droolicious : ps2

Logitech Wireless Axe: the Next-Best Thing to Having Real Strings?

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:30:00 GMT

Sure, you could get a real guitar for the price of this $199.99 Logitech Wireless Guitar Controller, but if you don't actually play a real guitar, well, why lower your standards?

Officially licensed for Guitar Hero, the PlayStation 2- and 3-ready controller features solid-body construction, a real wooden neck, a rosewood fingerboard, and metal frets and peg handles, along with a touch-sensitive neck slider and Star Power button that let you rip through all those Metallica solos. It's got a 30-foot wireless range, too, so you and the fam can really make the living room your stage.

Unleash your inner rock god, you big nerd, at Logitech.

Coraline Videogame Hits Stores Today

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:00:00 GMT

We're still over a week away from seeing Neil Gaiman's Coraline come to life on the big screen, but the videogame version of Coraline -- which hit stores today for Wii, DS and PS2 -- promises to keep us occupied (or at least creeped out) before the ticket lines open.

Starting out as faithful to its subject, Coraline puts you in the role of the story's heroine (here, as in the movie, voiced by Dakota Fanning), who's just moved with her family to the Pink Palace apartments, a complex where nothing is as it seems. Unlike the movie, Coraline the game lets you embark on all sorts of unscripted adventures, including minigames, as you journey into the "other" world beyond the secret door of your new home.

Check out the trailer below for a closer look. True, the movie's 3D stop-motion animation doesn't quite pop when sized down for game consoles, but it's nice to see the eerie ambience at least didn't get lost (much) in translation.

Rated E10+ for mild cartoon violence and mild suggestive themes (read: spooky stuff), Coraline is available at Amazon.

Grow Your Hair, Mount Your WarBeast: It's Rock Band Time

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Bring your family room one fretboard closer to Rock Band Valhalla with DreamGear's WarBeast wireless PS2 ands PS3 guitar.

With a design straight out of the metalhead-exalted B.C. Rich catalog, the full-sized axe features a removable faceplate, an extended whammy bar, a dedicated "Star Power" button, and custom detailing on its neck and inlays. It's also compatible with Guitar Hero and Rock Revolution games, as well as with pretty much anything covered in skulls.

$99.99 from Amazon.

Aly & AJ's Axes Keep Guitar Hero and Rock Band Where the Girls Are

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:04:00 GMT

Most Rock Band and Guitar Hero instruments are either blandly gender-neutral or totally dude-centric -- not so with these new axes from PDP, "co-designed" by teen pop sensations Aly & AJ for the huge, if not always well-represented, majority of girl gamers.

Available for PS2 and Wii, both guitars feature the same whammy bars, colored fret buttons and selector controls you'll find on most guitar controllers. The big difference is in the design: Aly's guitar (bottom), stamped with a heart-and-crossbones print, is the more traditional of the two, while AJ's heart-shaped guitar (top) features an oversized heart-shaped body and a zebra-style print.

$69.99 from PDP. [Via Popgadget]

Very Big Toys: Monster Lab to Keep Halloween Going Through November

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 18:04:00 GMT

In Monster Lab, you play an Igor-style apprentice who's tasked with creating a Frankenstein of your very own out of some 150 monster parts. Sounds like any kid's dream Halloween game right? Well, you'll have to wait until Nov. 4 (or Nov. 30 for the PS2 version) to get your ghoul on, but we've got some teaser video and screenshots to keep you and the little monsters sated till then. Plus, if you're like me, the year pretty much ends after Halloween, anyway, so having something gruesome to look forward to in November is like finding an extra treat at the bottom of your candy bag.

Shown above, Eidos' trailer for the game can provide more context than these admittedly out-of-context screen shots do, but considering Monster Lab's basic premise -- make your monster; explore the land; seek out other monsters to clobber in battle; and embark on a series of quests and mini-games -- we don't suspect the game will take long to figure out:

Rated E10+, Monster Lab hits stores Nov. 4 for Wii ($39.99 from Amazon) and DS ($29.99 from Amazon), and Nov. 30 for PS2 ($29.99 from Amazon).

Unveiled Today: AirG Controller for Upcoming 'PopStar Guitar'

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:04:00 GMT

Guitar Hero and Rock Band purists may be sniggering, but thanks to a nearly 50-song set list that includes the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Maroon 5 and other pop groups that teens and tweens actually dig (no offense to Aerosmith and Blue Oyster Cult, of course), XS Games' upcoming PopStar Guitar for Wii and PS2 seizes on both games' inherent flaws.

Going a step further toward kid-friendliness, the Wii version of PopStar Guitar will bum out purists even more, as it doesn't even require a guitar controller to be played. Unveiled today, the AirG peripheral (pictured above) turns your Wii Remote into a veritable air guitar. Just slip it on, throw on the game and start fretting -- well, without needing to "fret," of course. (Sorry; couldn't resist.)

Hey now, you're a PopStar: Shredding off-screen (left, obviously) and on with the AirG.

Rated "T" for Teen (but presumably more "Tween" in reality), PopStar Guitar for Wii includes two AirG controllers and is currently set at $59.99. The $29.99 PS2 version doesn't included a proprietary controller, but it'll work with any PS2 licensed guitar peripheral. Both versions of the game are due to hit stores Nov. 11 in time for the holidays.

Loving LEGO Batman: The Videogame

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:04:00 GMT

Even though the incredible LEGO Star Wars saga and equally worthy LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures were serious video games for serious players, they maintained enough levity that kids and casual gamers alike could still giggle their way through the games' more intense levels. But what happens when you bring Batman to the series -- can the Dark Knight (especially the Christian Bale version) retain his brooding edge in a world made of block-people and visual punchlines?

The answer, I'm happy to say, is sort of: LEGO Batman: The Videogame's visuals are sufficiently dark and gritty, and the Danny Elfman soundtrack is a great mood-setter, but come on, this is still a LEGO game: Don't expect to see the Joker's magic trick done with minifigures.

Like its predecessors, LEGO Batman offers a ton of cutscene goofiness, and the game's cartoon violence, while intense enough to keep things exciting, is likely no worse than what your kids are already acting out with their own minifigures (at least if they're like my boys): Stuff flies around, minifigs break apart, and the villains (including some lesser-known ones -- Clayface and Man-Bat, anyone?) stay on your trail. That is, if you're not being a bad guy yourself.

You begin your journey through Gotham City playing as Batman and Robin, but the heroes only account for half the action in LEGO Batman's 30 levels: The remaining 15 levels find you completing the story as villains -- from Joker and Riddler to the aforementioned lesser baddies -- in a nice twist on the way LEGO games usually force you embrace your dark side in Free Play mode.

The game's core features, on the other hand, will be pleasantly familiar to anyone familiar with LEGO Star Wars or Indiana Jones. Besides having the new ability to buy vehicles and actually play them (hands down, one of the game's best breaks with formula), you collect studs, including pieces of minikits, as you move through the levels fighting bad guys.

The AI, unfortunately, is a bit weak, so there are times when you're playing alone as one character while your buddy just sort of lags behind you. As an older, more patient gamer, I was mildly put off by what's now an expected element of any LEGO game, but my kids (5 and 8) often got frustrated when playing the game alone, especially during puzzles and other challenges that require two characters to interact. Definitely plug in a second controller for this if you've got one -- it makes the game all that much better.

Rated "E10+," LEGO Batman: The Videogame is available everywhere for PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, PC, Sony PSP and Nintendo DS, and if you pick up an Xbox 360 Core Arcade Bundle at Amazon (click for offer details), they're also throwing in a copy of the game free.

Monopoly Razes Atlantic City, Dumps Dollar, Goes Global

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:04:00 GMT

If you caught CBS' The Early Show yesterday, you probably already got a first glimpse at Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition, the completely overhauled version of the world's most-played board game (half a billion players and counting, according to the game's parent company, Hasbro). This time out, Mr. Monopoly's empire has expanded far beyond Atlantic City's borders, thanks to a six-week worldwide voting campaign that found some 5 million people chiming in on how they'd like the new version to look.

As you might expect, the results are pretty wide in scope: From a whole new global currency (the "M"-represented Monopoly Dollar), to a complete overhaul of the playing spaces (they're now cities, with the 4-million "M" Montreal claiming the blue high-rent spot most of us remember as Boardwalk), all the way to to more worldly-looking houses, hotels and playing pieces:

For all it adds, Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition also scales back on some familiar items: For instance, paper money has been replaced by bank cards and an electronic banking unit, and the familiar old utilities have given way to green-themed renewable sources such as wind and solar energy. Plus, thanks to EA's upcoming video-game versions, including the Aug. 27 debut of the game on mobile phones (via download) and at Pogo.com, you can do away with the board altogether.

Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition is also slated to hit Wii, Xbox 360, PS2 and PS3 in October, but if you're online for the game's Aug. 27 Pogo.com and mobile rollout (at 14:00 GMT, specifically), you can join players across the globe in an attempt to set a world record for the most people ever playing a game of Monopoly at the same time.

Oh, and fear not, classicists: You'll still be able to buy the old-school, Atlantic City-centric edition with your worthless U.S. dollar. As for the rest of the world, see you in Montreal...

The Babble Review: Kung Fu Panda the Game

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:04:00 GMT

Unfortunately for the often great kids' movies that spawn them, video games based on CGI animated flicks tend to be so generic, bug-laden and unplayable that they end up doing more harm to the franchise than good (I'm looking at you, Ratatouille). So my expectations going into Kung Fu Panda, the new game based off the awesome Jack Black flick many Babble readers have no doubt been standing in line for the past few weekends, were a little less than high. Sometimes, though, it's good to be wrong: Not only is Kung Fu Panda one of the better movie spinoffs to hit game consoles in recent memory; it's also one of the more enjoyable kids' games that've landed in our mailbox this summer.

In a Nutshell: If you're an experienced gamer, you'll probably want to skip Kung Fu Panda altogether. With its tiny learning curve and relatively simple controls, the game can be beaten in a little less time than it takes to sit through the movie. It's a great game for younger players, though, with a fun script (complete with a dead-on Jack Black sound-alike) that uses the film's story as a springboard for bigger tales, as well as a big, jolly sense of humor to balance its cartoonish kung-fu fighting. And just as importantly, unlike so many movie-themed games, it plays as though it's more than a quick cash-in, with actual care put into easily botched stuff like graphics, gameplay and storyline.

Age-Appropriateness: Full disclosure: I reviewed the Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS versions of Kung Fu Panda with my two sons, 7 and 5, fighting for controller time by my side, so right off the bat I defied the game's "E10+" ESRB rating. Odds are, though, that you may not be considering more than the "E" in a game's rating to determine whether it's suitable for your under-10 kiddoes, and with Kung Fu Panda itself being so appealing to a younger audience (in the theater where we saw it, giggling, cheering preschoolers far outranked any 10-year-olds), I figure it's only sensible to put the game in the hands of the age brackets that are probably asking for it. The good news is, at least one of those age brackets had no problem diving into the game and enjoying it -- more on the other in a bit.

Po and two of the Furious Five take on the evil Tai Lung.

Plot and Gameplay: Kung Fu Panda follows its jelly-bellied title character, a bumbling-but-aspirational panda named Po, across multiple stages on his quest to become the fabled Dragon Warrior and stop the recently prison-busted Tai Lung from returning to destroy the village that spawned them both. Sounds just like the movie, right? Well, unlike the movie, the game packs a host of other animal bad guys to take on, and if you thought Tai Lung's nerve strikes were nasty, just wait till you have to rescue a group of baby turtles from the Croc Gang while flying down whitewater rapids and dodging flying arrows. Other levels allow you to play as Po's warrior counterparts, the Furious Five, or as their master, Shifu, while taking on similarly nasty animal crews created just for the game.

Close call: Crane hoists Po and a baby turtle up, up and away from a hungry croc.

As with other multi-console games, your experience with Kung Fu Panda is going to differ depending on the system on which you're playing it. However, even though the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions offer some bonus content and unlockable items , their basic action doesn't differ much from that of the Wii, PS2 and PC versions. Also, with minigames and missions being key parts of the game, the action isn't completely focused on combat (and I do use that term in the jolliest sense here). Of course, combat makes up the best parts of Kung Fu Panda's action, and your kids will have a blast figuring out the different moves and combos for each character as they clobber their way through the game.

Getting Personal (My Kids' Hands-On Experience): Where gameplay was concerned, my 5-year-old suffered most: After getting his butt kicked in a few rounds of combat and not being able to grasp the controls and combo moves as quickly as he'd hoped, he gave up on the Xbox 360 version. Unfortunately, even though the DS version offers a relatively simpler side-scrolling experience (read: you move from one side to the next, hurdling over obstacles and jumping up to different levels as you go), it ended up being twice as frustrating for the little guy, and he gave up after being unable to clear the first few screens. (Poor kid is still just learning to read, so the reading required to follow instructions -- par for the course in many DS games -- usually ends up being a point of frustration, anyway.)

A shot of Tigress in combat, from the Nintendo DS version.

The good news is that his brother, though three years younger than the ESRB's recommended age for Kung Fu Panda, had no trouble getting cozy with the controls and knocking out the bad guys -- although after playing the far more expansive, open-ended and graphics-rich Xbox 360 version of the game, he rarely went back to the DS version. Out of curiosity, I went back to the DS version and found it a blast, and if your kids are familiar with a game like Spider-Man 3 -- which combines the sort of side-scrolling action mentioned above with clever touchscreen controls (in this case, you move with the directional pad and put together your fighting moves with the stylus/touchscreen), they should have no problem getting cozy with this different, but equally solid, version of the game.

Grab your own copy of Kung Fu Panda the Game at Amazon.

EA's Hasbro Family Game Night Arrives on Wii, PS2 This Fall

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:03:00 GMT

With EA's upcoming Hasbro Family Game Night for Wii and PlayStation 2, you can have all the fun of family board-game night, but without the broken pieces and missing instruction manuals. In stores this fall, the game brings together old-school classics like Connect Four (pictured), Boggle, Yahtzee, Battleship and Sorry! (as well as the new Sorry! Sliders), while its customizable playing area lets you build your own digital rumpus room around the playing boards.

Each game also appears in an alternate version -- from the presumably literally titled Reverse Yahtzee to the no-idea-what-it'll-look-like Boggle Portal Cubes -- and depending on the game, up to four players can join in the action. Oh, and Mr. Potato Head hosts the whole thing, but we don't think he'll break out his angry eyes unless you really start playing dirty.

For more info on Hasbro Family Game Night and other EA titles, visit ea.com.

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 Round-Up: Licensed Fun for Everyone, Part 2

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 20:03:00 GMT

(Screenshot from D3's new Ed, Edd n Eddy: Scam of the Century)

Last week, I rounded up five new licensed video games aimed at kids; this week, part two of my feeble attempt to crawl out from beneath the landslide of licensed properties, with more tie-ins to movies, toys, TV shows and books still yet to come before the holidays. Hooray!

Dr. Seuss's How The Grinch Stole Christmas! (Destination Software)
Available For: DS
The Deal: Aesthetically based as much on the animated spinoff as on Dr. Seuss' classic book (with Jim Carrey thankfully out of sight), this game puts you in the role of the Grinch -- meaning, yes, you use your DS skills to navigate obstacles as you sneak through Who houses, pilfer Who presents, and generally rob Whoville of its Christmas joy. Ho-ho-ho indeed! (It does eventually bring you 180 degrees toward good cheer.)
Who'll Dig It: Any kid whose heart is two sizes too small.

Go, Diego, Go! Safari Rescue (2K Play)
Available For: DS
The Deal: Like its Dora counterpart, this simple-but-fun game puts kids on a quest -- play as Diego to rescue the jungle animals that've had their identities mixed up by a magician's mischievous spells -- and incorporates some nifty features along the way. Among other tricks, you can snap photos with Click, call animals through the DS' microphone, and blow into the mic to ride a hot-air balloon.
Who'll Dig It: Diego fans. (Surprise!)

Ed, Edd n Eddy: Scam of the Century (D3)
Available For: DS
The Deal: Cartoon Network's trio of tricksters lose their trusty scammer's playbook to the neighborhood kids, spending the game's 13 levels tasting their own medicine while uncovering special items and abilities, unlocking minigames, and ultimately recovering the Book of Scams from the dreaded Captain MelonHead.
Who'll Dig It: Fans of the series, obviously (the loose, scribbly animation stays true to the toon's image), although you don't need to be an Ed-head to enjoy the mischief here.

Hot Wheels: Beat That! (Activision)
Available For: Xbox 360, PS2, DS, PC
The Deal: No surprises from the umpteenth Hot Wheels spinoff, although kids won't care: Race through five competitive modes, compete against friends via the multiplayer option, and get special codes (or, just visit the site above to grab 'em) to unlock bonus vehicles. Cool points, however, for recreating the feel of a bedroom track, complete with other toys to dodge and high-speed action beneath the floorboards.
Who'll Dig It: My 7-year-old is a good barometer for most any Hot Wheels game, so let's ask him: Loud noises? Fast cars? Cool-looking tracks? Gold. If you're serious about racing games, skip it.

Shrek: Ogres & Dronkeys (Activision)
Available For: DS
The Deal: In this Shrek-themed spin on the Nintendogs idea, you train and raise your ogre or dronkey offspring, play games (blocks, catch) to sharpen their reflexes and earn bonus items, and finally send the wee beasties into the world for adventures and interaction with other characters from the series.
Who'll Dig It: Any kid who's a fan of train-'em, play-'em-style gaming -- we parents already have our hands full with real monsters.

Holiday Gift for Gamers: Ceramic White PlayStation 2 with SingStar Pop

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 17:02:00 GMT

The buzz on it has been growing for a while, but the sweet-looking SingStar PS2 Pack ($149.99) is finally available everywhere. Unfortunately for those of us not into karaoke games, the only way to score a PlayStation 2 console in ceramic white is to buy this complete bundle, which includes the core system (plus DualShock controller) along with two microphones and a copy of SingStar Pop. At under $150, though, it's a small price to pay, especially if you're not ready to make the much bigger investment in a PS3. Considering the number of great kids' games that continue to roll out for the second-generation system, anyone reading this via Babble probably falls into that category.

THQ's Halloween Treats for Kid Gamers, Part 2: Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 19:02:00 GMT

In lieu of treats this Halloween, our friends at THQ are sharing with Babble.com some exclusive cheats to two of their newest kid-friendly games. Earlier today, we showed you how to beat SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis; this time, it's Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots (Wii, PS2, DS, Game Boy Advance), another Nickelodeon-themed action game rated "E" for Everyone. Suit up as one of your Nicktoons favorites -- Tak, SpongeBob, Timmy Turner, Jimmy Neutron and Danny Phantom -- and battle against Professor Calamitous' army of evil Nicktoon clones.

Spoiler alert! Don't go any further if you want to uncover the game's bonus content on your own. We won't hand-hold you through the individual levels, but if you're interested in finding the unlockable characters, read on...

You'll find unlockable characters in some of the many Master Model Chambers in the Evil Toy Co. Factory, each of which is guarded by the factory's evil toys. Before you can activate the switch to free the trapped/unlockable characters, however, you've got to defeat all of the evil toys in the chamber.

To find Stimpy (above; unlockable character and collectible Master Model):
Go to Factory Zone 1, entry point 3; play as SpongeBob SquarePants to enter the nearby branch; defeat the evil toys in the Master Model Chamber at the end.

To find the Angelica Master Model:
Go to Factory Zone 1, entry point 6; play as Timmy Turner to enter the nearby branch; defeat the evil toys in the Master Model Chamber at the end.

To find the Arnold Master Model:
Go to Factory Zone 3, entry point 2; play as Danny Phantom to enter the nearby branch; defeat the evil toys in the Master Model Chamber at the end.

To find Rocko (above; unlockable character and collectible Master Model):
Go to Factory Zone 2, entry point 3; use Danny Phantom to enter the nearby branch; defeat the evil toys in the Master Model Chamber at the end.

To find the El Tigre Master Model:
Go to Factory Zone 1, entry point 2; play as Danny Phantom to enter the nearby branch; defeat the evil toys in the Master Model Chamber at the end.

To find Jenny/XJ9 (unlockable character and collectible Master Model):
Go to Factory Zone 3, entry point 5; play as Tak to enter the nearby branch, defeat the evil toys in the Master Model Chamber at the end.

THQ's Halloween Treats for Kid Gamers, Part 1: SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:02:00 GMT

In lieu of treats this Halloween, our friends at THQ are sharing with Babble.com some exclusive cheats to two of their newest kid-friendly games. First up, SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis (Rated "E" for Everyone) for the Wii, PS2, DS and Game Boy Advance. Based on the upcoming David Bowie-guested TV special starring everyone's favorite absorbent, yellow, porous kid, the game finds SpongeBob, Patrick and friends taking a magical mystery tour of the lost city of Atlantis, with action-packed treasure hunting and bumbling evildoing (courtesy of Plankton) abounding.

Spoiler alert! Don't read any further if you want to make it through the game on your own. There's also a whole other world of minigames awaiting you in the unlockable Amoeba Arcade, but we had to give you something to look forward to. Let the cheats commence...

Level 1: Tanklantis Plankpantis!
Blast everything in sight as you move through the level; some of the buildings hide valuable pickups inside. Also, if the tank takes too much damage, you’ll need to repair it to keep playing: Watch for the on-screen instructions whenever the tank breaks down.

Level 2: Amulet Adventure!
If you get stuck here, look for any pickups you haven’t collected yet. They may hide clues on where to head next.

Level 3: Snap Happy! (pictured above)
You can lob stale Krabby Patties at people to get them out of your way, but don’t stop taking pictures; that’s why you’re in the museum in the first place! Wake the sleeping curators by hitting them with a Krabby Patty; then, when they way up, snap a picture of them to get bonus points.

Level 4: Magical Musical Journey!
You just need to push the commands as they reach the marker on the screen: the fewer mistakes you make, the better the Atlantean Amulet you’ll earn.

Level 5: Bus Building Bonanza!
Collect spanner pickups to keep the bus going, and be ready to repair the bus if it breaks down: Just follow the on-screen instructions, and remember: Driving over the "boost” strips makes the bus go faster.

Level 6: Tour Trouble!
Don’t wait around here: Push the commands as soon as you can see them!

Level 7: Money Krabbing!
To rack up big scores and earn an Atlantean Amulet, you need to get combos. To do that, collect three falling gems of the same color in sequence.

Level 8: Squidward the Poser! (pictured above)
The faster you complete each sequence here, the more points you score; the more points you score, the closer you are to Alantean Amulets.

Level 9: Paparazzi Patrick!
When the Knowledge Machine asks Patrick a question, help him by throwing a Krabby Patty at the button with the correct answer on it. Earn extra points by throwing a Krabby Patty at the Bus Robots you see around the level. If you snap a photo of the robots after they’ve been hit, you’ll get a bonus.

Level 10: Hide and Sneak!
As you learned in Level 2, the pickups can reveal areas you haven’t been to yet, so if you get stuck, be sure to use pickups for clues on where to go next.

Level 11: Armory Antics!
If you push the commands exactly in the middle of the marker, you can lower the alarm level here and make Plankton’s sneaking even sneakier.

Level 12: Squidward Super Shooter!
You don’t want to run out of shots with Atlantean Guards around, so be sure to reload often! Also, shoot every container you see here: More destruction = more points.

Level 13: Super Tank Showdown! (pictured above)
If you want to get rid of an ice-cream vat here, you need to blast all the nearby buttons first. Next, get rid of all the nearby turrets, and then finally you can splat the vat! Remember that some buildings hide valuable pickups, so if you want to find them all, splat everything you see.

Level 14: Operation: Trash Dash!
Push the commands as they reach the guard. Get enough right, and you’ll earn an Atlantean Amulet.

Video Games: Crash of the Titans Ships for Multiple Platforms

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 12:32:00 GMT

Crash Bandicoot made his debut 11 years ago on the Sony PlayStation, which means that, assuming my math is right, many of us hadn't started breeding when we first got down with the mischievous, planet-saving marsupial. Today, 14 games into the Crash series, the game's developers are still writing code with us in mind: See the Clash of the Titans and (in the game itself) Brokeback Mountain references in the new Crash of the Titans, both guaranteed to soar over our kids' heads while we giggle into our cupped hands.

Crash Of The Titans still finds our hero facing off against the evil Dr. Neo Cortex, who this time has discovered a mysterious substance called "mojo" (another term that'll be fun to explain to kids) and is using it to build an army of mutants out of the Wumpa Islands' peaceful inhabitants. As Crash, you spend the game battling the mutants, a.k.a. Titans, while collecting mojo and showing off your new acrobatic fighting skills; and this time, you've got an added skill called "jacking" that lets you take control of the Titans. (In two-player mode, you can even, er, jack yourself as the mutant-hero Carbon-Crash.) A learning game this isn't, but kids will eat it up -- as will the more slapstick- and action-loving parents among us.

Rated E 10+, Crash of the Titans is available for PS2, Xbox 360, Wii, DS, GBA and PSP.