Description:
Despite a few quirks, any die-hard 'N Sync fan will certainly go gaga over the 'N Sync Hotline Fantasy Phone and CD-ROM Game. After all, what young girl wouldn't swoon over Justin Timberlake calling at bedtime to say, "Hi, it's Justin. I just called to say goodnight, sleep tight, and don't let the bedbugs bite"? Yes, this unique combination toy cell phone and interactive game lets you receive virtual calls and special messages from all the 'N Sync boys, as well as play a handful of games featuring none other than Justin, Lance, JC, Joey, and Chris. The phone itself is the main attraction. After connecting it to the game port on your computer with the included cable, you tell the program your name, then enter your birthday and bedtime, and you'll receive personalized messages at these times. You can also download up to five messages at a time from any of the band members (out of dozens of possible messages from each guy), and you'll get periodic calls from them. Or, if you don't answer the phone right away, the messages will be delivered to your "voice mail" where you can listen to them later. You can also call each member of the band and ask the guys "yes" or "no" questions, à la Magic Eight Ball. If you're exceptionally creative or silly, this can be the most amusing part of the game. The five games for your PC, on the other hand, are nothing short of strange (or stupid, depending on how you look at it) and anyone will probably quickly tire of playing them. In the bowling game, for example, you send a ball down the lane to hit bowling pins that have the heads of the 'N Sync guys. If you knock them over or land your ball in the gutter, they'll either congratulate you on your skills or make fun of you. We found it nearly impossible to knock over all the pins, and quickly irritating, no matter how dreamy we thought a mini Justin-headed bowling pin was. And, though not necessary, you can use the phone as a controller for all the games while it's connected to the computer. However, after fumbling around with the controls, we found it much easier to just use the keyboard and mouse. The best of the pack is the trivia game, which is pretty cut-and-dry. The game asks questions about the members of the band, and you have to guess what Joey's favorite color is or which guy likes French fries. Some of the trivia is pretty juicy, and some just plain weird. The only reward for completing these games is a new message from the guys that you can download to your phone. But, being forgiving 'N Sync fans ourselves, we found the phone to be pretty cool, generally entertaining, and something we consistently want to show off to our friends. (Ages 8 and older) --Ara Jane Olufson
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