- 3 Buzz! Jr.: Robo Jam
- (Sony, $40)
Four players customize their own droids—with cute accoutrements like steel pigtails and (literal) spiked hair—and compete in a series of challenges to make it to the top of their robot academy class. You'll be blasting asteroids, squashing space bugs, scanning for differences among a squad of similar cyborgs, and keeping time with a musical rhythm. The special Buzz controllers used to play the game have oversize, color-coded buttons, making them easier for kids (or out-of-practice parents) to use. — Ages 2 and up
- Enchanted Journey
- (Disney Interactive, $27)
After designing their own princesses—from eye color to tiara style—players enter the richly re-created worlds of Disney's royal heroines. In each, they must help her royal highness save her kingdom from a curse. (Time has stopped in Cinderella's land; music has vanished from the Little Mermaid's.) Casual pacing, cameos by beloved sidekicks, and a fully voiced soundtrack make this one of the smartest games around for this age group, worth overcoming parental resistance to all things princess. —Ages 4 to 9
- American Idol Encore
- (Konami, $40)
Using a mic that monitors pitch, sing along with one of a roster of hit songs, then hear critiques from Randy, Simon, and Paula (or turn the blabbermouths off). —Ages 5 and up
- Thrillville
- (Lucas Arts, $40)
In this fantasy-fulfillment game, players build a theme park from the ground up—choosing rides, setting up midway games, designing roller coasters, hiring a staff. But unlike in other simulation games, kids don't play from an omniscient perspective; instead, they get characters who can run around and interact inside the world they've built. In multiplayer mode, up to four players can challenge one another at mini games like bumper cars, trampoline stunts, or shooting galleries. They also have to keep up the park, though—and that means using repairmen to patch circuitry on the rides, making groundskeepers sweep up litter, training costumed entertainers to dance, and keeping up with finances. The whole experience is likely too complicated for younger kids to keep up with, but for the right child, there's a lot to learn here. — Ages 6 and up
- Ben 10: Protector of Earth
- (D3 Publishers, $30)
Just as he does regularly in his hit Cartoon Network series, prepubescent hero Ben must save the world from an extraterrestrial invasion. The action is fast and furious, requiring quick reflexes and even quicker thinking. With his unique superpower, Ben can transform into any of 10 different alien superheroes (hence the name), each of which has its own special skills. As challenges present themselves in the game, players must decide which of Ben's personae will best fit the situation. — Ages 6 and up
