Pokemon Channel (Game Cube, 2003)

This game is hard to describe---it's not really a game, in a way. It's more like a Pokemon experience, where you do things with your pal Pokemons. One of the main parts of the game is watching TV with your pokemon---probably not something your kids really need more of, but it's pretty interactive TV---you can shop on the shopping channel, play along with a game show channel, view art you drew on an art channel, etc... The things you buy get delivered, after a day or so---so there is some real time aspects here. You can redecorate your room over and over with new wallpaper and toys, and you can collect cards with Pokemon on them. All in all, this game is about doing electronically things you could do in real life. I found it got old fast, but my sons really seem to enjoy it. They keep coming back to it over and over. I do like the slow pace---it's nice to have a non-frantic game for them to play. It also involves a fair amount of reading and some basic math skills. You even get to do a little art, and you can make any part of the main cartoon you watch into a coloring book. If your kids like Pokemon and are fairly young, I think this game might be a hit!