There's a Handheld Game for You
You often see youngsters so engrossed in their handheld games that they don't have a clue about what's going on around them. Can these games really be that intriguing? Why not try a few and find out? There are many types of games to choose from and some are really fun! In fact, handheld games have expanded to include some enjoyable games that can be played with more than one person. Some even allow you to have fun with the whole family.
Nintendo DS
The Nintendo DS is one of my favorites. This small handheld game has two
screens. One can be controlled with buttons. The other is a touch screen that
you control with a stylus. I fell in love with Nintendogs, one of the newest
games for the DS. It's a fun game where you can adopt and train a puppy.
You might also want to try True Swing Golf and Super Monkey Ball. For a little
more action you might even want to try a game like Spiderman.
Electronic CATCH PHRASE Game
This is an old party game where two teams race against a timer. It's
similar to the game of Charades, but the electronic version chooses the words
and phrases which makes the game even more fun. You choose from seven
categories: Entertainment, Food, Places, The World, Sports and Games, Sci-Tec,
or Everything. Players form two teams and sit in a circle alternating players
from each team.
One person holds the small Catch Phrase device where the word or phrase appears. That person then gives clues to teammates who try to guess the word or phrase. This electronic version adds excitement by beeping as the time passes to put pressure on the team who is doing the guessing. Better guess quickly or the beeping might aggravate you!
Wheel of Fortune
If you love the television game you will love this small electronic device. It
hooks up to your television and lets you play the Wheel of Fortune game just as
it's played on TV. It even includes a miniature wheel that you can spin.
You enter your letters and your guesses with a small pad on the device that
corresponds to a border of letters on the screen. It comes with 400 puzzles and
cartridges, and more puzzles can be purchased.
Hasbro Scrabble Express
If you love Scrabble, you'll like this hand-held electronic version from
Milton Bradley. It makes Scrabble extremely portable and you can play against
the computer as well as against other opponents. It has a 100,000 word
dictionary, built in scorekeeper and letter shuffler. It also has 4 different
Scrabble games and 9 skill levels.
You may have to get your glasses out for this one. Although the color screen has adjustable contrast levels, it is not backlit and can be difficult to see in low light. Although the lettering by the buttons is a little small, they are easy to use.
Boggle lovers might like Hasbro's similar electronic Boggle game.
20 Questions
This small, portable game tries to read your mind. To play
just turn on the game and think of any specific item. 20Q will ask you
questions by scrolling them across the ticker-tape like screen. You answer yes,
no, sometimes, rarely, or unknown by pressing buttons. Then you watch in
amazement as this little device tries to guess what your thinking. The premise
is simple. If the device guesses the item you are thinking about in 20 question
or less it wins. There are three different versions. All are fun.
Specifications
Product: Nintendo DS
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Price: $129.95
URL: http://www.nintendo.com/home
Product: Electronic CATCH PHRASE Game
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Price: $24.99
URL: http://www.hasbro.com/
Product: Wheel of Fortune
Manufacturer: Tiger Electronics
Price: $12.50
URL: http://www.hasbro.com/tiger/
Product: Hasbro Scrabble Express, Model: 41301
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Price: $19.99
URL: http://www.scrabble.com/
Product: Big Screen 20Q Deluxe
Manufacturer: Radica Games Unlimited
Price: $12.99 to $34.99
URL: http://www.radicagames.com/20q.php
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Gadget Review of Nintendogs
AARP does not recommend or endorse any of these products or web sites. Please be advised that there are other similar products and web sites available which were not reviewed and are not listed here.
About the Author
Sandy Berger is a nationally-known author and has written several books on computers.
