SuperKids Software Review of Reading Blaster 2000. (2024)

Reading Blaster 2000
from Davidson

See also the Summary Rating Table for comparisons with other Reading software titles, the SuperKids Buyers Guide for current market prices of PC and Mac versions, andprevious SuperKids reviews of Reading software I and II.

Reviewed on:
PowerMac 6100/60 with 24MB and 2XCD
Pentium166 with 16MB and a 12XCD

Content
Arcade-like activities and a game show theme highlight this fun,fast-paced reading drill program by the makers of the Blasterseries of software.

Reading Blaster 2000invites the player to be a contestant on the entertaining "Challengeof the Reading Gladiators". Led by chatty intergalactichosts Ike and Rita Cuecard, players chose a favorite Blastercharacter to represent them, and either play alone against a computer-generatedfoe "Illitera", or challenge a friend .

Initially, users create personalized commercials, which elicitdelight when they appear later in game. In the "CommercialStudio" children select a product to promote, and choosefrom a variety of background scenes and musical scores. Finally,text is chosen, and a zany 'word from our sponsors' results. Note: Reading ability is required for this section.

Next the player moves on to the actual game-show portion of theprogram. Activities include: Word Zapper, in which theplayer completes focus words by protecting the letters they needfrom falling meteors. Although the concept is easy enough tograsp, quick processing as well as good hand-eye coordinationis a must, making this activity difficult for the younger or lessadept child. As the player's ability improves, the words increasein difficulty and the meteors fall more quickly, posing a realchallenge to young ones.

Media Madness includes a gameof concentration—the twist being the clever and unusual matches. This section becomes a bit obscure at the higher levels and canprecipitate occasional frustration. Get a Clue plays muchlike the favorite board game "Guess Who?" with correctresponses reached by process of elimination. Players can alsoenter the Puzzle Room where they solve word puzzles thatfocus on the relationships and similarities between words. Pointsare accumulated for each activity, and the winner of the gamereceives a certificate of accomplishment to print and keep.

As each of these activities is mastered, the player is rewardedwith interactive storybook chapters. The books change with eachreading depending on the story branch that the child selects,and different choices lead to unique conclusions to the story.

Ease of Install / Use
This program installed easily on our reviewers' PCs. It runs fromthe CD-ROM drive on a Macintosh.

Our reviewers reported no technical difficulties in using the program, but several parent reviewers reported that their children were better at some of the activities than they were! The program places a premium on quick thinking.

The user's manual, which consists solely of the CD case insert,is concise but complete.

Methodology
Reading Blaster 2000 focuses on three areas of readingacquisition: phonics, reading comprehension, and vocabulary. Although some phonics and reading ability is required to successfullyuse the program, it commences at a very simple level, stressingletter sounds and recognition, and moves the player up throughfairly advanced reading comprehension. Other processing skillssuch as critical thinking, deduction and logic are also addressed,and provide adequate challenge to stimulate the older, more proficientreader.

Proxy Parent Value
Younger players need a run through or two to learn this program,but catch on easily enough and can then work at their own paceor let the program move them through the various levels of play. Our kid reviewers especially enjoyed the creative graphics,although some complained that there is too much dialogue betweenthe virtual hosts. The 'cliffhanger' storybooks also providegreat inducement for repeated play , not only to earn new chapters,but also to re-write the story using different story branches.

Best for...
With its arcade-like quality this software is great for thosehard-to-entice children who need to work on their reading skills. It rewards quick processing, and good hand-eye coordination,making it especially encouraging for the child who is good atvideo-type games and needs to boost his educational self-esteem. "For once I'm delighted to see him shooting meteors!"commented one of our parent reviewers.

Bottom-Line
Lively graphics, sound educational techniques and an attractivestory line make this software great motivation for learning and practicingreading skills. Watch out for the sound effects—they makethe Saturday morning cartoon soundtracks seem tame by comparison!

See also the Summary Rating Table for comparisons with other Reading software titles, the SuperKids Buyers Guide for current market prices of PC and Mac versions, andprevious SuperKids reviews of Reading software I and II.