Customer Reviews

Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This software was put together beautifully. The graphics are top notch as is the audio. My 3 year old enjoyed this software for the 8-10 times he played it. It would have been nice to have different levels that the kids could progress to instead of the same game and the same 3 trains in the car wash and other games over and over again. This software is fun and it is part of our library so that we can pull it out every few weeks. I would have preferred something that held his interest for a longer period of time. A nice touch is the ability to print out pictures of the trains either in color or black and white for your kids to color. This part continues to be a hit. Despite my reservations regarding different levels, I still recommend this software.

Thomas, his friends, and the island of Sodor look absolutely fantastic in this game's high quality 3-D graphics. The stereo sound effects are also top-notch. (In fact, graphics and sound are probably much better than they really needed to be for a preschool-age game!) On the downside, the game itself is a bit lacking in terms of things to do, especially for older preschoolers. The activities range from the super-easy (i.e. click on the sponge and then wipe the dirt off Thomas) to the mildly challenging (i.e. put the large rock in the large freight car, the medium-sized rock in the medium-sized car, etc). There aren't a lot of activities, and they don't change with repeated playings. It's probably a great game for kids brand new to the computer and/or for Thomas fans, but more experienced computer-kids will lose interest after a couple of rounds.

Children have a natural curiosity about planes, trains, cars, trucks and so when you have a software package like Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, it's only naturals that kids will have a great time playing.

The software is easy to install and configure, no major hassles encountered and I was playing in no time flat. The graphics are extremely good and the sound clarity is excellent also.

The game has you helping Thomas, Percy, Gordon and the rest of the gang go around the Island of Sodor getting the place ready for the big party. Each activity is fun and my son has spent hours playing since the installation.

After completion of each activity the child is awarded a certificate of completion, which you can print out and frame. You need a color printer to get the certificate to look good. Overall an excellent buy for the money.

This CD-ROM is a perfect example of how what a child likes and a parent likes might be something very different! My 2 year old ADORES this game. He absolutely loves all the activities, which include washing Thomas up, using Cranky the crane to sort shapes, herding cattle and directing a band. He is able to use the mouse to play quite easily on his own. However, I think that the game is quite lacking in content, in comparison to other games like this I have seen. Once each activity is finished, there is nothing more to do in that area except repeat it all over again. For example, you sort 3 sets of 4 shapes, and then it just repeats the same shapes again. It seems it would have been easy to at least include a few more groups of shapes. However, if your child loves Thomas as mine do, they probably will love this anyway. Another note--the voices of the trains are not the same as on the videos or show.

This software has extremely fine graphics, is easy to navigate, and has clear verbal directions from Sir Topham Hatt. Our 2 1/2 year old grandson loves it, and only occasionally needs help. We would highly recommend it to any "Thomas" fan.

While there are some stunning sequences of Thomas & Friends zooming around the island, the interactive sections of this offering do not really cut it.

To begin with, they are mouse intensive, so a toddler who has not yet mastered the mouse will be left watching an adult manipulate the elements involved. Secondly, they are not all that inventive, and some of them downright illogical - when you are presented with a platform full of passengers to load on a train, why should you only be getting the number suggested by the game on board? My son keeps asking me "what about the others" - they just magically disappear off the platform.

Other activities in the game seem a little contrived - clicking on band members and trains simply to hear them make a sound grows old pretty fast, especially when it's done only by moving a mouse. If there had been a "hit a key, see who plays" feature, it would have been a little more enjoyable. Likewise the intitial section where you prepare the engines in the engine shed - putting a drop of oil on a yellow dot, then tightening an imaginary bolt on a yellow dot, then putting coal on a yellow dot - all a little tame.

For real entertainment value I would recommend Reader Rabbit's toddler, which is 100 percent "keyboardable" and offers challenges that can keep a toddler interested for quite some time.

A final word of warning: the game claims to be able to run on a 133Mhz or better PC with 2Mb of video Ram. there is no way that would happen, at least not to the enjoyment of anyone with the patience and attention span of a two year old. The game is slow and clunky, even on a 233Mhz it drags and the sound struggles.

My three year old loves it. It uses your hand-eye coordination, and helps them learn how to use the mouse.

I bought this software when my son was around 18mnths old. He is a total Thomas fan so he is always asking to play it. He loves to sit and watch Thomas and his friends travel around the island of sodor. He is currently 2yrs old and wants to play it every day. It really is a great piece to have my only complaint would be that he is now starting to get bored with the activities. It doesn't allow children who can not use the mouse to interact with it's games , which is important to keep them content. It also doesn't give you much else to do once you've mastered the five step program. It's the pictures, sound and graphics that keeps them coming back not the content and tools to learning. I would still recommend it don't be too disappointed. It would be nice if they came out with a game that the children could actually drive the train and interact with it choosing what destination to go to as well as being able to stop, start, pull forward and back up the train. something to think about.

In The Great Festival Adventure,Ride around the island of Sodor with Thomas, and his friends to get ready for the festival.There are seven games:One at the Shed,one at the Quarry,one at the Harbor,one in the Field,one at the Station,one at the Fair Ground,and one at the Band Stand at the Fair Ground. In the Shed, you'll help Thomas get cleaned up before he goes out to help his friends.

In the Quarry,there has been a rockslide and you have to fly Harrold over the rocks,pick them up put them in the right trucks for James to tow away.

At the Station,Annie and Clarabelle need your help to figure out which passengers go and which stay.

At the Harbor,Well the Harbor game is pretty much the same as the Quarry game.

At the Fair Ground,help Harrold put together stalls and rides.

At the Field, help Terrence chase cows into their pen.

And at the Band Stand,listen to music and make music with the musicians.

Tip:Skip around after you complete the game.

I loved theis game.It was alot of fun.If you like Thomas get this game now!