“My Word Coach offers teenagers (14 years +) and adults a unique way to improve verbal skills through a series of interactive activities and exercises.” - Yes, it does!
This edutainment game includes a series of minigames focusing on word recognition, spelling challenges, and vocabulary definition. The game contains 16,800 words from the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. My Word Coach was inspired by ongoing vocabulary acquisition research by Thomas Cobb, University Professor in Applied Linguistics at the University of Quebec. (more…)
LeapFrog’s Sonic X for the Leapster is a Sonic themed Edutainment game. Sonic, a.k.a. “Sonic The Hedgehog” is one of the best-known video game characters in the world. Sonic X is an animated television series, featuring the video game hero Sonic the Hedgehog and is based on the storylines of the Sonic Adventure series. The series was animated and produced in Japan by TMS Entertainment with the partnership of Sega and the Sonic Team. In 2003, 4Kids Entertainment licensed Sonic X for American U.S. licensing, allowing companies like LeapFrog access to the popular video game character.
Sonic X for the Leapster and Leapster L-Max is suited for player’s ages 5-7 years old. Players will enjoy navigating Sonic thru 3 different worlds, while improving their Counting, Addition, Subtraction skills. The game can be best classified as an educational “platform jumper” or “platformer”, where the player must jump from and to platforms or over obstacles. The game does a great job of letting the very youngest of players experience some of Sonics most famous moves, such as the ability to run uphill and thru Roller coaster-like loops. Your youngster will not have control over Sonic during these preset action sequences, but we are certain that most kids will not notice - leaving your child satisfied and thrilled at the same time. Different math problems must be solved in order to advance. These exercises range anywhere from very basic counting and sequencing to additions and subtractions with numerical and visual support. Three different educational mini games will be encountered throughout the game, which can also be accessed directly thru the main menu along with the three different worlds of Sonic X. We found Sonic X to be very similar, if not identical in game-play to “Numbers on the Run” for the Leapster L-Max”. Looks to us like Leapfrog is “recycling” game-play, which makes the customer end up with essentially the same game, only with different graphics.
Overall Sonic X is a fun game that offers a good balance between education and entertainment. The animation and action is far more immersive compared to Sonics “Numbers on the Run” clone. That’s why we are giving Sonic X our Thumb’s Up.
Visit our Sonic X Review Page for Screenshots, Member Reviews, Tips and more.
Pet Pals is a Virtual Pet edutainment game for Leapfrog’s Leapster and Leapster L-Max. The game is suited for players ages 4 to 7.
Kids of all ages love virtual pets! A look at Nintendo’s sales data reveals 13.6 Million copies sold, making their virtual pet simulation Nintendogs for the handheld DS the most successful DS game to date. It appears that Leapfrog looked across the Pacific to the “big N” in search for some game-play ideas…
Pet Pals let’s your children adopt one out of three different puppies. After giving it a name and signing the “Pet Pals Puppy Pledge” it’s of to feeding, bathing and entertaining the pet. All of the different activities offer a good mix of fun and education. We enjoyed seeing math, phonics and letter writing combined in one game. Pet Pals makes good use of the stylus and offers enough variety in mini-games to keep your kids edutained for some time.
We recommend Pet Pals because it feels and plays like a real “Game”, rather then an educational exercise with some button pressing.
…Here is one for all who enjoy nitpicking: Leapfrog used Scooby Doo’s “running feed” sound effect in the game which feels a little cheap and out of place – but we are sure your kids won’t care…
“Numbers on the Run - Counting on Zero” for the Leapster and Leapster L-Max is an edutainment game with the focus on Counting, Addition, Subtraction and Writing numbers. The game is suited for players ages 4 and up. Depending on your child’s math skills, the game will become too easy for those older than 6.
Numbers on the Run features a 3 Level side-scrolling jump and run game and 4 Mini-games, plus one additional Mini-game reserved for those who connect their Leapster L-max to a TV. The side-scrolling levels are broken up into 3 stages with increasing difficulty.
The LeapFrog “Leapster” Learning Game System and the newer LeapFrog “Leapster L-Max” Learning Game System are educational handheld devices, aimed at 4 to 10 year olds.
The device was originally released in 2003 and is currently the best-selling handheld edutainment device of its kind. The Leapster has undergone multiple revisions, mostly optimizing shape and size.
The only difference between the slightly more expensive Leapster L-Max and the Leapster is an optional TV Output. The TV-Out enables players to connect the Leapster L-Max to a standard RCA Composite Video and RCA Stereo Plug using the supplied A/V cable.
