LeapFrog Leapster 2 Learning Game System Green
LeapFrog Leapster 2 Learning Game System Green
With this smart handheld system, children learn valuable school skills through a variety of animated games and activities. Kids use the interactive touch screen and stylus throughout 30 educational games featuring characters they love. The Leapster2 System also offers several options for creative play. Little learners can easily connect online for extra activities and rewards. And best of all, parents can use the Leapster2 to connect to the LeapFrog Learning Path, an online, interactive tool in which parents can get updates and see firsthand what their children are learning.
Leapster2 System comes with built-in starter games; additional software sold separately. Requires 4 “AA” batteries, not included. Measures 13″W x 10.5″H.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Great New Leapster!
My son had two of the old leapsters and they kept shutting down so I bought this one hoping that that would do the trick. It did and is much better. He loves it! He is 4.
4 Stars My kids like it
It is a nice gift for my son, who just turned to four. He likes it very much.
3 Stars Video Game Lite
The Leapster2 is a nice alternative to those who do not want to purchase a real video game system. It’s look and feel is close enough to a Nintendo DS so that pre-K and early elementary school users will feel like they are interacting with a big kid toy. A child who has access to a DS, Game Cube, or Wii will likely be bored.
The games are fairly simplistic. Skills include identifying numbers, identifying letters, and finding the next step in a sequence. While games have a number of levels, children are neither rewarded nor penalized for their answers. The educational questions are embedded in other activities; therefore, children may ignore the questions and still have a satisfying gaming experience. This negates the value of the parental website which purports to measure the child’s success. Without watching the child’s interaction, it is impossible to know whether s/he is trying to answer correctly or engaging in alternative play. The parent’s web site is most valuable for its feedback on the amount of hours played over the number of sessions per week. This is not an alternative to tutoring for a struggling academic.
Games cost between $25 and $30 a piece, which is not an insignificant investment. The instruction manual encourages parents to purchase an SD card to store games downloaded from the web site. However, according to LeapFrog’s customer service representative, there are only two games available for download (both free) and no plans to add more. Given this scenario, the SD card is an unnecessary investment.
LeapFrog has created an acceptable, entry-level gaming system for the youngest audiences. Future versions would be improved by the ability to play music, download additional games, save and share art projects, and a more sophisticated educational approach. Before purchasing the system, parents should consider their goals and the amount of money that they will deem an acceptable investment to achieve them.
5 Stars Daughter LOVES this….
Mya daughter is 5, and she loves this! My son is also 2 and he enjoys stealing this from “sissy” so he can color. I think it’s educational. It provides me with a little quiet time in the evening… Looking fwd to buying more games.
2 Stars Great stand alone game machine, but crappy otherwise
My son has fun with the cartridges sold at the retail store, but the sync on PC and SD card matching is very unstable. The software and website for your account is not so intuitive either. I basically gave up on any feature that requires the SD card or Sync to PC.
I would recommend Leapfrog to include a SD card that works, since it seems that all the SD cards I own make it hang/crash. (And I’m using ones that are less than 256MB as instructed…..)
