Music Reviews

My daughter got this when she was 6 and now almost at 8 still enjoys it. This leap book turned her on to classical music and composers. Great fun and interesting.

This is by far the "most fun" of the LeapFrog books. My 5 year old daughter just loves it! Mozart and Handel seem to jump from the page and come alive. The musical examples are pretty good with opera excerpts even sung in the correct keys! She loves learning about the different types of voices and musical instruments. I hope LeapFrog will make a 2nd version in the near future!

This book is a must buy if you own the LeapPad - the Nutcracker page alone is worth the cost of the book & the leappad!!! I have 3 daughters - ages 2, 4, and 6 and out of all the LeapPad books I have bought them --- they all spend more time on this one page then any other book. It has a wonderful game where the book plays part of the music from the ballet and you have to decide which dancer the music was written for --- even my 2 year old will sit and play this one game over and over. I never would have believed a 2 year old would know that this music belonged to the Chinese dancers, or the SugarPlum Princess, or etc. but she is really getting good at it. Other cool pages include info on other composers and on many different instruments --- this book is a must buy!

If you have tekken 3 and are thinking about getting any other tekken games, tekken 2 is the best. it has awesome characters with just as many moves as 3. also check out the tekken animae movie (available at your local video store). tekken 2's characters are featured.

I have had Tekken 2 for a few years, and even though I've played Tekken 3 and Tekken Tag Tournament, I consider this the top game in the series. My favorite character is Lei Wulong. This game is pretty easy to be good in; for Lei, all I have to do is one throw and his special spinning kick(I don't know the name), and the battle is won. All in all, this game is the perfect game for gamers new to fighting games, and veterans alike.

From the cool first cutcene to the classic music that plays while picking a character, you know this is special.
Don't just button mash, learn the combos because this is the only game(out of 100)that has made me curs at the TV. If you're a beginner, start of with someone with fast kicks like marchial Law and not Jack 2. BUY THIS because it's an ABSOLUTE CLASSIC.

My 8-month old girl enjoys playing with this cube, but when the edge (as opposed to the side) of the cube is facing the ceiling, you do tend to go back and forth between two different songs, depending on the exact position of the cube. It's more of an annoyance for me than for her though. Other than that it's a good-sized toy for little hands and both the music and the rhymes are nice.

I had not seen this toy before but it was given to me at one of my baby showers. My 6 month old little girl absolutely loves it! It is the perfect size for her to handle, look at, and play with! She loves to hear the music when she turns it and grabs at everything on it.

This was one of the best presents my son received. He loves it. The rhymes and music are fun. I think the different colors and variety of music are what mesmerizes our baby. He always becomes excited when he sees the cube.

TONY HAWK'S PRO SKATER 4 *****, Anything less would be a crime! Drop in the ultimate challenge! Pros challenge you to make your mark in huge free - roaming levels, taking on 190 progressively harder goals with no time limits to hold you back! Decide when you're ready to take on your Pro Challenge and move into the pro ranks, where it's a whole new game. Build your skills, earn respect, and show that you've got what it takes to Go Pro...

"Gamepro magazine rates THPS 4 5.0!" All new tricks - skitch behind cars, skate on moving objects, and transfer over spines! New multiplayer and system link modes including Combo Mambo and Capture the Flag! 14 of the world's top pros challenge you to prove your skills. 1 - 2 players, Custom Soundtrack, In - game Dolby Digital, System Link 1 - 8 players at once and is also HDTV 720p capable! Only the XBOX version offers all of this along with smoothed graphics, and faster loading time, oh how sweet THPS 4 and XBOX go together!

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 is the best in the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series so far.The games just keep getting better and better!This game is very addictive and full of depth.The career mode is much different and improved from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3,with much more stuff to do.There is no more time limit.You have to talk to pedestrians throughout the level and they give you a goal to do.The goals get more and more challenging throughout the whole game.This is also by far the most challenging game in the series yet!The graphics are pretty good too(athough nothing shocking).The levels are very large and theres a great soundtrack featuring artists like the Offspring,N.W.A,The Cult,Gang Starr,and over 30 other aritsts.Theres also a custom soundtrack option too so you can use your own soundtrack.This game controls perfectly too with the Controller S.There are no exclusive Xbox features though,except for the obvious things like improved graphics and custom soundtracks.Plus,theres not even Xbox Live online play!But what is here is very fun and addictive and will keep you entertained for a long time.

Tony hawk iz a kool and exiting game. It has one of the best 2 player mode i've ever seen, cause there is so many thingz u can do.But the Creer mode is very challenging, u have to be a pro just to get past the 1rst level at the college. But whaen u get 2 the next level it's worth the wait. Also u can create ur own park, buy boards , grip tape wheels ,secret skaters,and even parks.U can also can also go to parks that are alredy made and they are TIGHT!!!!

Well that's it i reccomend this game if u have 2 share ur system wit a brother. Because 2player mode is awesome. or just play by yourself.

Hats off to Masque's Slots 2. This game is fantastic. Finally, there's a slot game with real slots plus bonus games. The graphics are great (better than the first), and the addition of Betty Boop machines makes this a top pick! I love playing these at casinos, so to see them on my home computer is a blast. The video slots are great. 99 Bottles of Beer and Hot Hot Hot are my faves. The sound effects and second screen features are to die for. Honestly, you can play this for hours and not even begin to scratch the surface of all 50 machines. No cheese here, just authentic, realistic play. I can't wait to see what Slots 3 will be like. If you enjoy Bally Slots, you'll love this game. To compare them to the real thing, check out Bally Gaming's web site and read their descriptions of all of their casino machines. You'll be surprised at how detailed Masque was in designing Slots 2.

If you want authentic recreations of actual slot machines - this game is the current best of the best. Masque Publishing has worked out a deal with Bally's Gaming to include their Betty Boop machines as well as some of the video slots - most popular favorites seem to be Hot Hot Hot and 99 Bottles of Beer. The games are exact right down to the belching grandma in the beer game.

Other slots include Flaming 7's, Fire and Ice, Blazing 7's, Double Jackpot Blazing 7's, Money Poppers, Boxcar Bonus, The Platypus Game, Ball of Fire, Roaring 20's, and In the Money.

Most of these are your traditional three-reel slots, but it's refreshing to see the well-done video slots included. It's unfortunate that video slots from heavyweights such as IGT and WMS Gaming aren't included, but my gut's telling me that's not the fault of Masque Publishing. Too bad, because IGT and WMS are missing out on a lucrative licensing opportunity, not to mention a chance to get players comfortable with their games before spending real money in Vegas.

To the reviewer who says this isn't as good as the original "Slots" -- wrong! Although it was a decent recreation of your basic IGT three-reel slots, the graphics in this game are much cleaner and the sound quality is a thousand times better.

Hats off to Masque Publishing --- great game! And by the way, if you like video poker, their Multiplay Video Poker game is excellent, too!

I love these games!! It's as close to the casino that you can get without driving! I especially love the Betty Boop slots. This Cd includes:
Several Betty Boop regular and as well as progressive slots
Diamonds and Devils
Blazing 7's
Black and White
99 Bottles of Beer
Platypus Game
Boxcar Bonus
Hot Hot Hot

and many many more. Max out your bet and never worry about losing money for real!

Options include .05, .25, $1, and $5 slots as well as payout options and ability to reset your bankroll at any time. I can't say enough good things about this software!!!!

If you want to buy one of the RETRO Classic NES carts Nintendo is offering this is definitely #1 on the list for sheer ease of play and memories. SUPER MARIO BROS is a perfect port of the NES game (minus one glitch at the end of the 3rd world that gave you infinite lives). Several have bemoaned you can not save your progress, and that's true ... but in the original game this was not an option. Learn the game well enough and you can WARP your way through the beginning levels anyway! You play as Mario or Luigi jumping your way through many worlds (levels) to get to save Princess Toadstool and her courtiers. Set in a land where evil mushrooms, turtles, fish and birds attack from all directions (okay 90% of them are on the right!).

The graphics and controls are the same ... no embellishments or "lost zones" or challenge modes ... just straight up classic MARIO and LUIGI in their first adventure back in the NES days. It's a very nice port, and I like the ability to take it with me on the road in my SP. It also brings back memories when I hook it up to the TV and get to see it normal size!

I've kind of gone off about paying $20 for Donkey Kong, Ice Climber, and Excite Bike (why not a compilation of those on ONE cart - especially when you can get the e-reader versions for $5). But this one is well worth it because you have many levels to play, and the ability to play 2 player! This is still a fun game, and I can't believe how instantly likeable it still is even after playing all the latest! Cute, simple, and fun! Any age can enjoy it! Highly reccommended - not just for nostalgia freaks. Though they will get a kick out of the perfect replica packaging - from the instructions, the cart, and the box -- it all looks old school! Trademark classic 80s game that helped build an empire around Italian plumbers attacking mushrooms! Wow!

Super Mario Brothers is a perfect game. There is a concrete definition for that: once you're used to the control and enemy movement -- that is, once you've entered the game's world -- the game does exactly what you expect. The cheap death in Mario is uncommon and almost all the time it is the player's fault; an expert in Mario can pound through the game and beat it in minutes. (If you think that's a bad criterion, try becoming an expert in Bubsy.) The first thing a gamer should consider for this release is whether the experience stays the same.

Many people have complained that Super Mario Bros. DX for the GBC was a much more valuable release than this is. From the perspective of features, it certainly was: you could save, you could play the Lost Levels game, you could print out Game Boy Printer stickers, etc. From the perspective of experience, however, there's no comparison. DX, due to the limitations of the GBC's screen, could not show complete game screens. The level-change process was updated as well, with a map screen, which changed the feel of the game. Finally, the save games, while good for less-skilled players (like me), negatively affected the challenge level of the game.

Aside from an L+R Game Boy Advance options menu, the GBA and the NES games are identical with one another, since all the NES classics series run on a very well-built emulator. After long, hard, and rigorous *cough* playtesting, I believe the experience in this version to be the match of the original.

It's easy to feel cheated that you're spending this much for a game that's twenty years old without any special features. In fact, with all the other games in this series but Zelda, you ARE being cheated. Super Mario Brothers, however, has replayability, game mechanics, and game design worthy of the ages. Whether or not you're a classic gamer, you need this game in your collection.

ok for the last review said it was the worst game cuz its originial and that there isnt a way to continue o yes there is after a game over u hold a and press start at the title screen and u will continue at the first level of the world like if u died on 7-3 and if u did that code u would be on 7-1 but overall this game rocks!!!!

Definately better than Need for Speed III Hot Pursuit. The car control is back into the much better form of Arcade racing which categorized the original Need For Speed which started the whole thing off. The tracks are interesting, taking from many aspects of racing strategies. Shortcuts are minimal, but fun to use and easy to find.

The development of the game requires the player to beat certain challenges in order to unlock more tracks. In addition, the hot pursuit mode requires you playing the cop to pull over the speeders before your time runs out to earn faster police cars. Something I enjoy is the choice of "Local Cops." It's an option under the track select. Depending on where the track is set (Germany, France, Great Brittain etc.) the cops will speak in that language. (Believe me, Electronic Arts makes fun of the British here). It adds to the realism and extras.

Playing as a cop you have the option of calling in for backup, setting a roadblock, or requesting a spike strip (or "stinger" in British). The radio between the HQ and your car is realistic and keeps you well up to date on what's going on in both modes of play.

The cars are your standard array of sports cars using everything from the Jaguar XK8 to the Porsche 911 Turbo, all the way to the McLaren F1 racecar (of the Mercedes GTR, whichever you like better).

The police have become smarter and the cars they drive are directly related to the track and the car you are driving. In America, the cop cars are the standard Caprice, the Corvette, and, of course, the Diablo. Foreign soil has the M5, the Porsche 911 and the Diablo. The cops will radio in for a faster car if they have trouble catching you and will set roadblocks (good ones this time) or lay spike strips to catch you.

What can I say? It's the next one out, and its pulling strong. No complaints.

This by far one of the best driving games I have ever had the privilege to play. Its just so cool that you are able to choose wich side of the law you want to uphold. You can either have a awesome sports car or be a police officer and give tickets and arrest people that speed. AND if that is not enough you can also do a sort of Gran Turismo mode in wich you buy cars, jack them up, and race them, and when you do this you are also unlocking more cars and tracks to cruise on! Its also got the multiplayer feature so you and somebody else can chase each other or both be civilians or both be cops! Highly reccomended, I guarantee tons of fun!

Super 3D graphics make the game fun.The music is well made.Choose cars like the Mc Laren F1,La Nina and the Mercedees CLK GTR and tons more!(Note:Unlock these cars by doing well in Carrer Mode and/or doing cool cheats).More than 15 tracks is sweet!I love Hot Pursuit,it is exactly what there would be in a real chase!(it is REAL!)There is a lady dispatcher and lots of fast policemen make me hesitate in my seat!Overall it is a super game.GET IT!

I think this game is good. I have always wanted this game since I saw it in K.B. toys.But I have to tell the truth I wasn't expecting this. I love the fact that we get to play in the credits. I think that is pretty cool, cause in some games you just watch it and it gets kind of boring.Anyway, I think the gameplay is okay. Sometimes difficult, but okay. Now, the graphics, I think the graphics are awesome, expecially for gameboy advance. I would expect these kind of graphics for the game cube version.What I really like best about this game is that we get to play minigames. Of course we have to unlock them first by winning a game mode. My favorite minigame is monkey fight. Anyway, this game is obviously about by getting to the goal in every obsticle before time runs out. Most of the obsticles are very challenging but I like challenging games cause you will feel good if you pass them. So buy this game if you want to.

Super Monkey Ball Jr. Even the title makes a person wonder what could a Monkey Ball be? Well, its quite simple: Its a monkey in a ball. So what would be fun about a monkey in a ball rolling around to get bannanas before the time runs out? And how would you make a mini game about a monkey ball? Well, the answers to these questions are simple too. You are one of 4 monkeys, AiAi, MeeMee, Baby, or GonGon. There are 10 Begining Stages, 20 Advanced Stages, and 30 Expert Stages. As you start to play the main game, the words Ready appear. Tension rises as the game yells Go and you are off! You must get to the goal before the time runs out. But what would be the fun in that if they didn't have bannanas? You don't have to get all of the yellow fruit, but if you do and you make it to the goal in time, the reward is double the points. That is pretty much the main game, and as most games progress and get harder, this one gets more challenging, fun, and exciting! With Extra Levels in each mode, and Mega levels, the main game will keep you playing over and over. But why is it called the Main Game? Well, of course, you have to have mini games! There are 4 mini games, but one is for 2 players only. The other three are for up to 4 players. They are Monkey Fight, Monkey Bowling, and Monkey Golf. The mini game for 2 players is called Monkey Duel. These have nothing to do with the main game. The Bowling and Golf are like an ordinary game of Bowling and Golf, only the Golf ball and Bowling balls are the Monkey Balls. The Monkey Fight is a battle on 3 different stages between however many monkeys are playing. Or if there is only one person playing the game, his or her monkey ball can play against 3 computer controlled monkeys. I own this game and i can not put it down! Some THQ games are boring, but this one isn't! Here is my opinion.

Pros:

Great Music! Even though there are a few songs only, it is actually good!

Great Graphics! The Monkeys in the balls are kind of blury, but everything else is fantastic!

Cool stages! Every stage is challenging and fun! I still have a hard time staying on the platform on the first level!

Mini games are awsome! If you are bored of playing the main game and want a break, you can play the mini games!

There are some Cons though.

Cons:

ONLY 3 MINI GAMES! They could have gotten away with 4 or 5 mini games instead of just 3 single player!

THE MEGA STAGES ARE WAY TOO HARD! With dark music and a room that seems to be filled with lava, the mega stages are way hard!

Everything else is great! I gave it 5 stars! I do have some advice! If you like to use codes on your games, there is only one you can use on this one! It is Enable all. But if you use the Nice Try Mode code or the Super Blocky Mode code, it will mess up your graphics, that's all! Why would someone want to mess up your graphics so you would have to start all over to get them back to normal? Its a sick world out there! Anyway, i think this game is the best Monkey arcade game out there on the Game Boy Advance! BUY IT NOW!!!

I have a question for the makers of the Super Monkey Ball Jr. Game. (Where is Super Monkey Ball Jr. 2)? Please make one!

Super Monkey Ball Jr. is an awesome game, and a nearly falwless port to the Game boy Advance. The main game is still in tact, and it plays perfectly. Like its Gamecube brother, it is hard, but unbeivably addictive. Also included in the game are four party games. They are:
MONKEY RACE
MONKEY FIGHT
MONKEY BOWLING
MONKEY TARGET
Since the Gamecube version usually only used one button to play each of these games, the port is flawless. These can also be played using the system link, which will lead to hours of fun. It is a little disappointing that only 4 party games got ported, considering Super Monkey Ball 2 had 12. Graphics for the entire game are pretty good, but a little more detail would have been nice. Anyway, this is a great game for any player. Definetely pick it up if you liked the Gamecube versions, or want a fun multiplayer game for the Game Boy Advance.

Yes these are Monster cables. Yes Monster Cables are better quality than ordinary cables, but the difference between Svideo and Composite is not something to jump for joy about. The differences between Component and Composite is astronomical, and between Svideo is noticeable. If you get these cables, you won't really notice a significant difference in picture quality, (especially if your RCA cables are gold plated and top of the line). I have a Sony 27in Trinitron Television. Connecting my Xbox directly into the Svideo jack didn't do what I thought it would. I was looking for Computer like clarity, and didn't get it. Neither will you. If you ever purchase an HDTV with component inputs, the difference will be there. Until then, don't waste your money. It might be a good idea to get the Gamelink Optical adapter for Dobly 5.1 sound however. Oh, if you have component inputs on your television then buy the XGL400 not the XGL300.

This cable is typical Monster. Perfect. But pricey as well.

One thing which is not obvious is its optical digital capability. Hidden in the end of the connector which connects to the xbox is an output for digital audio (That cable is not included by the way). But its nice to know that if I do end up buying a digital capable receiver I do not need to buy a new cable. Its performance has been wonderful. The 10 foot cable could be useful too.

I also purchased the comparable product by Microsoft, the Advanced A/V pack. I ended up returning it even though it is about half the price. The microsoft one is just plain junky and poorly designed. They divide up the connection into two stages. First the large connector leads out of the xbox and with a ~1.5 foot lead leads to a large ugly box. You then connect up all the cables to this box and to your TV. Its just a mess of cables at this point. I like simplicity and the Monster Cable has it. It fits me perfect. But pricey.

THe first thing i do when i buy any console is get a Monster S video cable, then i get the games. The thing with monster is its the best, but it cost alot. When first released cables cost $50, but now its reasonable. I think Monster goes over the board with the development of this thing. Just read the product info. Basically if your TV gots svideo hook up, get these.

It works. That's all I can say. It's top quality and IT WORKS.

This AC adapter is good for infinitie life! Saves your money on buying bateries. The only defect is that the snap piece on the DC Module broke off on mine in less than 2 weeks! Otherwise, it is good for infinitie life.

i don't know what the person who wrote the 1 star reveiw thought was so bad, but this is very useful. Yes, batteries last for 15 hours, but this lasts forever(kind of). It is great if you will use it at home. when batteries cost 6-8 dollars, it's good to spend 20, and not need to spend any more. I use the Game Boy Advance at home for 90% of the time i use it, and i think most people will use it at home for many hours, making this worth the money for anyone who uses GBA at home for more then 40 hours in their life, which would cost 20 dollars in batteries. I recommend this for anyone who owns the GameBoy Advance.