your teammates' objective to guess the word or song, so you'll have to think on your feet and provide the best possible clues. Do whatever it takes: shout out clues, ask questions, quote lyrics, or hum the melody. You can even score additional points by singing the song's lyrics. Once your team has guessed correctly, pass the electronic display to the next person before you get buzzed.Endless Party Fun The ideal party game, Electronic Catch Phrase: Music Edition features a seemingly limitless amount of content. The clues are diverse, chosen from the '70s, '80s, '90s, and 2000s and covering many pop genres, including classic rock, hip-hop/R&B, country, and oldies. The topics range from well-known to obscure, so there is something here to please people of all skill levels. To make things easier, the game has an intuitive electronic interface. Easy to operate, the electronic display has a built-in timer, buzzer, and scorekeeper, which eliminates the need for messy manual scoring. The display screen is brightly backlit, so you can clearly see it even in the dark. All in all, it's a great way to have fun at any social gathering.

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Mattel High School Musical DVD Board Game 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)HSM 2 fans will love this game. The Dance category is hard, since they show the dance clip, and you choose the correct sequence, but the 3 stationary pictures in each sequence choice often look very similar. It IS an improvement over HSM 1's dance category, where all they did was list the next dance move in sequence...I still have no idea what some of those moves are called.
The HSM 1 game had an extra where the 'gang' would teach the dance moves to 2-3 of the songs...that alone was worth getting the game. Unfortunately, this one doesn't. What it DOES have, however, are interviews with the HSM 2 characters talking about their time on the set, recounting little stories. This happens randomly during the game, and is an interesting diversion. I like 'Fulton' as narrator better than the drama teacher from the first movie. The game format is slightly different than HSM 1, but the basics are the same. You do have to work the remote more in this game than HSM 1. Definitely worth it for the HSM 2 tweener in your life.

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If you loved the Disney Channel's High School Musical 2, you'll surely enjoy playing this DVD board game. Based on the musical, this family-friendly board game is ideal for ages 13 and up. High School Musical 2 is the sequel to the Emmy-Award winning original, High School Musical. How it's Played This DVD board game features video clips from the movie, original outtakes, and all the familiar songs and dances. Players compete in four different categories: song, dance, questions and answers, and actual or not so. Knowledge of the movie helps players get call backs and may help them win the game. The winner of the game gets to star as the lead role. Video clips play on the screen as players make their way around the board, adding an exciting element to game play. This game set includes a board game, DVD game, and six character movers. Getcha Head in the Game Finally, a board game based on a musical! High School Musical 2 features the East High Wildcats on summer vacation. Returning hero Troy struggles with his identity as he lands a summer job at a country club. Will Sharpay succeed in stealing Troy from Gabriella? What happens at the club's annual talent show? This game provides hours of family fun for those who have seen and enjoyed this sequel. The six character pieces let you play as your favorite character whether it be Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Ryan, Chad, or Taylor. DVD clips and out takes keep the game at a thrilling pace, as players sing and dance their way to the final callback.What's in the Box Board game, DVD game, and six character pieces.

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Cranium Wow Game Review

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(More customer reviews)When we bought this game, the big question we wanted answered was how different was it from the original? We put off buying it, then when we found it on an inexpensive sale, we figured it was worth the risk.
This game will be appreciated by anyone who enjoys the original Cranium and has exhausted the cards of their first game.
The game is played largely the same way as the original. Up to 4 teams move around the board by successfully completing challenges in 4 categories: Data Head, Star Performer, Word Worm and Creative Cat. The board layout is the same, though it's slightly more decorative this time. If memory of the original serves me correctly, the board is also smaller this time around.
All of the original activities from these 4 categories are present. However, they have also added new activities and changed one of the old activities, slightly.
In Data Head, they've added an activity called "Odd Couple," wherein you choose the two items in a list that don't belong with the others.
In Star Performer, they've added an activity called "Slideshow." In this activity one team member moves the arms and legs of another silent team member as you would a marionette. Think of it as charades with a twist. The goal is obviously to get the other players to guess what the puppeteer is trying to demonstrate with the puppet.
In Word Worm, they've changed "Gnilleps" to be a team game, meaning every player on the team takes alternating turns, adding one letter at a time to spell the word in reverse. They've also added "Mindmeld," a word association game where two or more team mates are each given a topic and have to write down 3 words that immediately come to mind when considering the topic. If any of the words between team mates match, the activity is successfully completed.
Club Cranium activities also still exist, but if I remember the original rules correctly, the way Club Craniums are played is slightly different. However, I could just be mistaken in my recollection of the way they were originally played.
We did find in a few instances that we could not complete some of the activities in a 2 person per team game. For example in Slideshow, the puppeteer was someone from the team that drew the card, but the Marionnete was from a different team so that there would still be someone left on the original team to guess what was happening. We just could not play Club Cranium Slideshow.
I found the Data Head questions were much easier than the first game. All of the other activities remained at relatively the same level of difficulty as before.
The addition of character movers with interchangeable hats and hair was cute, though it does not change anything about game play.
Overall, we enjoyed this as much as the original and like the new activities. If you have the original, you might still want to add this to your game collection, especially if you have exhausted all the cards from your first game like we did and especially at this great price of $15.99 (it retails for almost $30 and I'm not sure if I would pay $30 for a duplicate game). If you do not have a Cranium game yet, I would choose this one instead of the first one simply for the added variety.

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The classic game of Cranium just got an upgrade. Cranium Wow is the latest addition to the fast-paced, addictive, and downright fun family of games that manages to uncover a player’s talents--or lack thereof. Similar to its older sibling, Wow’s objective is to move around the board until you’ve reached Cranium Central, where your team completes its final activities to claim victory.

Of course, advancing to the center of the board is where all the fun is had. Teams must work together to answer, sketch, sculpt, solve, act, hum, and more. Four card decks with 600 cards and 15 activities dictate what must be done in order to move forward--and make everyone laugh out loud. One of the great things about Cranium games is how much fun they make it to discover new talents among friends and family. With something for the artist, brainiac, actor, and wordsmith, it’s guaranteed to be a good time.

Maybe you’ve always wanted to use your best friend as a puppet to act out "milking a cow." Or perhaps you want to prove you can draw "bed head" with your eyes closed. You might be eager to show off your vast knowledge of "The Hoff," YouTube, and which came first, the toaster or sliced bread. If any of these are true, you should play Cranium Wow very soon. Why keep those hidden talents hidden when they’re so impressive?

Cranium Wow has introduced another fanciful twist on this game. While the box includes four colorful vinyl movers, there are a total of 12 out there to be collected. Each one is sold separately, has its own profile, and comes with a hat or hairdo that can be switched among any of the other movers. This means that the people you play with most frequently can have personalized movers to match their own personalities. Wow!
What's In the Box
Game board
600 new cards
10-sided die
Tub of purple clay
Timer
Drawing pads
Pre-sharpened pencils
4 customizable movers with interchangeable hats and hairdos

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Scene It? Deluxe Movie 2nd Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)This game is like a eating a cream puff - a tasty but one-dimensional treat.
If you aren't used to DVD-based board games, the switching between the board and DVD can take some getting used to. However, this is the nature of these types of games and not really a major issue once you get used to it. The board portion is just like any board game, it's the DVD portion and the level of interaction that it provides that gives it a definite boost in entertainment value. It's a nice feature to be able to use videos and pictures to solve clues.
However, I wouldn't exactly call this game educational unless you need to brush up on your entertainment knowledge for your audition of 1 vs 100. Of course, this isn't the focus of the game but none-the-less, since it lacks the breadth of a game like trivial pursuit it won't hold the interest of those who prefer broader questions in their trivia games.
What it lacks in breadth, it makes up in depth and the DVD does a good job of shuffling the questions enough to prevent too much repetition. Even your resident movie buff will be challenged by some of the more obscure questions. All in all a very entertaining game that works well for small groups.

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The popular board game that has players watching video clips and shouting out answers is now available in an upgraded movie theme. This second edition of Screenlife’s Scene It? Movie game is chock full of questions, characters, and clips from both new and classic films of the silver screen. From older films like E.T. and Casablanca to new favorites such as The Devil Wears Prada and Ocean’s 11, the game asks challenging questions about characters and scenes.

Pop the game’s DVD into your player to start the star studded fun. Loaded with new clips and puzzles, this updated version touches on oversized apes to princess brides and all things in between. There are over 1,000 questions on the 160 trivia cards, so even if you see the same snippet from the 180 on the DVD during the same game, the question about that scene will be different. Special technology randomizes the order of the clips to ensure fresh fun each time the game is played.

The interactive game board can be spread out for longer games, or folded for a smaller board when you don’t have a lot of time (or that many players). To help you move around the board there are four metal tokens with movie genre themes (wind-up chatter teeth, a heart-shaped box of chocolates, a car in mid flight, and a hand reaching from beyond the grave), one six-sided die to determine how many spaces to move, and one eight-sided die that determines the category to be played. Once the dice have been rolled, clips are watched, questions are asked, and it’s revealed just how much you know. Use memory, logic, and your pop culture knowledge to answer various challenges about famous quotes, imaginative characters, and the actors who brought them to life. Categories range from Quotables and Who Am I? to Soundclips and more.

Whether you attend new releases on opening weekend or rent the classics, this game is easy enough to learn and fun enough to play for everyone. The casual movie watcher can answer questions by using puzzle-solving skills or by paying close attention to the movie clips. There are also 30 Buzz cards available to help (or occasionally hinder) progress. If these reasons aren’t enough to tempt you into a game on your own, then co-produce a blockbuster with a friend or family member by playing in team mode first.

A TV, DVD player, and remote control are needed but not included. The DVD includes an on-screen demonstration of game play.

What’s in the box
2 DVDs
1 Flextime game board
1 six-sided die
1 eight-sided category die
4 collectible metal player tokens
160 trivia cards
30 Buzz cards
4 reference cards
Game play instructions

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Rubies Accessories Feathered Parrot Review

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(More customer reviews)My son is very much looking forward to Halloween with this amusing parrot on his shoulder! It feels cheap, but then, it only needs to last through one school day and one day of trick-or-treating...

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The Feathered Parrot Pirate Costume Accessory is one of the many great costumes and accessories available for Halloween or theme parties.A great Halloween costume!

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FunKeys Specialty Starter Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)My 8-year old son loves the UB Funkeys, plays it every chance he gets, and has already acquired several new Funkeys. It's a little like Club Penguin without the monthly fee - though the cost of the new Funkeys would pay for several years of Club Penguin so it's not clear you're saving anything. Still, it'll be a hit for most preteen kids. BUT...

You've got to get it working first. The out of box installation fails - you have to download a driver patch from their website (which is now fully operational - it wasn't working properly when I installed, which colored the experience). The patch has to be installed during product installation - read the installation instructions on both the toy and the patch very carefully.
Another major glitch occurred after my son had been using it for a while. The Funkey software "phones home" on startup, and suddenly decided it wanted to download and install an update. It did this when my son started up the game, with no prior notification and no request for confirmation. Unfortunately, the installation failed because my son does not have administrator privileges, and afterwards the game was unusable. I had to reinstall, which lost all history files, so my son had to start over (fortunately, the game is fun enough that he didn't mind).
In my opinion, there's no excuse for not requesting confirmation and permission for a download, or for assuming all people playing a toy aimed at preteens are administrators. There's also no excuse for not providing an option to preserve player history on a reinstall. So the Radica people deserve credit for creating an addictive toy, and also deserve a slap to the face for not understanding some basic principles of user-friendly software design.

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This specialty starter kit will have you well on your way to U.B. Funkey world -- and a possible collection addiction. Funkeys are creative vinyl characters that plug into a larger Funkey hub attached to a computer in order to travel around their virtual world, play games, build a "crib," and interact with other Funkeys. This starter kit includes the 5-inch-tall white Funkey hub, USB cable, two 2.75-inch-tall Funkeys, and installation software. All in all there are 42 different Funkey characters: three different colors in 14 different designs. Of the three in each design, one is quite common, one is rare, and the third is very rare by collection standards.

To log your Funkey on, simply stand it on the "hub" attached through the USB port. You’ll see your character’s avatar match the appearance of the Funkey plugged in and you’ll be able to visit locations and play games that are attributed to that Funkey’s properties. To encourage collection of additional Funkeys, Radica implemented a few clever rules. For instance there is a coin system, which awards different coin values depending on the Funkey currently in play. Items that can be purchased with those coins also vary with the character in use, and, lastly, certain games are only unlocked and available if the right Funkey is plugged in to the hub. Which means the more Funkeys you collect, the more virtual places and games you can experience and the more coins you can accumulate.

By playing games in the U.B. Funkeys world, characters earn coins that they can then use for purchasing items for their "crib." These rooms are customizable, from wall colors to furniture and plants to accessories, and can also be uploaded for friends to see. Just give your "crib" a name, share it with your friends, and they can visit anytime they’re logged on. There are four zones that offer a total of 16 games for players to conquer, and 30 stores where they can spend their hard earned coins on more than 1,000 virtual items. Now the question is: Are you Funkey?

System Requirements
Windows Vista/XP/2000ME/98 operating system
800 MHz processor (1.3 GHz recommended)
256 MB RAM (512 MB recommended)
1 GB free hard disk space
USB port
32 MB video card (64 MB recommended)
8X CD or DVD drive
Sound card
Keyboard and mouse

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Bandai Girlz Connect Destiny (Pink) Review

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(More customer reviews)Our kids loves these things!!! It small, so it can be taken anywhere, and yet hold their interest for hours.

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Tech toys are all the rage with young girls! From the makers of Tamagotchi, the world's first and top-selling "virtual pet," the Girlz Connect Destiny is packed with quizzes and activities to share with friends and other Destiny users over the Internet. Whether at home, school, or in the car, this small electronic toy fits in a purse for easy, on-the-go fun. Recommended for girls ages 8 to 13, this Bandai toy is the perfect accessory for social and tech-savvy tweens.Sleek Electronic Toy Packed With Fun Quizzes Shaped like a contoured pencil case, the pink plastic Destiny is as sleek as it is savvy. Sliding easily into a bag or a back pocket, this electronic toy packs loads of games and tests played on a touch screen with a pink plastic stylus. The activities include 20 built-in quizzes, horoscope readings, love compatibility tests, personality quizzes, and flash drive space for future updates. Are you a "drama queen" or a "goody-two-shoes"? Similar to the "get to know me, get to know you" quizzes in magazines, these age-appropriate games provide hours of fun as girls learn about themselves and their friends. The Destiny lets girls design their own avatar and profile for displaying personal info like daily horoscopes, birth stones, and more.Connect With Friends Over the Internet Complete with a USB drive, the Girlz Connect Destiny hooks up to a PC for connecting not only with friends but an entire online community of Destiny users. What's more, with over 100 quizzes currently online, you can download new quizzes to keep your Destiny fun, fresh and interactive. Based on your interests, the Web Site will even suggest quizzes they're certain you'll love. With a lanyard, you can carry it on your backpack or belt loop wherever you go. This electronic toy requires a 3-volt battery (included). What's in the Box Electronic toy, 3-volt battery, stylus and lanyard.

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Radica Cube World Block Bash Review

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(More customer reviews)My children love this toy. They have a rather large collection. They enjoy moving them around to see different animation occur. You can play mini games to gain extra animation if you score high enough which is easy to do. Provides good entertainment for kids of all ages. Sometimes the characters fight, party or excercise in their own cube or go visit a friend in another cube.

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Cube World just got a little bigger. The Block Bash cube is four times the size of the small Cube World character cubes, and offers up a slew of new distractions through additional characters, animations, and games. Turn on the yellow cube to see Alley, Block Bash’s main resident who keeps watch over the neighborhood, sweeps the streets, and picks up trash.

You can have fun with Alley alone in many ways. You can watch him perform over 100 unique animations as he inhabits the city. You can play the interactive game Trash Dash in which you need to catch items falling from the balconies above you. Or you can try to unlock up to 21 additional animations by jumping over rats running across the street while simultaneously trash dashing. Block Bash will even keep track of your high score.

But things get truly interesting when you connect multiple cubes together using the magnetic contacts that are on four sides of each cube. Block Bash can be surrounded by eight small cubes, can be connected with other, large Block Bash or Global Get A Way cubes, or a mix and match combination of any of the above. This makes the possibilities virtually endless. Because when Alley gets visitors from other cubes, they all interact with each other--or hop in a cab and drive off to a destination they’ve never been to before!

Whether they head to the circus, a jousting tournament, a concert, or some other crazy event, it’s guaranteed to be the hottest ticket in town. When the cab brings the characters back home, a block party complete with music and dancing may ensue, or the characters may just call it a day and head back to their respective cubes for some shut-eye. After four minutes of no interaction from you, Alley will go into sleep mode, complete with animated snoring after he lies down. After another minute of no movement, the cube will shut off to help conserve battery power. When you’re ready to play again, simply press the "on" button for Alley to appear.

If you have multiple Cube World cubes, you can connect up to 16 in any vertical and/or horizontal configuration to see them all interact together (even if there are more than one of the same character). Since each cube can hold up to four stick figures, this provides hours of unpredictable and thoroughly entertaining fun. The Block Bash cube requires three AAA batteries which are not included.

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Monopoly Tropical Tycoon Game Review

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(More customer reviews)My husband and I loved this game!! Besides the love of the tropical theme, it has different features that the original is missing. The biggest change is that it now uses a DVD instead of chance/community chest cards. All the properties are names of beaches, railroads are beach transportations, and utilites are solar power and wind power. The new tokens are the parrot, beach hat, scooter, cannon, flip flop, and sail boat. But enough about the pieces, lets talk game play.
The first thing you do is roll and the DVD will tell you which "job" you have (mayor, artist, surfer, developer, police chief)- each has their own bonus. Then you roll like you would normally- but if you look at one of the dies there is a TV picture on it. That means you choose the News Update on the DVD and stuff happen. There was a lot of decisions that the DVD asked of you that can effect the current player or somebody else. The game is much quicker due to some new rules (ie landing on Free Parking you can pick any unowned property and purchase it) and you can choose to develop tourist attractions(casino, pier,etc) instead of beach houses/resorts. These tourist properties can bring in some bucks too!
The bad news: The first kinda downer is that it is 3-5 players (which is hard on a couple like to play games together). Pieces looked a little cheap (plastic houses/hotels/piers etc and cardboard fortune pieces) hopefully they will last. Money tray still doesnt hold all the money options- not a big deal, just annoying. Some of the news update stuff is a little silly, but cute.
I felt like this was a fresh breath of air to a game that can feel pretty tedious after awhile. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys monopoly!

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The Hasbro Monopoly Tropical Tycoon DVD Game puts a new and exotic spin on the classic game of Monopoly. It is just as fun and competitive as the original, but it adds a feature DVD and special new features for an even more exciting gaming experience. Recommended for ages 8 and up, and designed for 3 to 5 players, this game will have you rushing for pieces of real estate in a tropical paradise.Monopoly With a Tropical TwistMonopoly Tropical Tycoon is played with classic Monopoly rules: each player must invest in property, develop housing, and compete with the other players for control of the map. This time around, however, everything's been renovated with a vibrant tropical theme. The utilities, for example, are now solar and water power. The properties are beaches, forests, casinos, piers and the like. The tokens have also changed, and now include a parrot, sail boat, parrot and other tropical items.However, the changes aren't just cosmetic -- there have been some serious gameplay changes as well! The DVD adds a storyline and narrative to your game, immersing you completely in the tropical vibe. Community and chance cards are now given over the DVD, too. Each player is now given special abilities as well, depending on which "job" they have chosen at the beginning of the game. All these extra features makes the game even more fun and engaging than the original Monopoly.

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Tomy I-SOBOT Robot Review

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(More customer reviews)Right to the details first...
^++ The Pros ++^
+ Excellent price to functionality ratio. It walks, it talks and it can balance on 1 leg...It can even do a somersault (to name just a few things)...All for about the price of a Robosapien V2. But in terms of robotics ability the V2 is a $0.99 Store cheapy in comparison.
+ Comes packaged with 3xAAA Eneloop batteries and a battery charger. This is an excellent addition. If you're not familiar with Eneloops brand batteries, in a nutshell they have an outstandingly low self-discharge rate while in storage. So no worries if the Robot goes off to storage for a bit, the batteries will still be decently charged when I-Sobot makes a re-appearance
+ It walks. Not some gimmicky pseudo walking, I-Sobot actually stands on 2 feet and takes human-like steps.
+ It can get back to a standing position, using 1 of 2 sequences based on whether it's on its back or belly.
+ It can balance on 1 leg and do kicks (front kicks, like kicking a soccer ball, and side-kicks like doing martial arts).
+ 4 Modes of operation:
+++ Remote Control Mode: Essentailly a real-time mode almost like a video game, where your inputs have almost immediate results.
+++ Special Action Mode: Enter in special key sequences and I-Sobot does pre-defined actions, such as doing a re-enactment of the "go ahead, make my day" from Dirty Harry.
+++ Program Mode: Enter in multiple sequences from the other modes and save them to be played in order
+++ Voice Command Mode: I-Sobot reacts accordingly to certain voice queues.
+ I-Sobot was conceptualized and made in Japan. Anyone familiar with the Hobby of Humanoid Robotics knows that Japan is essentially the forerunner of the hobby, not to mention the Japanese following for it (compared to any other country, especially America) is far higher. This makes the I-Sobot both an impressive feat of engineering and durable/reliable.
+ Excellent re-playability. Take the Tickle-Me Elmo TMX as an example. I bought one for my young son and only after a couple of minutes of watching it do the same things over and over, he lost interest and Elmo has been collecting dust ever since. The I-Sobot, on the other hand, has kept him near mesmerized for a couple of weeks and even now that's its been months later, I-Sobot still makes near daily appearances to entertain him.^-- The Cons --^
- The I-Sobot DEVOURS battery power! If the robot is going to be used on a regular basis, I'd highly recommend buying at least 2 more sets (6 more AAA size) of batteries. The robot has 17 servos, so it's to be expected and par for the course to power this little marvel.
- No volume adjustment. The speech and sound F/X is quite loud and unfortunately there's no volume adjustment.
- Effective on flat, even surfaces only (like Hardwood Floors). It'll work on carpet and such, but not reliably.Final Words
Especially now that the I-Sobot can be had for under 200 hundred dollars (with a little shopping around, WELL under 200), it's a great time to pickup one of these truly bi-pedal humanoid robots. You'll find yourself coming back to it again and again, not to mention anyone you show it to is impressed at seeing something about the size of a chunky action figure walking, talking, kicking and doing air guitar!
If you've ever had a fascination with robots, the I-Sobot is the real deal.

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There's no shortage of fun with the amazing i-SOBOT, the World's Smallest Robot. Packed with over 200 words and phrases, and more than 200 pre-programmed movements, this robot can do everything from saying goodbye to dancing the hula. Recommended for kids aged 10 and up, the i-SOBOT is ready to rock 'n' roll right out of the box. Smooth Robotic MovementWith unbelievably smooth robotics, the i-SOBOT walks more like a human than a robot. This fully-functional and fully-assembled robot features 17 custom designed actuators and gyro-sensor, allowing it to keep balance and freely move joints for impressive performance, vivid movement, and incredible flexibility. Other main components include a built-in speaker unit and built-in microphone with a voice recognition chip. With built-in clutches and metal gears, the i-SOBOT offers up to 220-degree movement. The two infrared transmission bands allow the robot to be operated with an LCD remote control. Robots Moves From Talking To DancingAlso performing by programmable memory and by the sound of your voice, the i-SOBOT will make your day and impress your friends with his moves. Putting the meaning back into "action-packed," the 6.5-inch tall robot dances to the beat, does push-ups and somersaults, imitates animals, hula dances, plays air guitar, kicks and punches with sound effects, and even responds to applause. Not only does the i-SOBOT talk with a vocabulary of 200 words and phrases, it also plays its own music. What's in the Box Robot, LCD remote control, hexagon wrench, action chart, operation manual and 3 AAA batteries.

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Video Journal Review

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(More customer reviews)What a great idea! My daughter loves the ability to combine her photos and videos with great stories that she writes. You should see what she did with our vacation to Cape Cod! You don't have to be artistic to make a beautiful looking journal. Great activity for doing with her friends, too. How can you go wrong at under $30, the camera is worth more than that, alone.

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Girls, it is time to throw away that old spiral-bound notebook and start keeping an interactive journal! Better than the boring diaries of the past, the Radica Video Journal allows girls from ages 8 and up to download photos and live videos into their journal entries.Create a Unique Digital Keepsake The Radica Video Journal allows you to create and customize your journal entries using the software program and digital camera. Use the creative templates to express yourself with beautiful poetry and prose and take photos or videos with the digital camera. The Video Journal even has a calendar to keep you organized because everyone sometimes forgets important dates and holidays.Have fun updating the daily calendar with pictures and video taken on that day. Best of all, the Video Journal is snoop proof, just use the hide button for extra privacy from your siblings or friends. The Video Journal comes with everything you need to get started, including software, USB, camera, docking station, and lanyard.An Important Learning Tool The Video Journal fosters a girl's creative side while teaching the basics of digital technology and photography. Specifically designed for young girls, Video Journal encourages communication yet maintains privacy. The draw function allows unlimited creativity as girls draw pictures into their journal and the hide button makes sure their private thoughts are kept secure. The Video Journal's scrapbook functionality helps design beautiful pages that can be looked back on years later. Moreover, all of the pages can be formatted and printed out to compose a physical diary. What's in the Box Video journal software, USB, camera, docking station, and lanyard.

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The Game of Life Twists & Turns Review

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(More customer reviews)Firstly, I would say that the age rating (9+) is appropriate for this game. We have played it several times and found it enjoyable each time.
How the game is played:
The lifepod and Visa DEBIT cards are a real addition to the game. I highlight the word debit because some people seem to be voicing their concerns that this game is Visa's way of getting children hooked on credit cards at a young age. I do not have a credit card, but I do have a debit card for several reasons, primarily because the world is becoming more electronic and sometimes you need a debit card (for example, ordering something off Amazon.) Another thing that may remove some worries is that there is a penalty for being in debt in the game. Every time you spin and you are in debt you get 10% of your total amount taken away. (In a way this discourages debt because you can easily lose the game this way.)
How the Game is Played:
One of the most fun features of this game is that all players do not have to take the same "Life path." There are 4 paths you can choose to start on (although you can move between all 4 throughout the game) learn it, earn it, live it, and love it.
The lifepod records everything (except for you occupation although it does keep your salary) and you have a "scorecard" which really functions only to have something to clip your "Occupation" card to.
We love the lifepod as it makes the game fun, less messy, and interesting. Each turn you put your visa debit card into the lifepod and press spin.
The goal of the game is to get the most life points. (Money, assets, children, homes, etc... are turned into lifepoints at the end of the game.)
Learn it is the area of the bored where you can get a degree and (if you desire) a PhD. Only about half of the careers actually require degrees.
Earn it is the area of the board where you have the opportunity to make money, buy cars and houses, and get promotions.
Love it is the area of the board focused on getting married and having children (and also buying cars and houses). (As a note you can ony have children if you are married even in adoptions).
Live it is focused primarily on adventure and earning life points.
Each turn you spin, collect your life points and then move your skateboard/car/sports car (whatever you have at the time) to the next space. On all 4 areas of the bored you have several crossroads you can choose to go down.
Even if you do not land on anything you still get to choose a LIFE card. Each LIFE card has 4 options (one for each area of the bored) and you follow what is said on your area.)
(Example:
Earn It: You find a wallet and return it to its owner. Collect a reward. +500 LIFE +$1000
Learn It: Fail your class in auto repair when you forget to put oil back in the car. -$10,000
Live It: You party with your favorite celebrity. +800 LIFE
Love It: You didn't see your cousin's car in the driveway and you ran into it when you backed out of the garage. -300 LIFE -$10,000.
The cards are pretty randomized although after a few turns the same things do start to reappear.
The way to win is by having the most LIFE points in the end. You choose the number of years you would like to play (I would recommend 10-20 or it gets boring) in the beginning. After the last spin you put your Visa debit cards back into the LifePod and it adds up all your life points.
Pros:
*Compared to the original Life game I have found this to be much more fun and more realistic. Not everyone chooses to get married and some people have 10 children but don't focus on careers... etc... It's more personal choices rather than just luck in this game
*The LifePod is brilliant (takes AA batteries, I use rechargeable ones for all my games.) It makes the game fun and easy to add everything up and keep score of everything
*This game seems to allure more interest from a more diverse group of players than the original board game
*2-4 Players, this is also a con, but as a pro it's fun to have some games that just 2 people can play, sometimes you don't always have a huge group
Cons:
*The biggest con I have found is with the careers. If you spend several turns focusing on earning a degree it should be more valuable than the "supermodel" who by chance (with no degree) wins the game by 5X the LIFE points. College degrees (and especially Phds should be like houses and add LIFE points every spin.
*Another con is not so much with the game as it is the idea of the game as well. It seems that American consumerism is extremely positive in this game. You can own up to 3 cars and 3 houses at the same time. Many of the cards say things such as "purchase a boat, +1000 LIFE points" while cards that read "Help your grandmother with her garden" only earn +100 points. The game seems to say that real life should be all about earning money, spending money, and all they toys you can accumulate on the way. Unfortunately in real life these things often leave people empty and lonely. While I don't see this being a big enough problem to keep me from playing the game, I am disappointed to see so much value put on material things and career advancement vs. relationships and education, especially in a family board game that would probably be purchased by families or friends trying to emphasize the value of relationships.
*2-4 players, while a pro this is also a con, I think this game would be better suited to have 2-6 players. While I can see playing on teams it could be frustrating (especially with middle school kids) if one wants to love it and the other earn it. :)
*It would also be nice if there was about double the LIFE cards as this game comes with. After a few plays the same LIFE scenarios come up again and can be a little repetitive.
Overall I would give this game a 4 star rating. Lots of fun, especially if you like the original LIFE, not too hard to understand, and entertaining for a pretty vast range of ages. Plus you can't complain when a board game can be played with as few as 2.


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The Game of Life: Twists and Turns puts a new and modern spin on Hasbro's classic family board game. It is a game of choices, where players can "test drive" different lifestyles, take their chances and experience the twists and turns of real life. Jobs, money, marriage, children and all sorts of unexpected events -- just like real life, it's all here! Recommended for ages 8 and up, there are a thousand different ways to play this game, and no two games will ever be the same.Updating a ClassicLike the classic version of the Game of Life, the Game of Life: Twists and Turns is based around real-life events. You'll choose a profession at the beginning of the game, and roll the dice to progress along the board. As you progress, you'll encounter all sorts of real-life events (injected with a hefty dose of humor, of course), including marriage, houses, cars and family matters. You'll essentially live real life and make life-defining decisions, but without having to live with the consequences.However, Twists and Turns has a number of updates in store. Not only does it offer far more choices and possibilities than the original, it also has a number of new technical features that both longtime fans and newly-introduced players will appreciate greatly. The game now features a "LIFEPod," which helps players keep track of time and manage their careers, houses, cars and families with the touch of the button. The high-tech interface adds loads of fun to the game. The innovations don't stop there: each player now gets their very own Visa credit card, which they can use to spend. This not only puts a fresh modern twist on the game, but it also could possibly teach younger players about credit card responsibility at an early age. This gives educational value to an already quirky and fun game.

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DreamLife Superstar TV Plug-In Game Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this for my 9 year old niece and she can't seem to get enough of it. She is totally hooked on this game. I read the other review and we did not experience any of the same problems that reviewer was having. The other reviewer, complained that you have to "earn" your Superstar status. Well, hello, that is the challenge of this game. If it came easy how fun would that be. As with everything in life, you generally have to work hard to get what you want & to earn it! That gives this toy it's educational value!

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The Hasbro dream-life TV plug-in game turns every youngster into a super-star. Ideal for children ages 8 and up, this interactive game allows children to embark on a fabulous adventure as a celebrity. Dream Life takes place over a virtual summer vacation and provides kids with hours of entertainment.Easy Setup and ControlDream Life Superstar plugs right into a TV's audio-visual inputs. It comes with its own purple wireless remote control and an instruction booklet.Just plug the game console into the TV, grab the remote, and you're ready for action. Plus, the Dream Life game is easy to transport. When it's time to pack it up, children can save their game and take it to a friend's house or start over and create an entirely new celebrity. Adventures on the Red CarpetDream Life allows players to visit a fantasy world only experienced by the rich and famous. The player can be an actress, singer, TV star, writer, or athlete and the longer they play the more activities and jobs there are to choose from. The character visits celebrity hangouts including the sound studio, red carpet, and spa. As the celebrities enjoy their new-found success, gifts start to arrive, including fan letters, special-events invites, and more. Additional games are unlocked as the player progresses for endless entertainment opportunities. There are a wide variety of looks, clothes, and activities to experiment with. Dream Life creates a glamorous world where every kid can feel like a superstar. This product requires four AA and two AAA batteries (not included).

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Mad Gab Review

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(More customer reviews)This game is unbelievable fun for adults...and kids over the age of about 9 will get it too, although the sentences/sayings might not be as familiar to them.
We have had wonderful time playing this everytime, as a family, and with adult friends as well...
get this game and have great fun!

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Canoe Key Pace He Grit? Mad Gab is one of the most entertaining and fun talk-out-loud games you’ll even play. Teams square off against their opponents in trying to be the first to 25 points, which are earned by solving word puzzles. The puzzles are mondegreens of small words that, when said together, sound like a phrase, famous person, place, or thing. For example, "Canoe Key Pace He Grit" when pronounced quickly sounds like "Can you keep a secret?"

Talking to yourself might have people looking at you funny any other time, but it’s almost a prerequisite for Mad Gab. Simply reading "Sea Grit Dress Up Ease" may not be enough to solve the puzzle. But once you start sounding it out slow, fast, slurred, or with quick repetitions, you start to hear "secret recipes" and have the answer. But players should be careful, because if they don’t guess correctly before time runs out, then the opposing team has a chance to steal for the point.

The game includes 300 cards featuring 1,200 puzzles with two levels of difficulty. An easy example is "Sand Tack Laws" being Santa Claus, while a hard clue might be "Thigh Sing Gone Thick Ache" (the icing on the cake). A timer, a flipper, labels, a score pad, and instructions are also included.

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Mad Gab Game To Go Review

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(More customer reviews)I was introduced to this game and had to have it. If you like Apples to Apples or In a Pickle or Bolderdash, you'll love this game. It is a left/right brain game. I particularly love this packaging. We took it on a flight and it was great because it's not noisy and is very easy to put away, or pull out quickly. The plastic box holds it all and closes!
Highly recommend! I hope the manufacturer comes out with an additional set of cards, for when we get to learn them all.

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Mad Gab Game To Go: It's Not What You Say, It's What You Hear! Play Mad Gab and you'll be speaking a funny language! It's team against team in a battle to decipher silly word puzzles like: May Weed Ants. Can you hear what you really said? Say it over and over until you hear yourself say May We Dance? Now, go on and play the 240 puzzles created especially for this To Go game!

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Monopoly Electronic Banking Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)While this might at first appear like a gimic, Monopoly with electronic banking makes, setup, cleanup and playing so much easier.
No money to count out. Transactions are done through the well thought out banking calculator.
It's also a nice touch that the money has been increased to thousands and millions to account for inflation.
This might not be the choice for Monopoly purists, but it's a lot of fun.
The only pet peeve of mine is the board that is "split" to fold smaller. These are now used in most Monopoly sets and they just don't hold up as well as the traditional folding board and the split is an annoyance when playing.
Still this is a great Monopoly set.
RRuin

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The Monopoly Electronic Banking Edition game combines the best of classic Monopoly with updated electronic transactions. As with the original version, players still operate with money, learn real-world economics, competition and strategy, try to stay out of jail, and try their best to get filthy rich. But this version has been updated to reflect changes in how the real world uses money: All transactions are conducted with Monopoly's new banking card system. Anyone from age 8 and up will enjoy this updated version of one of the world's most famous games. Classic Fun with Modern Twists Aside from the electronic banking, the basic rules of this game have not changed from the Monopoly everybody remembers. Tokens, houses, hotels, chance and community chest cards, cardboard property deeds -- if you've played the classic version, you'll know how to play. The board is different in how it folds up in the box, but once you spread it out, it's the same.The tokens have changed to reflect today's culture. Instead of irons and racing cars, the tokens depict modern icons such as a Segway and a tin of Altoids. Instead of railroads, there are airports. The utilities are Internet service providers and cell phone services. Properties have also been updated -- from the upscale blue Times Square to the economy purple Texas Stadium. In this game, you can go to jail for identity theft or lose $1 million when a virus infects your computer network. And of course, property values are exponentially higher than in the original game.The big switch, of course, is the electronic banking. Each player starts with $15 million in their bank card account, and the banker adds amounts (such as when the player passes go) or subtracts (such as when the player pays to get out of jail) by inserting the player's card in the plus or minus slot of the Banker Unit. When one player has to pay another player, the banker debits or credits each account as appropriate.Monopoly for Right Now The electronic banking is neat and easy to handle, and as an added educational bonus, the player who takes on the banker role will quickly become familiar with basic bookkeeping concepts. The bank cards operate more like debit than credit, so players will learn responsible money management, not how to run up credit card debt.This version of Monopoly doesn't play significantly differently than the original. The game can still take hours to play, and the instructions offer several alternatives for those who want speedier play. The updates introduce a few elements of surprise along the way, but for the most part it's still the same great Monopoly that will provide the same kind of family fun with some surprising, up-to-date twists.Pros
Same basic game play, but with up-to-date references
Electronic banking works well, easy to learn
Teaches responsible money management
Fun for both kids and adults
Cons
Player customizations might not work with the new version
Updated references will eventually become out of date, too
What's in the Box Game board, electronic Banker Unit, 6 tokens, 28 title deed cards, 16 chance cards, 16 community chest cards, 6 Monopoly bank cards, 32 houses, 12 hotels, and 2 dice.

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