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LeapFrog Leapster 2 Learning Game System - Green | 
 enlarge | Brand: LeapFrog
Category: Toy
List Price: $69.99
Buy New: $64.49
You Save: $5.50 (8%)
New (22) from $64.49
Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 395
Batteries Included: No
Age: 4 - 8 years
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.6
Dimensions (in): 2.5 x 10.3 x 13
MPN: 21155
Model: 21155
UPC: 708431211551
EAN: 0708431211551
ASIN: B00134TC10
Release Date: July 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | The preschool gaming handheld that connects to the LeapFrog Learning Path, an online experience that lets you see what your child is learning. | | • | Play and learn school skills on the go or connect online for extra activities and rewards. | | • | Library of over 30 exciting learning games featuring characters kids love. | | • | Included and additional games teach skills in a range of subjects, such as language arts, reading, mathematics and science. | | • | Parents can connect online to the LeapFrog Learning Path to see what their child is learning. Kids connect online for extra activities and rewards. |
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| Accessories:
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
With this smart handheld system, children learn valuable school skills through a variety of animated games and activities. Kids use the interactive touch screen and stylus throughout 30 educational games featuring characters they love. The Leapster2 System also offers several options for creative play. Little learners can easily connect online for extra activities and rewards. And best of all, parents can use the Leapster2 to connect to the LeapFrog Learning Path, an online, interactive tool in which parents can get updates and see firsthand what their children are learning. Leapster2 System comes with built-in starter games; additional software sold separately. Requires 4 "AA" batteries, not included. Measures 13"W x 10.5"H.
Amazon.com Review
Put innovative creativity and fun at your kids' fingertips -- and watch them learn in the process -- with the The LeapFrog Leapster 2 Learning Game System. This battery-operated handheld game system goes where your children go, and brings plenty of learning fun along. It comes with two pre-installed educational games, and many more are available: purchase an optional SD card separately for access to additional online games and to take advantage of other online features; or you can purchase game cartridges to add to your Leapster 2 repository. The included games have skill levels suitable for children ages 4 to 8. 
Children will love playing the educational games. View larger. | 
Insert different game cartridges (sold separately) for endless fun. View larger. |  | What We Think
Fun Factor: 
Durability: 
(what this means)
The Good: Battery-powered console goes where your child goes, offers versatile, educational fun.
The Bad: An SD card, which must be purchased separately, is required to take advantage of many Leapster 2 features.
In a Nutshell: Handheld game console offers fun, educational games that accommodate your child's learning curve. | At a Glance
Ages: 4 to 8
Requires: Four AA batteries
|  | | The console has a comfortable, curved shape, although it may be a tad large and heavy for smaller hands. It features a full-color touch screen and sound that's a far cry better than the beeps of old-school handheld consoles. (Parents will appreciate the volume control and a jack for headphones!) Control and manipulate the console with the included stylus and with the videogame-style D pad and other buttons. We found the initial set-up to be relatively easy: install the four required AA batteries, and navigate through the self-explanatory screens to create user profiles for up to 3 children (which come in handy for accessing online features). After this quick set-up, a menu screen will appear, where you can choose to play the pre-loaded games, go online, or insert a game cartridge. Fun and Learning
Leapster 2 games are designed to grow with your child ages 4 through 8. The console is pre-loaded with two games: The "Dragons to the Rescue! Learning Game," is a "video game" type activity with four different levels, the first helping kids identify letters and numbers, the most advanced giving them spelling and multiplication practice, all while navigating a dragon past monstrous storm clouds and scrambling to collect magic crystals. The "Creativity Castle Art Studio" is a rather low-tech art program. Players can select a background scene to "color" using the stylus and "decorate" with fun animated stamps. While it does foster creativity, this program is somewhat clumsy -- your Paint program on your PC does a much better job. But "Dragons" was fun enough to keep even an adult tester enjoyably diverted. Unfortunately, an SD card is required for taking advantage of much of what the Leapster 2 has to offer -- which is a drawback, because it must be purchased separately. Without the SD card, which offers more memory, you cannot save artwork, download new games, or take advantage of the online "Learning Path," which will be available August 2008. (This online program allows you to register and upload your children's Leapster 2 profiles to show you their learning activities and their progress.) In the meantime, without the SD card, you can still purchase game cartridges. And you still can plug your console -- with the included USB cable -- into your PC for your children to view and print "rewards" for completing different game levels (for Dragons to the Rescue, they're certificates of achievement) or to print pictures to color with actual crayons (to encourage some "old-fashioned" creativity!) You must first install the Leapster 2 software on your computer, which comes on the included CD-ROM. What's in the Box
Leapster 2 Game System, USB cable, CD-ROM
PC Requirements
All Leapster games work with all Leapster systems.
PC Requirements
Windows XP or Windows Vista operating system
Pentium III 500 MHz processor
Monitor resolution of at least 1024 X 768
Available USB port
256 MB of RAM (512 MB recommended)
300 MB free disk space
Internet connection
Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 or higher
CD reader
Mac Requirements
Mac OS X 10.4+
PPC G4 or any Intel-based Apple computer
Monitor resolution of at least 1024 X 768
Available USB port
256 MB of RAM (512 MB recommended)
300 MB free disk space
Internet connection
Safari application
CD reader
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| Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
 SD card feature does not function October 25, 2008
Daniel Lopez (Corrales, NM USA)
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
I purchased two Leapster2s from different stores and neither one could detect an SD card. They could not detect a new SD card nor a used one that I cleared. This negates what was a major selling point for me which is being able to download free games and for my daughters to be able to save artwork and such to the cards. I might as well have bought the regular Leapster and saved my money. I checked out the Amazon comments a little too late. Others have complained about the SD card feature with the Leapster2 and their are complaints about picture quality with the Leapster Lmax. When companies give you less than what you are paying for it is called a "RIP OFF". I used to expect more from Leap Frog. Boy do I wish Sony made a competing product.
 Great educational toy October 22, 2008
Jbr (Raleigh, NC)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
The leapster 2 is fantastic, great quality, my son has dropped it several times and nothing has happend to it. He loves the new games that came out to go with it and even the ones that are already on the system.
Its very educational too, he's learned to write all of the letters in he alphabet and do addition and subtraction. It really makes learning fun. Better than a game boy.
Already in Storage October 18, 2008
Bakers Biscuit (Bernalillo, New Mexico United States)
35 out of 36 found this review helpful
I bought this for my 4 year old son a week ago and so far we are really disappointed. I did a lot of research and chose the leapster 2 for my youngest son. I should let you know that my family is very electronic oriented. Both my children have been playing games for several years on the internet and both have had leapster type reading books as well as some simple hand held games. WE also own a Wii that both kids absolutely love. here is my rundown of the good and the bad:
the bad:
* upon turning on the device we are greeted with a Siezure warning. We have to sit through this every single time we open it up. Grrrrr.
* the preinstalled games are fun and exciting - for about 5 minutes. My son actually gave me the device to play with after he got bored with the games. This was upsetting since I really wanted him to enjoy the machine. The story line to the games are not very engaging and some games are too difficult technically. I actually played the rocket game and had a hard time trying to keep up - the idea of the game is similar to space invaders but the controls move so slowly that it is impossible to destroy the numbered rocks in a timely manner to go to the next number. Also, during play an announcement for the next number is hard to hear because of the blast in the background. I end up losing a spaceship because of this.
* I plugged the device into my computer to access the features online. Fortunately (not really) it was late and I had 30 minutes to spare for the two times my (very modern) computer locked up. The next day I tried to navigate the website to track my sons' progress and to download any rewards he may have won. Somebody shoot me now.... that experience was absolute torture. It's hard for me to believe that this company with all of it's wisdom could have such a poorly designed sight. I had a difficult time understanding what and where to go to make the thing work. I even looked up instructions on how to delete a player name from the device since our babysitter thought it would be a good idea to put her name in - the website instructed me on the consequences of deleting a name but never told me how to delete the name. Double grrrrr!
* For the pricetag it's disappointing to only get installed games which are not well designed. I am headed to the store to purchase another game cartridge and cross my fingers that the game is a little more engaging for the 30 extra bucks I'm going to spend.
* 4 AA batteries. I can see this being a problem on long trips. just have to make sure there are extra batteries around.
* Accessories - I have to buy more accessories to get comfortable with the device - a charging system is a separate purchase as well as a carrying case. Why couldn't that have come with the device already?
* The display - so far the display output is poor- the details and light strength are not very good quality and leave much to be desired. This is by far the most disappointing issue. The only person that can see the screen clearly is the player so it makes it difficult for me to help my son with some of the games.
* the Stylus pencil - I don't understand why the stylus is used to get into the game and then when you start playing the games you have to dock the stylus and use the controls. I can foresee the stylus as a potential problem as my son has already tried to carry the device with the stylus and lanyard.
* the price - I just feel that for the 70 bucks I paid that I should have gotten a lot more out of this. I think (with the 1 week experience that I have) that 40 dollars would have been fair - 50 dollars would have still had me unhappy.
The good:
* the device seems to be sturdily built. At least that's my assumption since it is quite bulky for my 4 year olds' tiny hands.
* So far there seems to be a good selection of games. But I have to admit my fear that the games may be bad and every new game will cost about 30 dollars each.
* I put a 2gb SD card in and so far not a single problem.
I have a feeling that this device will quickly phase itself out with the boring games and the sub par display. I don't see our family holding on to the device for more than 6 months because so far we are unimpressed. As a matter of fact my 4 year old son has already put the device in storage and I'm trying to salvage my purchase as you read this. I recommend you do more research before you purchase.
 Beware of pre-installed games October 11, 2008
YT
21 out of 47 found this review helpful
The preinstalled games are "Dragons to the Rescue". The first game is just a digital art game -- simple but innocent. The second game is the reason we took it back. It is supposed to be a learning game where the Dragons collect crystals and answer questions to build words or numbers. But at the beginning there is a mean storm cloud that evily says, "I HATE the sun and all the pretty colors." He goes on to laugh wickedly. I'm sure this game is considered "tame" to many other computer games, but frankly, I was shocked knowing this was a Leapfrog product. I guess I assumed the pre-installed games would be Tad and Lily and Professor learning to spell or something like their videos. I called customer service to see if the games could be removed, but was told they can't be. My husband and I both thought it was inappropriate for our five year old daughter. We will be looking for something else.
 SD card woes on Leapster 2 October 2, 2008
Jason Hunter (Denmark, WI United States)
17 out of 19 found this review helpful
I have created a fix for anyone to try. I am an IT hardware person and was fed up with waiting for leap frog to fix it so I tried to fix it myself. I have gotten great feedback from this fix so try it out. http://jdrwebnow.net/leapster2_fix.html Any questions or comments email me at jdrhunter@gmail.com
As for the device itself my four year old loves the games and I hear her repeating...reciting what she is getting out of it. I have on occasion turned it on and played the walle game. I do wish the batteries would last longer.
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