Despite these revelations Dora is on her way soon enough, headed to the Lost City in search of a handful of wayward items. The path is not smooth, however. Obstacles like the Big Pond (where Pirate Pig's minions must be sorted into variously colored boats) and the Number Pyramid (a place for elementary math skills to get a workout) crop up along the route. These and other puzzles cry out to be solved... preferably before Dora continues on her way.

Aimed solidly at players ages 3 and older, Dora the Explorer: Lost City Adventure is a simple game with a straightforward storyline and no unpleasant surprises. The flow of its educational subject matter is frequently broken with animations and songs, making it easier for young gamers to maintain a focus on learning. Its activities are the most basic of skill builders, easily mastered even at their highest levels of difficulty. Lost City Adventure also stimulates user interest by doling out a sprinkling of Spanish vocabulary through its animations, exposing players to a handful of easily learned words from Dora's mother tongue.

As for Dora herself, her good-natured encouragement and enthusiasm for the quest to the Lost City are infectious, and children are certain to respond eagerly to every task she puts before them on the way to rescue Osito. --Alyx Dellamonica