Yor living pet in a box

Be prepared to watch your own living pets wither in the face of Dogz. The real thing can't stand a chance against this litter of ever-frolicsome puppy dogs (and one pig, natch) that willingly allow themselves to be dressed up in little Santa suits and transported to a northern snow scene to go sledding. (Flesh-and-blood Fido, meanwhile, hasn't received fresh water in days.) When, oh when will these all-powerful Mindscape folks introduce a little reality, such as the sterile vet clinic, the overcrowded dog run, or the rainy 11 p.m. walk?
Ecstatic wish fulfillment comes in many forms on this CD-ROM. Besides the joyful canine playtime, chock-a-block with props and exotic travel opportunities, there are cool, well-conceived moments in each of the scenes, such as the seeds and bulbs in the flower-garden area that sprout instantly when watered. This is the kind of pure pleasure that kids don't tire of quickly. On my street, the first and second graders have formed a Dogz club that often preempts all other kinds of play. Don't say you weren't warned!

Rudimentary voice recognition, the big new feature of version 4, succeeds only halfway. It takes time to physically set up, it takes time to learn to speak correctly; then after all that, it just doesn't seem to hold universal appeal. Some kids relish playing boss with a megaphone, or Brittany Spears, or whatever it is; others chuck the headsets aside after a few sessions. More assuredly fun are the five new play scenes--European circus, Canadian snow scene, Wild West ghost town, Arabian palace, and South Seas island--and their requisite costumes and props. True educational opportunities are available with the Play Scene Editor