droolicious : lucasarts

Free LEGO Indiana Jones PC Game Demo Available Starting Today

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:03:00 GMT

We'll forgive you if you didn't bookmark LucasArts' LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures website the other day like we suggested -- we parents do have 8 million or so more important things to worry about, after all. However, if you only make one trip to the site, today's the day, as LucasArts and Games for Windows have released a demo of the upcoming LEGO Indy-themed video game, which is hitting stores June 3. Head here for the demo, and mark your calendars: The movie opens May 22.

If you don't have a PC or don't care about game demos, grab your junior archaeologist and head to Cartoon Network's LEGO Indiana Jones site for a round of fun (and funny) LEGO Indy mini-movies. And don't forget your hat...

LEGO Indiana Jones Game Site Launches; Demo Coming May 13

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:09:00 GMT

Just as we were getting cozy with Cartoon Network's LEGO-themed spin on everyone's favorite Nazi-fighting, AARP-card-carrying archaeologist, LucasArts rolled out its own LEGO Indiana Jones website, this one based around the LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures video game that's hitting stores June 3.

Loaded with fun Flash content, the site is also packed with news, trailers and game details, as well as a treasure-hunt feature that lets you collect points toward stickers, wallpaper and other gimcracks promoting what, if past experiences with LEGO Star Wars are any indication, is looking to be the summer's most awesome kids' game. (Illicitly obtained copies of Grand Theft Auto IV excepted.)

As you and your kids are playing around the site today, be sure to bookmark it: LucasArts and Games for Windows have a PC demo of LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures slated for release on May 13, nine days before the latest Indy movie hits theaters. The final game, which is rated E 10+, will also ship for Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS.

Video Game Review: Thrillville: Off The Rails (Rated E10+)

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 21:32:00 GMT

The original Thrillville made you a rollercoaster mad scientist in charge of your own left-field amusement parks, but unlike its customization-obsessed competition, Rollercoaster Tycoon, the game delivered a bigger payoff when you unlocked the numerous minigames (from miniature golf to bumper cars) hidden throughout it. Thrillville: Off The Rails continues that theme, but this time, the coaster action is so intense that you'll want to take your time getting to the parks' other diversions.

Because of Thrillville's relatively limited customization (you can go wild building attractions, but the sandbox has obvious borders), kids will take to the theme-park builder much faster than they would in a Tycoon game. It's still not easy, but if your kids can work Tony Hawk's skatepark builder, they should adapt quickly to the principles here.

Each of the five customizable parks has three themed areas -- from spooky to snowy -- in which you can place attractions, and as you move about the parks, you get to observe and interact with your guests (some of whom are downright rude!) and learn what makes them tick... and yak. To that point, the coaster action this time is just bananas, with features such as nitro-powered jumps, parachute landings and full 90-degree drops making good on the title's premise to go literally off the rails.

Again, this wouldn't be a Thrillville title without tons of minigames, and besides bringing back 20 old standbys from the original, Off The Rails adds 14 new minigames to the mix ("Stunt Rider" is shown below). And, just as the game experience varies across consoles, so does that of the minigames. (I personally reviewed the Xbox 360 version, which, besides having Xbox Live content, also packs easily the sharpest graphics next to the PC version.) You haven't truly experienced "Robot Boxing" till you've punched and swung it out on the Wii remote.

Thrillville: Off The Rails is available now for Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 2, PSP, PC and Nintendo DS.