Children will love these cute and soft stuffed animals. View larger.

In the virtual world, there are many worlds to explore and games to play. View larger.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good:Soft, plush animal is cute and cuddly; online virtual world is safe and has many games The Bad:Parts of the virtual world are under construction; online play may require registration by parent In a Nutshell:A cute, plush stuffed animal with a code for a one-year subscription to a fun, interactive online world for kids At a Glance Ages:6 and up Requires:Online component requires computer with Internet connection

Cute, Plush Stuffed Animals
With large heads, giant curious eyes peering at you, bright colors, and a super-soft plush body, the cute Littlest Pet Shop VIPs will quickly be vying as your child's favorite playmate. The VIPs measure about 7 x 10 x 4 (WxHxD) inches and are weighted at the bottom so they can stand on their own.

An Online Virtual World With Your Own House
The fun doesn't end with this plush animal, however. Each pet includes a code on its tag that lets you play online at LittlestPetShop. com for a year. To play with the online component, you will need an Internet connection and sign up for a new account at www. littlestpetshop. com. There is no software to download as the game is completely Web-based and only uses a Web browser.

Parents may need to help their children get started by registering a new account. Once the account has been made and the secret code is entered, a virtual version of your adopted pet will be visible on screen. You can name this virtual pet anything you want, and the pet even has its own house and garden.

Moving your character around the virtual world is accomplished by simply clicking where you want your pet to go. There are various games within the world, symbolized by icons such as a soccer ball or water balloons, and that are accessible simply by clicking on them.

One game that is accessible early in the world is Water Balloon Poppin, a puzzle game that is both fun and promotes problem solving. When you finish, you see your score compared to high scores from other players around the world. If you have a high score, it is saved. Depending on your score, you earn kibble coins (virtual dollars) that can be used in the various shops to purchase items such as clothing, home decorations, and plants.

With these new purchases, you can feed your pet, dress your pet up with different clothing (your pet then walks around with the new accessories), decorate your pet's home, tend your garden, and perform many other fun tasks.

The scope of the virtual world is impressive. There are many places to explore, including the playground, the vet, the forest, the dock, and the village. At each of these areas, there are different things to do and different games to play. In total, there are 25 games, including Water Balloon Poppin, Pet doctor, All Paws Soccer, Horse Shoe Toss, and Miniest Golf. The world includes lots of activities to keep them happily occupied.

Keep Up with the News
A newspaper keeps players up-to-date on the goings-on of the virtual world. New games will be announced here, and high scores are also displayed. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like the virtual world is quite complete. Some features such as the "Home of the Day" section in the newspaper are still under construction.

Safe, Friendly Playing Environment
Parents will be happy to know that the virtual environment is designed to both fun and safe. Names are never fully displayed, and language is filtered to eliminate "bad words. "

A cute, plush animal has an added online component that makes it fun for a long time. With a virtual environment that is being added to with new games and items, the Littlest Pet Shop VIPs holds children's attention longer than traditional plush animals.