Game Reviews

The Itop is fun for all ages. Compact enough to take with you everywhere. My children and I have had endless fun trying to top each others score.

As well as the normal 4 games, the i-Top has some hidden surprises.

To access these hidden features:

Press MODE button until the first LED is lit.
Hold down the PLAY and MODE buttons simultaneously for at least 2 seconds.
Release the PLAY and MODE buttons simultaneously.
The 8 LEDS should each light up in turn, and the first LED should now flash rapidly.
You can now display 7 new hidden features:

1.compass mode
2.pattern
3.pattern
4.pattern
5.ufo
6.flower
7.random number of lines
8.Displays LATER and then turns off

Tops have been a toy that has been spinning in the minds of children for centuries. Even in ancient egyption times young artist were making spinning tops made from clay, but no longer do we live in those time. The 21st century has brought us a top that can be put in to our ever growing pile of battery powered toys.
"SPIN TO WIN" is the first words you'll see as you spin the top. Its almost magicle the way the letters appear in bright red as it spins.
If your the type of person that like figure out the technicle aspects of electronics the you'll spend hours with this. A magnet inside of the top is connected to a counter wich knows everytime it passes magnetic north therefor alowing the computer chip to calculate the correct time to display words.
The top comes program with a few games that are quite Intriguing. One of my personel favorites would be the max rotation compitition where combatants spin the sleek looking top as fast as they can to reach a new maximum rotation score. The ITop has a memory bank to hold all the best scores from all the games wich can be read at any time in the high-score mode.
A toy of the future such as this can tell the future as it is. The furtune teller mode is smarter then your average 8 ball you know. Ask a question; give it a spin; and witness the magical answer that appears!
As an on going mission for buyers you'll love trying to find the "secret mode" wich will display 7 different elaborate designs as well as one very handy tool that I'm going to leave a suprise!
By all means I encourage the purchase of this very original toy.
It's great for all ages and even the occasional adult will enjoy.

This edition of uno cards is the best yet!! Especially with the super abosorbency card!! U should get it no question about it!
if u go to [a local store] to buy these cards don't even bother i've checked all the [local stores]near by house and they were sold out! If u want these cards u have more luck ordering it! Trust me its fast and easy!

This game is so much fun. There are alot of different varieties of UNO out there, but this one is a must have! TRY IT, YOU'LL LIKE IT!

Now you all know how much fun Uno the game is, well think of Uno with a Sponge Bob twist! Now this toy should not be for little kids like under 4, but 4 and up is just right. Infact, Adults love it too. Everybody loves Sponge Bob, and soon, him, and all his toys will be collectables, Someday thins cute, fun game will be played by your grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren, and they will love it. It will be like Captin Kangaroo to your kids of the 21st century... a bargan for such a great game.

For all those of you like myself who are sick of driving games, sports games or 1st player shooters where you have to duel it out with some sort of futuristic E.T. your prayers have been answered at last. Panzer Front delivers! This game contains almost forty WW2 tank types, some are variants such as the Sherman M4 and it's upgraded relative the M4A1. You will find American, German, Russian and British tanks in this game, the Firefly (a gunned up version of the Sherman is listed as British) there is also a section with 6 futuristic tanks, at least one of those (in this game called the Short Bull which had four treads) inspired on real plans. There are many different senarios to play, in each of them you have the ability to play the sides as it happened back in the day or you can pick your steed from the large selection. The controls are complex but there is a beginner mode. If you decide to play the more complex levels you will be forced to learn the gearbox, correct ammo selection (HEAT, HE, Smoke, machine gun and a couple others) and many other features. Outside of the beginner mode this is not an easy game to sit down and be succesful at in a hurry, there is a tutorial option that lectures you on tactics and equipment. Some of the more famous WW2 tank engagements can be played which I really loved. I have only two complaints, when setting the sound the button labled Audio controls the music and the button labled Music controls the audio, and after your tank is knocked out the senario is over, I wish command would just switch to the next friendly tank. You are able to select sound effects, over 60 settings of clinking treads, shell-casings being ejected and cannon reports. You can call in arty fire missions wihich are super acurate and super destructive, you can assign some tanks to attack or defend but some of your tanks are controlled by the computer. I played the Americans attacking the Ludendorf Railway bridge at Remagen, my little M4A1s did well until the big German Anti-Tank guns (some are the deadly Flak 88, others are the little PAK 37) found their range. The baddest real tank is the Hunting Tiger, it has a gun over 120mm, big even by today's standards. The game does a good job of illustrating the strengths and weakness's of each tank, the super heavies (like the King Tiger) have great protection but are pretty slow, American M4s and Russian T-34s are much faster. The optics on the German Tanks are better. There is supporting and enemy infantry, machine gun will take them out but an armour peircing shell will do next to nothing, like I said, pretty realistic. The big question....is this game worth [the money], well only you can answer that, it sure was for me. If you like realistic war games buy it at once, no need to rent it, this game is a winner. I have Battletanx and this game is light years way more advanced than that. A previous reviewer said that this game was more like a computer game, that's a big 10-4, he is right on target. I played the Panther G in the famous Barkman's Corner senario vs the M4s in Normandy, the Shermans didn't get me (when they did the thick armour saved me) but the allied air power did, watch out. I tailor made one senario in which I took on over 25 Josef Stalin and T-34 tanks with one Tiger1, a Tiger2, a PantherA and a Stug Assualt gun over rough terrain with my tanks using buildings for cover, you can do stuff like that with this game, by WW2 standards it would have been a draw, the high velocity 88s were picking off the commies at distances of up to 6,270 ft (my personal best) but when the surviving Russians got into lethal gun range (which don't take long because T-34s move quick) I got a bloody nose before they retired and left me the field. Great game, THANKS Tommo!

If you are into strategic, military vehicle combat games. And you love realism touched with a flair for dramatics.
Buy this game. This has quickly become one of my favorite PS games. I'd rank it right up there with Medal of Honor.
There are a variety of tanks to choose from, (US, German, and Russian) that basically set the level of difficulty for the
game. You want to stiffen up the challenge? Give your enemy stronger tanks!
And for all of you that have the game and are having difficulty getting past certain levels, here's some advice:
Remember, your tank is the main brain. If you die, game over. So follow behind your other tanks, giving orders and supplying
cover with smoke.
And if need be step up and take a few out yourself.
But again, buy this game!

Great tank game. You get to pick either being a Tank Commander from the German, Russian or American side. You will soon learn the ins and outs of driving a tank and fighting with tanks. You will learn, from playing the game itself, the merits and flaws of each tank. How fast do they move? How powerful is their guns? How fast can you spin the turret? How much punishment can they take?
Don't get too cocky and try NOT to panic. While light tanks might seem easy to kill, they're not. They move fast and can aim even faster. While heavy tanks might seem slow, they carry the big guns and can take hit after hit. Pick the tank that best fits how you like to fight and go do it! Remember, luck is also a factor. A well placed shot can turn a tank into a burning pile of twisted metal.
Make sure YOU fire that shot!

Well, I waited just like everyone else, and finally got one. On top of this I ordered Nascar 2k1. After doing nothing but playing the 3 games that came along with this (Madden, NHL, SSX), I'd have to say I really am throughly enjoying this system more than my Sega. I love my Dreamcast, don't get me wrong, but you can notice subtle differences between the two which make Sony just barely edge out the Dreamcast in my eyes. You can really tell that the game creators are really putting effort into pushing the PSX2 to it's limits right off, which is a VERY nice change compared to PSX1. There are tons of options, marked increase in graphical capability and I personally like the dual shock control over the dreamcast's rumble pack. I'm very glad I waited my time to get this system. The 500 beans are well worth it.

All right - I admit I am a little old for video games - But this one is wild. The graphics are tremendous, the sound potential is awesome and I'm hooked on SSX Snowboard Racing. The Madden Football 2001 Game is a bit intimidating, the NHLII is the coolest game (sic) and backward compatibility means garage sale, and close out games galore. I picked up a couple of classics for under 10 bucks from the local retailer. My younger friends and family can hardly wait to challenge me but I'm practicing up so I don't disgrace myself - the controlers are faitly intuitive and if I were to make a constructive criticism would be to either make the system unit heavier (so it doesn't slide around in the horizontal position when you are trying to reboot the system) or put more tenacious rubber feet on the thing so it doesn't slide around. I look forward to internet shared gaming via cable modem - Welcome to the new millenium!

The video game graphics are amazing!! Totally awesome!! Used to get headaches after awhile when I would play Playstation games, but since I've got the Playstation 2 I can literally play for hours and still feel great afterwards!!

As a DVD player though, it's not very good, I went out a purchased between 30 and 40 DVD's within the first month of getting the console and I would say about 20 of the DVD's would freeze a few times or the PS2 would stop and say "unable to read disc." I would check the DVD out by playing it in the DVD player in my personal computer and it played fine. So I wouldn't recommend taking the DVD's back to the store if it doesn't play on your PS2, it's most likely the PS2.

My friends and I had become obsessed with monopoly. We played every day at school and got together on weekends to play. But after a while we all got too good and it became a game of chance. Triopoly has changed that again for us as now we can learn a whole new game and a new way to strategize. Triopoly is a little expensive I believe but is still a great game to play.

What have others found?

Is it true that the rules for rent on airport facilities are dependent on **number of TRUCKING facilities*** owned? rather than number of airlines owned? This seems quite odd as the other mode of transportation is NOT dependent on the number of trucking facilities owned.

Comments from the makers?

I have been playing the original game with different areas of the world for two days now. The reason for this is I'm playing it with my girlfriend and as the game can change so dramatically at any time due to the stock market or having other things happen. It is great for the entire family and i think that you can learn a lot more about business etc than in other games.

This turn based game package, yes I said turn based not real time, is extremely addictive. These games have a huge selection of heroes, artifacts & monsters that you can personally control. Use your hero to scour the land in search of artifacts, magic spells, gold & monsters to either join your army or conquer. Take over castles and towns to further strengthen your tactical position, improve your land and holdings. Game play is endless. Games have a vast array of single scenarios that you can choose from or you can test your luck with other gamers on-line or across a network. If you love strategy games, definitely treat yourself to these very addictive games. Hours of enjoyment and well worth the price!

My husband and I have been playing HOMM since the original version came out, in '92 (?I think?). We've bought every new version as it has come out without a regret. Hour for hour, these games are undoubtedly the best game value we've ever gotten. Even today, all three versions are still playable, still fun, and a staple on our home machines. While dissimiliar, this game is on par with the original Warcraft, with respect to playability.

HOMM, HOMM2, and HOMM3 are strategy games involving logistics, exploration, and tactics.

HOMM is awsome! A great strategy game. If you like Starcraft you will likely like this game. The game also has good graphics. The battles are very fun because you can't always move far enough to attack your enemies. I liked the turn part too. It makes it so you can't build a lot of troops to rush or something because you only can build one building per turn and you can't build unlimited troops because you can only build so many each week. Overall: A great game!

I run with a pretty eclectic crowd. Usually, when we have a party, it is a very informal get-together, so this was a new twist for us. It takes some planning ahead of time (but not too much). You know how when you've been to a really good party, you have the urge to send a thank-you note to the host? I was tempted to do the same for my guests!
The only snag we ran into was that we started too late. People just coming from work needed time to go home and get their costumes, and that kind of thing. We will definitely play again, but next time we'll start it on a Saturday afternoon, around 4. As it was, we didn't start until 8:30, and didn't finish until close to 1a.m.
It was also hard picking 8 people without having some left out (we're all single). But it works out, because you can lend this game to people who didn't come, and they can have it for their friends.
This is more fun than we've had together in a long time, and well worth the extra effort this kind of party takes. Don't walk, run to get this. By the way, the durability gets 1 star only because it is intentionally meant to be played only once by any given group of people. Get this, the [money]is nothing compared to the fun you'll have.

This was a lot of fun and definitely worth a try. This was the first Murder Mystery game we had ever done, so we had no idea what to expect. Hosting this game was a huge undertaking: organinzing the event, decorations, dinner, and costumes. We served a lavish, 5-course dinner with it, but the game is very detailed and fast-paced, so it was very difficult to focus on preparing/serving the food and the game at the same time. I would recommend just serving appetizers and dessert, making it a potluck, or having it catered. That way you can enjoy yourself more and be more focused on the game. Costumes are definitely a must; it would not have been nearly as fun without them! We also thought it would probably be just as much fun being an extra character that didn't have a play book. You could still dress up, eat, engage in the lively conversation, and try to figure out who the murderer is, but without having to worry about playing your character correctly or saying your specific lines - maybe a good option for the host. Overall, a lot of fun and a lot of laughs.

This is a really fun party game. You need 8 people to play, everyone gets a part, and you have a murder mystery dinner party. I've done murder mystery parties in the past, and this one was very good. Even if you aren't good at mysteries it is a lot of fun. This game is good for mature/adult partygoers because of the romance-novel type relationships some of the people have with each other. Its not hard to do. Everyone reads off of scripts and add libs a little. Its almost impossible to do the games in this series wrong. The only downside: you can only use the game once, because after that you already know who the killer is.

I do these parties once a year or so, always a hit. everybody goes home happy. I suggest you have them wear costumes. To encourage them prizes for best and worst would be a good idea. (make the prizes for worst costume something silly or embarrassing). You dont have to actually serve dinner. I found that takes to long. --The game is already a few hours on its own. Apptizers and dessert are more than enough.

Try one of these games once. I guarantee you will want to buy another one!

I've had this game for several years now(since 1993 LOL) and I must say it's one of my favorite Game Gear games. I liked it because it was the first Sonic game for Game Gear that let you play as either Sonic or Tails. The 16-bit graphics still impress me even today especially when compared to 8-bit GB and GBC games. It looks and plays better than the earlier Sonic games(1 and 2)but doesn't quite look as good as Sonic Triple Trouble(1994). If you like Sonic games, this game is a must-have.

This game rules!!!! You can be sonic or tails.With sonic you can grab Rocket Shoes and Pogo Springs. With tails you can fly. As usual Dr.Robotnik up to his old trix by trying to get the 7 chaos emeralds and you have to stop him. This game has good graphics and sound. Its very fun. Its not hard but its not easy its in between. This was the first game I got for gamegear and I spent hours and hours playing this game even when I beat it with both sonic and tails it is tones of fun even after beating it. If u have a game gear I advise you to bye this game as soon as possible.

this game is awesome I just started playing and it's so cool on a scale of 1-5 it's a 20 the graphics are even better than game boy advance( which I used to have but gave to my little brother, and I'm not dissapointed with the game gear at all.)so this game is mad cool. buy it itll exceed your expectations 10 times.

What a ride! The sounds are pumping! Few other games mixes game control, graphics, and suspense-filled music and voices like BZ! The single-player missions are 5 stars all the way! They keep you nervous and hustling! I remember sneaking around with an armor division through a long fog-filled canyon with distant sounds of howitzer shells and machine gun fire buzzing in all around! Very Vietnamish! In addition each of the units you control have large amounts of personality in their radio chatter. This is everything C&C is except better! How is it better? You are fighting WITH the troops and buildings you control! Well conceived and ORIGINAL plot with all the Wing-Commander-style interim annimations and radio chatter to back it up! Spend the 12 bucks and you will be utterly happy for a couple months at least! The drawback is that there are no on-line dedicated servers running BZ games. Also check out my review for Tribes!

A fine-tuned mix of action/strategy.
After it snapped up the rights to Atari's classic coin-op Battlezone, there was a concern by some gamers that Activision would take the quick-and-easy route by dressing up an old favorite and shoveling it out the door in the hope that nostalgic name recognition would see it through. Activision had much bigger plans in store. Mixing elements of action and strategy along with sharp graphics and an entertaining story line, this new Battlezone emerges as the most addictive, ingenious and approachable game to appear in a long while.

While there is a nice tie-in to the original -- you still drive a tank (a hover tank to be exact) -- this is not the Battlezone you remember from the arcades. Set during the space-race of the late sixties, Battlezone kicks off with a good old fashioned "Us versus Them" conspiracy tale that pits the USA against the Soviet Union in the dark reaches of space.

It seems that during the early days of the space program an alien alloy (referred to as bio-metal) was discovered on the moon that allowed researchers to make amazing advances in technology. Unfortunately, competition for this mysterious metal became fierce as both superpowers (U.S. and USSR) began amassing forces on the surface of the moon. The Soviets launched covert operations under the guise of its space program; while NASA's highly-publicized lunar mission became the cover story for the USA's secret military build-up on the moon.

While the story is a bit far-fetched, it's extremely well done and very entertaining. More importantly, the story translates into a solid premise for both the action and strategy portions of the game. The single-player mode can be played from either the U.S. or Soviet sides, but the game is designed to be played from the U.S. side first. During the first few missions on the U.S. side, players are gradually eased into Battlezone's seamless mix of real-time strategy and action, and from there, chances are you'll be hooked.

Starting with a bio-metal recycler (the most basic construction unit), you'll construct vehicles to scavenge scraps of bio-metal, build base defenses, and construct new base vehicles capable of building more advanced structures and vehicles. You command all the action from the cockpit of your hover tank, one of several specially-designed attack craft capable of negotiating the harsh environments of alien worlds.

Controlling the action should be second nature to most action fans, with a combination of mouse and keyboard controls (joysticks are also supported) similar to those in Quake. But unlike the easy key re-mapping of Quake and its ilk, customizing the controls to your liking in Battlezone can tricky, and occasionally impossible. My preferred mouse/keyboard configuration -- A for forward, Z for back, Left shift for left strafe, and X for right strafe -- can't be duplicated in Battlezone simply because the Left shift key can't be remapped. Additionally, getting a customized setup in place is a pain if you want to re-map a key that's already in use, since you'll have to change that key first, then re-map the desired key.

The rest of the interface however, is a textbook example in efficiency. By using just a few number keys on the keyboard, you can easily manage all aspects of command; whether it's building tanks, defenses, or ordering an attack, you'll hardly ever need to take your eyes off the action. About the only time you need to divide your attention between action and management is when you have to designate construction areas for your constructor, or specify locations for turrets and howitzers. Other than these few instances, you're free to be a mobile and active part of the fight while still commanding the bigger picture.

Under your command is a range of offensive vehicles made up of fast scout craft, well-armored tanks, deadly bombers, and mobile artillery; the opposition has the same. Using the same simple control interface used to build your base, you'll order your forces to defend a building, attack a target, hunt for enemies, or follow you. But unlike most games, where you send wave after wave of expendable units at an enemy's defenses, the catch is that you'll only be able to have ten offensive and defensive vehicles at any one time -- and every vehicle needs a pilot. When a tank or vehicle is destroyed, these pilots are ejected and must make their way back to the base on foot. Unfortunately they also make tempting targets for passing vehicles. Even if you've got enough resources on hand, you won't be able to build a new tank until there is a pilot to take the wheel.

This last bit plays a large part in how you'll fight in Battlezone. You've got to pick your fights with care, hitting vulnerable targets in swift aggressive strikes to avoid taking losses, and you've also got to know when to retreat behind your defenses.

This continuing process of fast attack and constant defense gives the battles in Battlezone a constantly evolving and dynamic feel and throughout each of the single-player missions, chances are you'll learn something new. And when the single-player game is exhausted, Battlezone's support for up to eight players is certain to extend its life for some time to come. Standard deathmatching is available, as is the full strategic game. While the deathmatch option is a fun no-brainer, most players will gravitate to the chaos and conflict of the multi-player strategy games. This is some of the most intense multi-player action you'll find as fierce battles erupt for control of sparse scrap fields, friendly pilots get squashed, and defenses are laid to waste. It's fast, furious, and incredible amounts of fun.

With its raucous multi-player action, flawless presentation, and effortless interface, it's hard to find much to complain about in Battlezone. If you ever thought that action and strategy was an unholy alliance, sit back and let Battlezone re-write the rule book for you.

Battlezone is by far the most fun and entertaining game of all time. It excels in every aspect!

The story is based on the (fictional) discovery of an alien "bio-metal" that has landed on Earth in a meteor showing in the Berring Straight. This bio-metal can be shaped and trasformed into powerful fighting machines. The Americans feel this is the key to controlling space. But they have miscalculated one possibility: the Red Soviets have found the metal too, and the countries are then pitted against each other in a war to end all wars...

As far as gameplay goes, Battlezone brings a new perspective to gaming; the action/strategy combo. While you still control vehicles and resources, you are also a formidable combat unit, capable handling things like enemy attacks and mission objectives all by yourself. The AI for units in this game sadly falls short of spectacular. They have trouble navigating tough terrain and do not take full advantage of their fighting abilities during combat. However, they do make powerful wingmen to have on attacks or for defending targets such as your base.

Battlezone provides endless hours of intense excitement for experienced or novice gamers. It is most assuredly a must-have!

Rayman was okay. If you like games that are like Super Mario Bros., then this is for you. The graphics are great, but the music could be better. The whole point of the game is to free your friends from your arch-nemisis. But the only way that you can free them all is if you get this key in the first level and trade keys with a friend. Sure I've beaten the game, but not with the key.

Rayman has traditionally proven high quality graphics and sound, and despite some great limitations on the Game Boy Color system, Rayman still delivers the goods. This has to be one of the prettiest carts out there, and its music actually sounds half decent considering the materials it has to work with. Rayman is also one of the better side-scrolling platforms available for the system, but it doesn't come without a gripe or three. The password save makes it less convenient to pick up and play anytime you want. Later levels become very frustrating, also. Imagine having your controls reversed through an entire world or being followed in every footstop by a "dark Rayman." Games need challenge, but not to this extent. Remember, Game Boys break very easily, and Rayman does everything it can to promote that.

Possibly the best platform game on the Gameboy Color and in the top 10 best all time. 30 levels over 9 worlds, Rayman will keep you entertained for hours. Very challenging with varied and fun levels, with heaps of mini time games. And after you've finished the game you can choose your level and try to unlock all your toon friends. Great soundtrack too. Hope to see a sequel.