Rating: 
Summary: Saves the Day? Save your money, instead
Review: As a recent release from Atari/Infogrammes, it seems like this series is steaming towards a the scrapheap. Other releases -- The Great Festival Adventure, Building the New Line, or the keyboard add-on Railway Adventures are all better than this, and progressively have gotten worse. While some attempt at making this series more "educational" is somewhat laudable, the actual options for game play and interactivity have gotten simpler and less interesting for my 3.5 year old son.
Rating:
Summary: Don't use this if you have a Windows 98 computer!
Review: Hang your head in shame Atari, this game is terrible. Did they do any testing at all with the intended age group? My five year old is not interested in this game at all -- there's nothing compelling about it. My three year old liked the "chocolate factory" section for about 10 minutes, then never looked for this game again. If you're looking for Thomas, go for the "Festival Adventure" CD, that's definitely the best of the lot, with great graphics. Don't waste your time or money with this one.
Rating:
Summary: Thomas Wastes The Day
Review: Hang your head in shame Atari, this game is terrible. Did they do any testing at all with the intended age group? My five year old is not interested in this game at all -- there's nothing compelling about it. My three year old liked the "chocolate factory" section for about 10 minutes, then never looked for this game again. If you're looking for Thomas, go for the "Festival Adventure" CD, that's definitely the best of the lot, with great graphics. Don't waste your time or money with this one.
Rating:
Summary: The worst game we ever bought
Review: I can't believe how disappointing this is. It is not intuative at all. There aren't enough instructions as you move through the story method. It seems like you're just sent on a wild goose chase. The games are too simple and not at all educational. The activities are for 2 yr olds. What's with the chocolate factory? They could at least ask the child to pick a certain colored sugar.
You'll kick yourself for buying this.
Rating:
Summary: The worst game we ever bought
Review: I can't believe how disappointing this is. It is not intuative at all. There aren't enough instructions as you move through the story method. It seems like you're just sent on a wild goose chase. The games are too simple and not at all educational. The activities are for 2 yr olds. What's with the chocolate factory? They could at least ask the child to pick a certain colored sugar.
You'll kick yourself for buying this.
Rating: 
Summary: Not terrible, anyway...
Review: I thought perhaps some of the other reviews were a little harsh. I bought this for my son who is 2 1/2 and it is a little over his head. Mostly I have to help him navigate his way through, though he has improved his mouse skills with the Harold the Helicopter game. I agree it is probably more for 4 year olds. Certainly this is not as educational as reader rabbit, but the graphics are terrific and it makes my son smile. Any avid Thomas fan will enjoy, though it may not be a necessity for others.
Rating:
Summary: Not terrible, anyway...
Review: I thought perhaps some of the other reviews were a little harsh. I bought this for my son who is 2 1/2 and it is a little over his head. Mostly I have to help him navigate his way through, though he has improved his mouse skills with the Harold the Helicopter game. I agree it is probably more for 4 year olds. Certainly this is not as educational as reader rabbit, but the graphics are terrific and it makes my son smile. Any avid Thomas fan will enjoy, though it may not be a necessity for others.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty good for 3-5 year old.
Review: I'm a little confused why the previous reviewer thought it wouldn't be appropriate for anyone under 5, my 4 year old finished the game in a morning. The game is more of a storytelling/listening skills game rather than a puzzle/arcade style.The gameplay is different than other thomas games, this is more of an "adventure" style game. Granted the "go and find" aspect is a little lame, but the occasional puzzles are stimulating enough for this young age group. My only wish is there were more "chapters", I don't think this game will have the longevity of, say "the Festival game". Thomas Saves the Day, probably won't be as entertaining to the adults - especially the somewhate repetitive music interludes when traveling. But my son loved it, so what can I say?
Rating: 
Summary: Thomas fun for 4-5 year olds.
Review: If you're looking for "walk-away" entertainment for a 3 year old, this won't work. But my four year old had no trouble exploring and figuring out the games and puzzles, with little help. If anything, the game is a little too easy - but my son is pretty computer literate for his age. The storyline is pretty good, but it could use a little more narrative. I don't miss the "print your certificate" stuff from previous games - many-a-ink cartridge lost on those :) Bottom line, if you have a child who likes thomas-anything and is fairly comfortable using a computer, this disk will provide several hours of fun for $18. Not the hours and hours and hours of time he/she might have with a video, though. Anything that keeps my son off "Rise of Nations" and "The Sims" is OK by me :)
Rating:
Summary: Do not waste your time with this. It is BAD
Review: This game is not worth the price. It is certainly not playable by any child under 5, and it has none of the charm of previous Thomas Games. You navigate to various stations looking for a piece of rope, for example. But it does not say look for a piece of rope. It just says look for something to help Harold scoop us cargo. How many three year olds can make the connection. The previous Building the New Line Thomas Game was great. You build a track, clean the engines, fix the track and decorate the engine. This game has none of those kid friendly, railroad related tasks. Do not waste your money. I can not say this strongly enough.
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