Mr Funny Presents Challenge allows 6-10 year olds to compete in their own Mr Men-themed mini-Olympic Games. There are five challenges here-the 100 metres, long jump, javelin, 400 metre hurdles and hammer throw-each of which requires good levels of hand-eye coordination, certainly more so than the other titles in this series. You can compete as one of six Mr Men or Misses(Little Miss Tiny, Mr Slow, Mr Happy, Little Miss Late, Mr Impossible and Little Miss Magic) each of whom has their own particular characteristics that may help you in one event, but impede you elsewhere. For example, it may be an advantage to choose Mr Slow when it comes to the tricky hammer throw, but he won't do you much good in the 400 metres hurdles. Giving each character strengths and weaknesses such as this is a clever way of extending the gameplay of the title, and it means that although even young kids can get started straight away, they'll find it satisfying to keep on playing. Most of the games require you to "run" using two fingers on the left and right cursor keys, and the faster you tap the keys, the quicker your chosen Mr. Man will complete the course. Winning isn't simply a matter of speed however because in, for example, the long jump and javelin, you have to stop before the red line, hit the Space bar to set the elevation of your jump (or throw) and then release it at the right moment in order to achieve the maximum distance. The hammer's even trickier because your character is spinning round and you have to judge the moment to release the hammer (the first few times it's likely to hurtle towards you "breaking" your PC's screen!). There are two levels of difficulty (easy and hard), which essentially raise the level at which you qualify in a particular event-for example, on the easy setting, the long jump distance is 10 metres, on the hard setting, it's 18 metres. [+]

Alibaba and the Forty Thieves is a story CD-ROM that tells this very famous tale from the Arabian nights. Scheherazade the new queen manages to stay alive for 1001 nights by telling her husband a tale so exciting and interesting that he has to keep listening to the tale. By the end of the story he has fallen in love with his queen and cannot have her executed. Children can listen to the very good retelling of this story over 12 chapters. There is a useful bookmark function that allows children to return to their place at any time. Children can watch as Alibaba discovers the cave that the 40 thieves are using to store their gold and escapes death as the chief thief tries to seek his revenge. There is a very good glossary function that children can use if they want to have a word explained to them. It is a shame that the text for the story is not shown as well. There is also an option to play three games, which involve children having to move squares to the correct places to form a picture of a treasure chest. They can also try to find the correct combination of keys to open a treasure chest. [+]

Alice in Wonderland is a story most adults know, and one that children always seem delighted to discover. This CD-ROM version from Dorling Kindersley combines elements from the story with educational activities and games, and is designed for children aged 7 to 12 years. Each user logs on with their own name, so several family members can use Alice in Wonderland at their own pace. The CD begins with Alice following the White Rabbit down his famous hole, and arriving at the Hall of Doors-the first of 10 magical worlds she will encounter. There are riddles and problems behind some of the doors in this hallway, and you have to help Alice complete them to gain items or information she'll need later on. And of course, you get to play with the infamous "drink me" and "eat me" foodstuffs. Alice in Wonderland continues in the same vein throughout, and features many characters from the book-the Cheshire Cat is on hand to provide help, while you'll also meet the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts and others. In true Alice in Wonderland style, Alice herself is a real girl, while the other characters are all animated. Alice in Wonderland hangs together well, and this multimedia fairy tale is an interesting example of making an educational CD from a children's classic. The American voices of the characters may be a little grating at times, though. [+]

Treasure Island is an interactive adventure inspired by the ever-popular Famous Five Books, and will bring the classic tales to a whole new generation. Brothers Julian and Dick and their sister Ann are staying with their cousin George (Georgina really) and her faithful dog Timmy, and George's parents, Uncle Quentin and Aunt Fanny, at Kirrin Cottage. However, they are not alone: a mysterious, scheming professor has rented one of the rooms in the cottage. The children soon become suspicious of the professor, when they discover that he is interested in an old shipwreck which had sunk off Kirrin Island many years before. The scene is set, the story unfolds, then players must find the clues, disentangle the secrets, solve the puzzles and lead the Famous Five into a thrilling adventure involving caves, secret hiding places, rowing boats, castle ruins, dungeons and hidden treasure. The installation process is comparatively simple, and is adequately explained in the accompanying information booklet. In the main it is easily followed, and should be read before commencing the game. However, in the section "helpful hints for trickier puzzles" in which five difficult puzzles are written in secret code, it would have been more helpful if the words had been more thoroughly checked before publication as several mistakes are made. It would also have been advantageous if reference had been made somewhere in the pamphlet to the help available via the start menu: clicking on Start then Programs then Famous Five then Helpful Hints unlocks this section, where varying degrees of help are offered. The manufacturer's recommended age is 8-12-which seems accurate-but younger players may need assistance. [+]

Help your favourite teenage witch recover the Beanie of Ultimate Power in Sabrina the Teenage Witch: Brat Attack, a magical adventure game. It all starts with a package that should have been delivered to someone else. In it is the all-powerful propeller beanie, and Sabrina's cat, Salem, gets locked in a cage when her cousin Amanda decides she simply must have that hat. It's Sabrina's job to recover the cat and the hat from the Other Realm and defeat Amanda and her brat pack. The "Labtop" contains all of Sabrina's spells, and throughout the game, you can store new magical ingredients and spells for later use. Also, make sure to stock up on plenty of energy along the way or you could get sent back to Limbo in the laundry cupboard! There's five different worlds to explore: Sabrina's house, the Spelleria, Amanda's Arena, Mars, and Sabrina's high school. If your own teenage (or preteen) witch enjoys the television show and has fun solving mysteries, this game should be right up her alley. It's not every day a girl gets to blast her enemies away merely by pointing a finger. With Sabrina at her side, we bet she'll find this problem-solving adventure game truly. [+]

Let your child escape into a fairytale world courtesy of the Barbie As Princess Bride CD-ROM, and help Princess Bride Barbie prepare for her magical wedding day. Prince Ken has had to undertake a long journey and while he is away, Princess Barbie dreams of her wedding day and waits for Prince Ken's return. Barbie is helped by Butterfly Fairy, in her preparations for the wedding. Invite the guests, make and decorate the cake, sing love songs, retrieve items from the well, conduct the orchestra, help Prince Ken to sail home, design the wedding dress and photographs and many more exciting fairytale activities. The game can be played in two modes: the first plays the adventure from start to finish in "Story Mode", and the second, "Magic Mirror Mode", allows players to complete the activities in any order. The CD-ROM is accompanied by an excellent booklet, which should be read before beginning. It is very easy to follow and it uses simple language and visual clues. Particularly useful are the helpful tips for troubleshooting if problems arise. The music of Barbie as Princess Bride can be played on any audio CD player by starting with track two. The manufacturer's recommended age is 4 years and above, but help will certainly be required at the lower end of the age range. [+]

The famous Peanuts characters need your help. Linus has lost his security blanket and no one knows where it is. Where's the Blanket Charlie Brown?is packed with fun games and you'll enjoy plenty of laughs with Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang. Where's the Blanket Charlie Brown?is a fun, well-animated and clearly explained title. It's easy to install and in a neat touch Peanuts characters appear on your screen as the files are installed on your computer. As you log on, you can opt to be either Charlie Brown or Lucy and then you enter the story and help search for the missing blanket. With music playing in the background, you can play games and watch Peanuts characters writing and reading letters aloud. One of the funniest moments is when Lucy spots Snoopy through the key hole busily knocking up a pizza in the kitchen. You can click to get Snoopy chopping salami and then watch him polish off a couple of pizzas. In one game, you are invited to hunt with Lucy for Snoopy and you can opt to play it at different levels. [+]

Sabrina is in a predicament: she has accidentally miscast a magic spell and she has got herself trapped. spellbound. It is now up to the player to explore Sabrina's world and take part in puzzling adventures. Consult the spell book, use the magic tools, and find the missing spell ingredients, and set Sabrina free. In so doing, you can eventually earn yourself an official witch's licence. Warning: use the wrong magic tool at the wrong time and you finish up in the "OTHER REALM"-Drell's crazy, surreal game world, away from Sabrina's world, where you must win your freedom by chance or skill. The CD is accompanied by an excellent booklet which should be read before beginning. It is easy to follow and uses vocabulary aged at the recommended age group of 8 to 12 years. [+]

Immerse your child in the colourful and familiar world of Basil Brush, brilliantly represented in sound and graphics on your PC. Based on the popular TV series, the Basil Brush Fun Pack brings together a collection of educational games and activities including 100 word-searches, a jokebook that collects all of Basil's jokes together and a jigsaw maker that lets your child make jigsaws from your own digital photographs. The "Print Studio" allows you to take digital pictures further by allowing your child to create posters and signs of you and Basil. The interface is clear and makes it easy for children to navigate around the software. Installation is quite straightforward, but as the game is aimed at children aged six years and above, it may need overseeing by a more competent adult. Accompanied throughout with Basil Brush narration from the TV show, this package aims to build on many educational skills and acts as a fun and practical way for your child to get to grips with more advanced computer skills and techniques. -Sandy Williams.

Sabrina Spellbound Help your favourite teenage witch recover the Beanie of Ultimate Power in Sabrina the Teenage Witch, a magical adventure game. It all starts with a package that should have been delivered to someone else. In it is the all-powerful propeller beanie, and Sabrina's cat, Salem, gets locked in a cage when her cousin Amanda decides she simply must have that hat. It's Sabrina's job to recover the cat and the hat from the Other Realm and defeat Amanda and her brat pack. The "Labtop" contains all of Sabrina's spells, and throughout the game, you can store new magical ingredients and spells for later use. Also, make sure to stock up on plenty of energy along the way or you could get sent back to Limbo in the linen closet! There's five different worlds to explore: Sabrina's house, the Spelleria, Amanda's Arena, Mars, and Sabrina's high school. If your own teenage (or preteen) witch enjoys the television show and has fun solving mysteries, this game should be right up her alley. It's not every day a girl gets to blast her enemies away merely by pointing a finger. With Sabrina at her side, we bet she'll find this problem-solving adventure game truly. [+]

Trouble is afoot in the high mountain of the Masters of the Elements. One of these great beings, the Master of Chance, has lost his cat. As Time, Gravity, and Chance's other friends search for the wayward beast, their powers are leaking away and the natural order of things is falling apart. Unless you can find the cat and the Masters' lost rings, chaos will result. Aimed at players aged eight and over, Masters of the Elements is a first-person role-playing game devoted to teaching basic physics concepts through virtual experimentation. Players learn about gravity and force through a virtual juggling activity, attempt to recharge a battery that will run the Master of Time's toy train and perform many other tasks in order to turn u p the missing cat. Each small game offers a gentle lesson in the workings of the universe, one which helps in the larger quest. This game requires an odd mix of arcade-style finesse and puzzle-solving skills. The clues to the science conundrums are all available for players to decode, but their solutions are subtle, and implementing the experiments can take care, grace and a lot of repetition. Mouse commands are sometimes on a hair-trigger-move a millimeter too far or shift a juggling pin too quickly, and the whole activity might collapse. [+]