A recording option allows the voice of the user to be played back in the conversation to help assess pronunciation. Reading and writing are covered using everyday written examples such as e-mail, advertisements and letters. Younger, cartoon versions of Major League Baseball stars, including Cal Ripken, Mark McGwire and Randy Johnson, join a group of kids for a game of street ball with the release of Humongous Entertainment's Backyard Baseball 2001, aimed at children ages 5-12. Players choose a team of kids and play against the computer or online against other children through Humongous Entertainment's secure network. Specialty pitches and hitting styles are possible, while detailed statistics allow for substitution of hot batters or pitchers.
Children can create their own players, as well, choosing their appearance, ability and name.
Taking place in the near future, the player chooses a career path in the military or as a mercenary. The action takes place on and around one of 18 fully modeled space stations, complete with interactive people who develop as the game progresses. Terminus includes a realistic combat mode and an arcade mode for easier piloting. Five single- and multiplayer game modes are included for action against the computer or a friend. Available in 32MB or 64MB models, it comes with a USB port for fast data transfer from a PC or Mac with included software.