droolicious : 7 days of video games

7 Days of Video Games: Ratatouille

elizabeth leach — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Nintendo GameCube's Ratatouille is a video game I can get into because I love to eat (and I liked the movie). In the game, you are Remy, the rat, and you experience cooking challenges as you escape from dangerous and hungry enemies.

The goal of the game is to fulfill Remy’s dream of becoming a great chef. The movie is relived throughout the game as well as experiencing Paris from the point of view of Remy.

Buy it at Toys R Us for $19.99. For ages six and up.

7 Days of Video Games: Disney Princess Enchanted Journey

Chris Ford — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 12:03:00 GMT

If you've got a Wii and a little girl who is really into princesses, then chances are you've probably looked this game over. And while in my experience it's not really a very good video game per se, it does have one thing that makes it better than most of the games on the Wii we have (and I'm not just talking about the fact that it features the Disney princesses). It's a game my three year old daughter and I can actually play together, which is what it's really all about.

The game is pretty simple. You get to be a princess (that you customize with hair, dress, jewelry etc.) that goes around and helps all of the Disney princesses. There are Jasmine, Cinderella, Snow White and Ariel "stories" that you become a part of, and you run around their respective kingdoms helping defeat bad goblins that turn into butterflies with your magic. Sounds mind-numbing, right? Well, it kind of is, but my daughter loved it not just for the stories, but because she could play too.

The game is played with the Wii "Nunchuck" (the thumb controller that attaches to the normal "Wiimote" controller) and the "Wiimote." You use the Nunchuck to run around in the game, and you use the Wiimote to wave your wand and shoot magic at the bad guys. The way my daughter and I played it was she was in charge of the wand and I was in charge of running our character around the map. The system worked out really well, and after a few weeks of playing it here and there we even finished the game.

The game itself doesn't seem to be written very well. It has lots of glitchy moments when you can't figure out where you're supposed to go, the audio levels are all over the place making it hard to hear the story sometimes, and to play you have to be physically much closer to your television than most other Wii games I've played. It also doesn't look nearly as polished as most other Wii games out there, but if you're looking for a game that you can do with someone who quite frankly isn't coordinated or old enough to play a video game by themselves, then this is a game you might want to check out.

Ultimately, it's a good example of how well the unique Wii controller system works, and how it's the best video game system out there for families.

Buy Disney Princess: Enchanted Journey for the Wii for $19.99 (cheap) from Amazon.
And shop Amazon for a Wii System (if you can find one).

7 Days of Video Games: Leapster Learning Game System

Heather Kuldell — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:56:00 GMT

We are a family of geeks. With geekdom comes the burden of too many game systems, a pile of peripherals, and of course, calls of “When is it my turn?” from the little guy. Despite the sexy lure of the PS3, DS and Wii, I prefer he logs in hours with his Leapster.

LeapFrog has released the Leapster2 since I got the Leapster a few years ago, but the original is still a solid system. Ours is about two years old and remarkably, despite hundreds of drops, it works. Both of the Leapsters play the same game cartridges, which feature educational games rated by grades (pre-K, kindergarten, etc). Kids advance by counting, identifying letters, or as they get older, doing math problems or reading. This alleviates the guilt some parents may feel for letting their kids play. I don’t have that guilt, but at least I don’t have to share my DS.

Part of the reason I’m recommending the original Leapster is that it’s pretty cheap now that the new one’s out. (The difference, besides the sleeker appearance is that the Leapster2 connects to additional games online.) You can snag them for $49.99 on LeapFrog’s site. Don't forget to get some rechargeable batteries.

7 Days of Video Games - Say Hello to the Lego Universe

SunnyChanel — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:22:00 GMT

First they were just a set of simple building blocks coming from Denmark in 1934, then they got fancy with play set kits that created castles, dinosaurs and Death Stars, after establishing four of their very own lands, this company has proved to be unstoppable. If you haven’t guessed by now, I’m speaking of the one and only land of Legos. Now Lego is getting’ some game. On Legouniverse.com you can play a whole bunch of games for preschoolers, action games such as “Ultimate Lightsaber Duel”, or puzzles such as “Junkbot Undercover”, brainy tasks such as “Creative Builder” or just feel the love for all the bricks with Lego Fever. Soon they’ll be launching their MMOG (or Massively Multiplayer Online Game.) There are a variety of games you can play for free or there are a variety of “Premium games” ($19 for Lego Fever) that you have to purchase to play. Lego brick, Lego Land now Lego Game Play, it really is a Lego Universe.

7 Days of Video Games: Fun Freebies

Lisa Mulcahy — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:28:00 GMT

My son is almost two and he loves TV and video games. (So damn you American Academy of Pediatrics for making me feeling like a completely inadequate mother for letting him indulge in a little, not overly excessive, screen time.) But since the whims of toddlers are unpredictable I don’t believe in spending too much on toys or games. If it’s free it’s for me. Here’s a couple of kid-tested mother-approved websites with free video games.

Most cable TV channels like Noggin, Nick Jr., and Discovery Kids have websites with online activities and games (that with a little help even a 2-year old can do). See for yourself and don’t be afraid to let your kids click away. Despite what the experts say I think my son has learned a lot from TV and the computer.

7 Days of Video Games: Secret of Bird Island

Erin Behan — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:10:00 GMT

I know nothing of video games. I barely played them as a kid (my parent were slow to adopt everything, last to get a microwave and didn't understand the lure of Atari), so my few video game experiences involve such hard-to-miss classics as Pac Man, Miss Pac Man, Frogger and Space Invaders. That means I had to work extra hard to find a video game that works for kids (besides Garage Band--even I know about that one) and is unique without being lame. I think I found it, although true game addicts may already have cycled through it as it's more a 2007 release vs. 2008.

One of the reasons I was drawn to the Secret of Bird Island is that it's not like most video games. It's more of a mystery-adventure than a move-through-the-levels Donkey Kong game (Do rent The King of Kong if you haven't.) The plot involves a dead grandfather and a quest to photograph as many birds as possible in their natural habitat. Authentic bird songs, points for better photos and the ability to send them to friends outside the game have me sold, but if you need convincing, try the 60-minutes of free game time available at Large Animal Games, or pay just $19.95 for unlimited play.