The academic heart of this bundle is the previously-released "JumpStart 3rd Grade" now called "Disc 1: Fundamentals." In it, kids chase down 25 robots that have been sent back in time by the mischievous Polly Spark. To restore history, kids practice a wide range of academic skills, including math, science, grammar, music, geography, and more. The learning games are fun, and kids willingly play them to move the story along; but they never really delve into much academic depth.
Just-for-fun arcade games are found on "Disc 2: Far-Out Field Trips" which was previously released as a bonus CD entitled "JumpStart Adventures."
The new material in this bundle is found on "Disc 3: Mystery Club Vol. 2: Gadget Games." It is a refreshingly clever CD that presents kids with 10 different crime scenes, each housing seven clues. Players unlock the clues by playing gadget games that correspond to the seven different learning styles. The gadget games are entertaining learning games that include logic puzzles, math games, word scrambles, and challenging interview-the-witness-type games. Kid-testers were intrigued by these short mysteries.
All tech products are judged on a five star scale by looking at the following factors: fun, education, ease of use, value, and technical.
