Overall conclusion - Was an okay site, better ones out there for sure. It was created in 2007 and doesn't seem to be keeping up with the times.

Logging In and Getting Started - I do notice that a lot of these gaming sites, when kids register, ask for a parents email so that the parent can be notified. however, presumably if a kid can register on this site, they can just register an email address, but, alas, Mattel does make the effort.

Right after logging in, you go to create your own character and you'll notice that there are very few options unless you are a "VIP" member, which costs a few dollars a month. Of course, Mattel is somewhat infamous for using every moment to push sales, not that I blame them but this was a little excessive. You also might notice that the music is very annoying and plays even as the site loads. Something to take into account if you are going to be in the same room with a beloved barbie-loving child. Some of the games have nicer music, though, and kids will probably like it or at least not be bothered by it until they realize that their ears are bleeding.

You then design her room, again with few options, but your Barbie will most likely be spending most of her time playing the games, which will earn her B Bucks. Here's the catch: you can't buy 90% of the crap in the little Barbie world because you need to be a VIP member. If you go into stores or the different locals you can see other people live in there, but everybody I saw had these elaborate costumes and were flying like fairies so I presume they were VIPs because I never saw those options. The dress "I'm" wearing to the right I couldn't actually buy, I just tried it on and took the screenshot.

The Games - There are 12 available games (no additional ones for VIPs, so it would seem). I played them all but three of them stood out to me in particular:

Fashion Frenzy --I found myself (embarrassingly) enjoying this game. It is cute. In it you are the owner of a department store and you have an overview of all the different departments. You have to click on individual customers who enter the store to see what exactly they're there for, then direct them to the right department and then, of course, to the cash register. Once you accumulate the day's earnings you can either upgrade a department (making the customers happier and you get a faster turnover time on each customer since only one at a time can use the department), open a new section (such as jewelry or snacks), or choose to advertise locally to get more customers. I also sort of liked the music for this section.

Dazzing Designs-- Similar to Fashion Frenzy, you design a handful of clothes based on some given templates and then you watch for a short time as customers browse. It is actually a somewhat interesting (albeit simplified) lesson in supply and demand. You look at a magazine cover at the start of each level, determine what the trends are, design clothes based on those trends, and then see what sells, adjust pricing, etc. Not bad.

Air Hockey Rally -- Probably the best (and really only) digital air hockey that I've ever seen. I was really impressed with the graphics on this one

Other games include Sudoku, Litter Blast, a fairly simple game, modeled off the traditional pong game, with a politically correct twist, and Lady Buggin which is kind of like PacMan with a ladybug.

Games just aren't what they used to be, I guess. There are better things for any kid to occupy their time with. This wasn't educational or, quite frankly, that entertaining. Full disclosure: I am an adult but I am easily amused, to a a fault.

http://www.loveoftoys.com