Product Reviews Toys

LeapTV

LeapTV
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Written by Tim Barnes-Clay

Finally, an age-appropriate and entertaining console to get younger kids on their feet.

First Impressions

If you are a parent with a tech-savvy child, LeapFrog will be familiar name. They are famous for making kids-specific tech; devices which usually come loaded with educational apps and features, helping kids stay entertained and creating a safe platform to learn and engage.

However, as parents, we are also aware that the youngest generation are allergic to doing anything remotely physical! How many kids have already figured out how to unlock their parents’ smartphones and are lost in some silly game, their world as small as what they hold in their hand?

Unfortunately, although kids’ tablets are a terrific addition to any household and offer a number of advantages, they still don’t encourage kids to be as active as some parents would like. This is where LeapFrog’s new LeapTV Gaming System comes in.

Features

Designed to keep kids physically on their feet whilst providing the entertainment they so desperately seek, the LeapTV is almost a hybrid of the Xbox Kinect and Wii. Compared to previous gaming systems, this console is one of the easiest to set up, and comes with pretty much everything you need – apart from AA batteries, which are required for the controller!

When it comes to games, the console arrives with the built-in Pet Play, which can mean hours of fun for your little one; the idea is never ending, since the goal of the game is to make sure your pets are well-fed and clean. Games focusing on educational elements such as reading and maths are included and LeapFrog also have their own app store, which houses hundreds of games which are just as (if not more) fun. The games can cater to your individual child, covering the whole spectrum from fun to purely educational.

Ease-of-use is vital for a console targeting such a young audience, and getting to grips with the general layout shouldn’t be too much trouble. There are three different ways of controlling the characters and menus, either by the classic controller (looks something like an antler’s antennae), pointer mode and “full body motion”, the latter of which is meant to keep kids on the move.

The LeapTV isn’t flawless by any means. Controlling the menus and understanding what needs to be done is not as easy as a touchscreen, so getting used to the controllers may take a bit of time, especially for the younger children. Leaving them completely unsupervised at first would also be a bad idea, and if you do, expect a frustrated and bored toddler greeting your return.

Additionally, with a price tag of £119.99, this console isn’t cheap. On top of that, each game costs £24.99, which is rather pricey, although when we consider just how many hours kids will spend playing on each title, it isn’t outrageous.

FQ Verdict

The LeapTV console is a wonderful platform for kids to learn and have lots of fun. Solving the long-standing problem of getting kids active at home and away from dad’s smartphone, this makes for a neat addition to the living room!