The Burlington Free Press from Burlington, Vermont • Page 40

6 MAY 15, 2001 THE BURLINGTON FREE PRESS Fun Tech Review Jinny Gudmundsen GANNETT NEWS SERVICE Action titles change pace fop youngsters LjODEF yl Enemies, such as these flying nasties, just keep coming in "Serious Sam." Thanks to simplified game controls, it's easy to keep up with constant onslaught. It's Serious Sam's job to destroy a host ot bizarre creatures with an arsenal of gee-whiz weapons derived from the world of science-fiction films. tout pfis payw it did not keep them from playing. QjQjQQi Best for ages 6 to 1 1 From Lego Media, www.legomedia.com, (800) 835-4386, for $30. Win.

"Disney's 102 Dalmatians: Puppies to the Rescue Action Game" Players match wits with the evil Cruella De Vil in this game that allows children to assume the roles of puppy heroes or heroines. As a puppy, kids explore 1 6 different 3-D worlds in search of Cruella's evil toys. There are also six embedded games. The pace is fast, and help is plentiful as kids outwit the evil toys by using things, such as trampolines, gusts of steam and model trains. 0000 Best for ages 8 and up.

From Disney Interactive, www.disneyinterac- While I would not recom- 1 mend filling a software library with entertainment-only titles, an occasional foray into, say, the world of action games can be quite exciting. However, playing them can sometimes create issues for families about computer use. First, these games, by nature, take a long time to play, and thus parents may find their child deeply engaged for hours on end. Second, for some children, once they have action titles, it is hard to get them to play the edutainment or educational titles that they might have willingly played before. Keeping tabs on the use of entertainment software is important so that you can maintain what you consider to be the right balance in your child's life.

For those interested in exploring some pure entertainment action games, here are three titles that are fun and exciting, and go a little beyond mere hand-eye coordination. "LEGO Island 2: Inexpensive game is seriously fun BY MARC SALTZMAN GANNETT NEWS SERVICE wasn't too long ago that "3-D shooters" that is, action games that are played from a first-person perspective focused less on the plot and more on the over-the-top alien-blastin' heroes such as Duke Nukem or the Space Marine from "Doom." But as this popular genre matured during the last couple of years, game developers began to add new elements of game play, such as deeper story mechanics (for example, "Half-Life," "Jedi more stealth (the "Thief" series) or a tighter focus on tactical team combat "Team So where does this week's game fit in? Consider "Serious Sam" a throwback to the good old days of unadulterated combat with boat loads of wacky enemies and sci-fi weapons. Action fans will love this game, but for those looking for challenging puzzles or a profound story, look elsewhere. "Serious Sam," developed by Croatia's Croteam, is a frantic arcade shooter that pits the player against countless swarms of alien beasts. In fact, it's one of the first computer games that can support dozens if not hundreds of creatures on the screen at the same time without any noticeable slowdown.

The indoor and outdoor levels are absolutely huge, not to mention brighter and more colorful than any other 3-D shooter to date, adding to that camp, comic-book style look and feel. Most locales resemble ancient Egyptian-style architecture. One-man army Game play is fast and furious, and of course, our hero Sam must be a one-man army while plowing down aliens with his trusty shotgun, NFL, NHL, NBA offer 'greatest moments' DVDs The Brickster's Revenge" This sequel to the top-selling "LEGO Island" returns players to LEGO Island but also expands exploration to three additional islands. This time the player takes on the character of Pepper, a skateboarding pizza delivery boy. The game has two parts.

In the first part, players explore LEGO Island as they deliver pizzas to specific inhabitants. In the second part, Brick-ster, the trickster from LEGO Island, breaks out of jail and wreaks havoc on the island. The player goes on a quest to right Brickster's wrongs and catch the troublemaker. In the process, players must complete 18 arcade-style challenges. The adventure is fun, but the core of this game is ability to ride a passel of things from police cars, to hang gliders and even a dinosaur.

A few words of caution: This software uses the newest version of DirectX (Version 8.0), so update your video drivers before loading it. Also, kid-testers were frustrated by long load times that pop up periodically in the middle of the game, but tive. com, (800) 900-9234, for $30. WinMac. "Disney's The Emperor's New Groove Action Game" Here is an action game with an attitude, thanks to comedian David Spade's hilarious commentary throughout.

Kids play as Emperor Kuzco, who has been transformed into a llama. Players whiz through eight challenging domains to avoid the evil Yzma and her lackey Kronk. They pick up magical potions that help them morph into other shapes and eventually confront Yzma. The hip-talking Kuzco had our kid-testers in stitches, with all his "Booyahs!" and "Bring It Ons." GOOX Best for ages 8 and up. From Disney Interactive, www.disneyinterac-tive.com, (800) 900-9234, for $20.

WinMac. Jinny Gudmundsen is editor of Choosing Children 's Software magazine flvww.choosing Send questions or comments to her at JinnyComputingWithKids. Publisher Gathering of Developers. Developer Croteam. Platform: PC.

Genre: Action. ESRB Rating: for Mature (17). System Requirements: Windows 98 or ME or NT; Pentium II or equivalent; 64 MB RAM; 200MB hard disk space; OpenGL-compliant 3-D accelerator card. Rating: more, users can create their own levels and swap them over the Internet or play multiplayer games against other people online. Players also can play with friends on the same computer (cooperatively or competitively).

"Serious Sam" is one game that gives a lot of bang for not a lot of buck. The bottom line is that "Serious Sam" is seriously fun. Sure, the story is silly, as are the strange foes Sam faces on his travels, but the game proves to be a gratifying visceral experience, especially for those who need to release some stress at the end of a hectic day. And it's an extra special treat for those who remember the days when the 3-D shooter genre was in its infancy. Michael Jordan.

Special content includes statistics for several of the featured teams, extra video footage and animation segments that diagram some of the most memorable plays of championship games. Fans of the Chicago Bulls' championship runs will want the disc just so they can repeat the slow-motion clip of Jordan's amazing shot over Cleveland's Craig Ehlo that won a key playoff game. The disc is sold at the online store at www McFarland-Johnson Inc. Office Manager Senior Structural Engineer Minimum 15 years consulting experience. Candidate must have strong written and verbal skills Structural Engineers Minimum 5 years consulting experience Bridge Engineer Minimum 5 years bridge design experience.

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Sam always must be on the lookout for ammunition and health packs littered around the environments in order to be ready for the next Swarm of baddies. The animations are gory so please keep in mind that the game is rated for mature. It's not appropriate for players under 1 7 years of age. Easy-to-learn And as a refreshing change from the current crop of 3-D shooters, "Serious Sam" is a cinch to play even for the most inexperienced gamer. Players simply use the mouse to move Sam's head around, while the left mouse button fires.

The four arrow keys move him around the levels. That's about it. The best part about "Serious Sam," however, is the price tag. When was the last time a Triple-A computer game debuted on retail shelves for less than $20? What's recent stars. Drawing on film footage from the past 15 years, the disc covers such top players as Mario Lemieux and playoff heroics that include Peter Forsberg's hat trick for the Colorado Avalanche.

This disc offers only a few special features, primarily playoff statistics for Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and 10 other stars. The DVD is sold in the online store at www.nhl.com. NBA fans won't see much of George Mikan or Bob Cousy in "Greatest NBA Finals Moments," but it does take a wider sweep than the NHL disc. The video starts in 1 969 with the first of the great Boston Celtics-Los Angeles Lakers battles and picks up the Lakers-New York Knicks finals the following year, when Willis Reed played with a broken leg. And it spends plenty of time on the triple-overtime game between the Celtics and the Phoenix Suns in 1976 that many call the NBA's greatest game.

The collection profiles most of the game's modern stars, including Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas, Wilt Chamberlain and, of course, 1 Sandwiches Salads Wayne Gretsky gets ready to slap the puck before scoring his 894th NHL record-breaking goal. Other extra elements include a gallery of still photos, profiles of game MVPs, stories about unsung heroes and pictures of Super Bowl memorabilia such as game programs and rings. The video is available at www.nfl.com by clicking on the NFL films link. In "Lord Stanley's Cup: Hockey's Ultimate Prize," narrator Denis Leary spends only a few minutes on the history of the NHL, focusing most of his attention on the game's Klinger's Bread Our New BY RIC MANNING THE (LOUISVILLE, KY.) COURIER JOURNAL Professional sports leagues have been producing commemorative videos ever since the VCR became the most treasured household appliance. Most follow a stock format: interviews with players and coaches, overbaked music and lots of slow-motion action clips.

The recent arrival of DVD has allowed the leagues to turn their productions into interactive scrapbooks, stuffed with such extras as statistics, extended interviews and alternate camera angles. A new trio of $15 DVDs from USA Home Entertainment (puts the technology to good use to tell stories about the National Football League, the National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association. "Greatest Moments in Super Bowl History" is the most elaborate of the group. It breaks up 34 years of Super Bowls into 1 0 chapters that focus on different groups of players: quarterbacks, running backs, defenders, receivers and so on. Each chapter is augmented with additional content.

A football icon brings up statistics and other information about featured players. Click the goal post icon for extra interview footage. And a speaker icon switches from the main narrative to an audio clip of a team's broadcaster. Clean Them yourself 9 '53 a. In "LEGO Island 2: The Brickster's Revenge," players must deliver pizzas to inhabitants of LEGO Island, as well as three surrounding islands, in addition to stopping (trickster, an escaped troublemaker.

Game of the week Mat Hoffman Pro BMX' Company Location 0 Time For Spring Cleaning iJ Get Vour Camfts Pmfessinnallv HpanpH Fhr Less Than you Can Maximum Dirt Removal Minimum Drying Time Scotchguard in every job One Room Plus hallway $32.95 Two Rooms Plus hallway $49.95 Three Rooms Plus halfway $68.95 I (Activision; rated for Everyone), a cutting-edge freestyle BMX arcade game for Sony PlayStation.) Players can attempt to pull off hundreds of tricks, combos and signature moves in one of eight Street, Vert 1 and Dirt courses. As if the many solo and multiplayer game modes weren't enough, players also can create their own custom courses with the BMX Course Editor and share them with friends over the Internet Sure this game closely resembles Activision's own Hawk's Pro Skater 2" (but on BMX bikes), but it still is a great ride. Ej is really WORKING OUT! Come have lunch at our new cafe in the lobby of TWINQAKS Sports Fitness off Kennedy Drive, So. Burlington 'Rooms must be 12x 1 8 or smaller, minimal extra charge for larger rooms. Satisfaction Guaranteed or you Don't Pay! SJT Morning Pastries Soups Serving All Of Central and Northern Vermont Fully Insured and Bonded (802) 657-0303 e-mail: SJTVermontaol.com Corner of Church College, Burlington 10 Farrell Street, S.

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