MSP430G2553: Msp430g2553

I am using the MSP430G2553 to play music on an 8ohm .25 watt speaker.  It sounds pretty low which I am not surprised about. I was able to get it a bit louser with a transister between the speaker and controller pin, but it is still ptetty low.

Ive also tried playing with the code a bit. I tried increasing the signal amplitude which did make things louder but introduced a lot of static/noise.

My question is how can I make the audio play at a reasonable level (lets say suitable for a 2 year old)? I am looking into the use of Amplifiers. Ive just descovered the LM4951 which sounds okay since I dont want to have to supply more than 4/4.5 volts. Ive also found the LM386.

Or, should I be looking for another microcontroller or changing code?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!