I Spy Treasure Hunt Deluxe v2.0 w/I SPY Book & Bonus Mini CD-Rom [Old Version]

by Scholastic

Product Features

• Embark on an adventure to Smuggler's Cove
• Uncover pieces of 3 mysterious treasure maps
• Search out hidden treasures
• Solve riddles at unique locations
• Use critical thinking skills

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000A40W54
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 12, 2005
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,495 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
  • #37 in Software > Children's Software > Interactive Books

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Pirate's plunder rewards players who discover all of the hidden objects and decipher the riddles in I Spy Treasure Hunt. But there's also a bounty of booty on the path to that treasure as players discover this captivating world where closer inspection invariably reveals a new surprise.

This program is based on the award-winning I Spy books written by Jean Marzollo and photo-illustrated by Walter Wick. From the very beginning, this program immerses players, just as the books do: as a train pulls into the station in the town of Smuggler's Cove, the point-of-view is from inside the passenger car, looking out the window. Once off the train, this quaint seaside town with a secret is yours to explore. Potential riddle spots reveal themselves when a cursor sweep causes an object to respond with movement and sound. A tackle box, a deserted ruin, and a lighthouse are just a few of the 20 spots ripe for discovery. Scenes change swiftly, considering the vast amount of detail each contains. When explorers find a riddle area, a cluttered panorama appears onscreen and a child's voice reads the sentence below that always begins with the phrase "I spy...." Then players must find and click on the objects listed in the sentence. This isn't as easy as it seems; for example, finding three "fours" sounds simple, right? But the task gets complex when one numeral is hidden in the grain of a wooden tabletop, the other is written out in letters on a menu, and the third is a pair of dice showing a three and a one.

Successfully finding all the "I Spy" items in a scene yields a scrap of a treasure map. But building the map doesn't automatically reveal the treasure--that'd be out of keeping with this game's complex character. There are three different treasure-hunting scenarios, and each requires gathering a completely different set of clues around the town of Smuggler's Cove. The attention to detail that the books are famous for is abundantly present here: sound permeates the different "sets," from waves breaking on the shore, to the slow tick of a clock in the general store. Find and click on a skull-and-crossbones--it scowls and growls. Find and click on an oil lamp--it flares up briefly and then goes out with a delicate puff of smoke. And no, you can't cheat by just holding down the mouse button and scanning over a picture hoping to hit a required item. I Spy Treasure Hunt is a wonderfully absorbing program that slyly sneaks in a vast amount of learning. Mapping, reading, rhyming, and problem solving occur incidentally as players are drawn into the mysteries of Smuggler's Cove. And it's the only program we've ever encountered that elegantly illustrates that "four" and "4" and "." + "..." all equal the same thing. (Ages 6 to 10) --Anne Erickson

Product Description

Topics Entertainment I Spy Treasure Hunt. Windows/Mac. EAN 9780439820691; ISBN 0439820693

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great transition from preschool games to more challenging levels of computer play, January 6, 2006

By 

E. Szymanski (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: I Spy Treasure Hunt Deluxe v2.0 w/I SPY Book & Bonus Mini CD-Rom [Old Version] (Video Game)

This is a fantastic game. My 4 1/2 yr. old son loves this game so much that he asks me every day when he can play it. It is challenging to him but trying to get more pieces of the treasure map keeps him motivated, which is why I think it transitions well from the preschool level games that he was used to but not challenged by.

He really has to think outside the box and be creative, and it expands his vocabulary. He is a bit precocious and computer savvy. A child must be able to read and have beginning math skills to really play this game with limited help. I have had to help him with some clues that relate to things he is unfamiliar with, e.g. when asked to find a pen, he needs to find a quill.

I am sure the other I Spy computer games are just as good, but I chose this one due to the added element of solving the treasure map - a task he has really enjoyed.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BEWARE STARLIGHT DIGITAL, January 4, 2010

By 

Michael McDaniel (Kirkland, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: I Spy Treasure Hunt Deluxe v2.0 w/I SPY Book & Bonus Mini CD-Rom [Old Version] (Video Game)

Do NOT buy this item from Starlight Digital. Although this item is the v2.0 item, they will send you the 1.0, which does NOT work in Mac OS X. It's a Mac OS 9 product. When I complained to them, they advised me to run it under Windows. I'm returning it instead and buying elsewhere.