Ticket to Ride: Europe takes you on a new train adventure across Europe. From Edinburgh to Constantinople and from Lisbon to Moscow, you’ll visit great cities of turn-of-the-century Europe. More than just a new map, Ticket to Ride: Europe features brand new gameplay elements including Tunnels, Ferries and Train Stations. The game also includes larger format cards and Train Station game pieces. Like the original Ticket to Ride, the game remains elegantly simple, can be learned in 5 minutes, and appeals to both families and experienced gamers. Ticket to Ride: Europe is a complete, new game and does not require the original version. Part of the Ticket to Ride series.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great followup, not as good as the original
To anyone considering this game that hasn’t played the original Ticket To Ride, I’d recommend checking out the US version’s reviews first. The short version of pretty much all the reviews is: the game is wonderful, you won’t be disapointed.

Compared to the original, this game isn’t quite as fun. Not much has changed in this version. The map is very different, there are now tunnels and express ways (or something like that) that limit how you can claim your routes, and there are the addition of the train stations, but ultimately these new additions do not add to the experience significantly, and the tighter board makes for a somewhat more stressful experience. This should not deter anyone interested in another ticket to ride though: this game is still very fun.

If you’re getting this game for a younger kid(say, 8 or younger), I’d recommend getting the original first, as the train station rules can confuse adults as well as kids.

4 Stars Definately game of the year!
This Game is Great! My wife and I love to play it with friends. It’s fast and easy to pick up with people who haven’t played before.

5 Stars Great Game!
We first played Ticket to Ride USA and thought this one would be fun too. We were right! Adding the tunnels, being able to use the trains of other players and other twists makes this game all that much more fun! Excellent game – we would (and do) recommend it to anyone!!

4 Stars Quick and Light with a hint of Luck
If I had to summarize this game in a few words, I would use “quick and light with a hint of luck.” That is to say, I didn’t like the game — I think it’s a perfectly wonderful game. We just got it yesterday and so far me and my brother have played it over fifteen times. It’s a very fast paced game so whenever we’re stuck with a decision to make, it almost seems like the other player gets anxious to move because they’re already ready.

Plus, it’s a nice change from a game like Power Grid where luck is not really a factor and you spend your time strategizing more often than not and a turn takes forever to complete.

The book of rules, while seemingly long, is very easy to pick up once you start playing. They’re not complex at all and for the most part are pretty straight-forward. The only thing we found confusing was the part about drawing more destination tickets. In the beginning, when going over the turn order, it tells us we draw destination tickets as the third step in a turn but later on in the destination ticket section, it tells us we “may” draw destination tickets. In the end, we figured out there was no way we were forced to draw destination tickets every single turn as it would be absolute chaos (since we’re forced to keep at least one of the three we draw).

The drawbacks we have seen so far in the gameplay are the facts that the long destinations tickets are limited to only six and after playing the game so many times yesterday, it’s always quite clear which of the six we’re attempting. And the fact that with the point system, building the long tunnel between Stockholm and St. Petersburg and even the smaller six train routes give players a large point advantage, whether or not they need it.

We have yet to play with more than two players so we expect the gameplay and strategy to be kicked up a notch when we add more players (and hopefully we won’t figure out what long routes we’re all attempting, if we’re doing them at all) and we’re looking forward to that. Hopefully that will make it seem a bit more interesting as I suspect it’s already getting a little predictable.

But that still doesn’t stop us from wanting to play more. It’s a very addicting little game and it reminds me a bit about how we were when we first discovered Catan. Definitely the other great gateway game we’ve played so far. As relative newbies to these new types of boardgames, we’re more than satisfied we added Ticket to Ride Europe to our collection. We’ve never played the first Ticket to Ride but it does make me wonder how it differs in terms of game play.

5 Stars Time for fun
Very good game that continues Ticket To Ride series with new features which enhance player’s fun and satisfaction. Besides that, the board map allows you to learn a more about Europe’s geography.

Buy/More Info

From Hasbro, the Nerf Dart Tag Hyperfire Deluxe 2-Player Blaster Set includes everything you need for fast-paced battles and action-packed contests. Featuring two Hyperfire blasters that hold 10 darts each for rapid firing, and two Micro Blasters for close-range sneak attacks, this set is sure to keep kids eight and up on their toes and having fun.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Four blasters with an awesome range can be accurately aimed The Bad: Small darts are easy to lose In a Nutshell: This Nerf Blaster provides kids and adults with hours of fun At a Glance Ages: 8 and up

Colorful Hyperfire Blasters can hold 10 darts at a time. View larger.

A Whole New Game of Tag
Getting ready for battle is quick and easy. Strap on an adjustable scoring vest and slip on your sleek, Vision Gear glasses. Then load your blaster up with foam darts and take aim at your opponent. Forget laser-tag games that burn through batteries and simpler foam dart guns that require you to reload after every shot. A Hyperfire Blaster can hold 10 darts at a time, and with an auto-advance barrel, you can get lots of shots off quickly.

Whether you play indoors with couch cushion forts offering you cover, or outdoors in an open field, there’s lots of different ways you can strategize against your opponents. Take as many shots as you can right away, or wait until your opponent is low on ammo and get in a single, perfectly aimed blow.

One really great feature is the way darts actually stick to the included vests, so you never have to argue about whether or not you’ve scored a hit. Micro Blasters that hold one dart each and offer a shorter range add to your strategic options.

Dramatic, Fast-Paced Play
It is critical to give a little thought to the field of play before a game begins. The Hyperfire Blasters have a surprising long range, and they shoot darts with an impressive amount of force. Even though the darts are made of soft foam, if you take a lot of shots at close range your opponent probably won’t want to play again. Similarly, fragile items could be broken if you hit them directly. So it’s a good idea to test your gun before the first battle so that you can estimate how much space you’ll need to play.

Let’s face it, even adults love Nerf guns. So, in addition to inspiring competitive friends and siblings to spend time together, this set provides a great way for parents and kids to play together. Our one real complaint is that, even though this set is lots of fun for older kids and adults, the safety glasses and the scoring vests are sized only for younger players.

And while the included glasses are well made with a pleasant orange tint, they aren’t very adjustable. So if they aren’t comfortable or secure, you might want to replace them with protective eyewear of your own.

Overall, it’s hard to imagine having more fun than we had with these Hyperfire Blasters. We do suspect that it would be pretty easy to lose some of the 24 included darts, especially if you play outdoors on a windy day or in a cluttered basement. Fortunately, you can buy refill packs to replace lost darts or to extend the length of game play.

What’s in the Box
Two large blasters, two micro blasters, two scoring vests, two sets of safety glasses, and 24 micro darts.

Auto-advance barrel for fast-paced action. View larger.

Includes two micro blasters. View larger.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Lots of fun and 4 can play at once
The 4 nerf guns work very well. Comes with a bunch of bullets which do not break easily (but do wind up ALL OVER THE HOUSE). Great to keep a group of kids busy indoors in the winter for awhile, shooting at each other and at targets. Recommend all nerf gun sets, my kids and their friends love them.

5 Stars Nerf Dart Tag
I purchased the Nerf Hyperfire Dart Tag for my son’s 9th birthday. It was a big hit! My two boys love to play with it together and any friends that come over love to play it too. They ususally don’t even mess with wearing the vests though. Great indoor activity. Just be prepared to look for missing darts. I will probably need to buy some more darts for Christmas along with more large multi-fire blasters. They would come in handy for friends that come over or for parents!

5 Stars A great Nerf set!
This set is great! Why? Because it comes with four guns. My brother and I have fun playing battles. We want to get another set so that our friends can play too. You need to get extra bullets, they disappear fast. Pros…Comes with four guns, darts make a sound in the air, guns have great accuracy. Cons…you need to cock the guns every time you fire. GREAT OVERALL!

5 Stars 4 guns for the price of one
Nerf products speak for themselves as far as quality. But value was the shining star with this deal- for $[...] my son got 4 guns, darts, 2 tag vests, and 2 pairs of glasses. While I prefer they play it outside, the darts are soft enough to refrain from causing too much damage. Replacement darts are easy to find if you need extras.

5 Stars great fun!
This has been alot of fun for our whole family. My 11 year old daughter, my husband and I have all been engaged in serious dart battles. The only problem is the darts “mysteriously” disappearing. About 1/2 of them are gone now. We need to order more. Also, the glasses are important for eye protection – we found that out the hard way!

Buy/More Info

Ticket to Ride: Europe takes you on a new train adventure across Europe. From Edinburgh to Constantinople and from Lisbon to Moscow, you’ll visit great cities of turn-of-the-century Europe. More than just a new map, Ticket to Ride: Europe features brand new gameplay elements including Tunnels, Ferries and Train Stations. The game also includes larger format cards and Train Station game pieces. Like the original Ticket to Ride, the game remains elegantly simple, can be learned in 5 minutes, and appeals to both families and experienced gamers. Ticket to Ride: Europe is a complete, new game and does not require the original version. Part of the Ticket to Ride series.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great Game!
We first played Ticket to Ride USA and thought this one would be fun too. We were right! Adding the tunnels, being able to use the trains of other players and other twists makes this game all that much more fun! Excellent game – we would (and do) recommend it to anyone!!

5 Stars Great followup, not as good as the original
To anyone considering this game that hasn’t played the original Ticket To Ride, I’d recommend checking out the US version’s reviews first. The short version of pretty much all the reviews is: the game is wonderful, you won’t be disapointed.

Compared to the original, this game isn’t quite as fun. Not much has changed in this version. The map is very different, there are now tunnels and express ways (or something like that) that limit how you can claim your routes, and there are the addition of the train stations, but ultimately these new additions do not add to the experience significantly, and the tighter board makes for a somewhat more stressful experience. This should not deter anyone interested in another ticket to ride though: this game is still very fun.

If you’re getting this game for a younger kid(say, 8 or younger), I’d recommend getting the original first, as the train station rules can confuse adults as well as kids.

4 Stars Definately game of the year!
This Game is Great! My wife and I love to play it with friends. It’s fast and easy to pick up with people who haven’t played before.

5 Stars Time for fun
Very good game that continues Ticket To Ride series with new features which enhance player’s fun and satisfaction. Besides that, the board map allows you to learn a more about Europe’s geography.

4 Stars Quick and Light with a hint of Luck
If I had to summarize this game in a few words, I would use “quick and light with a hint of luck.” That is to say, I didn’t like the game — I think it’s a perfectly wonderful game. We just got it yesterday and so far me and my brother have played it over fifteen times. It’s a very fast paced game so whenever we’re stuck with a decision to make, it almost seems like the other player gets anxious to move because they’re already ready.

Plus, it’s a nice change from a game like Power Grid where luck is not really a factor and you spend your time strategizing more often than not and a turn takes forever to complete.

The book of rules, while seemingly long, is very easy to pick up once you start playing. They’re not complex at all and for the most part are pretty straight-forward. The only thing we found confusing was the part about drawing more destination tickets. In the beginning, when going over the turn order, it tells us we draw destination tickets as the third step in a turn but later on in the destination ticket section, it tells us we “may” draw destination tickets. In the end, we figured out there was no way we were forced to draw destination tickets every single turn as it would be absolute chaos (since we’re forced to keep at least one of the three we draw).

The drawbacks we have seen so far in the gameplay are the facts that the long destinations tickets are limited to only six and after playing the game so many times yesterday, it’s always quite clear which of the six we’re attempting. And the fact that with the point system, building the long tunnel between Stockholm and St. Petersburg and even the smaller six train routes give players a large point advantage, whether or not they need it.

We have yet to play with more than two players so we expect the gameplay and strategy to be kicked up a notch when we add more players (and hopefully we won’t figure out what long routes we’re all attempting, if we’re doing them at all) and we’re looking forward to that. Hopefully that will make it seem a bit more interesting as I suspect it’s already getting a little predictable.

But that still doesn’t stop us from wanting to play more. It’s a very addicting little game and it reminds me a bit about how we were when we first discovered Catan. Definitely the other great gateway game we’ve played so far. As relative newbies to these new types of boardgames, we’re more than satisfied we added Ticket to Ride Europe to our collection. We’ve never played the first Ticket to Ride but it does make me wonder how it differs in terms of game play.

Buy/More Info

Beep, beep! Tweet-tweet! Ribbet! This all-new game of Operation offers a full multi-sensory experience like never before. In this game of silly skills, it’s all about the senses. Hilarious sound effects are sure to tickle your funny bone, and new funatomy parts include textured, gooey parts. There is also a success button on the patient’s nose. Rather than cards or money, the game now prompts players on which part to remove next. Features 2 skill levels and a storage drawer for all the funatomy parts. For one or more player. Requires 4 “AAA” batteries, not included.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars classic board game
great classic game from my own childhood. Bought this for my 7 year old for Christmas and all 3 of my kids (4,6,7) love playing it. Great new features make it more interesting.

2 Stars buzzer does not work
I bought two of these, for my grandchildren. I am very disappointed to hear that neither work, the buzzer is broken.

3 Stars Makes kids happy
My 8 year old niece wanted this toy. I got her as a birthday present. A silly toy, but she really enjoys it. Well it fulfills the use for what it was made, i.e. make children enjoy. Looking at the built, I think it’s a little expensive.

5 Stars Always fun – matter your age
I got this game as a gift after having not played it for years. It is just as fun now as ever. If you have kids that you want to introduce to a game that you used to love, this is the one to get for them. They will love it, and it will probably bring back a lot of fond memories for you too!

It doesn’t come with batteries, so make sure you have some on hand so you can play right away!

4 Stars Old Game – Still Fun
I played this game as a child and now my Grandson and I enjoy playing it together. It’s fun and good for hand/eye coordination

Buy/More Info

Mr. Pencil’s Learn to Draw and Write is a fun new game for your child’s Leapster. This game cartridge holds a series of games that teach drawing and reading, the fun and easy way. Its recommended for ages 4 and above

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars GREAT Game! Must Have…
What a great game . . . and it’s helping my 3 yr old learn to write his letters! I find him pretending to draw letters with his fingers. He stays focussed on the games and the instructions. Maybe not an ‘exciting’ adventure, but still fun to play (and learn!).

4 Stars If your toddler REALLY wants to play video games like a big kid…
If your kiddo really wants to play big kid video games but is really to young for wii, xbox and playstation this is the best kids gaming system right now. The buttons are easy and responsive. The games that we own are fun and interesting to my 3 year old and our 6 and 8 year old neighbors. They all provide an educational benefit usually math based/problem solving side. We’ve had it for several months and it is still a lot of fun and is challenging.

The other gaming systems like the v-motion are really lacking in comparison ( my son doesn’t play the v-motion b/c the controller is not responsive and it becomes very frustrating…the lack of responsiveness is due to product development. The graphics are awful. )

It is lacking in graphics and is occasionally too rigid in its requests for some games (You can’t lift the pencil in Mr. Pencil or in chasing zero when the goal is to write a number or letter for example). The graphics could be better the string attaching the stylus could be longer.

5 Stars another great leapster game
both of my gradchildren love to play with this game which is at the same time educational.

1 Star wrong teaching
My 4 year old loves playing this game, but i found out that they are teaching the wrong stuff to kids. This game teaches kids that the primary colors are Red, Blue and Yellow – which is plain wrong. We all know that Red, Blue, Green are the primary colors. How can a learning game get it all wrong, and that too from Leapfrog which claims emphasis on learning. I cant believe they are getting away with teaching wrong concepts. very disappointed.

5 Stars My 5-year-old loves it! Not as picky as some say…
Well- I read the reviews and almost skipped on this one, as my son is easily frustrated, but I am glad I didn’t. The parents who could not satisfy Mr. Pencil’s perfectionism were just doing things in adult-style… writing the letter he asked them to. That is NOT how it works. You must follow each step. For instance… if he shows you how to draw a three and you draw it in one shot… well, that will be considered incorrect. You must make the top curve and stop and then make the bottom curve to complete it as instructed. So if you can already make letters, it will be frustrating. If you are willing to follow the instructions you will find it far more forgiving.

There are also colors to mix and cool pictures to trace. My son simply loves it! Mr. Pencil is kind, but will stop you if you don’t get it after about three tries, with a “let’s try it again later.” Personally, while some people like the idea of trying until they get it right, I think a break may be exactly what’s required. He has yet to try all the features of the game– and I am sure he won’t like it so much when Mr. Pencil draws alongside him and the lines go across his newly drawn artwork — but all he has done so far he is really enjoying. Practicing on the computer screen is more fun for him than doing it on paper.

Buy/More Info

The race is on! Speed from learning letters to spelling words as you navigate obstacles with Lightning McQueen and his friends. Customize your car with the coins you earn and leave your competition in the dust. Kids will get revved up over phonics, spelling, language arts and vocabulary. For use with the Leapster Learning System or Leapster TV Learning System (sold separately).

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Cars Supercharged
I purchased these games for my grandson. He said they were fun and he was learning alot. He’s 5 and only received the games on 2/26 for his birthday. Sorry I have no more feedback than that.

1 Star total waste of money
i bought this game this morning for my 4 yr old son. wish i’d never bought it. it’s a total waste of money. my 4 yr old son found it extremely boring and wanted to stop playing after 10 minutes. i tried it too and i have to agree with him. too bad you can’t return the game once opened. my son doesn’t want to play it anymore, so that’s $30 down the drain. we are extremely disappointed. not sure now if i want to buy any other leapster games.

3 Stars Ok Game – but not too exciting.
It’s a fun game, and the kids play with it. But definetly not that great. It pretty much is the same driving course, with different math questions.

Good if you child is a Cars Fanatic. But I highly recommend Sonic over this one for 5 – 6 year old. If you child is younger – maybe 4 – than this would be appropriate.

5 Stars Great Leapster Game
My 5 year old daughter got this as a gift for Christmas and she just loves playing this game! I’ve played a few of the games on it myself and was surprised as to how much you actually can learn. Educational and fun

5 Stars Educational and Entertaining
My nephew’s face lit up when he opened his new game. Despite all the other cool gifts he received for his birthday, the first one he chose to open and play with was his Leapster game!

Buy/More Info

Discover treasures left behind by three legendary pirates! Reveal pieces of their treasure maps while playing games and solving riddles that build thinking and vocabulary skills.

Leapster 2 players can connect online for extra activities and rewards. And with the LeapFrog Learning Path, parents can see what their child is learning. Compatible with Leapster Learning System and Leapster 2 System, sold separately.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Very fun game
My son (age 7) loves the DVD version of iSpy for his computer and this is a fun game he can take with us in the car. Directions are easy to follow and it doesn’t make all of the annoying noises some of the other games make. Very fun and educational.

5 Stars Love spying? Great Game
We are big fan’s of the eye spy books- and this game brings that to another level. My daughter (6) has finished the game and it starts all over on another adventure with different things to search for. One of the games is hard for her (ice cream parlor) but with time she will learn ways to improve her memory. I play the games too, then I can help them verbally without having to take the game over- I liked the game, it’s fun. My husband was very impressed with the quality. Even my 3 year old could help find things. This leapster game was a great addition to our game collection

4 Stars Engaging, but a little frustrating
My son is almost six and wants to play this game constantly. He can do most of the “finding” himself, but sometimes asks for help for the trickier clues. He likes the sense of exploring the cove and enjoys the pirate voices.

I would say the educational benefits of this game are that it extends vocabulary and improves visio-spatial ability.

I think it helps if your child is pre-disposed to detail-oriented focused tasks like mine.

5 Stars Fun educational games
My 6 year old granddaughter has a Leapster 2 and this was a new game for her. She had fun looking for all of the hidden items. She had to use her reading skills and help solve the riddles to find some items. We had fun doing it with her too when she got stumped. The Leapster products are great!!

5 Stars preschooler having a great time
Be sure to purchase the LMAX LEAPSTER so you can have fun with your preschooler on your TV… recommend highly!

Buy/More Info

Mr. Pencil’s Learn to Draw and Write is a fun new game for your child’s Leapster. This game cartridge holds a series of games that teach drawing and reading, the fun and easy way. Its recommended for ages 4 and above

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars another great leapster game
both of my gradchildren love to play with this game which is at the same time educational.

5 Stars My 5-year-old loves it! Not as picky as some say…
Well- I read the reviews and almost skipped on this one, as my son is easily frustrated, but I am glad I didn’t. The parents who could not satisfy Mr. Pencil’s perfectionism were just doing things in adult-style… writing the letter he asked them to. That is NOT how it works. You must follow each step. For instance… if he shows you how to draw a three and you draw it in one shot… well, that will be considered incorrect. You must make the top curve and stop and then make the bottom curve to complete it as instructed. So if you can already make letters, it will be frustrating. If you are willing to follow the instructions you will find it far more forgiving.

There are also colors to mix and cool pictures to trace. My son simply loves it! Mr. Pencil is kind, but will stop you if you don’t get it after about three tries, with a “let’s try it again later.” Personally, while some people like the idea of trying until they get it right, I think a break may be exactly what’s required. He has yet to try all the features of the game– and I am sure he won’t like it so much when Mr. Pencil draws alongside him and the lines go across his newly drawn artwork — but all he has done so far he is really enjoying. Practicing on the computer screen is more fun for him than doing it on paper.

4 Stars If your toddler REALLY wants to play video games like a big kid…
If your kiddo really wants to play big kid video games but is really to young for wii, xbox and playstation this is the best kids gaming system right now. The buttons are easy and responsive. The games that we own are fun and interesting to my 3 year old and our 6 and 8 year old neighbors. They all provide an educational benefit usually math based/problem solving side. We’ve had it for several months and it is still a lot of fun and is challenging.

The other gaming systems like the v-motion are really lacking in comparison ( my son doesn’t play the v-motion b/c the controller is not responsive and it becomes very frustrating…the lack of responsiveness is due to product development. The graphics are awful. )

It is lacking in graphics and is occasionally too rigid in its requests for some games (You can’t lift the pencil in Mr. Pencil or in chasing zero when the goal is to write a number or letter for example). The graphics could be better the string attaching the stylus could be longer.

5 Stars GREAT Game! Must Have…
What a great game . . . and it’s helping my 3 yr old learn to write his letters! I find him pretending to draw letters with his fingers. He stays focussed on the games and the instructions. Maybe not an ‘exciting’ adventure, but still fun to play (and learn!).

1 Star wrong teaching
My 4 year old loves playing this game, but i found out that they are teaching the wrong stuff to kids. This game teaches kids that the primary colors are Red, Blue and Yellow – which is plain wrong. We all know that Red, Blue, Green are the primary colors. How can a learning game get it all wrong, and that too from Leapfrog which claims emphasis on learning. I cant believe they are getting away with teaching wrong concepts. very disappointed.

Buy/More Info

Discover treasures left behind by three legendary pirates! Reveal pieces of their treasure maps while playing games and solving riddles that build thinking and vocabulary skills.

Leapster 2 players can connect online for extra activities and rewards. And with the LeapFrog Learning Path, parents can see what their child is learning. Compatible with Leapster Learning System and Leapster 2 System, sold separately.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Very fun game
My son (age 7) loves the DVD version of iSpy for his computer and this is a fun game he can take with us in the car. Directions are easy to follow and it doesn’t make all of the annoying noises some of the other games make. Very fun and educational.

5 Stars Love spying? Great Game
We are big fan’s of the eye spy books- and this game brings that to another level. My daughter (6) has finished the game and it starts all over on another adventure with different things to search for. One of the games is hard for her (ice cream parlor) but with time she will learn ways to improve her memory. I play the games too, then I can help them verbally without having to take the game over- I liked the game, it’s fun. My husband was very impressed with the quality. Even my 3 year old could help find things. This leapster game was a great addition to our game collection

4 Stars Engaging, but a little frustrating
My son is almost six and wants to play this game constantly. He can do most of the “finding” himself, but sometimes asks for help for the trickier clues. He likes the sense of exploring the cove and enjoys the pirate voices.

I would say the educational benefits of this game are that it extends vocabulary and improves visio-spatial ability.

I think it helps if your child is pre-disposed to detail-oriented focused tasks like mine.

5 Stars Fun educational games
My 6 year old granddaughter has a Leapster 2 and this was a new game for her. She had fun looking for all of the hidden items. She had to use her reading skills and help solve the riddles to find some items. We had fun doing it with her too when she got stumped. The Leapster products are great!!

5 Stars preschooler having a great time
Be sure to purchase the LMAX LEAPSTER so you can have fun with your preschooler on your TV… recommend highly!

Buy/More Info

Mr. Pencil’s Learn to Draw and Write is a fun new game for your child’s Leapster. This game cartridge holds a series of games that teach drawing and reading, the fun and easy way. Its recommended for ages 4 and above

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Star wrong teaching
My 4 year old loves playing this game, but i found out that they are teaching the wrong stuff to kids. This game teaches kids that the primary colors are Red, Blue and Yellow – which is plain wrong. We all know that Red, Blue, Green are the primary colors. How can a learning game get it all wrong, and that too from Leapfrog which claims emphasis on learning. I cant believe they are getting away with teaching wrong concepts. very disappointed.

4 Stars If your toddler REALLY wants to play video games like a big kid…
If your kiddo really wants to play big kid video games but is really to young for wii, xbox and playstation this is the best kids gaming system right now. The buttons are easy and responsive. The games that we own are fun and interesting to my 3 year old and our 6 and 8 year old neighbors. They all provide an educational benefit usually math based/problem solving side. We’ve had it for several months and it is still a lot of fun and is challenging.

The other gaming systems like the v-motion are really lacking in comparison ( my son doesn’t play the v-motion b/c the controller is not responsive and it becomes very frustrating…the lack of responsiveness is due to product development. The graphics are awful. )

It is lacking in graphics and is occasionally too rigid in its requests for some games (You can’t lift the pencil in Mr. Pencil or in chasing zero when the goal is to write a number or letter for example). The graphics could be better the string attaching the stylus could be longer.

5 Stars GREAT Game! Must Have…
What a great game . . . and it’s helping my 3 yr old learn to write his letters! I find him pretending to draw letters with his fingers. He stays focussed on the games and the instructions. Maybe not an ‘exciting’ adventure, but still fun to play (and learn!).

5 Stars another great leapster game
both of my gradchildren love to play with this game which is at the same time educational.

5 Stars My 5-year-old loves it! Not as picky as some say…
Well- I read the reviews and almost skipped on this one, as my son is easily frustrated, but I am glad I didn’t. The parents who could not satisfy Mr. Pencil’s perfectionism were just doing things in adult-style… writing the letter he asked them to. That is NOT how it works. You must follow each step. For instance… if he shows you how to draw a three and you draw it in one shot… well, that will be considered incorrect. You must make the top curve and stop and then make the bottom curve to complete it as instructed. So if you can already make letters, it will be frustrating. If you are willing to follow the instructions you will find it far more forgiving.

There are also colors to mix and cool pictures to trace. My son simply loves it! Mr. Pencil is kind, but will stop you if you don’t get it after about three tries, with a “let’s try it again later.” Personally, while some people like the idea of trying until they get it right, I think a break may be exactly what’s required. He has yet to try all the features of the game– and I am sure he won’t like it so much when Mr. Pencil draws alongside him and the lines go across his newly drawn artwork — but all he has done so far he is really enjoying. Practicing on the computer screen is more fun for him than doing it on paper.

Buy/More Info