Disney Princess - My Fairytale Adventure

My children love Disney.  Disney toys, Disney DVDs, Disney board games, Disney clothing, Disney mugs...you name it, we have it.  So adding the new Nintendo 3DS Disney Princess - My Fairytale Adventure game to our Disney collection made my children incredibly happy.

The game, that was launched earlier this month, is available for the Wii, 3DS and Windows PC/Mac.  It is an interactive game that immerses players into the enchanted worlds of Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Rapunzel and Tiana and gives them the power to wield a magic wand and save the day!  We were sent a copy to try out.

Players take the role of an apprentice to the fairy godmother.  The apprentice can be customized to look exactly how you want her, my children made one with long pink hair!  She has accidentally set off a series of events that have caused friendly sprites to transform into mischievous imps who need to be rounded up and transformed back into their original form.  The chaotic imps have made their way into the worlds of the Princesses and they need to be found before they can cause any harm.  The apprentice has to use her magic wand to cast her own brand of sparkly magic to return them back in their original form to the Magic Kingdom.

Each of the Princess's worlds include quests, mini-games, platforming and puzzles.  Freddy who is three was able to enjoy some of the challenges independently before passing the 3DS to his older siblings to take on the trickier bits!  Along the way you get to meet and interact with other Disney characters who help guide you through the missions.  We loved meeting Flounder in Ariel's underwater world which is our favourite level.

As well as the main game, players can collect gems to trade for items in the wishing well store.  The room in the Fairy Godmother's castle and the apprentice avatar can be personalised with items purchased.  There is also a secret garden which can be tended to make the flowers bloom using the special tools.  This kept Freddy occupied for some time as he fed and watered his flower.  These extra bits really added to the gameplay allowing young children to get creative and design things just how they want them to look.

The game is a real treat for Disney fans with its lovely locations based on each of the Princess's films.  The scenery and the characters are enchanting and it is great to immerse yourself in the world of Disney.  The gameplay is very intuitive and includes elements that are designed for younger players alongside more challenging aspects for older players.  This makes it ideal as an interactive game for all the family to enjoy together.

Rated PEGI 3+ Disney Princess - My Fairytale Adventure is now available to buy from good games  retailers such as Amazon, for the Wii, 3DS and PC/Mac.

The Nintendo 3DS...more than just a games console.

The Nintendo 3DS may be a compact device but it offers a huge range of features  to help kids learn and develop their creativity. With its fantastic range of fun educational features, the 3DS has everything you need to encourage kids  to play and interact with the world around them.  This multi-tasking console is home to a host of educational games, and with its built-in camera and free Wi-Fi connection it also allows access to informative and entertaining video content. What’s more, a new larger console has just been launched with a 4.8 inch 3D screen.  The Nintendo 3DS XL  is now available  in the UK  in three great new colours: Blue + Black, Silver + Black and Red + Black.

Check out the exciting educational features of the 3DS below to  get the whole family feeling inspired ...

New Art Academy

Available from: £22.99

Try out new skills and discover hidden talents you didn't know you had inNew Art Academy for Nintendo 3DS! With over 30 brand new lessons to get your creative hands on, this imaginative game will have you painting and drawing your own masterpieces in no time. With lessons catering for all ability levels, plus a Free Paint mode for those who just want to doodle, New Art Academy provides an unlimited blank canvas to play with, as well as a wide range of different materials to try out. Plus, you can share your creations and even give virtual lessons to your friends and family using SpotPass or Nintendo Letter Box.

Playing on the Nintendo 3DS

Kingdom of Plants 3D with David Attenborough

Available to download for free from the Nintendo eShop 

Curious kids will be out exploring the garden in no time when they see this exclusive 3D video clip from ground-breaking Sky series, Kingdom of Plants 3D with David Attenborough. The exclusive one and a half minute clip is an astonishing look at the secret lives of plants filmed at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London, revealing a dramatic world otherwise invisible to the human eye. Filmed over the course of a year, it’s a revealing and fascinating new look at plant life through the use of stunning 3D time-lapse filming techniques. Kingdom of Plants 3D with David Attenborough is just one of the many inspiring and entertaining educational 3D video clips available to download for free from the Nintendo eShop for all Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL owners.

Lola’s Alphabet Train

Available to download now for £1.80 on the Nintendo eShop

All aboard the learning train for a fun time! Specifically designed for 3-7 year olds, Lola’s Alphabet Train is a guaranteed way to keep kids coming back for more as they master their reading skills.

The Alphabet Train features five exciting games in one. As your children’s skills improve, the games get more challenging, but still manage to be enjoyable and engaging!  See our review here!

PEGI: 3

The ‘Successfully Learning’ Series

Available to download now for £4.50 on the Nintendo eShop

Little Freddy the vampire makes learning fun as he guides children through a range of exciting exercises and problems, providing helpful tips and motivation along the way. These engaging educational titles are available for English, Maths and German and cover the current curriculum for children in years 2 to 5.

PEGI: 3

XL:

3DS XL screen:

The new Nintendo 3DS XL allows users to enjoy a 90% bigger screen to capture and display their photos in stunning 3D. With its 4.8 inch screen you’ll be able to enjoy Nintendo video content in even greater detail and have an even bigger canvas to experiment on in New Art Academy. The Nintendo 3DS XL has the biggest screen to feature on a Nintendo handheld console to date and with double the current battery life means hours of interrupted entertainment

• 3D memories: With a handy built-in 3D camera and video camera, kids can really unleash their creative side and get snap- happy this summer. Why not challenge them to make a video diary, or hold your own family photography competition?

• Internet connected: Access the internet without high roaming charges or a monthly fee and you needn’t worry about safety with the 3DS’ easy-to-use parental controls, which allow you to control all internet use and interactions. Nintendo has recently launched Nintendo Zone with over 25,000 Wi-Fi Hotspots across Europe where you can access the internet for free through the inbuilt web browser or download content via the eShop.

• Letter Box: This delightful free messaging feature on Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL lets users send notes and drawings instantly to friends, wherever they are in the world.
• eShop: There’s a whole range of fun and stimulating games to download on the Nintendo 3DS eShop, offering real value on the move.  Everything from Colours! 3D where you can learn to paint and create an incredible 3D picture to Pullblox a highly addictive block puzzler that really get brains ticking.  In addition, you can take advantage of lots of free content including exciting animation shorts and trailers for the latest films in glorious 3D plus Nintendo TV monthly episodes and demos of the latest games to try-before-you-buy.

Nintendo eShop

Freakyforms Deluxe For the Nintendo 3DS

Our Nintendo 3DS is proving to be a really popular addition to the technology in our household.   Freddy has recently discovered the joys of the Pokedex and the audio recording function of our 3DS and he has some serious fun with both.

However, there is a new game that has taken over as current 3DS favourite, ever since we were sent Freakyforms Deluxe Your Creations, Alive! to try out.

This unique and eccentric game allows players to use their imagination to create their own funky and freaky creatures called 'formees' and bring them to life.  Freakyforms is an expansion of a popular downloadable software title and brings a host of new features to the game.

Formees are created on a drawing board where many shapes, body parts and colours can be picked and the creations can be customised with wings or wheels.  This was quite easy to do and Freddy loved making quirky characters with numerous limbs and embellishments!

Once created, the formee transfers into a side-scrolling platform game to explore the customisable planet and  complete quests.  On your travels you get to eat fruit, collect coins and explore dungeons where perilous tasks lead to hidden jewels.  New abilities called 'special actions' can be unlocked giving your formee more scope for personalisation.  You have to fight other formees along the way and defeat the final boss.

The full touch screen controls let you get as creative as you like and allows your imagination to run wild!  Freddy and Ella really enjoyed designing the formees and playing with their crazy character.  It is really nice to have the control over the designs of the game making it a really personalised experience.  It really does provide hours of fun for all ages!  Even though Freddy can't play the platform element of the game independently, he can create a three legged, four eyed wing formee to be proud of!!

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For the first time, you can now also showcase your formees with other Nintendo 3DS users in multiplayer mode, in addition to sharing them over StreetPass, or via QR Codes which can also be used to import a formee into the game. If you fancy getting even closer to the little creatures, watch them come to life in front of your very own eyes using the “?” AR Card. Freakyforms Deluxe Your Creations, Alive! also comes with the option of utilising Download Play so if you wish to play with a friend who doesn’t own the game then they will be able to join in with the creative fun.


The game launches on the same day as the Nintendo 3DS XL which has a 90% bigger screen, which is July 28th 2012!  Priced at £19.99 it is a great buy which will provide a lot of fun for all the family.  Whether you prefer the designing or the gaming, there is something to keep everyone amused!

Lola's Fruit Shop Sudoku for the 3DS

Sudoku For Pre-Schoolers and Young Children

My dad loves to keep his mind active by filling in those complicated numerical Sudoku puzzles in his newspaper.  Now, thanks to a brand new game from BeiZ, children aged 4-8 years old can solve their own fun Sudoku puzzles.  BeiZ specialises in creating educational and non-violent games for young children.

Lola's Fruit Shop Sudoko is available for the Nintendo DSi and the 3DS.  It is a lovely game, that will get the little ones thinking logically, as they help Lola the Panda sort out the fruit in her fruit shop.  Children are challenged to fill in Sudoku grids of 3 x 3 or 4 x 4 with three different difficulty levels.  With clear and gentle vocal instructions, the game is easy to grasp for even the youngest players, but is still challenging for older children as their skills are tested.  Successes are rewarded with gold stars and cheers.  Players get to help Lola stock up her Fruit Shop ready for opening at the end of the game.

Lola’s Fruit Shop Sudoku Key Features:

* Simple Sudoku games with fruit and numbers

* Friendly voice to guide kids through the game

* Easy-to-use child-friendly game design that even the youngest can use

* Several levels to choose from

* Increasing challenge as children’s skills improve

The game is available to download from the Nintendo e-shop for €2.00 or from the DSi Shop for 200 Nintendo DSi points.

I was given a code to download the Lola game for free.

3 year old Freddy was able to play the first few rounds of the easy 3 x 3 grid completely independently and enjoyed naming the fruits and helping set up Lola's stall.  He will enjoy this game and develop his skills as time goes on.  Kizzy who is 9 went straight to the difficult level where you use coloured number squares on a 4 x 4 grid and it kept her quietly occupied and she said it was fun!

This game is really inexpensive and is a great way to occupy young children on car journeys, in restaurants or whilst visiting grandparents!  (If, like me,  you have little ones who can be a handful during such occasions!)  It is colourful, fun and educational. I liked that Freddy could play this on his own, giving him the chance to use the 3DS independently, developing his fine motor skills and logical thinking.   

Lola's Fruit Shop Sudoku is the second Lola game, the first being Lola's Alphabet Train.  It encourages letter recognition and spelling.

Mario Kart 7 Review

Mario Kart 7 is the glorious 3D racing game for the Nintendo 3DS.  It's fast, furious, fun, addictive and fantastic to play!

New tracks allow you to glide in the sky or race underwater on the sea bed for the first time in Mario Kart history, adding a whole new dimension to the racing game.  You can choose from your favourite characters or even use your own Mii to drive.  New characters include Metal Mario and Lakitu.

There are 32 courses to race on including 16 retro courses from previous games.  This gives fans of the original games a real blast from the past!  The 16 brand new courses for Mario Kart 7 offer all the excitement and high octane fun with some extra twists and turns along the way!

The game plays beautifully.  The top screen shows all the racing action in eye-popping 3D as you collect power-ups and coins, while racing across land, sea and air.  The bottom screen shows a map and your position and race data.  The controls are easy using the circle pad to steer.  Even 3 year old Freddy was able to have a go at racing and thought it was brilliant!   The vibrant, colourful graphics and upbeat music make it a joy to play.  You can easily switch between the 3D and 2D graphics.

You can customize your kart however you like. The tyres, chassis and gliders can be customized to suit your racing style.  Some options are built for speed, others are cute and cuddly and pure fun!   There is an option to use motion control to steer, putting yourself in the driving seat using the console as a wheel. 

The power-ups offer an element of real fun to the races.  Fire Flower allows you to throw fire balls at opponents.  On more than one occasion we were unexpectedly blasted with a Blooper that impaired our visibility by shooting ink all over our screen.  It looked fabulous in 3D and never failed to make me jump!  The Blue Spiny Shells can make you lose a race in an instant.  You cannot be sure of a win until you have crossed the finish line!


Mario Kart 7 can be played in single player mode or you can use the multi-player function via broadband to play with other racers worldwide!  You can play up to eight players locally using wi-fi.  It also uses Streetpass to exchange data with other Mario Kart 7 racers in your vicinity.  These features add to the excitement of Mario Kart 7 and pushes the gaming experience to its peak. My children are however most content with getting to grips with the game before competing against other racers.  They are happy to try and improve their ranking while playing solo, but it's good to know that the option to take on other racers is available when they are confident enough!


Mario Kart 7 is cram packed with action as you glide over ravines, propel your kart underwater and steer around the landscapes.  The courses are great with some retro moments to evoke memories of the Nintendo 64.  There are cups to be won in Grand Prix mode, keeping the challenges fresh.  Other modes and difficulty levels and the multi-player options will keep Mario Kart 7 a game that you will want to play for a long time.  Whether you are a hard core competitive gamer or just someone who enjoys indulging in a spot of gaming just for fun and relaxation, Mario Kart 7 is a perfect choice!


Check out details of Nintendo's Mario Kart 7 "Britain's Fastest Family" Tournament for your chance to win a Honda Jazz Si and other great prizes!!  Do you think you're fast enough??

Kid Icarus Uprising Game Review

Kid Icarus Uprising For The Nintendo 3DS

We are enjoying testing out the Nintendo 3DS, the fabulous hand held 3D entertainment and gaming system.  We were sent some games to test out and 9 year old Kizzy * and daddy Ian have been battling against Medusa and her minions in Kid Icarus Uprising, the stunning 3D game from Nintendo.  (* This game is 12 rated but I've used parental judgment and deemed it appropriate for Kizzy to play on.)

Kid Icarus is a game that has been brought out of retirement and has taken the world of portable gaming by storm.  The main character Pit is an angel, the long forgotten hero from Nintendo's archives who has been resurrected for a fantastic new adventure.

With 'in the air' and 'on the ground' action, this game sees Pit battle the forces of evil.  Medusa is leading her troops in an invasion with the threat of an 'end of world' scenario.  Fierce aerial combat and gripping ground fights give the player two distinct methods of gameplay.  The difficulty levels can be adjusted to accommodate both beginners and experienced players, making it a good choice for a 9 year old and her dad!

The graphics are great with impressive landscapes.  The 3D is eye-popping!  Unfortunately for Ian, being left-handed meant he struggled with the controls. Much of the gameplay is controlled by the stylus.  With the circle pad on the left of the controller, the stylus is held in the right hand.  The game requires precision and swift action, tricky for a leftie!!  He also finds the 3D makes his eyes ache after a while (...old age??!!)  This however can be remedied by using a stand which holds the screen still, stopping your eyes having to constantly adjust to the 3D effect.

One minute you are soaring through beautiful skies, then you are trekking through ancient landscapes and then fighting a monster. Weapons used against the evil forces can be bought, traded (via StreetPass) or collected and different weapons can be fused to create new ones. There is a lot to this game keeping you entertained and engaged with the characters and the storyline.

The game can be played as an exciting solo odyssey, but has multiplayer modes for co-op or competitive action.  You can play online with up to six friends in an intense battle.  Online modes include a Light vs Dark team game or a free for all with every man for themselves.  It comes with AR cards so you can engage in augmented reality battles too.  The technology is just mindblowing!

The game is merciless in its action, full on and fast paced.  Kizzy has bursts of playing with it to get a fix of shoot'em up action and is happy with her slow progress.  She enjoys the characters' conversations!   Ian's progress is hampered by being left handed in a game with such a relentless gameplay at times.

Overall, we are impressed with the visuals that show just how far portable gaming is progressing.  We love the characters and landscapes and the story of Kid Icarus Uprising is engaging with light hearted elements to off set the ferocity of the gameplay.  It may take us some time to get through all the chapters, whereas a hardcore gamer could battle through the hours of play, slaying the bosses and meeting the challenges of land and air combat.  Treasure Hunt panels are revealed for certain achievements giving rewards such as weapons, power and hearts.  The game is robust and well constructed and rewarding.  We will battle on and take Pit all the way!!

Kid Icarus Uprising is available in shops now and includes a stand.  RRP £29.99

We're So Impressed With The Nintendo 3DS

 Gaming in 3D With The Nintendo 3DS

Kizzy is one happy little girl.  After years of coveting a Nintendo DS, she has finally got her hands on the bang up to date, super entertainment system, the Nintendo 3DS thanks to the lovely people at Nintendo.  Being the proud user of the Nintendo 3DS means Kizzy can do games reviews and try out the features of the Nintendo 3DS and report back here on the blog.

The Nintendo 3DS is a smart looking, compact hand held gaming and entertainment system.  The integrated battery and base unit makes re-charging the 3DS a doddle.  Simply plug the base in and once the 3DS is charged you are ready to go with its range of built in features.

Nintendo's Latest hand Held Entertainment System

The Nintendo 3DS opens up to reveal two screens.  The top screen can be viewed in 2D or 3D using a sliding switch on the side of the screen.  You can change the depth of the 3D or play games in crisp 2D.  You don't need glasses to achieve the 3D effect meaning you can enjoy it anytime and anywhere. The bottom is a touch screen that is used to control the game play using a stylus or your finger.

Nintendo 3DS...The e-Shop

The Nintendo e-shop gives you quick and easy access to hundreds of downloadable games and videos.  You can even watch films via Netflix, perfect for entertaining the kids on the go.  There is even the opportunity to download exclusive weekly episodes of Shaun the Sheep that kids will love, including a special episode that includes Nintendo's own famous plumber Mario!

My Mii Character...Looks Just Like Me!!

One of the many built -in features of the Nintendo 3DS is the Mii Maker software allowing you to create yourself, family and friends as Mii avatars.  You can use Street Pass Mii Plaza to interact with other players.  Kizzy has made our family in Mii form!  I think mine is very accurate!  The Mii characters show up from time to time and can be used with special AR cards that bring them to life.

Face Raiders is a massively addictive game that uses a photo of your face to create a flying character that you then shoot down as it flies around your room.  It is so clever and a little bit spooky seeing your own face in a game.  The technology still astounds me!!

Playing on the Nintendo 3DS

The Nintendo 3DS includes a camera allowing you to take 3D photos by using two outward facing lenses.  You can then use fun filters to have fun with your photos and make an eye-popping gallery of snaps!  AR cards add an amazing interactive element to your entertainment with augmented reality gaming technology! Special cards are included with the 3DS which, when viewed through the camera spring characters to life before your eyes on screen, as if they were really there in front of you.  It's just so clever!  You can also make your own 3D videos using the camera.  This is great for stop-motion animation projects.

Mario on the Nintendo 3DS

There are masses of games to play on the Nintendo 3DS.  It is back compatible with previous consoles which is something that I think is really impressive. Many Nintendo favourites such as Mario, Kid Icarus, Pokemon and Zelda are all available in games that can be played in stunning 3D.

The Nintendo 3DS has wireless internet access allowing you to browse the web anywhere with wifi.  Keep up with social media, search for games tips or upload photos on the go!  This console is connected!

This is just the start of us exploring the features and functions of the Nintendo 3DS.  We are looking forward to testing out the two games we have, Kid Icarus Uprising and Super Mario 3D Land.  (Reviews to follow!)   We are also excited about exploring all the free content that is regularly updated and can be downloaded to the Nintendo 3DS.  More on this to come!

All of us have enjoyed trying out the Nintendo 3DS and we've only used a fraction of the potential of this exciting entertainment system.  There is so much more fun to be had and so many games of Face Raider to be played.

*Stop Press...Nintendo 3DS For The Jubilee*

Patriotic Gamers can prepare themselves for the Queen's Jubilee (and in time for the London 2012 Olympics), with a Nintendo 3DS available in the royal colours of red, white and blue.  It offers a unique way to capture all of your Jubilee celebrations in 3D.  You can experience this momentous occasion of the Jubilee in full 3D without the need for special glasses. The full glory of the Jubilee pageantry can be captured on the Nintendo 3DS video recorder and watched back on the console to relive the memories in amazing 3D.  It's easy to get online when you’re out and about by using one of thousands of WiFi hotspots available free to Nintendo 3DS users across the UK/Europe and you can send notes and drawings to your friends via Letter Box, a delightful messaging feature on the Nintendo 3DS.  So wherever you are for the Jubilee weekend you can stay connected and be entertained with a Nintendo 3DS!