January 2011 Archives

We have two Mario games this week, suggesting that 2011 could be another busy year for everyone's favourite plumber, who last year arguably competed for game of the year with Super Mario Galaxy 2.

This game isn't going to be a contender in that class or even come close, but it is a cheerful and curious collection of sports games in the best traditions of the Nintendo Wii and Mario franchise.

Based around dodgeball, ice hockey, basketball and volleyball, it's also loaded with party games, too.

Single player or with three friends, the game offers a unique spin on each of the games in true Mario style with all of your favourite characters.

I loved the ice hockey and basketball, which were great fun to play - especially against a friend.

The graphics and production on the game are first class and, whilst it may not be that in depth or even that sophisticated, it is harmless, great fun.

As you would expect, it is totally manic and a unique spin on the sporting world.

Image by Kincuri via Flickr

THE Playstation 3 excelled itself when Little Big Planet hit the shelves.

Sony had needed character, identity and its own star - and Sackboy fitted the mould perfectly.

It was the defining moment for the console and a game that provided something completely unique.

Litle Big Planet allowed gamers to create their own levels and environments and share them.

If you haven't heard of Tangled yet then brace yourself, it's the big new Disney film and very soon you won't be able to escape hearing about it!

I have three girls at home dying to see it and were delighted to get a sneak look at it via the official game for the Wii and DS.

Tangled is Disney's re-telling of the Rapunzel story and looks set to be a roller-coaster action/adventure/romance smash for the whole family.

The game lets you play in the role of Rapunzel and the love interest Flynn Rider, you can pick which one you want to control but you have to switch between the two characters to progress.

The game is aimed squarely at the 6-11 age bracket I would say although the biggest fan in our house was Lily aged 4.

She is getting pretty good at video games thanks to me and tends to pick them up quite quickly - she played along with her elder sister Katie aged 12.

Both girls were enthralled in the adventured and had a lot of fun playing, it was very much like playing through a fairy tale and the enchanting graphics and setting make it a real treat.

As with many of these games the mechanics at heart are fairly simplistic, this is your good-old fashioned platform, action game. There are a few replayable mini-games chucked in too for good measure.

The real fun comes from the inventive use of the hair as rope, swings etc - it's a very quirky game with a great sense of fun and mischief.

It's typical Disney fodder really, presented beautifully and great for entertaining the kids. The graphics are bright and cheerful and some of the voice-overs are taken directly from the film, as is the great soundtrack.

You can't go far wrong and you can fully expect the kids to be pestering you for this one!

Certainly better for younger kids than the elder ones though, teenagers will probably find it too easy.

To coincide with the Tron craze currently sweeping the globe, Disney have released some excellent tie-in products for games consoles and gamers.

The first is this brilliantly funky Light Stand which gives your console and your room a
futuristic feel.

It is designed in the style of the film and features a replica of the Lightcycle.

All you have to do to emit a cool blue Tron-esque glow is plug it in to any USB port on the Wii, 360 or PS3. Each console stands with ease and looks great.

Also in the range is the very sleek Contactless Charger for the PS3 and Xbox 360. The design is based around the famous Tron ring and allows you to place your wireless controllers on the disc and charge them magnetically.

The lights on the disc change from blue to green when the charging is complete.

Again this is a very useful gadget and it looks fantastic. Both are available from
www.thrustmaster.com

This is a cracking little game to welcome in the New Year and one that was quite obviously dreamt up by somebody with a great imagination.

Ghost Trick is a highly stylized puzzle game with an excellent storyline which has you playing as the ghost of a murdered protagonist who must try and discover who killed him.

To do this you can investigate, solve puzzles and clues and posessing inanimate objects to aid you.

You can also interact with the recently deceased and aid them in the minutes leading up to their death and try and change their fates.

The main emphasis of the game though is the problem solving with each different scenario giving you a problem to overcome.

As you progress through the puzzles you get to learn more information and listen to conversations in the quest to find the truth.

It is a brilliantly quirky visual style and a charming one at that and there is a real uniqueness to the game and a feel all of it's own.

I have really enjoyed playing the game so far - it is totaly different and very fresh feeling.

Well worth a look!

Up until last year mobile football management games had been for want of a better word - pants.

Poor attempts at giving you an in-depth or even playable experience with any degree of realism or enjoyment.

It makes sense that SEGA and the Football Manager team decided to do something about it - and do something about it they did.

They produced a watered down yet very in-depth database for the iPhone that combined the addictive nature of the franchise with a very similar interface that gamers can recognize instantly.

Of course there is nowhere near as much here as with the PC version but I challenge anyone to not be surprised by how much is packed into this game.

The transfer market for example never gets repetitive or dull, new players are generated consistently over the seasons and wheeling and dealing is as much fun here as it should be.

Tactics and training are also in-depth and with a snazzy match engine and drag and drop manager controls it quickly becomes clear that this is a hell of a sophisticated game for footie fans.

I love this game - take it everywhere, on the bus, in waiting rooms and just when lounging around. It's a great time passer and allows you to whizz through the seasons at your leisure.

I have played the life out of this and it hasn't got boring yet. I have done about ten seasons. I started with Man United - won everything for 4 seasons and then when Fergie's favourites starting retiring I got unceremoniously sacked.

I found myself in Cardiff, that was my punishment.

I clawed my way back and after a brief spell at Everton I took on the job of boss of my boys Wolves.

It's a bit of a grueller but I love it.

You can of course manage abroad if you wish and run a number of leagues in tandem allowing you to switch around the continents as you wish.

If you have an iPhone/iPad and you love footie and management games then don't worry about the £6.99 price - it is well worth it.

Available from iTunes - go and purchase!

Another low key Christmas offering that is now rattling around the bargain shelves and is well worth a look.

There aren't really a glut of racing games on the DS and I would have to say that this isn't a bad little game to pick up and play.

This is all about high-octane stunt racing where you can construct your own track and then put it to the test.

Race in the fastest and funkiest cars and basically tear around the most insane courses you can imagine.

It's great fun to play and worthy of a play. It may not be the most in-depth or sophisticated of games but it is a lot of fun.

To be honest you quite easily just review this game by saying it's the Marvel version of the popular Lego games.

Only it's not, it's by totally different people for starters - but all the principles are the same.

This is a cute and cheerful version of a popular franchise with a clear attempt to appeal to a wider audience and indeed a younger audience.

It's based on the hit animated TV series as shown on Cartoon Network and is the sequel to the 'Marvel Super Hero Squad' which was rightly a big hit with gamers.

The emphasis in terms of gameplay is on buttom mashing and puzzle solving - each of the characters has certain abilities that can be called on for different scenarios.

Playing co-op is great fun and was a big hit in our house, the graphics and humour in the game are excellent.

If you are a fan of the Lego games then this will be a good choice for you.

A great little good vs evil romp and you will find it on the shelves at a great price.

Microsoft are full of surprises still...

You would have to have been living under a behemoth sized rock not to have noticed the Glee-mania that took place last year.