Disney Buz_: 2nd Grade Download (2000 Educational Game)

As a follow up to Disney/Pixar's Buzz Lightyear 1st Grade, this game bumps the skills for each activity up a grade and provides a logical extension to the first grade level games.

Once again, Woody is all but missing from the activities presented, though Jessie, Rex and Hamm fill in to take up the slack. All the games manage to be both educational and entertaining while leaving plenty of room for play. The program is designed for solo play by one child, as was the first grade edition.

One problem with Disney/Pixar's Buzz Lightyear 2nd Grade is that the parent really has no idea how well or how bad their child is doing in the various subjects. While the Parental Controls area describes the games presented and explains the subject matter, there is no way to ascertain how a child is doing on an objective level without watching he or she play. It may not be a prerequisite to have this function built into a game but it would let parents know if the child is having problems in one or more of the subjects.

The game plays smoothly with no crashes, hesitations or freezing and the interface is simple point-and-click or click-and-drag. However, it is necessary to read the manual to fully understand what to do during each game. Even then, some of the controls aren't quite clear and aren't very well explained. It is possible for a parent to figure out the games through trial and error.

The game will certainly give kids lots to learn and do. However, the fact that many of the controls aren't explained, either in the game or the manual, as well as the lack of an objective report of how the child is progressing, makes this game a bit less than ideal.

Graphics: It's a good graphical presentation. All the characters replicate their appearances in both

Sound: The sounds are average but some kids may be disappointed that Buzz's voice doesn't sound like Tim Allen.

Enjoyment: Kids will find a lot to enjoy here. However, that same enjoyment is marred by the lack of adequate explanation about the game controls.

Replay Value: Once the controls and gameplay is learned, there is a lot to do and see.

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