The best thing since wiffle ball!
Written: Jan 02 '03
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Pros: Hours of fun for your kids, helps hand/eye coordination, no sex or violence
Cons: Adult supervision required around toddlers, batteries
The Bottom Line: This game is to rainy January indoor days what the real game is to sunny June outdoor days: Wonderful!
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| auburnfamily's Full Review: Radica Play TV Baseball |
Never heard of the Radica baseball game? Well, neither had I. Just what is the Radica baseball game? Keep reading...
What is it? The Radica baseball game is a virtual TV baseball game for your T-ball/ Little League baseball and softball players. Your package includes a home plate, a baseball that you "throw" and a bat that you swing. Hook it up to your TV (or VCR) and you're ready to go. Hook-up is a breeze. You can choose from one to four players and you can compete against each other or against the computer. You can choose to play three-inning games, nine-inning games, play home run derby or practice hitting the ball. When playing against the computer, the computer "throws" the baseball to you. You swing the bat (it's soft for the most part) and try to hit the virtual baseball. Both the bat and the home plate have Infrared sensors that measure the swing of your bat which determines whether you hit a dribbler to the shortstop, a screaming line-drive to the second baseman, or jack one for a homer. Similarly, you have a baseball that allows you to choose four different kinds of pitches. You select the type of pitch (e.g., knuckleball) you want to throw to the computer "batter", or your friends, and then you simulate throwing the baseball. You can even pick which team you'll compete against and pick the degree of difficulty (e.g., you can choose to have the computer pitcher whip 95 mph fastballs to you or throw you gopher balls). The animation is great for kids (broken windows if you really hit a long home run, a catcher shaking his head in disgust after a home run, etc.), but looks Japanese cheesy to adults (me, anyway).
Who's it for? For any of your baseball/softball-age kids. Both girls and boys alike will love it. I love it (I'm 39) and even my two year old loves it.
What's the price? About $50. Interestingly, I can no longer find it at Toys R Us.
Any educational value? Well, that's debatable. I think the game will definitely help hand/eye coordination and it has no violence or sex (and that's a very good thing for our household). But "educational"? Um, that's a stretch...
Any advice or tips? Yep, several.
1. Make sure to keep an adult near the game when little ones are around. Although the bat has a soft barrel, it also has a semi-solid handle and core that could easily hurt a toddler if your over-excited five-year-old accidentally hit him.
2. Batteries: it takes 6 AA batteries. The on/off switch is shaky and the game can easily be left "on" for several hours w/o your kid knowing it. I HIGHLY recommend you buy the AC adapter for the home plate (which uses 4 of the 6 AAs).
3. Novelty: Your kid won't be able to quit playing the game for the first week, but his/her interest will wane afterwards. Don't let this discourage you. It's still one of the best rainy-day games to play and much better than Grand Theft Auto, or any other game you don't want your kid playing with. Your kid might not play it non-stop after Christmas, but they will continue to play with it.
4. The bat: The bat, as mentioned, is part plastic and part foam. In other words, its somewhat flimsy. DO NOT let your kid pound the bat on the floor! The bat can easily be ripped/torn in two! Likewise, your kid can easily club a toddler trying to soak up the excitement.
5. The ball: As mentioned, you have to simulate throwing the baseball after you select your pitch. Not a problem for older kids, but a problem with younger ones. Younger kids will forget to hold onto the ball as they make the throwing motion. The ball is hard! Releasing the ball like a real baseball can easily result in a knot in someone's head or a dent in your drywall. Caution!
All in all, this is one of the best interactive games to ever hit the market. If your kids love baseball, they're sure to love this baseball game (even your adult "kids")!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 49.99
Type of Toy: Sports
Age Range of Child: 6 to 8 Years
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Epinions.com ID:
auburnfamily
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Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 0 members
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