Radica is way radical

Who says today's kids don't get enough exercise because they are too busy vegging out in front of the television set? Certainly not the folks at Radica USA, Dallas, Tex., whose interactive Play TV line not only is a blast, it keeps youngsters on their feet--and moving!

For Olympic hopefuls, there is the Barbie Balance Beam while future X-Gamers can try SSX Snowboarding and fans of the gridiron can give Madden Football a whirl.

* As Coach Barbie offers encouragement and instruction to four different games--Foot Tied, Flower Frenzy, Beam Routine, and Musical Feet--girls follow the lights to master the beam. Play solo or challenge a friend.

* No snow? No Problem! SSX brings the mountains into the living room with realistic snowboarding graphics and game play. Plug the board into the TV or VCR and ride it for style points and best time in four different games: Show-Off, Time Challenge, Pipe-dream, or Tokyo Megaplex.

* For football fun, connect the two-player step pad and wireless, motion-sensitive football into the TV and pick plays and decide on formations. Runs, fumbles, interceptions, kickoffs, field goals, and injuries are all part of the action. Players also can choose training games to improve their passing, blitzing, tackling, and running skills. And, of course, there's John Madden's unmistakable voice commenting on the action.

Madden Football and SSX Snowboarder are each $49.99, while the Barbie Balance Beam goes for $29.99. Now that's money well spent.

But we're not done yet. Also from Radica is Space Invaders Collection and Tetris Tower (both $24.99). The latter--a best-selling video game--now is the first tabletop Tetris game that you can touch, feel, and control. Place the tetramino pieces into the tower and sensors track them as they are dropped. Lights and sounds enhance the experience. Play against the computer or with a friend.

Finally, Radica's Arcade Legends line brings you the Space Invaders Collection ($24.99). Designed for both right- and left-handed players, the joystick houses the original Space Invaders game--plus Phoenix, Lunar Rescue, Qix, and Colony 7. All of the software and content is stored in the controller.

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COPYRIGHT 2004 Society for the Advancement of Education
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group