V.Smile Motion

Approx. price: £59.99

Age range: 3–7

Website: www.vtechuk.com

The V.Smile Motion adds motion-sensitive controllers to the established V.Smile system, bringing an extra level of interactivity to the games.

Coming with a single controller, which can easily be adapted to suit both left- and right-handed children, the system also comes with a single starter game cartridge, Action Mania, which includes a range of games to introduce the new method of play.

The educational element is strong, with games incorporating various elements to help children with spelling, maths and language – and there is a wide range of extra games available, including Dora the Explorer, Thomas & Friends and Scooby-Doo! Extra games are priced around £19.99 each (the system is also compatible with existing V.Smile cartridges), while additional controllers are priced around £16.99. You can also use the optional V.Link device to hook up to the internet (via a PC) to access extra games.

The game plugs into an ordinary TV and starts up very quickly. In Action Mania you are presented with a choice of games that present a good range of challenges. The basic driving games are easy to play, while the tennis game requires more skill and the balancing game is really very tricky indeed!

This lets children make progress and also means that kids of different ages can play together, each tackling a game appropriate for their skill level.

Graphics are bold and colourful, and the motion control system works well. Children of a variety of ages, from three up to seven, were let loose on the system and the response was universally positive.

Younger children loved the driving game (although they did need a little help when deciding which letter to steer towards), while the tennis game proved most popular with the older players. Extra controllers would allow for two-player action, which would really liven things up.

The game proved to have good staying power, getting a lot of play even weeks after the initial testing session, so value for money and longevity both score well. Additional games would inject new enthusiasm as well, and the price of around £19.99 is okay, but our testers have yet to tire of playing the original games.

It is worth noting that a power adaptor is not included, but a 9V 300mA adaptor could be used for the main console. Otherwise you need four AA batteries (the handset needs three AAA batteries). The demo batteries included run out very quickly. However, when we replaced these with long-life batteries the system proved not to be power-hungry – they lasted for weeks.

The V.Smile Motion is a good games console that appeals to its target age group and offers a challenge that can intensify as a child grows up, which is always important when it comes to keeping youngsters interested.

It’s a compelling option for parents who want to ensure that if their children are playing with a computer game, there is an educational element to it – as well as a physical one!

Durability: 4/5
Longevity: 4/5
Value: 4/5
Score: 81%
Conclusion: An easy-to-play games system that offers a varying challenge to different age groups.