Product Description

You may have seen it on the World Poker Tour, you may have seen it on Celebrity Poker, and you may have seen it on ESPN, now experience it for yourself! Play tournaments true to actual poker tournaments with a modern interface. It comes with nine predefined tournaments including Poker Night, Card Room and the 2003 and 2004 World Championships, or create your own tournaments. ... Read more

Features

• Whether you are playing in poker tournaments during your local poker night, at a nearby card room, in Las Vegas or preparing for the grand-daddy of them all, the World Series of Poker, Donohoe Digital Poker is for you!
• No other poker software lets you practice your tournament skills and experience what the pro's do as well as manage your local poker night no-limit holdem tournaments. Donohoe Digital Poker is easy to use, has beautiful graphics and features an advanced learning AI.
• Unlike online casinos where you have to risk real money or use "play money" tables where the opponents don't necessarily act rationally, Donohoe Digital Poker lets you hone your skills against computer opponents who behave as if there is something at stake. This doesn't mean they are completely predictable or incapable of bluffing. However, they will give you better practice than the play money tables.

Reviews (35)

Save your money
I was so excited when I bought this and so totally disappointed!!! There are many on-line sites where you can practice playing poker for free against real people. Anyone of them is more entertaining and a better learning experience than wasting time with this. The graphics are on a par with playing "pong" on your TV in the seventies.

Totally realistic poker software
This is an excellent holdem game - it is really the only one that simulates what real tournaments are like - from the blinds, to the chip races, to allowing you to customize tournaments to your liking. Unlike hoyle or pokerstars, it has a strong AI. Other people have commented on how hard it is to hit a straight or flush, but that is real poker. The odds are that 9 other players you play against will get better cards more often than just you. Plus, version 2 is coming out soon and that promises to have online play and more! A truly great game.

Reviewed by y'all way to high!
This game is marginally better than that Hoyle Casino joke, but it has no resemblance to a real game. The AI is OK, but there are WAY too many great hands, that seem to ALWAYS beat you on the river card. I've played hundreds of hands, and when I cheat to see what all the community cards are I end up missing my straight, only if I fold first. I NEVER hit it when I'm digging for it!!! EVER!!! Can't tell you how many times I've been sunk by a boat when I do hit my flush. Hole cards are awful for my hand, but every one around me is getting AA, KK, OO, JJ, AK. I think this game is poor, and only gave it 2 stars because Hoyle's was my only comparison, and it's palin awful!

Helps a lot for beginners but AI makes big mistakes too..
Overall, it isnt a bad game. The AI opponents do often call allins with nothing.Also odd is how occasionally a whole table will call ur allin's during a tourney!
The odds regarding starting hands-ie Ak beats A6 normally, is fairly good. If you want to learn holdem (only NL in this game) this really helps but it wont help good players much.
It's surely worth 20 bucks simply b/c of the fun factor.

A disappointment
I bought this and played in several of the 40-player tournaments, winning one of them and finishing second in another.The program does a good job of making the experience fun and easy, and there are some nice features that you can turn on or off as you see fit, including what they call the "cheat mode," which lets you look at the cards of uncalled hands and see community cards not dealt when nobody calls.When there is a showdown after somebody has gone all-in the probability of winning the pot for each hand is given as it is on TV.You can speed up play or slow it down, and you have the option of jumping to the end of the hand after you fold--an option that one soon chooses and stays with!

There are three levels of difficulty, although I didn't play long enough to get a real feel for the differences.I did notice a rather annoying and ultimately totally off-putting bug (or perhaps, in the spirit of some programming traditions, maybe this is a "feature" that helps the neophyte player win).Quite simply some of the computer players called with hands that could not beat the board!

Now it is true that there are times when it is correct to call with a hand that cannot beat the board.These are very rare however and typically occur when there is a straight on board.Everybody has that straight (at least), and if it is the best hand, the players left at the showdown split the pot.Clearly if the board is AKQJT, with no more than two cards of any suit, it is the nut hand and no matter what the bet is you have to call and split the pot.However, in this program some computer players were calling with hands that made no pairs, no flushes, no straights and were undercards to the board.For example, one board was something like A89TQ of three different suits.One of the computer players called with something like 64.As any hold'em player knows that call makes no sense.It is just throwing money away.

This discovery really turned me off the program because even at the most elementary level of play, real players do not make such suicidal calls.

The package also claims that "Computer opponents learn and adapt to your style of play."What this statement should mean is that the program does things like fold a lot when it notices that you don't bluff much or call a lot or raise if it records a lot of bluffs from you.This "learn mode" is what makes poker-playing 'bots very difficult to beat, and would be an essential part of any program that presumed to be able to beat sophisticated human players.My problem with their learn mode is that I didn't see any evidence of it!

I would like to note in passing that some years ago Mike Caro, the self-styled "Mad Genius of Poker," developed a poker engine that was able to beat some very good human players.However, I am not aware of a program that can play at the highest levels of the game, a program that could beat a table of world champions, for example, a program comparable to chess-playing programs that can beat grand masters.Maybe such a program exists and I am not aware of it.My guess is that such a program is possible, but very difficult to write.

Anyway, I would not recommend this program and I am sorry that I bought it. ... Read more

Product Description

FLIGHT SIM 2004 CENT/FIT WIN32 EN DVD BOX CD ... Read more

Features

• Dynamic weather system based on realistic atmospheric physics, with true three-dimensional clouds that form and dissipate, and automatic real-world weather updates when you're connected to the Internet.
• Weather "themes" that generate a wide variety of stunningand challengingflying conditions with just a few clicks of a mouse
• Enhanced interactive air traffic control (ATC), including traffic at all airports around the world (including non-towered airports), altitude changes en route, pop-up IFR clearances, and precision and non-precision approaches to multiple runways
• Interactive 3D "virtual" cockpitstune radios and operate key aircraft controls and avionics by pointing and clicking in the virtual cockpit view.
• Scenery improvements, including taxiway and runway signs, enhanced auto-gen 3D objects, more high-detail airports, and improved lighting and sky effects

Reviews (101)

The best FS till date!
I've had MSFS2004 for the last 3 months and there's not a single day that I haven't played it. Its just that absorbing! Some reasons for this are much improved GPS navigation, more interactive ATC and ofcourse, the new airplanes.

But I'm not a huge fan of classic aircraft, and I fly my favourite plane, the 737, all the time and it is an absolute joy to fly it on MSFS2004 with the new GPS system. Its accurate to the T for precision landings. The detail paid to accuracy is mindblowing, specially runways and airport layouts. I live in a relatively smaller city of India and I was stunned to find that the airport layout is almost exactly the same as the real one here!

I do face some problems with the game, mainly with screen resolution which flickers when I have the game on high or ultra-high display settings. Also, external scenery transition isn't smooth with high display settings. Microsoft could also have done a better job with the aircraft paint jobs - the orange scheme of Soar Airlines is disgusting.

PROS:

- New additions like GPS and interactive ATC are excellent
- Airports are accurately detailed (there are almost 25,000 of them!)
- Good value for money

CONS:

- Doesn't work smoothly with high display settings. Images are not crisp
- Cockpit graphics are substandard

TIPS:

- If you're looking for some real challenge alongwith great scenery, try flying the ILS approaches into Princess Juliana Airport in St. Maarten, Madeira in Portugal, Male in the Maldives and Osaka Kansai Airport in Japan (built on an artificial island)
- Try flying the polar route and check out the Northern Lights at night! Eg: Taipei-Anchorage, Moscow-New York etc.

Also, I have a question which I hope readers can help me with. I'm unable to turn the aircraft left or right while on pushback. I've tried using the numbers 1 and 2 key as mentioned in the handbook, but it doesn't work. Can somebody help me with this? I would really appreciate the help.

Enjoy this game!

Item Good Seller NOT
I don't have a problem with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004. As expected it's good. The store that is selling this particular item is the problem!

I've seen where many customers have had good experiences when they get what they ordered from this company but those of us that didn't get what we ordered have had nothing but problems.

Don't believe the advertised Limited Edition Tin box. It isn't! When trying to contact customer service: The first time the gentleman on the phone was nice and said a manager would reply the next day. The manager didn't. After a week I called, waited on hold for 22 minutes, the lady on the phone argued with me that the manager did reply by e-mail, although my inbox showed nothing from this company other than the original purchase verification. When I asked if it could be re-sent she said no. When I asked to speak to a manager, she said he was in a meeting. Her overall tone was rude and not at all helpful!

When I finally received a return authorization number, I prepared the item for return and then wanted to make sure shipping would be reimbursed also. After e-mailing Gamestop 3 times, I finally got a reply and stated only the price of the item would be refunded. (Wow their e-mail actually reached me this time!)

This company has no customer service as demonstrated by the false advertising, the rude associates, the difficult customer-company communication, and the fact that when they advertised a product and didn't deliver it as advertised, they feel that they are the ones who shouldn't live up to their promises. The $29.99 price is higher than even Amazon because you think they are selling the Limited Edition. Don't be fooled, save $5 and buy somewhere else.

Bottom line: DON'T SUPPORT GAMESTOP OR PURCHASE FROM THEM AT YOUR OWN RISK! I know I'll never buy anything from them ever again!

best sim so far
I OWN TWO PREVIOUS VESIONS MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR 95,98 AND NOW 2004 A CENTURY OF FLIGHT.IN MY OPINION MICROSFT HAS DONE A BETTER JOB WITH THE 2004 VERSION,MORE AIRCRAFT TO FLY A REALY GREAT FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ROD ,IMPROVED ATC,ONE THING THOUGH LETS HOPE THAT WHEN 2006 COMES OUT(IT'S ALL HUSH HUSH AT MICROSOFT HQ)THAT THEY WILL AT LEADT ADD NEWER AIRCRAFT MY FAVORITE BIENG THE AIRBUS A321 WHICH I FLEW TO EUROPE ON,AND THE CITATION X BY CESSNA.

Good Sim, But Remember the "Sim" Part!
I have been using flight simulators since MS Flight Simulator 4.0, and have more diverse experience than only Microsoft's offering to call upon.While any simulator can be made quite realistic with the latest hardware and enough money, it is important to note that Microsoft's offering is no different - you cannot, as they say, make a silk purse out of a pig's ear.This means that if you're running an underpowered system, you will not be able to run the simulation optimally.

Published system requirements:
* Pentium 450 or greater processor
* 64 MB RAM for 98/Me, 128 MB RAM for 2000/XP
* 8 MB/3-D with DirectX 7.0 or later videocard
* 1.8 GB hard drive space

My recommendation:
* P4 2.x GHz processor; the faster, the better
* 512MB RAM, with ideally 1GB under the hood
* 128MB / 256MB AGP video card that pushes TONS of pixels - the more, the better
* At least 5GB free hard drive space - You'll want to do a full install, and that comes in just under 3GB (2.88GB, I think)

I run on:
* P4 3.0GHz processor
* 1GB RAM
* Windows XP PRO (SP1)
* 256MB 8xAGP GeForce 5700 series NVidia video card
* Sidewinder joystick (soon to go, thanks to some pedals and a yoke I ordered!)
* On-board surround sound processor

The software itself is practically infinitely extendable, with software and hardware add-ons supported.A quick look around in the flightsim community will support my assertion that the software is CHEAP compared to what can be done to augment it.Add-on packages are available to augment FS2004's admitidedly weak "ground mesh" mapping - flying through Norway's waterways and coasts with the default scenery is nothing next to the real thing, and pales in comparison to some of the add-on packages (both for photo-texturing and mesh-building) out there.But of course, these things cost money (sometimes), as does building and maintaining a system that can fully take advantage of the software.

This is a SIMULATOR, remember - a dozen years ago something like this with a set of pedals and yoke would have been a BIG deal and far out of the reach of the home consumer.Now, as the bar of admission lowers, it is important to realize just how MANY numbers are being crunched every second (most of those in graphics routines), and spec a system appropriately.It might not be a multi-million dollar prospect to own any longer, but to adaquately run the simulator and get something "real" out of it, it is certainly not unheard of to run multi-head (throwing many monitors onto a machine) for a partial panoramic view - but, of course, realism comes at its price.

Excellent tool
This verison is better than ever and a great tool for learing to fly IFR. The dynamic weather is amazing to say the least.

For fans of the other versions this is a must have. ... Read more

Product Description

Atari (26525) Rollercoaster Tycoon 3: Expans ... Read more

Features

• Design dazzling laser light water shows — and synch them to music
• Create wildlife spectaculars with performing dolphins, killer whale shows, and customizable aquariums
• Splash, swirl, and “stir up” your park guests with incredible interactive water
• Select more than 50 new rides and coasters for your water park
• Add hundreds of new park enhancements with the Swimming Pool Designer and Waterfall Designer

Product Description

Featuring more official team and league licenses than any other soccer game (including lower leagues from the most competitive European countries), an enhanced and extended Career Mode, EA SPORTS Online play for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, PC-CD and the Xbox video game system from Microsoft and the all-new Creation Zone that lets you customize new tournaments or even put yourself into the game, FIFA Soccer 2005 is the only complete, authentic and intelligent soccer experien ... Read more

Features

• Soccer sports game
• More than 350 official team and league licenses from around the world
• Licensed stadiums with authentic crowd chants
• Career mode lets you play from both the pitch and the front office
• Single player, LAN multiplayer, and online multiplayer modes

Reviews (7)

Arcade version, not a simulation
If you want to play football without much control depth then choose this over the European "Pro Evolution Soccer 4" (title is "Winning 11" in the US) and if you have heard the buzz surrounding that game then you should know that it is in the top three sports simulations of all time.

Winning 11 however is not an out-of-box game, taking days to learn, weeks to master and then improve on with other players. FIFA works straight out of box, is easy, but its limits become all too obvious in light on Winning 11, a game has been in development since the Nintendo 64 and is easily the best soccer engine out there.

The bottom line is that if you want a soccer game that works out of box, that you can play almost right away with anybody, then FIFA has it. If you want a real soccer sim that takes longer to get into but is far better, then choose Winning 11.

Fifa 2005
Fifa 2005 is very simialar to Fifa 2004. But there are differences between the two. I really like 2005 more for the reasons that the new style is really cool. The music in the game is killer [they went for a more international music approach, rather than just the American music scene], and there is a visible differnece in the graphics upgrade. Basically, its an updated version of 2004. However, I bought this just for the hell of it, but 2005 doesnt come anywhere close to Winning Eleven 7. I bought Winning Eleven 8 recently, but it was in Japanese, but the gameplay is so much better. In F2005, no matter how many times you press sprint, the players just move so slow. The stadiums itselfs are not very lively, [i only saw one flag waving in the enitre crowd]. I bought 2005 mainly because I lost Winning Eleven 7, but Fifa 2005 is still pretty worth the buy. I do, however, prefer the winning eleven series. Gameplay is much easier and better at the same time.

Buy on PC if you can
I bought this game first on the playstation 2 but soon realized,(by playing the PC demo, and then surfing all the fan sites) that the the PC version is a smarter purchse. The game is great soccer gaming experience, and by far the best gameplay engine to date. (Still not perfect yet, though) The most frustrating aspects are the missing teams, incorrect player faces, incorrect uniforms, and missing stadiums. However, all these issues can be addressed if you have the pc version, through the many fan/user created websites designed to fix these discrepancies. And that is my recomendation to the soccer gamer.

Another [...] By EA!!
I'm a true footie fan and always will be, it's the only sport around the globe that is worth watching. Oh and by the way people who call this wonderful sport soccer are people who don't know anything about the true Football sport. I didn't actually buy this game and I never intended to but one of my friends had given me his copy which he didn't like to try. Boy was that worthless. EA sports managed over the years to bring a game for footie fans and make them enjoy it. Lately they have been trying to cheat off the Winning Eleven 7 game by Konami and it is evident in every move. No matter how hard EA will try they will never even come close to Winning Eleven 7 because they just simply don't haveFootball-true engineers working on this game and they are only after the money. Speaking to a lot of people(AMERICANS to be exact) they choose graphics over true realistic gameplay that represents true Football, and that just tells me one thing that they know nothing of the sport and should not come near it in whatever way. EA had said they had corrected errors in previous games but that's all a [...]because players in the game still wait for the ball to come to them instead of running towards it and also EA still haven't figured out a way past their formulated way of scorring goals. A good example of that if you want to score a goal all you have to do is cross and I guarantee a goal no matter what. EA sports FIFA "FOOTBALL" 2005 is simply a shadow imitation of Winning Eleven 7, and the only difference between the 2 is the graphics in EA is better and that is why I gave a 1 star. Whoever gives it more is no Footie Fan you just remember that. If you simply want good graphics then buy the game but keep in mind you are no footie fan, but if you want a realistic wonderful game you play Winning Eleven 7 which I give a 6 out of 5. Winning Eleven 8 is coming out soon it will erase every attempt by EA to succeed in Football games.

3 1/2 stars
its pretty good.

my previous fifa game was fifa 2002, and to be honest, 2002s graphics are as good or better than 2005s.

also, the menus are probably the worst ever.why cant they just use a simple layout like 2002 and 2002 world cup?it was so much easier to use.Dont get me wrong though.its a very ogod game, and if youre going to get a soccer game, this is defintely the one to get. ... Read more

Features

• Conquer the short game with 3D Green Analyzer and Putting Assistant
• Tee it up on the world¿s great courses in one, incredibly real golf experience
• Includes 6 Championship and 20 classic courses from all over the world
• Customizable 3D players or create your own
• Play online faster; creating matches and tournaments is easy

Reviews (4)

Golf Simulation
An outstanding golf simulation with a varity of swing choices. Personally, I recommend the realtime swing as the closest simulation of an actual golf swing with all the faults found in true golf swing inconsistentcies.As is the case with any simulation, various charts can be developed which make game scores unrealistically low compared to the actual game, even when played by the finest golfers in the world.This simulation, however, does provide a skill level of play which depends more on practice and feel for particular golf shots than can be found in the more mechanical click type simulated golf swings.This skill level is not for the faint of heart and will not be mastered in a few short hours of play.

Great Golf Sim but PC Tweaks Required
I've been playing computer golf for over a decade, from "Mean 18", to all of the "Links" versions from Access (bought by Microsoft). This latest game is temperamental, and it does require some adjusting and experimenting with your PC settings to get the game running properly. You can find information at many "Links" websites, including Links Tour Forums, for tweaking your video card, etc. The game play and graphics are terrific once your system is adjusted. There are many free tournaments available each week from Microsoft "Online" Tours. You can play while online or offline (your choice), and you have a week to compete in many tournaments. This is a great non-violent game, that requires practice and patience. Many players use charts for various course conditions when chipping, putting, or driving. There are three wind conditions, and nine green conditions. Twenty courses come with the latest version of Links 2003, and many more are available as free online downloads. Get the game, get your graphics card adjusted, and have fun.

boring
this game is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo boring and inaccurate. If you want a fun golfing expeirience, get 3d Ultra Mini Golf and definetly not this game. this has to be the worst sports game ever. When I first got it, I had for about 2 hours. Than I burned it.i had wasted [...]!!!!!! I hate this game!!!!!! It is an F---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you get this game you are a moron!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Crash after Crash
I have not been able to play the game once without having a problem with my computer crashing.I have tried this game on 3 different computers and experienced the same problem.The versions of the operating systems varied between the computers, but it did not make any difference.

The game play was good, but the crashes eliminated any fun. ... Read more

Features

• All the new features included in the official Steam Service Pack 1 plus Passenger Service Pack 2 so you can now transport people to and from stations and set up train "portals" to generate new trains onto your route
• The powerful but easy to use Trainz Paintshed which lets you create new paint schemes for your locos and rolling stock in minutes
• The official TRS 2004 fan pack including logos and extra content so you can add Auran approved content and graphics to your personal Trainz fan site
• A huge bonus CD containing additional Australian content including locos, rolling stock and more

Product Description

Create new ankle-breaking dribble moves, gravity-defying highlight-reel dunks, and tenacious defensive plays that express your individual styleall with a touch of the right-analog stick. All-new 10-man Freestyle implementation enhances individual player movements and floor spacing, putting you right in the middle of the action for the most realistic simulation ever created. Enhanced player graphics vividly reproduce each NBA player with the most realistic faces, hairstyles, jerseys, and shoes e ... Read more

Features

• Amazing new Freestyle controls let players create their own dribble moves, highlight-reel dunks and unstoppable defensive plays
• Powerful graphics engine bring new heights of realism to your game -improved body types with higher-resolution textures used for faces, uniforms, tattoos and accessories
• Exciting new player animations give you more realistic player movement and crazy new in-air stunts
• Deeper Dyansty Mode makes General Manager/player interactions more realistic than ever
• Go online and compete with the best players from around the country

Reviews (18)

THE BEST BASKETBALL GAME EVER!
This is the best basketball game I ever played. The graphics are sweet. I love the all-star weekend. My favorite thing is the slam-dunk contest and the 3-point shootout. Also with the gamepad it's even cooler.I love basketball and if you do too, you should buy NBA Live 2005!

The best Live since 2000...
I have been playing Live in its various EA sports incarnations since the Sega Genesis days, when the hoops titles were called "Bulls vs. Lakers" and so on.I still believe that NBA Live 2000 is the greatest hoops game ever made, but curse modernity, I still buy the new versions (and Sega Sports ESPN titles, too) every year.I can say after having put in numerous hours with Live 2005 that it is the best since that watershed year of 2000.The graphics are generally well done, though EA still lags behind Sega in that department.The addition of the slam dunk contest is fun but a bit frustrating, and the tutorial is weak.On to the meat and potatoes: the Dynasty mode.The interface is a bit cluttered (I hate virtual PDA's in games; I'm already on a PC, don't simulate some chincy piece of plastic, just give me clear menus!), but generally works pretty well.All of the options are there, although the create-a-player is unusually weak in its graphical options.Why is it that games like "NBA Courtside 2002" (Gamecube) had a more complete create a player feature than a game 3 years later?Boggles the mind.

The gameplay, the core of the game, is solid.The freestyle controls are generally not very effective against the CPU (though, as always, you can adjust the sliders) and the idiotic pro-hop step is back (traveling, to purists like myself).The separate dunk and shoot buttons are a good idea, but take some getting used to.The players move well, independently, and there aren't too many silly animations.The problems are the same: rebounding is difficult and hard to gauge (no hoops game EVER has managed to solve that problem), there are too many blocks, and players often stop and jump to catch a pass, making fast breaks more difficult than necessary.The computer defense is generally very good, shadowing you everywhere, to the point that it can get frustrating.A 99-rated player shouldn't have too many problems with a sub-par defender, but you will in this game, because everyone plays like Bruce Bowen or Ron Artest.

This is a fun game, and the addition of "tasks" which are rewarded with points is a good idea (get a triple double, score 20 points, etc).These can be redeemed with extra coaching boosts, or in the EA Sports "My NBA Live" which is cool, and you can retire Jerseys, etc.I see this version of Live as returning a bit more to the simulation roots of basketball, and away from the cheesy arcade game that it had become.Let's hope it carries over into 2006!

This game is horrable. DO NOT BUY!!!!!!!!!!
This game sucks. However, if you like cheating opponents it is the game for you. It is impossible to win. The shooting and passing is defective. Do yourself a favour and do not buy this game. You will most likely buy a game controller to go a long whith it and then it will be an even bigger waste of money.

I LOVE THIS GAME!!!
In my opinion, this is the best NBA Live game to come out.The graphics are amazing with every player looking exactly like real players (unlike last year's edition).It does take some time to get used to when you more up from one level to the next.However, that is with every game &, the more practice you have with it, the better you will be at it.Get this game!!! I can't wait for next year's edition.

Please don't buy this game!
This is the most sickening game ever. Ok, it has nice features like "All star weekend" added to entice costumers. But the most basic thing in a game - The Gameplay is awful. Cmon, what's with the passing in this game. How difficult is it to design a game with proper passing? if i press a combination of direction arrows, the ball should go to the nearest player in that direction. in this game it will go to every player but that one. It really gets on to your nerves. I played a whole season, every match, so that I will get used to the passing. But no, i conclude it is the game developers' mistake, not mine. Why don't EASPORTS just "fire" the programmers who developed the passing feature and try for a better game next year. I urge everyone to not to buy this game. ... Read more

Features

• Expansion to Sims 4 allows god-like control over city infrastructure
• Players take complete individual control of roads, rail, air, waterways, and even vehicles
• Choose from modern European or three historical architectural eras
• Introduce new disasters into your city
• For 1 player

Reviews (25)

They will gladly take your money...again.
Since the makers of the original SimCity 4 never actually fully patched that version, they tell you to buy Rush Hour to solve the issues existing with that main version. Throwing in a few additions that could have been made available for download, you must buy this expansion in order for the game to even work with ANY future elements they may provide. Newer building tools or the rare new structure will simply not work with the stand alone version.
But the "situation" even goes much deeper than that-
Problems were not only not fixed, but were actually HIDDEN by the game designers. Observant players of the original SC4 would notice cars driving in circles or driving a highway,leaving and re-entering it at each exit! With Rush Hour, they merely lowered the amount of time automobiles would be displayed so players would think there are no problems. Very sneaky Maxis! Many gamers are none the wiser. It is truly amazing the game developers could get away with such practices... and laugh all the way to the bank.

god like powers
This is the best game since GTA. The best thing to do is name streets and roads and neighborhoods and districts. I wish you could make a ethnic neighborhood then it would be really fun. You can make suburbs like the big city can be very blue collar and crime ridden and bad schools and one suburb can be white collar with mansions and excellent schools depending on what neighborhood you pay most attention to, just one of the best games ever made.

A Must Buy... if your conscious is flexible..
This expansion is a must purchase.It's more than the features they describe, they've refined and improved just about everything is seems from the regular Sim City 4.

My issue however is that there are so many aspects that you get in the expansion that were missing without it (such as say, the ability to click a button to make a certain building historical, which you could do in previous Sim Cities), it really kind of left a bitter taste in my mouth buying this.The ORIGINAL Sim City 4 should have had many of the polished aspects of the expansion.This isn't just a ton of cool new features, this expansion makes the game complete.

Kinda clever.. sell an incomplete game, then make you buy the expansion to get the full product.So it's a must purchase, but I blow my nose at you so called "computer coders", you and all you're silly kinnigits... pbhhhhhtthhh....

Sincerely,

A Frustrated Gamer Who Knows He's Not Going To Be Sleeping Tonight Because of the Darn Game

(or just Graham will do)

A tremendous improvement
I have been waiting for Maxis to improve the transportation features, and finally they've done it!!!I can now control traffic more efficiently in my city by knowing what paths citizens take to and from work.This allows me to determine where I should place new roads, mass transit lines, stations, etc.The monorails allow you to have a much more futuristic city, only you can't build monorail lines over elevated freeways.The surface freeways and elevated trains also make city transportation systems much more realistic.If you have SC4 and don't have Rush Hour, I highly recommend that you buy it now.It is worth every cent.

All the bells, whistles, and sirens a city should have!
After purchasing SimCity 4 and hearing of the Rush Hour expansion, I didn't know what to expect--after all, I just payed $40 for the stand alone version.Yet, to my surprise, RH added a tremendous ammount of gameplay and realism that wasn't available with SimCity 4.While the U-Drive it features are alright, I am extremely impressed with the tremendous addition of ground level highways, (I wanted these for a while now) Chicago-style "el" lines, monorails, and a new slew of roadway tools.Mayors should also take note of the new building sets, greatly improved gameplay performace, and more realistic play.Rush Hour is more than a simple add-on, it's a sequel to a great game. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great game
Trophy Bass 3D was the first fishing sim I bought. TB4 is much better and has several very cool features. I like the point-of-view camera view (angler view). It gives you a real "you are there" perspective. The fish graphics are a bit dated (remember this is a 2000 game). The lure selection is incredible, and so is the variety of lakes offered. Something for everyone. Do a google search and download the demo. You will end up buying the full game. I switch back between this game and Bass Fishing 2003.

Realism Is the Key
Trophy Bass 4 is the most realistic fishing simulation I have ever played.Every weather condition has a different effect on the fish as to where they are located on each individual lake.Also every type of weather condition calls for different lure techniques for those situations. This game will test your knowledge and skill.If you do not have this game already I strongly suggest picking it up.

Field & Stream: Trophy Bass 4 will get you 'hooked'!
In the UK, as it could be said around the world, fishing has been described as THE favourite outdoor pastime and 'Field & Stream: Trophy Bass 4' has brought the thrill of the catch to the confines of your lounge.

It features over 30 species of freshwater gamefish including Stripers, Walleyes, Catfish and Muskies.

On your boat, you will have 1000's of rod, reel and lure combinations available to you along with underwater sonar, map and compass and two kinds of motor propulsion.

You can play either single fishing trip, career mode or even online in the multiplayer link-ups, fishing on dozens of reknowned lakes throughout the USA.

There is so much to this game that I cannot begin to give it justice.I'm 'hooked' and I can't even fish for 'reel'! (almost a pun there).

If you love to fish...
I love to fish but I had an unfortunate injury some 20 years ago and I use a wheelchair to get around. This lets me fish whenever & places that I probably would not get a chance to go fishing at. I only wish it had a few more lakes in the northern part of the USA or even Canada. Even the great lakes would be cool. Overall I love the game and all the options that it gives you.

I can't fish worth a lick but I love this game!
I got this for my husband and I think I've played it as much as he has!I love it!I am no good at fishing, so I put it on "easiest," and it is so fun!I just do it to catch fish and have a little fun, so "easiest" is a good level of difficulty for me ha ha.When my husband asked for this for his birthday, I thought, "eeewwww.Well if that's what he wants..." and now I monopolize it!It's great fun, even for the non-fisherman/woman. ... Read more

Product Description

Experience the excitement of trains on your PC. Take the controls from the engineer's cab with 6,000 tons of freight behind you and exciting challenges ahead. Or relax in the passenger's seat and enjoy the unfolding scenery. Trains, routes and sounds have been recreated in explicit detail with authentic landscapes and real-world adventures. From steam, diesels and electric engines, immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and adventures of Microsoft Train Simulator

• As Real As It Gets. Real-world rail challenges based on operational events unique to each route, players can choose form a variety of challenges such as keeping to a strict passenger timetable amidst unforeseen obstacles or using helper engines to get a 50-car intermodal train over Marias Pass during a winter storm. Or you can enjoy any of the routes from a passenger viewjust sit back, let the computer control the realistic rail operations, and enjoy the sight and sounds of your journey.
  
  
• Six famous rail routes from around the world. Experience some of the world’s most breathtaking and challenging railroad scenery, covering both freight and passenger operations.
  
  
• Tools that Encourage Enthusiasts. Train Simulator is based on an open architecture and comes complete with tools that encourage enthusiasts, railroad clubs/historical societies, and third-party developers to customize and extend the product by creating new trains, routes, scenery, and challenges.

Features

• Customize your trains, create new routes and activities
• Authentically recreated trains, routes, and sounds
• 11 drivable locomotives with realistic controls and activities
• Hundreds of miles of accurately detailed routes across three continents
• Real-world train operation activities and challenges from novice to expert

Reviews (2)

A roaring ride
This is a simulation game that roars alone the train tracks rather than through the air. Unlike several flight simulation games, this one has no war games attached to it. It includes only the rail routes of six actual lines in history, from Britain's 1920s Flying Scotsman line to Tokyo's modern Odakyu Electric Rail commuter line.

Players get to see the scenic countryside and cityscapes along the tracks, also taken from the lines' real environments. The conductor's voice, train engines, trips into the train yard and locomotive controls all duplicate the real thing--as much as a computer game can.

This is terrific for kids whose parents are sick of destructive games that glorify fights, injuries and death. Kids get the sense that they can control and do something productive. It's my kind of game.

--Alyssa A. Lappen

A Bargain
I purchased Microsoft Train Simulator when it first was released (for around $40) and it is one game which will never leave my hard drive.At $9 it is a steal. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Infogrames has improved upon an already excellent franchise with Backyard Baseball 2003. We hope this software doesn't become a victim of its own success: the Backyard Kids are getting so good, it's only a matter of time before they start demanding astronomical salaries and brand-new stadiums.

The pace, strategy, and statistics involved in baseball make it a sport that translates easily to the computer screen. In Backyard Baseball, players can play pickup games, launch a tournament, have batting practice, or just watch the computer play its own game. Options are initially overwhelming, but add longevity to the game as well. Twelve different game fields each exert their own unique influence over play--balls bounce crazily on the gravel lot, while homers are rare in the fenceless field. Games can be tweaked to add errors or include a visible strike zone; even field chatter can be added or eliminated. A wide selection of hits, pitches, and stance possibilities at the plate keep players strategizing, while the occasional power-up or wild pitch serves as a reminder of baseball's unpredictability.

The creative team outdid themselves with character development in this software. The Backyard Kids are quirky and three-dimensional--the research done on the real players was exemplary as well. For example, did you know Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks listens to Rush in his spare time? Go figure.

Backyard Baseball 2003 will keep both young and old baseball fans engaged for a good long time. Consider it a way to fill that long wintry gap between baseball seasons. (Ages 7 and older) --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Features

• Form teams from 30 Backyard Kids or 30 pro players as kids!
• 13 new pros including Jim Thome, Todd Helton, Bobby Higgenson and Ichiro Suzuki!
• Choose from all 30 Major League Baseball teams!
• Play quick games, single games or a whole season!

Reviews (75)

GREAT!
The game is nice.It is very easy.I also like the pros.It is a rearly good game.

Good, But Not Great
This is a good game, but I have a few reccomendations and I have found a few flaws. Here is a list of them.

Mr.Clanky - It is cool that you unlock him after you win the backyard world series but you can`t put him on your normal team, in fact you can only use him in a single game!

players - they are basicly good but their skill ratings are a little off on a few of them, for instance a person who the game says is great at batting, like Barry Bonds can really be pretty bad at it.

trading - I haven`t gotten far but I am pretty confident that there is not and will not be a trading option, and i think that it would be cool if you could trade with other players or the computer.

skills - It would be nice if your players skill ratings increased with the experience they get from games.

graphics - The graphics are ok but not anything special.

I think this is a good game and that is why I gave it four stars, so I can`t wait to get the upcoming versions.

Iffy buy
Well when I first played this game I was thinking that this is far to easy of a game.I learned how to make it a lot more difficult though by just letting the computer pick your team.If you are not an expert at gaming, you will find this game very easy.
PS If you had Ichiro it would say he has almost all power but when u swing he can't hit the ball out of the infield
(dont use power with him)

THE BEST BACKYARD GAME!
Ever since I heard of the new Backyard series, I thought they were cool, but ever since I played one there awesome.They have pretty good graphics, (for BACKYARD games)and it has a nice game-play, by which the announcers and all.

This game is great!!!!!!!!1

So cute and fun!!
I don't personally own this, but it's at my cousins' house. Everytime I go over there now I feel bad because I'm playing this game as if I were my seven year old cousin. I'm a 17 year old girl! This is definitely the best of the Backyard Sports games that I have played, and I think I've played them all except Backyard Hockey.
Pros: Cute as a button in general!, different pitches with different animations, you can pick real players as kids to be on your team, each player has different strengths and weaknesses, create your own player option, you can choose who plays what position, you create your own team and it's name, colors, and mascot
Cons: Very few. Not enough to deduct a star from the rating. The only thing that frustrates me is that they run so darn slow, lol.
Overall, a great game, no matter what your age. ... Read more

Product Description

Contains: Tiger Wood PGA Tour 2004, Madden NFL Football 2004, NHL Hockey 2004, NBA Live 2004, and NASCAR Thunder 2004. ... Read more

Features

• Collection contains: Tiger 04, Madden 04, NHL 04, NBA Live 04, NASCAR Thunder 04

Product Description

Itâs time to head out to the field for another round of soccer action with the backyard kids and real pro players as kids. Build the championship soccer team of your dreams. Itâs the chance of a lifetime to play with the pros in your own backyard! Think you have what it takes to create a winning soccer team? Here's your chance to find out! ... Read more

Features

• Play soccer with the pros as kids, including Landon Donovan and Cobi Jones
• Choose from all 10 Major League Soccer teams
• Play quick games, single games, or a whole season
• Includes 4 new fields
• Track player and team stats

Reviews (75)

GREAT!
The game is nice.It is very easy.I also like the pros.It is a rearly good game.

Good, But Not Great
This is a good game, but I have a few reccomendations and I have found a few flaws. Here is a list of them.

Mr.Clanky - It is cool that you unlock him after you win the backyard world series but you can`t put him on your normal team, in fact you can only use him in a single game!

players - they are basicly good but their skill ratings are a little off on a few of them, for instance a person who the game says is great at batting, like Barry Bonds can really be pretty bad at it.

trading - I haven`t gotten far but I am pretty confident that there is not and will not be a trading option, and i think that it would be cool if you could trade with other players or the computer.

skills - It would be nice if your players skill ratings increased with the experience they get from games.

graphics - The graphics are ok but not anything special.

I think this is a good game and that is why I gave it four stars, so I can`t wait to get the upcoming versions.

Iffy buy
Well when I first played this game I was thinking that this is far to easy of a game.I learned how to make it a lot more difficult though by just letting the computer pick your team.If you are not an expert at gaming, you will find this game very easy.
PS If you had Ichiro it would say he has almost all power but when u swing he can't hit the ball out of the infield
(dont use power with him)

THE BEST BACKYARD GAME!
Ever since I heard of the new Backyard series, I thought they were cool, but ever since I played one there awesome.They have pretty good graphics, (for BACKYARD games)and it has a nice game-play, by which the announcers and all.

This game is great!!!!!!!!1

So cute and fun!!
I don't personally own this, but it's at my cousins' house. Everytime I go over there now I feel bad because I'm playing this game as if I were my seven year old cousin. I'm a 17 year old girl! This is definitely the best of the Backyard Sports games that I have played, and I think I've played them all except Backyard Hockey.
Pros: Cute as a button in general!, different pitches with different animations, you can pick real players as kids to be on your team, each player has different strengths and weaknesses, create your own player option, you can choose who plays what position, you create your own team and it's name, colors, and mascot
Cons: Very few. Not enough to deduct a star from the rating. The only thing that frustrates me is that they run so darn slow, lol.
Overall, a great game, no matter what your age. ... Read more

Features

• Database of 200 teams and 15,000+ players and staff members
• In-depth hockey-management game with current NHL teams and rosters
• Play as the owner, president, and manager of a hockey franchise
• Detailed and realistic in-game engine that simulates a realistic hockey match
• Trade players, sign free agents, and draft promising youngsters

Reviews (4)

EHM 2005 and straightening things out about this game
The company that makes this game is based in England, which shows why the NHL is shown as a different way of business.It is different than the way European Leagues do player transactions (players are bought and sold rather than traded for other players or draft picks) and relgation and promotion (teams the fair poorly or win the league move down a league or up a league).

The reason the primary farm league is not the AHL is because Sports Interactive (the developer) was not able to get the licenses for the AHL or the ECHL.

However, I am pleased to say a new version of this game is coming out, at the end of May in Europe and In August or September in North America (with up to date league and competition rules, hopefully the NHL will sort things out by then).Players will be able to play as the NHL if its lockout does not get ended, but it will be as it was before the CBA expired.The AHL and ECHL will be in the game, as well is the DEL (German league) and the Slovenian league.

Go to www.SIGames.com to find out more and play the Gold Demo

For die-hard hockey grognards only.
First off, this title is available as a dual PC/Mac CD-ROM. I have only run the Mac version.

To start, the manual leaves a lot to be desired. First, it promises that the installation instructions are in the installation file. The file is just a .dmg archive with no installation instructions. Dragging the folder to the Applications folder seems to be an adequate way to start. The user interface is clunky and not very intuitive. I guess it takes some getting used to. Instead of scrolling lists, one needs to page thru screens. Ugh! This is not the '80s, scrolling lists are pretty easy to code nowadays. For a title with the NHL as a prime focus (it is in the name) the manual seems to treat the NHL way of business as the "different" way of doing things. Though research into the players seems to have been a major effort, team details are just plain wrong. The arena names are wrong, the minor league affiliates are often wrong. For example, the New York Rangers play at Madison Square Garden (not NY Rangers Place) and their minor league affiliate is the Hartford Wolfpack of the AHL (not Connecticut Whalers of the AAL).

I'll need to spend more time looking at the game to comment on the actual "game play", but it seems as if it will be a steep learning curve. In some places in the interface you need to click what looks like a button. In others, clicking the button like indicator does nothing, you need to drag a player name to a button below. In yet another screen, you cannot drag the player name, you need to click the number and then click on the target line. One needs to constantly keep clicking "Continue Game" to keep the game moving.

for the real hockey fan
This game is the in-depth hockey managing game that many true fans have been waiting for. This game is very very in-depth with all the different transactions and options available like a regular general manager would have in any league. The statistics and player ratings are far more realistic than graphic games like the EA Sports line or ESPN games. If you ever thought you could be a better manager than the one for your favorite hockey team, this is the game to buy.

Hockey Buff's Game
EHM is a greathockey management sim. The game uses fully authentic club names, leagues and player photos from a multitude of different places around the world. Including the USA, Czech Republic, UK etc...

I would only buy this game if you know the game of hockey and all the familiaralities that go with it, such as trading etc...

Its not highly graphical either, it's basically a 'glorified spreadsheet.'

Still it's higly adictive and extremely entertaining. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

SimCity 3000 is back, and it's bigger than ever! Maxis pulled out all the stops for this new version of the bestselling game, adding enough new customized graphics to re-create cities from around the world. The new European and Asian building sets serve up hundreds of new buildings that match the architecture of these diverse environments. From the Great Wall to the Berlin Wall, it's in there. Of course, you can still mix and match--freedom to run a city as you choose has always been the name of this game.

No addition to the SimCity family would be complete without some new methods for destroying your creations, and SimCity 3000 Unlimited has four more devastating disasters than the old version. You can re-create the movie Armageddon by unleashing large chunks of flaming space debris, smite your populace with a buzzing swarm of locusts, destroy seaports and coastal developments with a whirlpool, or uncork some toxic clouds.

The Building Architect, formerly available as a free download, is now packed on the CD-ROM. This 3-D architectural program lets users create the buildings of their dreams, from dilapidated outhouses to towering skyscrapers to works of modern art that are intended for pure decoration. Don't worry if you don't feel like using this powerful tool to create things yourself--the game comes with dozens of new ways to make your cities unique, and you can always head to the SimCity Exchange to download imaginative add-ons created by other users. The infinite expandability and infinite replayability of this game should keep would-be mayors completely occupied until they move to the suburbs of The Sims. ... Read more

Features

• All-new Asian and European building sets with hundreds of new buildings to choose from
• 13 challenging scenarios or create your own custom, goal-based adventure
• 4 new disasters to inflict: plague of locusts, toxic cloud, space junk, and a whirlpool
• 23 new landmarks: Helsinki Cathedral, Japan's Himeji Castle, and more
• Customizable terrain with scores of new options, such as snow, rolling hills, and a desert

Reviews (124)

Very Addictive
I find this game very addictive, and considerably better than 2000. I really like the News Ticker, which gives you great advice on how to run your city. It does take up a lot of memory, though, so it's a good thing my computer has so much. I've heard that it tends to destroy your computer, so if you don't want that to happen, here's my advice: Don't take out the CD until the program is done being exited, don't install it if your computer can't handle it, and when you do take out the CD, be sure to press Ctrl, alt, and Delete and close all tasks that sound anything like "SimCity."

My only complaints are this: it makes your computer run slowly, and when locusts hit your town, the sound effects don't ever go away.

Happy playing!

Great game in its day; rather old now.
This was a great game back in its day. However, it is old and dated now. It was a vast improvement over SimCity 2000 and the original SimCity, offering larger cities and maps and improved graphics and other details.

For all the reviewers who are being so negative, look at the system requirements. This game was designed for Windows 95 and 98, not 2000 or XP. Most games like that will not run properly under 2000 or XP (if at all). For those of you with 2000 or XP, I recommend SimCity 4 (Rush Hour or Deluxe Edition) instead.

Technology marches on, and it is critical to verify that your system meets the requirements of the software programs (and understanding that old programs may no longer work on newer PCs and operating systems).

4 stars for win 98, 0 for others
Like other reviewers, I've had problems with this game on both Win 2k and Windows XP. On 2k, the game installs and loads, but stalls on the first screen. On XP, the game installs but does not load.
I originally bought this in China (legally) and thought that this may be the reason. I used to play it on a Windows 98 machine until that machine crashed, and I had to upgrade to 2k, and have not played it since.
I also contacted EA Tech Support who insisted that this game is/was designed for Windows 98. They suggested I run the compatibility wizard but this was a failure.
Why they're still selling this game escapes me. Maybe they've corrected things on later versions though.
If you can get it to run, this really is a fun game. There are plenty of improvements from Sim City 2000 that I enjoyed, especially the more logical traffic and crime patterns, and the huge increase in map size.
All in all though, don't buy this.

simy 3000
this game is a city.you build roads etc.How is it that no one likes this game anymore?duh!the next one.It is sad that this game is not enough for people anymore.it should be.

Computer Problems
Do not buy this game. I was really, really excited when I bought it, but when my dad and I tried to install it, it didn't work. It just, instead, sort-of-ruined our computer. That made me and my sister not able to buy any more Sims games, which really stinks. Do not buy this computer-breaking game! I'm hoping that this reveiw will save your computer from Sim City 3000 Unlimited's horrible software (when I say horrible software, I mean horrible software). ... Read more

Features

• Over 750 authentic Rapala lures and you actually controls the rod for increased realism
• 11 species of highly detailed fish with realistic AI
• 2 gameplay modes: Freedom Fishing and Tournament
• 20 unique tournaments to enter in Tournament mode for realistic trophy fish action
• Tournaments include unlockable Amazon and Danube Delta levels

Reviews (3)

Disapointed!!!
I had the same trouble as Budster. It locked up on both my computers. I have the same complaint, it only has Rapala lures. Nothing against Rapala, they have been very good to me over the years. This game needs very serious updates.

Worked GREAT for me!
Can't explain why Budster had problems.I tried Pro Fishing on my homebrew 3 GHz / 2 GB RAM box using an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro at 1280 X 11024 BPI. It looks perfect and played like a dream.

Rapala Pro Fishing is far, far ahead of Bass Pro (at least in its trial version).The near photo quality of underwater scenes is something to behold, and topside for us air breathers is great as well. Just wait until you see the big fish swimming up out of the weeds to hit your bait.AWE-SOME!

The only small distraction I have is that this program, of course, only has Rapala lures.If we could only create a user editor to add Gary Yamamoto's Senkos and other great plastics, plus a few buzz-baits, spinners, etc. it would be almost as good as being there.

FYI, I loaded it briefly on my wife's 800 MHz Dell that has an ATI 9700 card and it worked OK at 640 X 480 BPI with shading set to 16-bit, but a bit jerky due to the slow speed and only 256 MB of RAM.

If you like to fish, get this one!I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Wish it worked
This is a fun game but it locks up my pc.I have a p4 2.8 with an ati 9700 pro card.It also locked up my other pc-- I hope thay can get the bugs out of game or an update to graphic drivers.Seems like they might have beta tested this or something.At least i got a free rapala lure with it. ... Read more

Features

• Advanced 3d engine
• Tropical Map Editor
• Solo or Multiplayer Modes
• Meticulous Attention to Detail

Reviews (6)

I played it twice, then got board
I bought this game because I loved virtual skipper 1.I have not taken anywhere near the enjoyment out of this game.I have a fast computer with a gig of ram and still have performance issues with the graphics.

The thing that makes me the angriest about this game is the disk copy protection.It starts up and goes into a disk protection check.This security feature means it takes the game 5 min+ to start up.By the time that it finally starts up I have normally found something more interesting to do with my time.

Finally, I question the rules they use and the very little feedback I have gotten from penalties.I have been involved in collisions when the starboard tack boat has gotten a penalty.I don't know what is up with that.

Anyhow, I don't play this game much.I still do play virtual skipper 1.I hope this helps someone else not to feel ripped off.

Graphics are misleading, simulation is so so
This wasn't as great as the reviews lead you to believe. The games graphics bog down my 2.8Ghz processor with 512Mb, so I have to run it on low graphics settings to get a smooth game. I have played virtual sailor 2 for over a year now and it is better.

I think that this software has potentials, but wait until they clean up the main menu. Download the demo and you'll see what I mean.

Until then just stick with virtual sailor 2.
Version 3 is no big upgrade.

Even if the Demo Works on your system the program may not
Ignore the stated requirements.Ignore the fact that the demo runs fine on your computer.The program will not run if you have and intel chipset on the VC or MB.That's the story from Enlight tech support.So save your money and buy Virtual Sailor on line.

Satisfy your sailing jones year round
There is absolutely no reason for anyone that loves sailing and has a computer not to own this game. Awesome is an understatement. 4 different boats and they all have completely different sailing characteristics. The simulation of the water and waves is phenomenal. As you pick up speed, the wake gets longer. As you go up a roller, the boat slows down, down the other side and you speed up. Winds shift, current, storms it is all there. The night I downloaded the free demo I was up until 2:00 AM sailing against the machine.

When you reach the windward mark and want to raise the chute, make sure you give the crew enough time to do what needs to be done before they raise it. Similarly, at the leeward mark, if you don't call for the chute drop early enough, you won't round the mark. Sail in an opponent's lee and you will get gassed. Pinch a little, you loose a little speed, pinch a lot and you will stop.

The best part is that you can do it on the internet or on a LAN. A good friend and racing bud has a wireless network in his house. Three of us on lap tops drank beer and sailed in front of the fire yelling "STARBOARD!!!!!" All we needed was someone to throw buckets of salt water on us.

Yes the computer simulation has its faults but they are laughable. If an IACC boat hits a rock, there is a thunk and the boat stops. If the IACC boat hits one of the inflatable marks.... Same thunk and the boat stops. Sail right up to the sandy beach and you don't hit bottom with the 12 foot keel, the hull hits the sand with the same thunk and stops.

There is also a little room for improvement. The camera keys are F1 through F8 and raising headsails is 1 through 4 with 4 being the spinnaker. When you are sailing upwind, and you want to see an alternate angle, make sure you hit f4 and not 4. If you hit 4, you are raising the spinnaker and there is no cancellation or abort key. After the spinnaker, or should I say "drag chute" is up, you then hit 2 to raise the Genoa and drop the chute. Remember earlier I said you had to wait for everyone to do what they need to do, as in real life, this seems to take forever.

My wife bought this for me for Christmas and now has realized that she will be a Wednesday Night Racing widow in the winter too.

Dennis Doherty
A drinker with a sailing habit

For a land lubber and skipper alike!
I am new to the world of sailing having played games such as Sea Dogs, Pirates of the Carib. ect. that really lack the reality of really being on the open sea and focus more on combat which is slow, boring and bad for the most part but when I tried the DEMO out of this game I couldn't believe the detail and the graphics to boot!

First of all the graphics rival those of Far Cry and DOOM 3. Excellent!

The water looks real and the waves splash against your sail boat as if you are really there. You can almost feel the wind as it swings your sail back and forth!

Next, unlike PC Gamers review on this game it's not that hard to learn, really! I figured it out in about ten or so minutes and I'm pretty dense when it comes to PC games.

Al you have to do is figure out what task you want your crew of AI to do and they will get the job done. Focus on the navigational meter on the bottom because that help a great deal with direction and steering your boat to the finnish line correctly. Choosing the sail is a little harder especially if you are not learner with sailing but by experimenting with this in a few mintues you'll have it down.

PC Gamer said because of lack of a trainer the game really lacks but I think you would have to be pretty dense not to accomplish this by yourself. Sorry PC Gamer I think this game is awsome! ... Read more

Product Description

The best courses, the finest equipment and the coolest players as well as the ability to play as yourself make this golf-simulator a hole in one. ... Read more

Features

• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Genre: Sports
• Mission: Play as or against the Tiger himself in this high-stakes battle for the championship title
• Platform: Windows 98/Me/2000/XP

Reviews (15)

Good interface, if you pick the right one
When picking whether to go with this title or its rival (I'll omit the name), one big factor was the courses being featured and the overall deisgn. I liked the idea that a person had to develop their character, and build him into a champion, rather than simply setting stats and running.

The one thing a person needs to look out for is in regards to which difficulty level is selected. On either the novice or expert settings, making a good swing with the mouse (pulling it back and pushing it through along the same line) is important, but novice only lets you hit the ball strait. There is little challenge, and little chance of the occasional whoopsie that accompanies a real round of golf. I played the game on novice close to the end, but it got completely boring when my golfer could hit the ball 330 yards in a strait line every time. The challenge of the game was gone, and so my interest.

On the other hand, if you start on expert and work with it, the game adds the element of not only your personal performance, but also shotmaking. With novice you have to really do something weird before you hit the ball bad, but on expert it takes a better touch with the mouse on top of the possibility that what you thought was a strait shot may have had a little sidespin on it that will take it off course... or strait at the hole.

Being able to hit draws and fades greatly increases the interest in the game, as you then have a huge number of options besides just picking the club you think you can hit the fairway with. The choice becomes "which club can I hit with just the right amount of draw spin to get it down the fairway in just the right place?" My advice is to play on expert from the start and just get used to everything.

Graphics wise, the game is OK, and apparently vastly improved with 2005. If your machine can't handle the new version, or you like the older courses better, going with 2004 should still be satisfying.

The only things I really wish the game included are more detailed equipment adjustments and selection (the ability to build custom clubs... why not?), and an expansion pack of courses. Naturally, there is probably a little matter of royalties for the courses in the game, but one or two extra wouldn't hurt, would they?

Highly overrated
Players are not different enough cause you only get Tiger.

I dislike how putting is done.

Too many arcade elements for a "sim" game.

CPU AI is not worth playing against.

Recommend a 128MB Vid Card
This game is EXCELLENT, IF a person has a decent Video Card. I tried it before I upgraded my Video Card. Liked it but once I installed the upgraded Graphics card, and checked all the options in the settings. The GAME CAME ALIVE! The trees move; the grass flows with the wind; and the water ripples; shadows look great; reflections on water... Great test on the performance of a PC.

BEST GOLF SIM EVER MADE
If you want the definitive golf simulation for Windows XP, look no further than this title.This game will knock your socks off folks.Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 is the best out there.

Really Disappointed
I rented Tiger Woods 2004 for xbox and fell in love with the game.Best golf game ever.Only one problem, no online.So I bought the PC version with great excitement.I must tell you it is junk.The graphics are horrible.Your player looks like he is pasted on the course.There is no interaction between the ground and the feet.The sound is awful, you make a shot and the announcer gives the wrong response.Your putt drops in the hole without a single sound.By the way your ball looks square as it is rolling around. The game play depth is very limited and uninspiring.Compared to the console game you really have very little options.The controls to aim and putt are difficult and time consuming. To be honest I could go on and on with the things that dissapoint.It is a cheap port in form the console.Get the PS2 version go online and have a blast.It is hard for me to understand why so many rate it high.Maybe I am missing something.I have been gaming on computers for 5 years and this is one of the worst game I have seen. This one is rough. YUCK!! ... Read more

Product Description

This is a whole new ballgame! Knock the dirt off your cleats in the first season of MVP Baseball, the all-new reengineered baseball franchise from EA SPORTS. MVP Baseball 2003 incorporates a new pitcher/batter interface, giving players the opportunity to be more strategic with their pitching and batting, and an all-new "picture-in-picture" on-base view to create an added dimension and strategy to baserunning. Realistic stadiums and highly detailed player models and animations bring the baseball ... Read more

Features

• Revolutionary New Pitcher-Batter Interface: Instead of just choosing pitch location and type, you feel like you're controlling the actual pitch with wind-up, power, and release point. Batting offers more control, giving you the chance to react to the pitch and hit 'em where they ain't.
• The Most Lifelike Players and Animations: Player models, movements, and reactions are ultra-realistic and believable.
• New Franchise Mode: Get deep into the action with the most fun and interactive franchise mode found in a baseball video game.
• New Picture-in-Picture Baserunning: Run the bases like a pro with on-base view and runner control. Get the perfect angle to judge whether you can stretch that single into a double, or steal home while another player is caught in a run-down.

Reviews (25)

tHE BEST GAME I HAVE EVER SEEN
This is the game of the year. I enjoy playing this game so much. It has great graphics and the rosters are the same as the 2003 baseball season and that is the best thing ever and they also have a pitching bullpen just for the home tam and the vising team<br />

Great game
I LOVE this game!!!The only problem (and it's not really that bad) is that I cannot figure out how to save a game in progress.The graphics and wonderful and the game is easy to play once one gets used to the controls.I play at least one game a day and enjoy every minute!

Good game, but too easy...
This game is great if all you want to do is win. I mean everyone wants to win, but when all your pitchers are 20 game winners and all your hitters are batting over .300, it kinda takes some of the fun out of it. Granted, my team is the Yankees, but they're not as good as that, haha. One thing that I find extremely hard is base stealing. I haven't been able to pull it off yet! The only stolen bases my players have is when I sim the games. I could see if Pudge Rodriguez was catching it would be harder to steal, but Piazza?!?! And while Posada has gotten better at throwing guys out at second, he didn't get everybody, but in this game he has. It seems that whenever a player steals, the guy at the plate takes a called strike which isn't very realistic.

The graphics are good and the ballparks look great. The players look pretty good, though some look better than others. For instance, Giambi doesn't look much like Giambi, but Pettitte looked just like Pettitte. Right down to the chin cleft. Also, the pitchers pitch just like they do in real life. It's especially fun when you have a pitcher that has a distinctive style. I laughed out loud when I played the Angels and Ben Weber came in to relieve the starter. He does that same jerky thing with his glove before he throws a pitch!

I did like the fact that you can download updated rosters and even brand new players like Matsui and Contreras. One thing I don't like about the rosters is that when players are traded, they wear the same numbers and there is no way to change them. That is frustrating not only because of retired numbers, but also because you might get 2 or more players with the same number.

Another thing I like is they actually have umpires and you can see them make the calls, though you can't argue the calls. I think they should have included base coaches too.

All in all this was a fun game, but they could've made it a little better.

Brilliant!
EA Sports' MVP Baseball 2003 is the best baseball game I have ever played. I'm not sure how they are going to make a better game next year. The pitching and batting interfaces are ingenious. The graphics are amazing, the best I've seen of any of the games I've ever played - and that's a lot.

The game has four different modes (besides "Play Now") - Franchise, Season, Tournament, and Home Run Showdown. I think Franchise is the most fun because in Franchise you are the manager. You are given a set of goals you must complete within a 5-year period. Your team has a budget and payroll, and the players have contracts. Your team may not go overbudget. You will learn this when you first try to trade a half-rate mediocre pitcher for Barry Bonds. The currnecy is in "Points". For example: A-Rod is about 8,000 of 40,040 points the Rangers have. Also when you create a player they are given point values depending on how good or bad you make them. When you sign free agents, they will want a certain amount of money, and if you can't give it to them, they will become angry and refuse to negotiate. Only play Franchise mode if you are an experienced gamer, who plays fair and is experienced in economics. You are graded on your managing skills (F-A+), good grades increase your anual budget.

Season mode is for those who like to stack up their own teams and blow all others out of the water. You can create a mass of elite soldiers and simply add them to your team. And this is where you can trade a half-rate pitcher for Barry Bonds. There is no Payroll of Budget, and you are not graded.

There is really nothing to say about Tournament mode, except that there is pool play or playoffs.

Home Run Showdown is different from a derby, you set a distance, and the first one to reach that distance with all your combined hits (homeruns, flyballs, groundballs) wins. It is a lot of fun.

This game is wonderful for the baseball fanatic. Most of the players' faces are edited to look like them in real life. And there are many signature batting stances and pitching motions (that you can assign your created players.)

The controls in this game are your basic number pad controls.
For pitching and defense: When you pitch, you control how fast the pitches will be and how much movement is on them. Any pitcher may have up to 5 pitches, and Pitch Types are rated on a scale of 100. There is a pitching meter that will tell you how much speed and movement is on the ball. And finaly, there are different types of curveballs and sliders, some sink, some move across the plate, and ect. Controling your fielders is difficult at first but you will adjust quickly. Use the arrow keys to throw to a base. You can also contol how hard your fielders throw by holding in the key.

For Batting: All you realy need to know is CTRL is swing. But you can control if you will hit a fly ball of groundball by using the arrow keys.

For Baserunning: Use the arrow keys to control which base you want them to run to.

This game is excellet. If you love baseball, you will love this game.

The only thing was - When I first got the game and installed it, there was too much choppiness to play. I was very fustraited. I soon realised that the feature "Live Big Screens" was on. I turned it off and the game worked fine. all the feature is, is a screen on the score board showing the exact same thing on the monitor. It really makes no difference.

Overall Presentation: Brilliant. Menues, Gamplay, Graphics, all brilliant.

Graphics: The best I've ever seen on any console.

Gamplay: Outstanding. Will not take up much time, the games seem to be long, but when you look at your clock you realise it's only been about 25 minutes.

Sound: Excellent quality sound. Commentators can be repetative (but who isn't) but they will keep you in the game.

Lasting Appeal: This game will last you a long time. Once you are done with a season, play another one, you won't get tired of it.

Difficulty: Not too difficult. Rookie, Pro, and All-Star. Rookie is increadibly easy, you will soon move on to Pro and All-Star.

If you ever read a negative review about this game, DO NOT LISTEN!!!! This game is a masterpiece by EA Sports.

Very Impressive... but with a few problems
I love MVP Baseball 2003.I am not a very skilled player when it comes to computer games, so I am not put off by the lack of you having to aim your bat as well as get the timing right.Stealing bases is pretty hard, and sometimes I feel the spectacular catches are a little too common.In addition, I wish the game had the bullpen warmup system and it would also be cool if the pstchological side of baseball ( anger at getting hit by pitch, frustration on a missed play, would show, but maybe that'll be in MVP Baseball 2004.

Overall, the game was great. ... Read more