November 2011 Archives

It's bizarre really that two of the biggest names in gaming are a fat little Italian plumber and a blue hedgehog.

There is no doubting the popularity of gaming's biggest name with each of them having a career spanning decades.

They have also both had a special affiliation with Nintendo over the years and it's fitting that in ann era where Kinect and Move are dominating the motion market that they have come up with another reason not to take the Wii down the car boot sale just yet.

The first two Mario and Sonic games quite rightly gained plenty of critical acclaim, they summed up everything about why the Wii was such a success. The gameplay was simplistic and effective with colourful characters and loaded with quirky features.

This latest game is very much more of the same and guaranteed to fill a lot of stockings when the big fat lad comes down the chimney in a few weeks.

Again quite rightly, this is a perfect family game.

With a whopping 31 playable events there genuinely couldn't be more variety for gamers.

The traditional events like running are included but so are table tennis, rowing, horse-riding, football and many more.

Each of the games pride themselves on simplicity and playability and for the most part it's a huge success.

The football is actually brilliant, very simple, very old-school and highly addictive.

Most of the games are the same in that respect and the appeal of multiplayer gaming is obvious.

This is the game to liven up the Christmas period and have the whole family wailing with laughter.

Nintendo have come up trumps once again with the once bitter rivals again combining to create a very good Wii game.

Score 4/5

Image by marsers via Flickr

Forget serious storylines, that isn't Saints Row 3.

Forget subtle gameplay, that isn't Saints Row 3.

In a nutshell Saints Row 3 is a highly-charged, violent and unapologetic game that offers high-octane thrills and spills and lashings of thuggery and gang warfare.

The game sees you return to the Stillwater as part of the now notoriously famous Saints gang.

The plot is thinner Wayne Rooney's hair and as transparent as tracing paper, it is also as unrealistic as it could possilbly be.

None of this matters though, just sit back and take the game for what it is and enjoy the daftness of it all.

Great fun.

Score 3/5

Saints Row 3 is back in shameless, sensational fashion.

Forget serious storylines, that isn't Saints Row 3.

Forget subtle gameplay, that isn't Saints Row 3.

In a nutshell Saints Row 3 is a highly-charged, violent and unapologetic game that offers high-octane thrills and spills and lashings of thuggery and gang warfare.

The game sees you return to the Stillwater as part of the now notoriously famous Saints gang.

The plot is thinner Wayne Rooney's hair and as transparent as tracing paper, it is also as unrealistic as it could possilbly be.

None of this matters though, just sit back and take the game for what it is and enjoy the daftness of it all.

Great fun.

Score 3/5

Assassin's Creed is back and once again it oozes quality graphics and gameplay and promises gamers a real feast of adventure and intrigue.

This time around master assassin Ezio Auditore walks in the footsteps of his legendary mentor, Altaïr, on a journey of discovery and revelation.

Well that's the official line is, it's basically more of the same formula that made the earlier games a hit, plenty of assassinations, innovative gameplay and blisteringly good graphics.

The setting moves on from the familiar Italian setting and this time we have a wonderfully recreated Constantinople as the setting.

It's an altogether more polished experience with all aspects of the game having been slightly tweaked and improved. The multiplayer mode is now even more challenging and a lot more fun.

Another great new chapter in the franchise.

Score 4/5

From this week we will be publishing the weekly Apple updates regarding the App Store top tens.

We find it really useful for deciding what to download....

Top iPhone Apps (Paid):

1.) WhatsApp Messenger - WhatsApp Inc

2.) Amazing Breaker - Dekovir, Inc

3.) Angry Birds - Clickgamer.com

4.) Hardest Game Ever - 0.02s PRO - Ming Liang Chien

5.) Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? 2011 - 2waytraffic UK Rights Ltd

6.) FIFA 12 by EA Sports - Electronic Arts Nederland B.V

7.) Superman - Chillingo Ltd

8.) Fruit Ninja - Halfbrick Studios

9.) Talking Santa for iPhone - Outfit7

10.) Camera+ - tap tap tap

Top iPhone Apps (Free):

1.) Idiot Test: Way Too Funny - CreativeNose

2.) Always Up! - AlphaWeb Plus LLP

3.) Glass Tower 3 - iDevUA Treelight Limited

4.) Eye Check by Boots Opticians - 3 Sided Cube

5.) What Is My Number? - Distort Graphics Inc

6.) Christmas Advent Calendar: The Best 25 Free Apps - MagicSolver.com Ltd

7.) Line Runner - Robert Szeleney

8.) Hardest Game Ever - 0.02s - Ming Liang Chien

9.) Amazing Breaker Free - Dekovir, Inc

10.) Blood & Glory - Glu Games Inc

Top iPad Apps (Paid):

1.) Chess - Mastersoft Mobile Solutions

2.) Pages - Apple

3.) Extraction: Project Outbreak - Chillingo Ltd

4.) GarageBand - Apple

5.) The Cube - All3Media International

6.) Numbers - Apple

7.) Keynote - Apple

8.) Minecraft: Pocket Edition - Mojang

9.) Zombie Gunship - Limbic Software

10.) Infinity Blade - Chair Entertainment Group, LLC

Top iPad Apps (Free):

1.) Blood & Glory - Glu Games Inc

2.) Christmas Advent Calendar: The Best 25 Free Apps - MagicSolver.com Ltd

3.) iBooks - Apple

4.) ITV Player - ITV

5.) 4oD Catch Up - Channel 4

6.) Watch TV Free Live with TVCatchup - GZero Ltd

7.) Tap Zoo: Santa's Quest - Pocket Gems, Inc

8.) Minecraft: Pocket Edition Lite - Mojang

9.) Facebook - Facebook, Inc

10.) Snoopy's Street Fair - Beeline Europe

Hidden amongst the recent glut of games is this rather good little dance game that may have gone somewhat under the radar.

In the computer gaming world it is very much silly season, a lot of games that would have been in the top ten at other times of the year are now struggling to get in the top 40.

It's a shame because games like this slip away into the bargain bins when really it deserves more attention.

It includes 30 top tracks from top artists including Timbaland featuring Katy Perry, Taio Cruz, Jessie J, Nicole Sherzinger, Pussycat Dolls, Girls Aloud, Example, Alexandra Stan, Wretch 32, Elton John and many more

With choreography from top dance professionals and the official videos playing in the background the game has a real authenticity to it which makes you feel like you are playing something worthwhile.

Group mode is great fun allowing 4-players to take on different dance roles to work together for fun or in career mode as a group.

There are a lot of different modes in the game whether you just fancy a bit of fun in Party Mode or a rigorous workout in Fitness Mode.

It's a solid game with very responsive controls and offering a lot of fun and variety, nothing new but a decent game all the same.

Score 3/5

The Nintendo DS has set itself up as the home of puzzle gaming in recent years and has become the console for brain-teasers and mind-benders.

The Professor Leyton series has demonstrated just how successful this genre is and how it fits perfectly for gamers who want a quick handheld thought provoking fix.

You take on the role of a contestant on a TV programme from 1961, The Incredible Puzzle Masters Show.

At the same time you are tasked with helping an FBI pal solve a string of riddles connected to murder scenes.

It quickly becomes apparent that there is more going on than meets the eye and you will have to be sharp to uncover the sinister truth.

The game pushes the 3DS in terms of variety and offers a wide range of different types of puzzles using the accelerometer through actions and puzzles and offering a wide range of enjoyable and taxing conundrums.

Graphically the game tries really hard, for me the inclusion of video didn't work too well, it seemed quite clusmy although I could totally see what the makers were trying to achieve.

The 1960's setting is nicely recreated and the 3D element works well, the overall mood of the game is a success.

There are a lot of things here that we have seen before but the storyline does try to and make it feel unique.

I found the game enjoyable but it did lack something that sets games like Professor Leyton apart.

It is really packed full of stylish content though and once again shows that a lot can be made from a tiny 3DS cartridge.

A good game though and well worth a look if you like this genre.

3/5

YET another PS2 title given an HD makeover, but this time you get two games for the price of one - and they're classics.

Gameplay was never a problem - guide your character through a mystical land - but both were heralded at the time for fantastic graphics so married with the bumped-up hardware, they make for a terrific experience.

So if you're an old fan, you'll love the new look. If you've never played them before, you're in for a treat.

4/5

AN ENJOYABLE RPG that will have you battling monsters for hours, White Knight is an addictive little game well suited to the handheld console.

What it lacks in scope, it more than makes up for in well designed combat against a host of evil beasts.

Hard-core RPG might find White Knight a little lacking but for Monster Hunt fans, it's well worth a look.

3/5

If you are mourning the loss of the Harry Potter films after the thrilling end to the franchise on the big screen then fear not.

Once again the world of Harry Potter has been opened up for gamers to enjoy, in the style of lego!

This is the second Harry Potter compendium in the award winning Lego series and once again it is packed full of whimsical charm, magic and problem solving.

It it set during the last of the books/films and features all of the most popular characters and settings from the fantastical world of Potter and friends.

As with the first game the emphasis is very much on potions and spells and unlocking things as you go, there are plenty of foes to battle against and it's a riot from start to finish.

Kids and adults can happily play this together as they fly towards the ultimate showdown with the flat-nose Lord Voldemort.

This is a huge game with brilliant visuals and plenty of quirky gameplay. It pays homage to the mood of the Potter franchise and matches the humour and tragedy with the comedy and excitement quite brilliantly.

If you have played a Lego game before then this is everything you expect, if you haven't you should quickly grab a copy of Lego Star Wars because it's as brilliant as this.

Score 5/5