Speak & Spell Electronic Game - Educational Learning Toy, Spelling Games, 80s Retro Handheld Arcade, Autism Toys, Activity for Boys, Girls, Toddler, Ages 7+

This is the same machine that was sold when ET first came out in the movies. My son had one when he was young -- he is 40 now so I got a new one for his 6-year-old who is quite smart and loves figuring out how to spell words. He really enjoyed it, though he only knew a few words. After doing it over and over a few times he remembered some of the words that were new. It was battery-operated--no plug-in charger like most new things have. But the batteries came in the toy so I was pleasantly surprised at not having to put new ones in. It was also good for some grandma and grandson time together.

This was one of the best things I remember about a time in my childhood. I immediately smiled & jumped to order when I saw it. I think it sounds the same but even if slightly different, it doesn’t matter. We don’t reach to nostalgic toys because they were perfect . What I remember is that this was a comforting and familiar friend from long ago. Helped me escape my reality back then and now as a safe Autonomous adult, I’m glad to have it around. Still fun when I need a little bit of a nostalgic good time. Oh yes, and it’s reminder that I made it out of that wretched childhood far better than I would have imagined. Heaven be praised!

Just like I remember

I suppose this is exactly what it says it is. A retro speak and spell. There are no improvements, so you can’t have it practice specifics words, or bring it down to an easier level like CVC words, or anything like that. The dated controls can be pretty frustrating.

As expected

Gave this to my grand daughter. I loved it as a kid and she does too!

We bought this item 2 weeks ago and we're not impressed. The biggest problem is trying to understand the it's saying. After my son and husband got frustrated with it, I have it a try. The words it uses are not on the level stated and the words are not clear. After only having it for 2 weeks, it's been used one hour. I'm putting it in my garage sale this weekend. I will probably get a few dollars back. Big disappointment!!!! Uses words that young readers don't spell or use yet.

I recently picked up the retro-inspired Speak & Spell for my kids, hoping it would bring back some of that classic 80s charm. While it does capture some of the nostalgia with its iconic graphics and gameplay, it's just not quite the same as the original. The voice, while trying to replicate the classic speech synthesizer, ends up being more annoying than endearing.It's a bit disappointing that it doesn't fully capture the essence of the original, but despite this, it has proven to be a useful learning tool for my younger kids. They enjoy the various play modes and the different challenge levels, which keep them engaged. Overall, it's a good educational toy, though it falls short of the classic experience I remember.