I have confidence in my ability to dance. After all, I took lessons for 15 years, was part of a performing division, won awards, and represented the USA in Australia during the World Expo.

Likewise, I am not a shabby singer. Or at least I wasn’t in my youth. I got the solos in church choir, I was a Chamber Singer in high school, and I don’t do too horribly at my husband’s staff retreat when everyone does karaoke. (I still tear up a little when I think of my husband’s VIP boss sitting in a corner singing karaoke alone when the rest of us had moved on to other things. He stopped when we brought him a birthday cake.)

When the Parent Bloggers Network asked me to review Wii Boogie, I completely did a dance and whoop of joy. “This will be fabulous!” I thought, envisioning myself busting serious moves and singing the night away. I am already a Wii addict, so why not add another title to my obsession?

Well, here’s the deal: I am not good at Boogie. At least not yet.

The familiar orange-pink swirled envelope came in the mail last week. This time, enclosed within was a DVD offering a free trial of NoodleNet, a safe way for kids to browse the internet. Sometimes it will be a fabric softener sample, or a DVD of a new television show, such as when "Meerkat Manor" came out.

I still have fond memories of the show "Cover Shot," for which I voted on a "final shot" as one of the original VocalPoint members. I was in "the Club" so early in the game that I actually voted on the design of the envelopes in which VocalPoint sends their product samples, coupons, and announcements!

Why did I become a member?

I left this morning at around 10:30am. The Cat was playing Jump Start World: First Grade.

I returned home around 3:15pm. The Cat was playing Jump Start World: First Grade.

Sure, I know there was some time in there where he and Husband ran a couple errands and got lunch, but the time he was home he was glued to the computer, earning "gems."

Reward for good work is a huge motivator for the Cat. Jump Start World's gem reward system has gotten the Cat very excited about mastering levels and clearing units. We received Jump Start World: First Grade through the Parent Bloggers Network.

The Cat has tried some educational video games before, but they haven't been nearly as sophisticated.

Bob the Builder has been a staple of our household since the Cat was a toddler. One of his first toys was a counting hammer, and his first underwear had images from the series. His bath toys were Bob-themed (even a shampoo that had a Scoop toy as its lid.) Oddly, neither boy has watched the series itself with any regularity, although they very much enjoyed the DVD I reviewed for PBN earlier this year. Still, Bob the Builder is recognizable and comfortable to my kids, and so when I learned of Bob the Builder's Can-Do Zoo via the Parent Bloggers Network, I expected we'd have two very happy boys in our house.

Indeed, this educational computer game combines both the "tool and construction" fun that many young kids are apt to enjoy, plus the universally desirable animal theme. The story itself is fun: Bob must construct the Bobland Bay Zoo to house all the animals currently making their home in unexpected places. The monkeys are on the monkey-bars at school, of course, and the alligators are in the swimming pool. This topsy-turvy situation brought giggles to the boys.

The player must escort Bob through the planning and construction process of the zoo by mastering several tasks. Each activity brings the zoo closer to completion and earns the player a sticker that can be used to construct scenes in a "sticker book" portion of the game. The activities involve memory, sequencing, matching, color and shape recognition, and pattern completion. Each activity can be done in "easy," "medium," or "hard" modes.

Splig started on the easy mode, but soon started trying the "medium." The Cat started on "hard" but decided to go to "easy" to get the hang of it before going back to "medium" and "hard." Can-Do Zoo is aimed at 3-6 year olds. Spliggle is four and definitely in that target ability level. The Cat is seven (and a half) and found most tasks pretty easy, although there are still some activities in the "hard" level that provide a challenge for him.

Both boys enjoyed the "free play" section of the game where they could skip over the story (along with its little video interludes) so they could play a particular game over and over again, both to become better at it and to earn lots of stickers. The boys spent an entire afternoon doing the exercises repeatedly so they could earn the stickers. This reward-based system works so well with the boys that they remembered another educational reward-based game I reviewed for PBN and have been playing that game religiously alongside Bob for the last couple weeks.

Since there are only five different games, the capacity to become bored is greater than with more complex computer games; however, this also means that younger players won't be overwhelmed with too much detail. Since there are only five habitats to complete, even the very beginning players can reach the game's completion, which isn't always the case with story-based games. I know the Cat wanted new challenges, but he's also a year and a half above the suggested age-range for the game. Spliggle seemed satisfied with the Can-Do Zoo's scope and definitely enjoyed giggling at the animals.

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Download a free trial of Bob the Builder's Can-Do Zoo.

Typically people don't think of video games as being educational, but there are plenty on the market these days. The quality and method differs, but the idea is the same: get the kids involved in fun and they will forget they are learning. Jump Start World is one example of a game that is incredibly educational while still fun. (The Cat kept playing it long after I reviewed it; and continues to play from time to time.)

Leapfrog has been a real leader in the field of educational-yet-fun products. Not long ago, I reviewed the Leapfrog TAG system for reading. Splig loved it, and so did I. As I explained in my review: "The wand also reports back via the child's "Learning Path" to show the parent what skills the child has worked on, what activities the child enjoys doing, and how their learning is progressing... Readers can collect rewards for finishing various activities."

Well, the Leapster2 hand-held educational video game has that same ability: report back to the parents on progression of skills and earn "rewards."

The Cat was instantly smitten. After all, his favorite color is green and the system happens to be green (and blue.) Both kids loved the games "Dragon Kingdom" (the default on the system) and "Outwit!" (another cartridge included in my review package.) Spliggle's favorite television show is "Dragon Tales," so of course he liked "Dragon Kingdom." He enjoyed doing activities in the "creativity castle" whereas the Cat was interested in "Dragons to the Rescue," which tests math and reading skills

Although my boys are 3.5 years apart, they both found something to love about the Leapster2. The activities are varied enough and there are enough "levels" of play that activities are not too simple for the Cat or too challenging for Spliggle. Both boys have their own profile on the Leapster2. That way, their particular rewards and progression down their "Learning Path" is kept separate. Plus, it is fun for them to click on their name when they begin: even though they share the game, it is "theirs" for the duration of their session.

One feature I didn't initially notice is that there is a little headphone jack in the console. This will be very useful the next time we take a road trip. Although the games are cute, the repetitive sounds get a little distracting to parents in the front seat trying to listen to news or music.

There are plenty of different game cartridges available for the Leapster2; it also plays all Leapster cartridges. The themes are such that my boys think they are just playing "video games," but they are also reinforcing important skills.

I've been impressed with Leapfrog educational toys since their inception (and even participated in a focus group about five years ago,) but have been particularly enthusiastic with the invention of the interactive Learning Path system and the portable devices that all merge into this system. Thank you to Leapfrog for generously providing me with a Leapster2!

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Up next: I report on a similar system from a competitor! Oooooooohhhhh!

Alright, so I had already received a competitor's product for review, but when the Parent Bloggers Network asked if I'd be interested in reviewing the V. Smile Cyber Pocket from VTech, I instantly said "Yes!" After all, both my boys have non-educational "just for fun" handheld video game consoles, but until the V.Smile showed up on our doorstep, we only had one educational hand-held video game.

Yes, boo-hoo!, but don't you want both kids learning in the backseat of the van?

Yup, I thought so. Two educational handheld games it is!

The Cyber Pocket has a different "look" than what the kids are used to: this looks like a mini-laptop computer, with a little flip-up screen. Of course both boys were very interested, especially when they saw the game that came with it is called "Zayzoo: An Earth Adventure" and sports a photo of a cute alien.

Zayzoo includes several different components including singing songs (great for the preschool set) or practicing filling in missing letters of common words (excellent to reinforce those early reading skills.) The Cyber Pocket system itself is recommended for kids age five and older. It is therefore not a surprise that four-year-old Splig found some of the games too challenging; however, he still loved them. The Cat is seven, and enjoyed playing "Math Mining," "Alien Beat," and "Language Learner" the most, but has yet to explore several of the games available.

When we first turned on the system, it took some time to figure out what to do. The stylus on the lower screen corresponds to the cursor on the LCD upper screen. This is rather tricky to co-ordinate, so I was relieved that finger-joystick controls were available instead. There are both right-joystick and left-joystick positions for the console. This is the first time in a video-game situation where I've seen particular attention to whether a person might favor right or left hand.

Still, I wish the stylus were easier to use. Although the "write on one surface, see the result on another" might help hand-eye coordination in the youngsters, for this nearly-35-year old it was too tricky. I like to write directly on the screen. One advantage of not writing directly on the LCD screen, though, is that the screen life will be much longer. Many of these "write on the media" products have the potential of getting scratched and worn over time.

When the Cat tried out the system, he was frustrated by trying to use the stylus to play the game. He didn't have any trouble working the navigational screens, but when he had to actually control the character, the finger joystick made much more sense. Still, the game prompts, "Use the pen to move Zayzoo!"

I don't know whether the stylus is used exclusively in some games. If so, this would require an initial adjustment period.

What I was most intrigued by, though, was how many skills this single game covers: spelling, synonyms, antonyms, 3D puzzle building, logic, arithmetic, vocabulary, sentence structure, reading comprehension, beat and rhythm, and more. With such a wide variety of skills emphasized, kids can be both confident in the skills they've already mastered (earning lots of coins!) and challenged by those things that they are still working on, but having fun in the process.

One especially fun feature of the Cyber Pocket is that it can be plugged into the television screen via the included cable. Sure, there are plenty of TV screen video-game consoles out there, but none that you can then take with you in the van on a road trip. While at home, the kids can choose to play the Cyber Pocket with a large screen; but then on the road, in a comfy arm chair, or in their rooms, they can relish in the portability of the system. I like that there is a headphone jack so I don't necessarily have to listen to their games. I must listen to their laughter and squeals of delight, though.

The Cyber Pocket comes with a "V.Link," a little device that is a USB-port on one end and a connector to the VTech on the other end. A smiling glittery piece of toast serves as the slider between the "connect to VTech" and "expose USB port" configurations. Okay, he isn't a piece of toast, but the smiling computer screen logo looks very much like that tasty breakfast staple.

Kids can connect the V.Link to their console to download their scores; they then connect to the computer to record those scores. In the case of "Zayzoo: An Earth Adventure," kids can earn gold coins during console play that can be used on the V.Smile website to unlock special bonus games. The Cat hasn't earned enough coins to unlock anything yet, but I am certain he'll enthusiastically try, then reveal in the accomplishment.

Both boys love this system. Although we are just getting to know it, I have a feeling it will be used quite frequently at our house.

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Up Tuesday: A side-by-side comparison of Leapfrog's Leapster2 and VTech's VSmile Cyber Pocket, a Smackdown! if you will. Stay tuned...

We have had the good fortune of receiving both a Leapster2 from LeapFrog (check out their new Leapfrog online community!) and a V.Smile CyberPocket from VTech, via the Parent Bloggers Network. I've written reviews on both, but below is a summary of some of the features both unique to each and shared between these two educational hand-held learning systems. Some of the information in the below table is objective, while other information is our impression of the systems.

Who wins the Smackdown? Well that depends on your needs. My kids love both gaming systems and both make learning FUN! Since they both cost the same, emphasize similar skills, report on those skills online, and have a variety of different games available, there is no clear winner. It is up to YOU to decide which features you prefer. For example, the Leapster2 is lighter with better stylus control than the CyberPocket, whereas the CyberPocket has the the ability to plug into the T.V. for big screen play, but the Leapster cannot. Of course my chart above is not comprehensive; there may be a feature I didn't cover that is particularly poignant for you - but the above is what my kids and I discovered as we tried out these cool gadgets.

For more information:
- VTechKids: V.Smile Cyber Pocket
- Leap Frog: Leapster2

I'm going to outright say it:
1) I didn't think I'd be the kind of mom to give her kids video games
2) I've been very, very lucky in the "free video games" department

What I'm going to talk about today is not in that shoot-'em-up, let's totally zombie-out-your-kids category. (Most of the games we have are exceptionally tame and have changed my mind about "video games.") Thanks to the Parent Bloggers Network, the Littlest Pet Shop : Jungle game for Nintendo DS made its way to our home, and thank goodness it did.

Before Littlest Pet Shop arrived, my boys were fighting over Mario Kart. Sure, we have Mario Kart for the Wii and Mario Kart for the DS, but in the car, only the DS will do. "I need it for my tiny 'puter!" one boy would exclaim as the other gleefully drove his kart around. (Yes, there is somehow a way for them both to play at once using a single cartridge, but I haven't figured it out yet.)

I knew Littlest Pet Shop would appeal to my youngest (age 4) because he loves our cat, our fish, and recently raised some little caterpillars to become butterflies. I knew Littlest Pet Shop would appeal to my oldest (age 7) because he desperately wants a dog, used to pretend to be a cat, and likes snuggly things. Both are boys, but I wasn't concerned with the stereotype that Littlest Pet Shop is only for girls because it isn't. Deer and zebras are manly, yes? (Okay, they have wide adorable eyes, but my boys love 'em all the same.)

I figured my oldest would keep playing Mario Kart, and then my youngest would be happy to take on Littlest Pet Shop. What I didn't anticipate was that Littlest Pet Shop would end up being the preferred game, so much so that the Mario Kart cartridge is actually lost somewhere because one boy took it out of his "tiny 'puter" to put in Littlest Pet Shop instead.

They love this game.

I am happy because the "Hey, let's go buy a dog" talk has diminished considerably. Although, my youngest thinks it would be cool to go get a zebra, because apparently he owns one on his game.

I am happier, though, that the games contained within Littlest Pet Shop have translated to real life. Sure, many people would find this unlikely, but take a look at the evidence. One of the games to earn coins (for care of the pet and purchase of new pets) is a color-in-the-lines game.

Well, Splig has brought home lots of drawings like the below-left from preschool recently:

Honestly, I wouldn't have thought a four year old could color in the lines so well, but he's done it at home, too. Littlest Pet Shop requires precision to earn coins. My son has thus learned to be precise (losing a couple styluses in the process) generalizing this to "real life."

If your kids like the idea of a pet, but might not be ready for the real-life responsibility of taking care of one, Littlest Pet Shop might be a good option. It combines the pride of ownership (and ability to name each pet) with things - like dressing up your pet - that probably wouldn't occur in real life, unless you're a Paris Hilton type with doggie sweaters. Add to it some skill games and you've got a well-rounded, entertaining, non-violent game that is worth the "screen time."

Don't tell the kids, but Santa might bring Littlest Pet Shop: Winter Edition to our house this Christmas. (There is also a Garden version.)

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Check out what other PBN bloggers think about Littlest Pet Shop!

Although December brings with it lots of hectic holiday chaos, our family has been fortunate to have some pockets of time together to do fun things. Thanks to Mom Central, the four of us sat down to watch "Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa" at our local theater. Then fresh off the movie enthusiasm with catchy tunes in our heads, we unwrapped the "Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa" Wii game.

My kids love Wii, and they especially love playing games that relate to things they've experienced in other media, such as with seeing the sequel to Madagascar before actually playing the game. The game itself has different modes: the story mode relates to the movie itself, whereas the "Africa Arcade" provides various quick games that are fun on their own or as part of a multiplayer tournament. Players can collect "monkeys" which they then use at the "Duty Free Shop" to purchase items.

My sons (aged 7 and 4) initially went through the story mode, but then decided they enjoyed the ability to pick and choose mini-games through the "Africa Arcade." My eldest son has probably played the soccer game at least fifty times. Both boys choose Marty the zebra. Watching zebras play soccer is quite a funny sight!

The movie is entertaining, certainly, but it also provides a great springboard to talk about environmental conservation. Since the game parallels the movie, it too can be a good starting point for discussion. The first scene of the movie shows hunters all too eager to lure animals off the protection of their reserve. The first movie depicts zoo animals escaping from New York to Madagascar. In the sequel, the animals leave Madagascar, crash land in Africa, and discover animals from their own species.

Initially they are awed to see the beautiful savannah, but soon the characters discover that a human-made dam cuts off water supply to the reservation. Of course the friends save the day by blowing up the dam, but in "real life," such simple solutions to man-created problems are not so easily accomplished.

Fortunately, the movie and game are entertaining, even if at the core they deal with serious subject matter. My boys laugh at the funny parts, love playing the game, but they are both aware of environmental issues. My eldest loves to scold me at the gas pump (my husband drives a Prius, so he applauds him.) My youngest likes to tell me to turn off lights when we aren't in the room anymore.

And both of them love to play soccer with zebras.

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Learn more about the "Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa" video game

Purchase Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa for the Nintendo DS at Amazon

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Read on for some kid-friendly tips from Conservation International:

Husband and I typically end up with multiples of the same gift, like the year we both got each other America. Typically the duplicates end up because Husband will talk about how much he wants something, so I'll buy it for him. But days before Christmas, he'll go out and purchase whatever is already wrapped under the tree.

So I stopped listening to his first choice, figuring he'd get it for himself. I focused more on the "lower down" priority items.

Last year he kept talking about a slingbox. But I thought I knew better. I wasn't going to purchase something he'd no doubt buy on his own during Thanksgiving sales or Pre-Christmas sales or Friday Fry's sales.

The day before Christmas, Husband mentioned how excited he was that he'd be getting a slingbox for Christmas. He assumed that is what I had already bought. He was ecstatic.

Except I hadn't bought one, of course.

Not wanting to disappoint him, I quickly went online to Best Buy and did an in-store pickup order. While the store itself had long lines and packed aisles, the in-store pickup line was small. We were out of the store - coveted present in hand - in less time that it took us to find parking.

And so, my first tip to those of you who have waited too long to shop for Christmas (or the latter half of Hanukkah) is to see which big stores have in-store pickup. It is easy to browse online for that perfect gift, and typically is pretty easy to pick it up since most stores have separate lines for their online sales.

(The one exception I found to this was when I bought a camera at Circuit City - the closest store was sold out, so I purchased it at a store a half hour away. Guess what happened? That store didn't have it when I arrived, but discovered that my local store did! In the end I got my camera, but that particular excursion took a lot of driving and involved confusion.)

Another idea is the dreaded overnight shipping - yet for stores like zappos.com that already ship overnight, you're golden. Still, most overnight shipping options are pretty pricey, so you might want to brave the malls.

Or, you could buy something that is electronically fulfilled, such as an iTunes gift certificate or an Amazon.com gift certificate delivered via email.

Plenty of websites offer extended content for a fee. No, I am not suggesting purchasing "adult materials" for your preteen cousin. Rather, for kids there are sites like Club Penguin, a favorite of my boys. While the basic experience is plenty of fun, being a member allows the little penguins to accumulate coins to purchase pet puffles, buy snazzy new outfits, and deck out their igloo like budding interior designers would. In the Cat's case, that means purchasing as many toy trains as possible to create a "rug."

For older folks, there is Happy Neuron. I learned about this brain fitness website shortly after I had realized that I wasn't very good at the Brain Age DS game. (And don't even talk to me about Big Brain Academy.) "Mommy brain" is no myth: my brain is so filled with details of appointments, tasks, and managing other folks' lives that I don't have time to read or do puzzles to expand the other parts of my brain.

As we age, our brain "sags" just like our bodies do. Those who keep mentally fit by exercising their brain end up faring much better than those who don't. Plus, it is fun (until the computer tells you that you are mentally weak, that is!)

Happy Neuron is offering a 20%-off holiday special on a year's membership to the website. Members have access to 35 games (plus 5 beta Wii games.) The games fit in five categories: visual-spacial, attention, executive function, memory, and language. Each game has several difficulty levels, plus the program itself will recommend games based on the user's weaknesses.

I tried using the "coach" function whereby the computer is supposed to take me through an optimum combination of games based on my preferences, time available to "work out," and my past performance. Unfortunately, this feature didn't work for me (I was given a login free for the purposes of review, but perhaps this is a feature only available to full members, not reviewers.) And so, I tried out the five free games.

Does it surprise you that on the "split words" game that I was able to do the one about football but did horrifically on the "agriculture" one? (I can still hear my grandmother's tsk-tsk from many years ago when she learned I couldn't tell the difference between different types of cows. Sorry, I don't know anything about farming.) I thought I would do fantastically on "Catch the Ladybug" because after college I was a research assistant in a visual psychophysics lab. We did lots of "search" experiments, and since I had to program and test such things, I became very good at visual search. But my downfall in this Happy Neuron game was my trackball skills. I saw the ladybug immediately, but had a hard time rolling my way over. Perhaps a traditional mouse would be better in this instance.

There are other games that rely on time where an individual's ability to move the mouse becomes a limiting factor. This concerns me for the grandparent-set who might otherwise benefit from these mind-enhancing games. For these folks, those games without a time limit (but which will still record time) would be more accurate: as their time decreases with practice, the improvement can be attributed more to mental performance and less to mousing-ability. But for games that stop if the user fails to provide the answer, the individual wouldn't be able to practice the actual task unless the time required could be increased.

I love that there are a variety of games to "train" the user so the "workouts" are not boring. The site has a section on brain fitness science, plus has recommendations for other (sometimes offline) products. In addition to the aforementioned Wii games in beta, there is also a "Happy Neuron Junior" program in development. The Cat loves various games, particularly online. Although some of the games I've played through Happy Neuron are perfectly appropriate for him, I imagine the "junior" version will have aspects (such as in the "language" category) that will better fit his grade level.

Consider Happy Neuron for that otherwise difficult-to-buy-for adult. Grandmothers have enough perfume, bath oil, and lotion. And does Granddad really need another tie? Young(er) adults would like these games, too, so don't think your recipient needs to have grey hair. (I think my parents are sharper than I am at this point, anyway.)

Or maybe spend some time on the site yourself; it certainly wouldn't hurt! After all, the present I am getting for Husband is one that I hope to get myself at some point. This is one year where I'm actually hoping for a duplicate (but not expecting it.)

My boys love their "tiny computers." They each have a Nintendo DS, which comes in handy during road trips, doctors appointments, and other errands that would otherwise be "boring." They have their favorite games, but are always on the lookout for new challenges.

Southpeak Interactive Corporation has introduced a new arcade-style videogame, Big Bang Mini, for Nintendo DS. Players create fireworks, attempting to hit targets, either as a single player, or to defeat an opposing player by knocking out their targets.

When I learned of Big Bang Mini, I was immediately intrigued. My boys enjoy real fireworks, plus really love target games. I look forward to receiving a copy to review -- or, more accurately, I am sure my sons will be thrilled when it comes in the mail.

Big Bang Mini will be available to the public January 20th. It is available for preorder at Amazon now.

Keep your eyes tuned here for my boys' impressions once we've given it a shot!

My boys had a blast! Check out the review here.

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* South Peak Games' Big Bang Mini page
* Pre-Order at Amazon

Last month I announced the release of Big Bang Mini for the Nintendo DS. Shortly thereafter, my own copy arrived in the mail, and my boys have been challenging each other ever since.

They've been challenging each other on the game, and they've been challenging each other on whose turn it is to play alone. There have been fireworks in the game, and fireworks outside of the game. There have even been some interesting games of "hide and seek" that should be renamed "hide the game from my brother." Truthfully though, the boys have cooperated and discussed the game together much more than they have jockeyed for playing position.

Given my boys' enthusiasm for Big Bang Mini, I am sure it is no surprise that I've never actually played it. Rather, I've watched over their shoulders, and have heard their happy exclamations about collecting lots of "stars" (when an enemy is defeated, it explodes stars) and "beating bosses," who are the end-stage of each world. The game has nine worlds designated by cities, such as Hong Kong, Rio de Janeiro, and New York. Each of these worlds has nine stages, the last of which is the Big Boss Encounter. There are also little bonus stages. Once the Big Bad Boss is defeated at the end of the nine worlds, a "Mission Mode" is opened up. We haven't yet reached that point yet, but I am sure my kids will enjoy the challenge.

For those who want to compete against others remotely, there is a "Challenge Mode," and then the "Versus Mode" allows single-card wi-fi play between two people in the same room. (Only one copy of Big Bang Mini is needed for the two DS game consoles.)

The instruction book has funny little tips in it - some useful for gameplay ("Not all levels are about shooting as many enemies as fast as you can. There are times when patience and well-timed shots are required.") and others useful for the parents ("Listen to your parents! If it is time for bed then it is time for bed!" and "Eat fish as it will help you remember these important tips!"

There are several misspellings in the instruction book, but I really shouldn't complain about a book that says, "It's true, veggies are good for you!" Besides, how many kids read the instruction book before jumping into play, anyway? Mine certainly didn't, but the truth is - if they read the little book, I think they'd perform even better in the game.

Although this is a "shoot 'em up" game, it isn't violent in the traditional sense. Players use fireworks to defeat each enemy (and must dodge their own.) The "enemy" explodes into stars that are collected for a "power up." The colors and music are bright and cheerful. The little "enemies" are cartoony, not menacing. This is definitely a goal-oriented game: get through each stage to get through each world to defeat each boss. Many sections are "locked" until the previous stages are completed successfully. Each little game is fun on its own, but even better when the player is rewarded by "unlocking" a new level.

My boys love this game, and not just because we got it for free (thanks South Peak Games!) Fireworks are illegal here in California, so it is certainly fun for my boys to create some electronically. I expect they will play it for a long time to come. Plus, it includes a little alarm clock (but no veggies or fish.)

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* South Peak Games' Big Bang Mini page
* Order at Amazon

I admit my kids aren't the readers that I was when I was a child. No, Wii and DS weren't around back then. Although my grandparents had an Atari that I enjoyed playing when I was at their house, my parents' house didn't have games. Eventually we had some for our computer, and we got a PlayStation at some point, but really, all that happened way past elementary school: my grammar-school education was through books.

My favorites included the Betsy-Tacy series, and B is for Betsy. (Okay, I guess it is a miracle I don't have a child named Betsy - although I have two friends who have daughters named "Tacy.") I wasn't a big Nancy Drew fan, although I read a couple Hardy Boys and Bobbsey Twins. I was huge into Encyclopedia Brown and of course all the Judy Blume books (mainly Ramona ones.) I also liked the "A Very Young..." series (A Very Young Dancer was my favorite, followed close behind was A Very Young Gymnast) Then it is with a nostalgic tear in my eye that I recall how I loved Maggie Adams, Dancer, and struck up a pen-pal relationship with the now-late author Karen Strickler Dean.

Fortunately, even in the electronic age, there are ways to promote reading. I reviewed the LeapFrog TAG, and am a big fan of game-based educational products in general; they appeal to my boys, are "with the times" and do teach plenty of important skills.

Leapfrog is sponsoring a One Million Reading Hours Pledge in support of the National Education Association's Read Across America for "National Reading Month." By pledging to set aside at least 10 minutes a day, parents can contribute to the national goal of 1 million reading hours committed. Plus, Leapfrog is offering special offers; for example, check out the coupon on the upper righthand side of the reading pledge sign-up: $10 off a TAG LeapFrog system or $4 off any book in the TAG library. Plus, they are offering prizes, such as the one they are offering to my readers!

What Can You Win?

* One (green) Tag reader + 5 books (chosen by LeapFrog) for personal use

* An expanded-memory LeapFrog School Tag reader + 10 books (chosen by LeapFrog) to donate to the winner's local library.

HOW Can You Win?

FIRST, Make a Pledge. THEN:

* Leave a comment here telling me how much time you have pledged in the LeapFrog 1 Million Reading Hours Campaign

* Earn an extra entry by tweeting this contest (send me the link to your tweet so I know you did it!)

A winner will be randomly selected at the end of the month.

Get Reading!

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The Cat is quite intelligent, at least in academic matters. He's creative, curious, and can make connections very well. But somehow, if the intended connections, schemas, rules, and intuition is in regards social skills, he stumbles. He's one of those "quirky kids" who was diagnosed with pdd-nos, a "catch-all" diagnosis on the autistic spectrum.

As part of his IEP, he receives pragmatic speech and social skills group pull-outs at school. Truthfully, I haven't seen results. He's laughed at social skills DVDs and seems to enjoy them (particularly when the kids act goofy as part of the "how not to behave") but hasn't really put the information to use. One year we sent him to a social-skills camp, but while that may have helped him pay attention to his behavior, I actually wonder if being so analytical about it actually created an artificial situation: he ended up being hyper-sensitive to each mistake, which then created panic and an inability to remember the "correct" response. And then there is the matter of positive role models: he was with some kids who really had some odd social behaviors.

It is embarrassing to admit, but there are certainly times when I want to just throw my arms up because he's done something inappropriate, seemingly without "common sense." And then there are those days that he seems totally "normal" waving good-bye as he says brightly, "Bye Katie! See you tomorrow!"

Did you know Sunday is Father's Day? Yeah, somehow it came mighty quickly. This first week out-of-school has been simultaneously the slowest and the fastest in a very long time. It is amazing that the 20th is mere days away.

Fortunately, we have the internet and overnight shipping to take care of us. Even if you place an order on Friday, you could have in-hand on Saturday, and wrapped and ready to go for Sunday.

Of course there is that old-fashioned go to the store thing, but plugging online products is more fun.

So here are four things that I think are pretty cool:
(If you are my father or the father of my children, please don't read ahead! And YES I ordered your stuff long ago.)

I cannot play the guitar, as evidenced by this photo in which I am holding the thing upside down (apparently.) And then there is my son, who was so obsessed with a pink ukulele that when he randomly found a $20 bill mere feet from a store selling pink ukuleles - right after I told him I wouldn't use my money to buy him one - he purchased it himself. (I mean, how could he not given that the gods were apparently smiling down on him?)

So when Mom Central put out a call to try Guitar Hero for the DS, of course I responded. Not because I think I'm a rock-star, but because I clearly need the help. More so, I wanted to try out these games because I knew my boys would be interested. After all, they spent a good portion of Thanksgiving watching my brother play Guitar Hero on his Playstation.

I figured, if my brother can do it, so can I! (But, um, apparently he's the one who got the guitar talent.)

Yesterday I got a pretty awesome email from LeapFrog. Turns out, they are holding a most-excellent contest: a $3,500 Star Wars Sweepstakes! The prize is an All-Out Star Wars Party Kit for the kids, plus a Merry Maids gift card for the winning parent so that party clean-up is a breeze. (NICE TOUCH, LeapFrog!)

What is included in this spectacular, galaxicical, fantastical party?

- Costumes and light saber toys
- Deluxe party kit, with life-sized wall graphic and R2-D2 trash can
- Amazon gift card
- A LeapFrog Tag, Leapster2 or Didj system with Star Wars game or book
- Merry Maids gift certificate to clean up the mess
- ...and more!

Just head on over to the LeapFrog Star Wars contest page and enter. You can enter EVERY DAY. So, do it. Plus, once you enter, you'll get a landing page that touts free shipping on any of the Star Wars products Leap Frog carries. For example, there is a Limited Edition Leapster 2 Star Wars gift pack.

Last night LeapFrog sponsored a talk with Larry Magid on internet safety. (We also had some excellent food at the Four Seasons Hotel, including a to-DIE-for mashed potato bar - YUM!) Mr. Magid is the co-director of ConnectSafely.org and founder of SafeKids.com.

Surprisingly, the talk meshed well with my own beliefs about risk (not nearly as high as my parents or many others would believe) and how to approach privacy. I had been expecting a scare-fest, but instead the advice was realistic and practical.

The Cat (age 8) has an email address, but he knows I see what is on it (and I delete SPAM off it.) He knows not to give out personal information, although I admit I worry if he is anyway. Spliggle doesn't yet have an email address and doesn't yet really know his own information well enough to give it out. But, of course we will talk to them both as the need arises.

We've considered putting a filter on the Cat's computer because he's pretty Google-savvy, but Mr. Magid explained a filter is mere "training wheels" since the real world isn't filtered. We all know that an overprotective parent actually ends up hurting a child because he cannot fend for himself. But then of course a too-permissive parent ends up putting their child at risk. As with parenting in general, internet safety is about striking a balance.

Last Sunday was my son's end-of-year soccer party. I was the "team photographer" and had lovingly created Blurb books of each player. I really wanted to see the families' reactions to my books, as well as to enjoy a slide show of the team. Plus, I welcomed a chance to socialize instead of just scurrying away post-game to another commitment.

But Jill Asher told me that the Silicon Valley Moms Holiday Party - sponsored by Chevy - was a not-to-miss event. Fellow SV Moms told me it would be worth it to skip the soccer party.

And oh yes, it was worth it.

Now, I'd like to think I'm not a completely greedy person, but let's just say my calm approach to the event turned into a surprised excitement along with that ooooh, I wonder if I can get me some of that.

And there was a lot of that to be had:

Both my boys have gone completely "bonkers for Berk" so to speak. How to Train Your Dragon has replaced Star Wars as being "the" thing to talk about, play with, and wear. My sons have begged to go to the "M-Place" to get Happy Meals so they can hopefully get a plastic dragon that they don't already have. Of course, said dragons lose their wings pretty quickly because they are Happy Meal toys, so I think I've injured my fingers from all the re-attaching I've done of late.

Ahem.

But the important thing is that my kids are smitten with Astrid, Hiccup, and the rest of the gang. They haven't seen the How to Train Your Dragon movie yet, but I anticipate it will be one of the things we do as spring break wraps up. What they have done, though, is play the How to Train Your Dragon Wii Game and the How to Train Your Dragon Nintendo DS Game.

Last year my boys were very excited when I introduced them to Dreambox as part of a review of their excellent online K-2 math program.

I was impressed with how the program evaluated both boys such that their adventures were tailored to their ability level. At the time, my youngest son was still in preschool, so having him do a Kindergarten math program had the potential to be a stretch, but Dreambox accurately assessed his knowledge and instructed him accordingly.

Meanwhile, my then-second-grader was assessed at a higher level. He is gifted in math, so immediately went to some of the more advanced concepts. Although both boys were playing the same game, Dreambox individualized the lessons so they were at the appropriate level for each.

My boys loved Dreambox, so I paid for a subscription for several months after my free-for-review trial had ended.

Although my oldest son enjoyed the game, I could tell that towards the end of his second-grade year he wasn't really challenged by it. Since I wanted to give him access to more advanced concepts, I enrolled him in a free trial of another online math program that went into more challenging material.

We haven't seen Shrek 3 yet, but since the Shrek Forever After: The Final Chapter video game arrived on our doorstep, my two boys have been smitten. In other words, I expect we'll hit the theater soon.

It used to be that I'd read a book or watch a movie and then gobble up the various themed merchandise. Interestingly for my sons, the experience has been the opposite. From getting The Gingerbread Boy in their Happy Meals to playing a little Wii as Shrek, Fiona, Puss in Boots, and Donkey, they experience the characters and story setting before knowing the actual story. This makes following the movie much easier, and a richer experience.

A couple weeks ago, Cool Mom Picks launched their annual holiday gift guide. I've already purchased several items from that particular list of excellence. And then on Friday, Cool Mom Tech launched its tech-oriented holiday gift guide - whoo! As full disclosure, I was part of this project, but had to laugh when I discovered that many of the items on there are already wrapped under my tree. Er, well, they would be if we had our tree up yet.

Go check it out - there are many items on there that you simply wouldn't have considered, but that will be just perfect for that special someone on your holiday gift list. (And yeah, that "special someone" might be you.)

Oh, I know what you are thinking. No, I'm not talking about the type of Family Game Night where everyone is wearing matching turtlenecks with identical smiles. Yes, I know the importance of sitting down to dinner together and spending time together, but realistically it is tough.

Usually "Game Night" it is not exactly a scheduled situation. Rather, it is a spontaneous, "Hey, will you play Towers with me?" Or my two boys will start playing together, but then the first gets bored so the second asks a parent to join in. Then the first comes back. The fun catches on.

A lot of times our family gravitates towards games on the Wii, such as our latest acquisition, Tony Hawk's Shred. This game was exciting to receive because while I love Wii Sports Resort, they don't allow goofy-foot snowboarding. But Tony Hawk does!

But recently, I had the pleasure of obtaining several new board games from The Wonder Forge, the creators of ZimZala Games for older kids, and I Can Do That games for preschoolers.

I'm fortunate to get a lot of press releases about movies. I'm asked to preview movies and then perhaps post the trailer. Most of the time I don't - not because I don't think it might be a good flick, but because I personally have no strong desire to see it. (I'm definitely an "eh, I'll get it on Netflix"-type person.)

But I went to a media event for the Cars 2 Video Game Tuesday night, and last year while in Anaheim learned about the soon-to-be-opened "CarsLand" attraction at California Adventure. And then there is the whole thing that I have two boys who are big fans of the original Cars.

So yeah, I'm looking forward to the release of Cars 2. Check out the Cars 2 trailers over at iTunes to whet your appetite. (And check out the Cars 2 video game developer diaries I posted earlier this week.)

I think this movie is one I'll take my boys to see in the actual cinema. Cars 2 hits theaters June 24th - see you there!

I've been super-excited about the release of Cars 2 since even before the Cars 2 media event, but even more so during and afterwards. Thankfully the wait is nearly over, as the movie hits theaters this Friday, June 24th. Plus, I received a copy of the Cars 2 video game just a few days ago (and of course, the boys have been playing ever since.)

While my younger son had a bit of a learning curve to conquer, my older son picked it up quickly and soon taught his brother. Plus, the tutorial mode made it enjoyable for both to learn. They've enjoyed playing the various roles in the video game and are definitely eager to see the actual movie.

Don't miss a super-special event for folks in the Bay Area: Lightening McQueen, Mater, and Finn McMissle will be zooming on down to The Tech in SJ this Sat from 10am-4pm for their only Northern California public appearance. Imagine what a weekend it would be to take the kids to the movie on Friday and then let them actually see the life-sized cars on Saturday!

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Disclaimer: I received a copy of the Cars 2 video game for free, and earlier attended a media event to preview the film and movie. I am am Amazon affiliate.

For more than a few summer vacations - and other times throughout the year - I've had the Phineas and Ferb theme song engrained in my brain. During the school year it is funny (as the boys lament that it isn't summer vacation) and during the summer it is downright freaky. After all, my kids do try to build a variety of contraptions, but unfortunately we don't have a clean-in-ator to magically zap their efforts into the ether. (I do have a long white lab coat and a black turtleneck, though.) That is, we didn't until now.

You see, with the Phineas and Ferb Across the 2nd Dimension video game, my boys can construct all they want virtually without a physical mess. (This particularly awesome as I don't want to see an actual world of gelatin in my living room.)

(Yeah, I know what you are thinking - how can we possibly discuss gift-giving holidays when it is still summertime? Well, I'm in denial that school starts in less than two weeks, so I might as well get a jump on December.)

When I was invited to the Big Toy Book's Sweet Suite Event (featuring KidzVuz) during the BlogHer Conference, of course I accepted. Who doesn't like toys?

There were certainly several products that caught my eye at the Suite, such as the new zombie and glow-in-the-dark Hexbugs. (I posted about Hexbug Nanos last year after seeing them in the Mom Select Swag Suite during BlogHer; they appeared at Mom Select this year, too, in addition to the Big Toy Book event.) The zombies will be out at Halloween, and I'm definitely eager to grab them up!

And then even though I have boys, my fairy-loving youngest son would adore Light Sprites. I watched a demo at the Suite of how the "lite wand" can pick up any color and transfer to the playsets. It is tons of fun, and will appeal to those who love sparkles, light, and sprites.

There were plenty of amazing products at the Suite, but by far the one that will likely end up in Santa's sack this year (shhhh!) is Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure. My boys are both Wii fans, and definitely adventure fans. They love collecting little characters and moving through video game worlds.

This game is different, though. The characters aren't just on the screen; they are physical collectible figures. These figures enter the virtual game when the player puts the character on top of the portal. Poof! The character shows up on the screen!

The progress of the character is attached to the actual figure. For playdates, the child can just take their character(s) and enter the game over at his or her buddy's place. The characters work across platforms, so even if one child has a Wii and the other has an Xbox 360 or PS3, not to worry - both kids' characters will work wherever they are. And when it is time to go home, the child leaving can just stick the figure in his pocket; no need to wait for a "save point" in the game, since all items and abilities will be saved to the figure. (If the character is wearing a hat in the game when the playdate ends, then the character will still be wearing the hat in the game back at home.)

As if I needed more reason to be excited for the October 16th launch of Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure, here's a walkthrough of one of the levels that serves as a great introduction to what makes this game special:

They taunt me with the awesomeness!

This is not just a level preview, but also a pretty great explanation of the nuts and bolts of the game. For example, the narrator (Yale Miller, the game's producer) explains how there are different element characters (which of course provide different necessary benefits for certain aspects of the game) and how the game works across platforms. I love that the characters can come and go without having to wait for a "save point" on traditional games. The toys here truly do come to life! Like some similar games, each character has different attributes, but unlike those other games, each character here has the potential to unlock completely different areas of gameplay.

My kids and I are definitely eager for the game's launch on October 16th.

Preorder Skylander's: Spyro's Adventure now from Amazon!

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Disclaimer: I was introduced to Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure thanks to an event in San Diego at the beginning of August.* I mentioned how this is the winning holiday gift for this year. It truly is! The fantastic people behind this game and its promotion gave me the link to the video above. When I link to Skylanders on Amazon, I am using my affiliate code, which means I get a few cents of commission if you happen to purchase anything.

*Update: As a pleasant surprise, the Activision folks sent me the game and some additional characters as a thank-you for promoting the game and to facilitate a review once the game was actually released! This post was written before the release.

If you are one of those lucky people with a Kinect, check out the new Sesame Street game, Once Upon a Monster, which hits stores October 11th. This adventure is a multi-player, co-op gameplay experience designed to enhance social and emotional development.

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Disclaimer: The fine folks at Sesame Street gave me access to this trailer. I support their projects, so decided to post it here. I will not receive compensation for this post.

I first learned of Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure at the Big Toy Book's Sweet Suite Event. Shortly after I returned from San Diego I posted about how Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure is likely going to be the "must-have" holiday gift this winter season for elementary-school-aged boys (and probably middle-school boys, and plenty of girls, and even middle-aged women such as myself.) I then followed up with a wii walkthrough for folks who wanted a bit more information.

Well, I just got a character bio sheet that I wanted to share with you folks. Completely coincidentally, when the email with this bio sheet came in, my eldest son was asking me, "When is Skylanders coming out again?" and "How many characters are there gonna be?"

It is sad to say, but when a package arrived on our doorstep that night, my son cried because it wasn't the game. Logically, he knows it doesn't come out until October 16th, but he made a wish that it would come earlier. He just hopes that somehow the game will magically be released sooner so that he and his younger brother can partake in the adventure.

My boys have been counting down to October 16th ever since I learned of Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure at BlogHer.

Today I got an email that reads, "In honor of Skylanders: Spryo's Adventure shipping this week..." I read it aloud - "SHIPPING THIS WEEK" - and my boys knew exactly what I was talking about, and started jumping around, dancing.

After all, with every package that lands on our doorstep, no wonder how big or how small, they turn to each other, wide-eyed, "Skylanders?!" as if there would be a "mistake" at the factory that would lead to us receiving the precious game well before the official release. Sorry, Guys, but you don't have so long to wait now!

In the meantime, my kids have enjoyed watching Skylanders commercials, plus little vignettes like this one of "Ghost Roaster" - a character perfect for Halloween:

And then there is Terrafin. For those vintage-SNL fans, "Land Shark!"

My youngest is already in love with Whirlwind. Rainbows, for the win!

There are plenty of other characters waiting to be discovered.

Just a week left - whooooooo! (But, you can preorder Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure now from Amazon!)

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I've written about Skyanders here:
- The Winning Holiday Gift: Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure
- More about Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure
- It's Hard to Wait: Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure
- Just Another Week to Wait: Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure
- Skylanders - Yes, We Play it All Day!

*Update: As a pleasant surprise, the Activision folks sent me the game and some additional characters as a thank-you for promoting the game and to facilitate a review once the game was actually released! This post was written before the release.

I just finished attending a several-days long Halloween party, but I didn't have to worry about laundering my costume or providing a hostess gift.

In fact, for the past month I've been changing my hair color and style on a regular basis, plus picking up plenty of boutique-quality clothing, all from the comfort of my computer. I've put on fashion shows, gone jelly-fishing, gotten some pretty nice items from a wizard, and raised 24 (and counting!) pets. I've thrown a bunch of parties, including messy pinatas, but haven't had to lift a finger to clean up afterwards.

My boys and I have been checking out Fantage. While its name references a Fantastic Age, I like to think of the title as "fantasy" as well, which is pretty darn fabulous. (After all, how else could a 30-something-year old woman get her teenage body back?)

I had the opportunity to meet one of Fantage's founders last month to hear about the thought that went behind this thriving online community for kids.

Safe Socializing

Safe interaction online is a big deal, and Fantage is one of those sites out there that creates community without risk. From chat algorithms that prevent reveal of personal information to plenty of reporting (and suspension) features to avoid bullying, these online friendships are of the supportive nature rather than the hurtful.

Frankly, I'm less of the "chat 'em up" personality, and more of just the "people-watcher" type, which is exactly the main customer profile, as according to the Fantage founder I spoke with. Fantage is more about playing games and checking out the "items" that others have accumulated and less about the chit-chat, although socializing is definitely available. My youngest son is extremely social, so has become friends with tons of buddies with whom he chats on a daily basis. My oldest son is like me, so we spend our time on Fantage doing games to earn "gems" and "stars" that can be used to purchase special items (super powers, hoverboards, clothing, hairstyles, costumes, pets, and even new eye colors.)

Engaging Games: For Fun or for Smarts

I like the "mind teaser" games ("brick breaker," "candy swap," and "staries" - all that involve pattern-solving) but became pretty enamored with the "fashion show" game as well, where I must select virtual clothing based on a theme, then perfect my runway posing. (I've won many times even though in real life my solid, short statue would hardly earn me the title of Supermodel.) My sons love racing their pets, especially when tied to their mathematical ability. Yes, that is right, these games are educational too. "Off the Hook," for example, combines an olden-day talent competition's "hook" with straight-up quiz-style knowledge: you better know your stuff, or you'll be pulled off stage. The Fantage School also has dedicated classrooms for educational games. Teachers/homeschoolers can create private classrooms if they like.

The one drawback with the games is that there is no way to "pause" them. Many are live-action that involve other people, so of course there can be no break. But most of these games are not very long, so it is okay. But some other individual-style games have the potential to go on for a looooong time. For many of the brain-teaser-style games, to pause the game during a level would be cheating; however, being able to pause in between levels would be nice! (A mid-level pause might block out the screen to prevent cheating. Otherwise, how can I answer the telephone without forfeiting?)

Fantasy

Being able to "reinvent" oneself virtually can be a ton of fun. My sons and I have enjoyed "buying" new outfits, hoverboards, and a variety of other objects, both for our outward appearance and to increase our inventory for the fashion show game.

The "pets" your Fantage character can acquire are not of the dog and cat variety, either. From fiesty firepuffs to friendly rainbows or ribbons, these beat a goldfish any day.

One concern that I discussed with the Fantage co-founder is the automatic sorting of "boy" and "girl" items. I'd love to be able to purchase some traditionally "masculine" items for my character, or wear short spiky hair one day, and I know my son would love to purchase pink shirts for his character. In Fantage, you must select a gender to receive either a male body with spread out legs fixed in a confident stance or a female body with demure crossed legs. Luckily some of the costume items can make the girls look pretty "fierce" or I'd be concerned that these body positions have some sort of greater meaning. Still, I wish there was just a standard body that all items and hair could be applied upon.

Although Fantage tops sites like Club Penguin in many areas, I'm afraid that in terms of awareness of self, I prefer the ability to just be a penguin, whether pink one day or blue the next, with no assumed gender roles.

That said, I've embraced my cute little female body, and have enjoyed dressing it up online. I've also enjoyed purchasing and decorating a home that doesn't come with a mortgage. I selected a Rubik's cube for my home, and am definitely reliving my 80's-based teenagerhood.

My boys and I were given premium memberships to test out Fantage, along with some eCoins, so we had the advantage of being able to purchase items a bit more quickly in this online world. Basic membership is free, so any character can play games to earn "stars" that can be used to purchase basic items, but there are "luxury" items that are only available to premium members, and some items that are discounted if paid for with purchased-with-real-money "eCoins" rather than the earned-virtually "stars." Non-premium members (those with a monthly, quarterly, or yearly account) can purchase and use eCoins, but you receive more eCoins for the same price if you are already a premium member. There are a variety of different ways to be a member and to have eCoins, so peruse the options to discover what is right for you!

Not surprisingly, premium membership (and/or purchasing eCoins) definitely has its benefits, so - like in the real world - those with more (real) cash will get ahead faster. But, also like the real world, currency can come with hard work and patience, too. For example, although I had the eCoins necessary to purchase "magic codes" to instantly hatch my pets, I decided to go the traditional route and wait for them to arrive.

My kids and I have had a lot of fun playing both together and independently on Fantage. We definitely had a blast during the Halloween event, where I happily added vampire teeth and bat's wings to my clothing inventory, and trick-or-treated the shops in the Fantage world to earn coins, gems, and other items. I'm definitely eager to see how Fantage transforms itself for the winter holidays, although the basic world is impressive on its own!

Check out Fantage, and perhaps purchase a membership for your favorite kid. (Gift subscriptions are available!)

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Thanks to Fantage for giving me and my boys premium memberships to try out the various features of their online community. The words and opinions expressed above are my own.

Ever since August, my sons have been excited about Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure. I knew this would be a special game, and it certainly is! We received the game shortly after its October release, and have been playing it frequently.

The most notable aspect of this game is that the individual characters are physical figurines that come alive using the "Portal of Power." Instead of selecting a character on-screen, the player plunks a physical character down on the Portal to join in the game. Each character has its own levels and items which travel with the figurine. My son can play at our house on the Wii, but then take his character to his friend's house to play on the Playstation or Xbox, or to a P.C., or to his D.S., and his character will still have on the same hat it did while playing on the Wii. The character's attributes and power are the same no matter the platform used.