Hardcore Gaming at PLAY it! #PLAYitManc

We visited PLAY it! at the Museum of Science and Industry on the opening day for a family gaming session. The exhibition was quite simply a gamer's paradise, providing a huge range of games and consoles from the past 30 years for some hands on gaming action.

The event room at the MOSI is divided into six zones:

Zone 1: Retro Gaming - retro to modern computer games and consoles

Zone 2: Manchester - including games programmed by Ocean Games and the 80s classroom

Zone 3: Rhythm - music and dance based gaming

Zone 4: Minecraft

Zone 5: Celebrations - film, TV and character based games

Zone 6: Lounge - multiplayer gaming

Favourite gaming franchises such as Sonic, Mario, Tomb Raider, Star Wars, Street Fighter and LEGO games are represented in all their glory on a range of consoles. It was really interesting to see the evolution of characters such as Lara Croft across the different formats. We remembered having several of the games and it was very nostalgic having a play.

The Minecraft area was a real hit with Freddy who spent the time learning how to play the game on the PC rather than on the PS3 that he has at home. He got lots of tips from the other kids in the Minecraft zone.

I loved watching him concentrate so hard on mining, building, taming animals and blowing up his Minecraft world! Minecraft is such a phenomena, it was great to see it have its very own zone.

I introduced Kezia to some of my old favourites including Crash Bandicoot on the original Playstation. We also had a go at the Mega Drive, the Nintendo 64 and the SNES. There are plenty of consoles so we never had to wait for a go on anything. We just found a free spot and jumped in to try it. Although there was a lot of serious, hardcore gamers around, we never felt at all intimidated or embarassed by our lack of skill, in fact there were plenty of people willing to lend a hand or offer advice when we were obviously struggling due to our lack of gaming prowess.

Kezia and I had some fun at the selfie table, trying on Mario and Luigi hats. It was a bit of light relief from our attempts at gaming. and donning the iconic headgear definitely made us feel the part!

There is a cafe area selling drinks and snacks including some brilliant gaming cupcakes. The guy who served us told us the legendary story of when Atari tried to make an ET game after the release of the film, which was so rubbish that the whole lot was resigned to landfill. This became the stuff of urban legend until many years later when thousands of the games were unearthed when the land was being developed! The chocolate cupcakes played homage to this tale. Comfy seating allowed us to have a nice rest while we sampled a drink and one of the cakes.

Seeing the range of games and consoles makes you realise just how far the gaming industry has come, from the old original video consoles such as the Spectrum and the Commodore, right up to the most modern, contemporary games. The advancements over the last thirty years really are quite mindblowing. When I had my first console, the Intellevision, back in 1979, I could never have imagined what my own kids would be playing in the future.

The nostalgia of seeing the Sega Master System and the Mega Drive made my day, bringing back many memories of a younger me playing for hours and hours. I used be quite good back in the day, but the advancements in technology saw my skills lag further and further behind. These days I leave it to the kids, but I enjoyed this trip down memory lane.

With individual 90 minute sessions costing just £4 and full day passes £10, PLAY it! is a great opportunity to experience some blasts from the past as well as trying your hand at some modern gaming. Whether you are competitive and looking at taking on other seasoned gamers or if you are like me and looking for a nostalgic way to revisit your youth, it is well worth a visit.

Find out more and book at: www.mosi.org.uk/whats-on/play-it-manchester

Get Your Game Face On at PLAY it! Manchester July 25th - Aug 9th

I remember my first games console, the Intellivision that my dad surprised me with on Christmas Day 1979. I played Lock 'n' Chase until I completed all ten levels of the crazy, maze style game. I still remember the sense of accomplishment on completing it. In the late 80's a Sega Master System with the built in Alex Kidd game became my console of choice, quickly followed in the early 90's by the Sega Mega Drive complete with the first Sonic the Hedgehog game. This was my era! The 2D gaming platforms worked for me and I was the house champion at many of the games we owned, in particular the Lion King, which was our first ever official Disney video game. 

Since then, games have advanced to unrecognisable levels of incredible graphics, complex gameplay and 3D imagery. As our consoles became upgraded to the latest models, I found myself left behind and I conceded ownership of my gaming crown years ago. I've watched all five of my children grow up immersed in the technology of gaming and developing the instinctive skills necessary to be able to beat the end of level bosses and create their own virtual worlds. I'm in utter awe of what they can do. Gaming is a big part of life here Inside the Wendy House. From my eldest son and World of Warcraft expert Joe to my youngest Freddy, who is a massive Minecraft fan, we have enjoyed sharing the gaming accomplishments of all our children.

This summer, I am excited to be able to introduce my kids to some of the games that their mama used to play as PLAY it! comes to the MOSI Manchester, as part of their 'Imagine it, Make it, Move it' programme of events.  From July 25th to August 9th, visitors to the exhibition can get to play some of the most popular video games from the past 30 years, from Pong and Pac-Man to Minecraft and Halo, enter multiplayer competitions, take on  friends or family in collaborative games and play on consoles and gaming systems including Atari, Commodore, Spectrum, Megadrive, SNES, Nintendo 64, PC, PlayStation and Xbox. There are six themed zones with more than 120 consoles and games ready to test skills and give young visitors a taste of retro gaming, alongside the chance to try their hand at some more contemporary consoles.

Families can drop in for 90 minute sessions, whereas seasoned gamers can buy a full day pass or attend an adult-only evening session. PLAY it! is open to anyone with a passion for games. Individual day sessions start at just £4 while a family session is £12. All day passes are just £10. PLAY it! promises to be a fun and entertaining way to spend time with the family this summer holiday.

Find out more and book tickets at: www.mosi.org.uk/whats-on/play-it-manchester.

Wizarding With Harry Potter

The Interactive Harry Potter Game for the XBox 360 Kinect

The all-new Harry Potter for Kinect video game exclusively on KINECT™ for Xbox 360® from Warner Bros allows players to experience Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the wizarding world like never before!  Through the innovative KINECT capability, each player can scan their face to create a wizard avatar in their likeness – and then play as their avatar in the game. Using controller-free and voice recognition technology available only on KINECT, players will attend Hogwarts, interact with professors, students and friends, call out spells to cast against opponents, brew potions, and even fly as they race on broomsticks to be the first to catch the Golden Snitch in a Quidditch match.

GAME FEATURES:

• For the first time, create a witch or wizard character in your likeness that will become part of the gameplay through KINECT’s scanning technology.
• Experience unforgettable moments from all eight films -- from having your wand choose you at Ollivanders and being Sorted as a first-year student at Hogwarts, to battling You-Know-Who in a climactic wizard battle.
• Cast spells at your opponents by performing the proper casting manoeuvres and calling out spell names using KINECT’s controller-free and voice recognition capabilities.
• Hone your casting, brewing and duelling skills (among others) in class to unlock even more lessons and challenge
• Challenge a friend in competitive mini-games, or join forces against a mutual opponent in co-op games.
• Jump, duck and dodge the wild branches of the Whomping Willow, swipe at annoying and sometimes dangerous pixies, repel terrifying Dementors, swim among Grindylows in the lake, and shove opponents out of the way as you soar above the Quidditch Pitch.

We were sent a copy to play and the children have been transforming themselves into wizards waving their wands and shouting out spells as they immerse themselves into the magical world of Hogwarts.  The animation is quite realistic (even a little bit scary in parts which justifies it being a PEGI 12) and is very true to the imagery of the films.

The game incorporates all eight of the films, so you can recreate your favourite magical moment from the entire Harry Potter series.  There are competitive mini-games to play and you can join forces in the co-op multiplay mode to help each other out of tricky moments.  The game includes all the main characters including the terrifying Voldemort a.k.a. He Who Must Not Be Named, who you meet in a climactic showdown.  Scary stuff!

The real fun of this game is the fact you can create your avatar in your own (similar) likeness which heralds the beginning of an exciting technological breakthrough in gaming.  The use of voice recognition is also a great addition with huge potential for the future.  I look forward to seeing where this technology takes us next!

This is a must have for Potter fans who will enjoy immersing themselves in the magical world of wizardry.  It is not designed for younger children, which is a shame as little ones would love to see themselves on screen with Harry Potter.  But older kids will thoroughly enjoy this innovative game.  The Quidditch game is proving very popular with my children, bringing Hogwart's favourite sport straight to our living room.

Available now at Amazon.co.uk and other good stockists.

Rise of the Guardians Game Review

Let your imagination soar in Rise of the Guardians: The Video Game as you play as one of the classic childhood legends, including: North (aka Santa Claus), Tooth (aka the Tooth Fairy), Bunnymund (aka the Easter Bunny), Sandman, and Jack Frost. In this action-packed adventure game, each Guardian has their own set of extraordinary abilities that will help you take on the evil spirit “Pitch” and his infectious nightmares. Along the way, you’ll unlock new powers and spellbinding special moves that will increase your character’s strength and skills throughout the game, plus you can unleash cool team attacks with your fellow heroes. With drop-in-and-out multiplayer action supporting up to four players on consoles, you and your team of Guardians will work together to protect the hopes, beliefs and imaginations of children all over the world!

FEATURES

• Join Forces with Your Favorite Characters From the Film – Play as one of the classic childhood legends from DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming feature film, Rise of the Guardians, including: North, Tooth, Bunnymund, Sandman, and Jack Frost.
• Battle Pitch in an Epic Adventure – Take on Pitch and his evil nightmares in a deep and intuitive adventure combat game that includes new original enemies designed specifically for each Guardian’s realm.
• Unique Abilities and Upgrades – Unlock power-ups such as weapon upgrades for your character. Plus, earn unique new abilities including special combat moves like a snowball attack, summoning a swarm of miniature tooth fairies, and more!
• Explore Legendary Guardian Realms – Experience the imaginative worlds from Rise of the Guardians, including; Tooth’s Palace, North’s Workshop, Bunnymund’s Warren, and many more.
• Team up in Multiplayer – Swap between any of the characters in drop-in-and-out four-player squad based multiplayer action on consoles.

We were sent a copy of the game that is out today, to try out.  The whole premise of the Rise of the Guardians really appeals to my eldest children.  The idea that these childhood figures are not quite as cute and fluffy as we would believe is a stroke of genius.  They are in fact a kickass crew prepared to battle to protect children throughout the world as long as they still believe.

The game, which is a tie-in of the Dreamworks film, features an elaborate environment to explore where you take on the enemy using special powers.  Swarms of nightmare creatures attack in waves. The fights are quite fast and furious as the legends unleash their powers to keep the nightmares away.  It is visually stunning and the characters are very much like their film counterparts.  The video cut-ins progress the story line and add to the enjoyment of the game.  The ability to switch between characters and the drop in multiplayer option adds variety for some fun sessions and adds to the replay value.

The game play is often seen from above and Kizzy, 10, sometimes lost her character in the melee that was going on, but other than that she managed the controls well.  The attack moves are easy to administer It's a good looking game that has made me really want to watch the film!  I love the edgy characters and the dark interpretation of the childhood legends.  Younger players will be able to handle this game and have fun with the familar cast. More accomplished players, who enjoy a good action/adventure game, will like it too.

Rise of the Guardians is available to purchase now from good stockists for the DS, 3DS, Wii, PS3, XBox 360 and Wii-U.  The XBox 360 game is £29.87 at Amazon.  It is a PEGI 12.

Everyone Sing Review

We love a good sing-a-long in our house.  So games that feature music always become firm favourites.  My girls enjoy grabbing the mics and singing their hearts out together, which is something that I really enjoy witnessing!

Their latest game is Everyone Sing on the XBox which we've been sent to try out.  Compatible with up to four microphones, it allows up to four players to sing together in this first multi-format singing game.  Every single one of the thirty-five hit songs in Everyone Sing has multiplayer options, which means that the more confident singers can sing as the “lead” and less confident singers can be their backing singers. Each song has a version for 2, 3 and 4 players, so you can adapt how you will sing it and no-one will be left out. With multiple party modes including Pass the Bomb, Group Mode, Know Your Song and more, you can truly have the perfect party night in with your friends and family. 

Featuring 35 hit tracks including:

• Nicki Minaj - Your Love
• The Wanted - All Time Low
• Nicole Scherzinger - Poison
• Jessie J - Nobody’s Perfect
• Michael Bublé - Haven’t Met You Yet
• The Noisettes - Don’t Upset the Rhythm
• Dusty Springfield - I Only Want to Be With You
• Taio Cruz - Come on Girl
• CeCe Peniston - Finally
• Rizzle Kicks - Down With the Trumpets
• The Saturdays - Ego
• Gina G - Ooh Ahh… Just a Little Bit
• Pussycat Dolls – Don’t Cha
• Billy Ray Cyrus – Achy Breaky Heart
• A-Ha – Take on Me
• Girls Alound - The Promise
• Marina & the Diamonds - Hollywood
• Example - Kickstarts
• Lionel Richie - All Night Long (All Night)
• Boyzone - Picture of You
• Kate Nash - Do-Wah-Doo
• Black Kids - I’m Not Going to Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance

The selection of songs on the game are quite diverse with some golden oldies alongside some modern hits.  The kids really love the selection, most of which include the song's video to sing along to.  The scoring system is accurate with your notes recorded on screen.  The system for picking who is playing and what part they are singing was a bit complicated at first (as we didn't have any instruction booklet with the test disc) but  the girls worked out what to do and played away happily together, taking turns as the lead singer.  Once a song is completed you get a percentage score which lead to some healthy competition between the girls.

This game is a PEGI 12 due to some of the song lyrics being explicit (what do you expect from Nicki Minaj!)  But I had no problem with Kizzy playing it and didn't hear anything particularly inappropriate.

Everyone Sing is avaialble now from game stockists such as Amazon and Play for the Wii, XBox 360 and PS3.

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

LEGO® Batman™ 2: DC Super Heroes

Our Review Of Lego Batman 2 For The XBox 360

Batman and Robin return in LEGO® Batman™ 2: DC Super Heroes, the highly-anticipated sequel to the best-selling LEGO® videogame of all time, which to date has sold more than 11 million units worldwide.  This time the Dynamic Duo join forces with other famous DC super heroes including Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern to stop the notorious villains Lex Luthor and The Joker from destroying Gotham City.   Batman fans of all ages will enjoy a new and original story filled with classic LEGO videogame action and humour as players fight to put the bad guys back behind bars.

We were sent a copy of Lego Batman 2 for the XBox 360 to try out.  I was particularly excited about this as I had had a sneak peek of the game at the Warner Bros Blogger Event earlier in the year where it was demonstrated on a cinema sized screen.

The most exciting development in this title is that for the first time the characters can speak, allowing for plot progression using dialogue.  Favourite characters are beautifully portrayed in Lego form and you can get to play as some other iconic comic heroes such as Superman, who can even fly!

A whole host of vehicles such as the Batmobile and Batwing can be used in the game, and new suits and gadgets allow the characters to solve certain tasks along the way.  There are super powers to be discovered such as Superman's heat vision and superbreath, making this the most exciting Lego game to date!

Gameplay is solo or co-op which allows for some real family fun as players adopt the roles of the Dynamic Duo et al!  An amazing Gotham City hub can be fully explored which is absolutely breathtaking.  It includes all the famous landmarks such as Wayne Manor. You can the city and interact with the landscape collecting items and discovering mini-games.  Once you complete the game, free-play is unlocked and you can even get to fly over the city as Superman, which I witnessed at the Warner Bros. event.  The addition of the John Williams' Superman theme tune is nothing short of pure genius.

Ian and the kids have been playing Lego Batman 2 and are enjoying the challenge of solving puzzles and completing levels.  The co-op experience is always an enjoyable aspect of the Lego games which my family loves.  The game leads you through the levels quite nicely giving hints along the way making it great for novice gamers and younger players alike.  The use of the suits is an interesting way of solving certain problems.  Robin's Acrobat Suit helps him climb to inaccessible areas and the Invisibility Suit helps Batman to sneak past the security systems.

This game is pure entertainment.  Beautifully made with superb graphics, this game is a joy.  The soundtrack is very movie-like and the voice talents add an extra element of fun.  My family adored the Lego characters, The Joker being our favourite!  The familiar Lego gameplay of building things and bashing things and collecting things remains the same and is fondly carried out.  The humour is simply brilliant and includes a great deal of slapstick that the little ones giggled at.

There is so much to do in Lego Batman 2.  For instance there are 250 gold bricks to find (we have about 3!!)  Characters and items can be unlocked and levels replayed extending the longevity of this title. It really is fun for everyone, and equally fun to sit and watch being played which is a real bonus for those of us who don't get a go on the XBox very often! 

Lego Batman 2 is currently available to buy from GAME for £34.99.

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

Mario Party 9 Review

Mario Party 9 on the Nintendo Wii...Fun for all the Family!

The ninth instalment of the Mario Party gaming series for the Nintendo Wii is now available.  The colourful characters and lush Mushroom Kingdom landscapes provide the perfect setting for some fabulous family fun.

In a change from its predecessors, Mario Party 9 has opportunities for teamwork as the characters travel around the playing board together in a vehicle collecting mini-stars, each taking turns to captain the team.  You can compete in eighty Mini-Games, many of which are suitable for younger players allowing them to join in the fun and keeping the party atmosphere going for everyone.  Everyone unites against the bosses who are Bowser's minions who are trying to steal the stars.  This common goal makes for a much more relaxed gaming atmosphere which is more family friendly.  There is no cut-throat competitiveness which is something that I really liked. The characters' animations and antics really are quite adorable and kept the kids entertained.  

There is a solo mode on this game, but the real joy of it is the party mode which is for up to four players.  The mix of co-operation and competition is just right for keeping the atmosphere relaxed and fun for everyone.  And as many games are purely down to chance, the playing field is levelled for younger children to participate in.

We were sent the game to try out along with ideas to have a real 'Mario Party' Party!  The Super Mario hat was a big hit!  

Daddy, Ella and Kizzy joined forces in the whimsical adventures of Mario, Toad, Daisy, Peach, Koopa and friends as they journeyed across the boards, battled Bowser and competed in fun mini-games.  Freddy joined in too by cheering them on and wearing Mario's hat.  He loved the characters and the iconic Mario soundtrack to the game.

It really was a lot of fun.  Kizzy said "Some of the mini games are a bit tricky, but it is really fun and a lot of laughs!"

Ella did rather well in a lot of the games.  She enjoyed it better than Mario Party 8 and enjoyed playing with her younger siblings.  She is quite a gamer and had a solo game against the computer, which she enjoyed winning!

Ian enjoyed the family fun element of the game.  It made a nice change from his usual shoot 'em up genre of gaming and he said it was "a bit of fun, great to play with the kids!"

Mario Party 9 was definitely great fun for the family and good for mixed aged and ability players. Removing some of the more cut-throat elements and incorporating team work into the gameplay is definitely a step in the right direction for our family, but might make this game a bit too 'gentle' for more ardent gamers!

It is available to purchase for the Nintendo Wii now.

Just Dance Kids

Since we've got ourselves an XBox Kinect we have been far more active as a family, jumping around in front of our TV and having fun!  What I really love is how 2 year old Freddy can join in with us without us worrying about him flinging an expensive controller across the room...or worse still through the TV!  He has got the idea of what he needs to do to play the games and his favourite genre is definitely Dance games, but they can be quite tricky to follow.

It is good to see Ubisoft coming up with a Dance Game that is aimed specifically at young children and their love of dancing.  Some of the adult games have complicated choreography that a child may struggle to do (heck...I struggle to do some of the moves!!)  So Just Dance Kids is a game designed just for them!

Featuring fun and simple routines with colourful backgrounds, children can dance along to pop hits, tunes from their favourite TV shows and classic nursery songs.  The moves are safe and easy, designed with kids in mind.  The game itself is simple to navigate with easy to use icons.  Kids get to dance along with fellow children on screen which is a cute touch.  A parent's section allows grown ups to choose the playlist and keep check on their child's progress, if they want to keep tabs on what their child is doing.  (Personally I prefer to join in too!!)

Just Dance Kids is available for XBox Kinect, PS3 Move and Wii.  The XBox allows 2 players head to head or in co-op mode, Move and Wii allow up to 4 players if you have enough controllers!

The whole family can join in and boogie to 40 favourite tunes such as Whip My Hair by Willow Smith,  Accidentally in Love from The Shrek movie, Jingle Bells, Jump Up! from The Imagination Movers and Song 2 by Blur!  It's a mixed bag of music that will appeal to kids of all ages as they strut their funky stuff!  It is very current and relevant to youngsters' tastes.

Kids can have fun and get exercise while playing on their favourite games consoles.  No more couch potato kids!  I applaud Ubisoft for creating a game that will get this younger generation up and moving from a very young age, rather than playing on a sedentary game.  It also teaches them a few moves to impress their mates at the school disco!

Just Dance Kids is available to buy at Amazon currently for £22.49 on Wii and Kinect and £37.39 on PS3.  Perfect as a Christmas present for a little one which will provide hours of fun!

Lego, Harry Potter and X Box ...a Winning Combination!

Following on from years 1-4 comes the next instalment of the Lego Harry Potter gaming experience.  Based on the final 3 books, players get to enjoy Harry's heroic adventures in the wizardry and Muggle worlds!  Available on all platforms, the game builds up to the ultimate battle between Harry and Voldermort.  With new challenges, over 200 characters to unlock, more magic and levels that include exploring Grimmauld Place, the Ministry of Magic and Godric's Hollow, this is the ultimate game for Harry Potter fans!  We were sent the XBox 360 version to try out.

My kids love Harry Potter, Lego and the XBox...so we were onto a winner from the outset!  They hadn't played the first game but it didn't matter.  From the first introductory film clip, they were mesmerised.  The storyline is very true to the films which delighted them as they played.

The levels are big and impressive looking with lots to explore and discover.  Your character can interact with the environment which is really pleasing and fun! The graphics are colourful and smooth and it looks great with massive attention to detail.  With collectibles, things to unlock and puzzles to solve, this is a game that will last for ages.  You can play as different characters, switching between them with a press of a button.  This allows you to complete different tasks.

Harry uses his wand to cast spells to solve problems with satisfying results.  It is magic!!  More spells are unlocked as play progresses.  There is some potion making and broomstick flying too.  This game captures all the fun of being a wizard!

The game is recommended for ages 7+ as it contains scenes of 'violence' and 'fear'.  The storyline does have some very dark elements but the gameplay is not at all scary and is handled lightly and with humour.  The death eaters are really quite sweet!  It is made to be fun and to appeal to younger children and adults alike, and there are lots of laughs along the way.  There is of course an element of battling involved as 'he who can't be named' inevitably meets Harry in their showdown!  But it isn't a violent game...after all, they are Lego characters!

Kizzy aged 9 found the levels challenging, but in a good way that adds to the longevity of the game.  Things need to be done in a certain order so that the gameplay progresses, but there are a lot of clues to point you in the right direction.  The satisfaction of completing each step was met with whoops of joy and cries of "I did it!!"!   She also loved exploring the landscape and making the characters do silly things like whizzing down a slide, flying through the London Eye or swimming in a pond!  She was thoroughly entertained by this visual treat.

Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 is available on all formats with prices starting from £17.99.  The XBox game currently costs £35.71 on Amazon.  It can be played by 1 or 2 players with a drop in/out co-op mode. We are extremely impressed with this game which appeals to Kizzy, her 15 year old sister and their 42 year old dad!  It's nice to have a game that the whole family can enjoy together and assist each other in working out puzzles.  This is definitely another great game in the Lego video game range!  A perfect present for playing over Christmas!