Amazon.com Customer Reviews
Nice but could be better with more games, - Review written on December 31, 2005
Rating: 3 out of 5
19 customers found this review helpful, 3 did not.
If you've kept up with your kids in this age bracket and read to them a lot like us, we found this game to be very easy for our kid in the rated age bracket, with only a few games providing any challenge on her first try. For instance, asking what characters did what in the movie, that was simple, something she could have done at age 3, she loves the movie and has a good memory. After they do that once, what then? How can it get more complex? It can't. Poorly designed that module.
The story part is ok, but a re-hash of the movie plot just summarized. It defaults to reading to your child from what I could tell by playing it, and a lazy kid will not be pushed to learn. I would rather have it stay silent and then if they need help they could push a button. One thing it does do well is that the words are highlighted as they are read to them. You can go to a mode where you have to read and it won't do it for you, but its not the default. There are not a lot of games on it, for the price compared to PC software, we were a bit underwhelmed at the whole thing, but will try some older rated software for leapster. She does LOVE the leapster she got for Xmas (a few days ago) but she prefers the standard games that come with it to the Nemo ones.
I rate it a 3
Great game ! - Review written on December 24, 2004
Rating: 5 out of 5
80 customers found this review helpful, 2 did not.
My 4YO son loves this cartridge. The children have a choice of reading the Nemo story or playing one of four games. My son does not really like the story, but it is cute. Admittedly it is difficult for an electronic toy to beat mom's reading!
The games are great. They all have multiple skill levels and are fun and challenging. I often have to force my son to let his Leapster "rest awhile". His favorite game is trying to find the fish in the deep dark ocean. On level 2 words are displayed and you have to find the fish by listening for where the word sound is the loudest. Unfortunately, there are a limited number of fish, but my kid hasn't noticed, he is happy every time he finds one. And, instead of sounding out the A like they do with the other letters, they say "Ay".
The Nemo cartridge also has a hide-n-seek game which teaches comprehension skills. Various Nemo characters and props appear in bubbles and the Leapster asks a question such as "Who helped Nemo escape from the tank?" and the child would need to select the "Gill" bubble. I haven't seen logic games like that on the other cartridge we have.
Overall, the characters are cute, the games are educational and my kid loves it. I'd give this more stars if that were possible!