Adam Sandler once sang in The Wedding Singer,”All I wanna do is grow old with you,” which for many, whether we intended to or not, happened in the case of Mario and friends . Till this day, we can still see small children getting introduced to the ever flourishing franchise.
Who are we talking about? We are talking about the short, confident, Italian plumber who wears a trade mark red hat and overalls. Throw in his taller, more socially awkward younger brother who sports an identical outfit only in green. Also in the mix would be the dragon like figure bent on kidnapping a certain princess of the mushroom Kingdom.
Now Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Princess Peach and many other familiar faces are back for another game. So what’s happening in the world of Mario now? There are so many examples that could be used to explain the whole situation but the most simple is one quote:
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” READ MORE »
Ubisoft’s Quebec studios created an original IP titled Battle of Giants, the series grew in popularity to spawn a sequel – Battle of Giants: Dragons which has hit store shelves For the Nintendo DS and DSi.
This unique game focuses on giant beasts (dragons in this game’s case) that you use and duel with other players. The 3D engine is quite impressive and the promise of a deep upgrade centric quest ensures that you’ll always be playing hard to get that extra power up to best your friends with.
Adding to the list is a cross promotional card game that takes the experience beyond the game.
Pretty cool stuff, now lets bring on Dragons vs. Dinosaurs
Elementary my dear.
After almost a year and then some we finally get another Layton game in our grubby little hands. It’s sort of funny as I mentioned in the preview that Japan is on its 4th title and the series is fairly popular there and here is hoping it catches steam in North America. The title is developed by Level 5 who have been handling this small franchise called DRAGON QUEST. The thing that strikes me about The Professor Layton series is how it can be called a true successor to old-school point and click adventure games. Almost every artistic scenery is littered with interactive madness, whether it’s coins that need to be uncovered, a scene to be analyzed or your traditional brain teaser that needs to be solved. Combine the fact that the game follows a very well told story which runs at a decent 12 hours with over 150 puzzles and you have a solid title that is a must buy for gamers of any age group but especially those nostalgic for the old school adventure games. READ MORE »
ENTER THE MANSION
Layton, you’ve done it again.
Professor Layton is one of those unique titles that’s really hard to explain. The game isn’t just a puzzle/brain teaser compilation, it’s not entirely an old school adventure, nor is it a complete role playing game… its all of these combined into one of the most intriguing packages available on the DS and DSi. Developed by the fine folks at Level 5, who are responsible for some serious gems in gaming, the North American sequel should be on store shelves as we speak and it’s a title that’s not to be missed out on. READ MORE »
Coming this fall Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment is bringing you a party game compilation for all you party game fans!!
Yes it’s a double dosage with Game Party 3 and Touch Master 3 for Wii and the later for the DS.
Game Party 3 for wii features 19 game modes, customizable characters and 16 player tournament brackets to boot. No word if the title will use the Wii motion plus.
Touch Master 3 features a co-op game play mechanic that will have you playing through 20 plus games. Both games have been rated E for Everyone.
Encore once more…
You know what’s funny? I did a bit of digging around before I got down to writing my review and realized that the DS version of Guitar Hero has seen its third offering in about a years time. So you know it’s been selling relatively well to merit a sequel and since the Guitar Hero Brand is popular there is no stopping this juggernaut on any platform. Despite that it’s a bit too quick to be releasing so many sequels if you ask me.
With Activition’s third offering for the DS we dive into the basic same game with a different playlist and more broad approach to single player progression. Save for a few key setbacks this has become my favorite Guitar Hero title on the DS simply because of the aforementioned feature and playlist.
Now andPOP has reviewed the previous iterations so for a full understanding I will kindly ask you to refer to those in depth reviews to get a broader understanding of the game.
I find it funny that this game actually took physical form, it couldn’t be download only on the DS, but had they gone that way I wouldn’t be surprised since that’s the amount of content that’s packed within the cart. That’s not to say it’s not worth a pick up if you are a huge fan of the series on the DS but if you’ve played and owned the previous two versions than you’ve essentially played the third. Now if you don’t have any of the DS incantations then this is the version you have to pick up. READ MORE »
Nintendo is giving us all a treat.
Flipnote Studio, a free download application for the DSi is currently available (again, for free) from the Nintendo DSi Shop. This application gives users the ability to create quick simple animations, or highly detailed cartoons in a similar fashion to old school notepad flipping.
Utilizing a set of simple (yet extremely useful) tools anyone, and I mean anyone, can create an animation of their own with ease. Amateur animators can then register on Hatena’s website, upload their animations, and even download other users animations and then edit them to their own taste. Flipnote animations may also be shared through the DSi’s local wireless feature as well as saved onto a SD card. READ MORE »
Fans of the 1963 Maurice Sednak classic children’s book are in for a treat this fall. Warner Bros. has just announced a Where the Wild Things Are video game to coincide with the feature film release. The movie adaptation is directed by Spike Jonze and releases on October 16, 2009. Expect the game to launch sometime around then.
In the video game, players assume the role of the rambunctious young Max and can explore the island of the Wild Things, journey across its dangerous terrain, overcome hazardous obstacles and battle fierce creatures. “Through their action-filled adventure, players will team-up with the Wild Things – each with their own unique skills or special talents – learn valuable new abilities and work together to find a way to safety, ” said Samantha Ryan, senior vice president, Production and Development, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.
Where the Wild Things Are is being developed for the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 by Amaze Entertainment, a Foundation 9 studio, and for Nintendo DS by WayForward.
Yep, that’s right Might and Magic are back yet again, but this time in portable DS goodness. While I’m still unsure on the mechanics of this Might and Magic title (strategy puzzler?) you cannot deny the awesomeness the trailer provides for a portable taste of fantasy brand goodness.
While Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes is only coming out this fall, we have a nice little trailer to keep us excited until the actual release date. Developed by Toronto independent Capybara Studios, the Might and Magic brand continues to live on, on a much smaller scale. To see this trailer, continue on will this article. READ MORE »
Two versions of the upcoming Mega Man Star Force 3 title are coming to North America this week. Black Ace and Red Joker, this two-game setup allows friends to share unique items and powers through Nintendo’s Wi-Fi connectivity in order to enhance their individual characters.
Rated E for everyone by the ESRB and going for around $30, this latest installment of the Mega Man title offers everything fans of the blue bomber have come to enjoy in a new story with new weapons, bad guys and features. READ MORE »
