thinkSMART software is developed to enhance and encourage reading skills, critical thinking & logical problem-solving, and do so in a fun creative way.

Crazy Machines (DS & Wii): Think outside of the box and push the boundaries of creative thinking as you utilize random objects (anvil, rolling spheres and more!) to build a variety of increasingly complex contraptions that cause chain reactions. Big picture thinking, big fun and big points await in the construction of Crazy Machines!

Labyrinth (DS): Based on the popular board game, Labyrinth drops players in a series of mazes where logical thinking and problem solving skills are the only way out.  Move the walls with the stylus and discover all your treasures in the labyrinth before your opponents do!

Scotland Yard: The Hunt for Mr. X (DS): The chase is a-foot! Scotland Yard is searching for Mister X in London, New York, Berlin, Paris & Amsterdam.  Deductive thinking and procedural logic are key as players aid the famous detectives in the capture of the elusive Mr. X.
I gave all 3 games to my 16 year old son for him to play and review for me, here is what he had to say.

The two DS games I tested (Labyrinth and Scotland Yard) were really lacking on instructions. They basically tell you the story of the game and then tell you to play without telling you what to do. After I figured out how to play the games they were both a lot of fun and highly addicting!  They are themed for a little younger kids, probably between the ages of 8-12. They both take alot of thinking and stratagy. The Wii game (Crazy Machines) was a lot of fun as I do enjoy making and watching Rube Goldberg Machines. This one is also themed for a younger audience than myself, and it’s pretty tricky! Even I got stuck on some levels. There were a few minor glitches in the game. I did have to exit and restart the game after it randomly froze on me.

All in all the games were fun but not very intuitive. They could all use more instruction at the beginning of the game.

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Cars 2: The Video Game brings players inside the international training center CHROME (Command Headquarters for Recon Operations and Motorized Espionage), where they choose from more than 20 different characters and train to become world class spies. As part of their international training, they will participate in simulated hazardous missions using high-tech gadgets to evade and slow down adversaries.

Avalanche Software, video game developers of the critically acclaimed Toy Story 3: The Video Game, are back in the driver’s seat for Cars 2: The Video Game, working in close collaboration with Pixar artists to bring the humor and personality of the feature film to life.

“Cars is one of Pixar’s most successful and treasured franchises, so we are thrilled to be working with Avalanche Software again to extend our creative vision of the Cars 2 universe into the interactive medium,” said Jay Ward, Cars franchise guardian at Pixar Animation Studios. “Avalanche Software has the technology, experience, and history in working with us to create the best-looking Cars video game to date.”

“The team at Avalanche Software is working on exciting ways to combine the power of the franchise with new storylines and characters in Cars 2: The Video Game to create something unlike any other racing game,” said John Blackburn, vice president and general manager of Avalanche Software. “The combination of racing, international locations and spy themes, and the beloved Cars characters makes Cars 2: The Video Game a truly unique game for players of all ages and skill levels to enjoy.”
Cars 2: The Video Game will feature connectivity with the World of Cars Online – a free-to-play browser-based, virtual world based on the hit Disney•Pixar animated Cars universe. Players will be able to discover an exciting new world beyond Radiator Springs with Mater, Fillmore, Sarge, and others as they gain rewards in the video game and then use them to unlock new items in the World of Cars Online.

Cars 2: The Video Game will be available on major video game platforms this summer including PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Wii, Nintendo DS, and PC/MAC.

Please visit http://Disney.com/CarsVideogame and www.facebook.com/carsgames for more information.

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