droolicious : wii

Tony Hawk: Ride Gets You Off the Couch and On the Board

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:00:00 GMT

If this exclusive skateboard controller isn't enough to get you amped for the upcoming videogame Tony Hawk: Ride, the video at the game's teaser site oughta seal the deal. Due later this year for Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360, Ride takes you off the couch and away from the push-button controller, giving you the full-motion freedom to execute grinds, flips, ollies, spins and other tricks using the board's built-in motion controls and accelerometers. Watch for another big announcement around the game at the annual E3 convention on June 2, and check out the controller in action at Gametrailers TV. [Uncrate]

7 Days of Wii Games: Mario Kart

SunnyChanel — Sat, 16 May 2009 15:01:00 GMT

There is one big problem with the Wii Mariokart game. It’s totally addictive. Although my young daughter loves to pretend she’s a ‘big girl’ and can drive, it is totally obvious she is far, and I mean far, from being ready, especially after seeing her attempt to play Mariokart. She found much amusement in trying to hit the other racers while I tried to explain the game was not a version of ‘bumper cars’. Me? Oh I am oh so ready to take this game for a spin, again and again and again. Mariokart is pretty much a wheel barrel gift of sorts for your kid, since it’s a game that is as entertaining for the hard to impress adults as it is the game happy kids.

Mariokart comes bundled with a Wii Wheel that houses your Wii remote in a comfortable touse steering wheel. This enables you to race through crazy courses like a gold mine, the street of Venice and the mall (which slyly features your various Mii characters along the sidelines and in the billboards around the track – it’s always nice to see a familiar face). And speaking of faces, there are oodles of characters you can choose from for your avatar or you can just use your own Mii. With your avatar selected, you race away. Along the way you can earn special powers that can really give you a racing advantage. But you must always be on the lookout for the rogue banana peel, dancing crab or wayward racer.

The game can be playing solo (for after the kid goes to bed), or you can compete with up to three people in the comfort of your own home. You also have the option of logging in to the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and race against, well, the world.

You can pick up your own Mariokart for Wii here for $45.99. But be warned you family will be racing the day (and morning and night) away. So if your kid has homework, you better keep Mariokart hidden.

Finally Beat the Kids at a Game: Retro Duo Video Game System

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:30:00 GMT

Can't find (or afford) a Wii for the family room? Show your kids the fine art of old-school gaming with this Retro Duo Video Game System ($44.99 at Amazon), which plays all those dusty Nintendo and Super Nintendo titles you've had in storage since senior year. You may not get the bells, whistles and wireless action of the Wii, but you'll at least be able to beat the kids at a Mario game for once. [Uncrate]

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.

CES 2009: Game On - An Awesome Video Game Storage System For Your Kids

Chris Ford — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:00:00 GMT

Game On might have, for a lot of parents, the answer to a problem that has been nagging them for a while. How do I keep al of this video game stuff looking neat and all in one place in my house? Well, I think Game On has the solution.

In the picture, you're looking at the one-two punch from Game On - the Video Gaming Storage System (on the top) and the Stash Box on the bottom. Both are made of durable MDF, can take up to 50 pounds of weight (when mounted to a stud) and have been designed to take the wear and tear that children can dish out.

The top portion holds your console (XBOX, WIi, PS3 etc.), has games on top and four side support handles for controllers, guitar controllers or any other gaming associated stuff. It also has curved vents on each side to let air pass through - keeping your console nice and cool.

The Stash Box underneath is meant to work in conjunction with the top portion, and it provides extra storage for more games and DVDs. All put together it's a pretty awesome clutter solution for your kid's room or playroom. At least when you tell them to put their video game stuff away, they'll have a place.

Both are available in black, white, green, red, blue and yellow; and both will cost about $59 each. Neither are availalbe in stores in the US yet, but you can check them out at IWantMyGameOn.com

CES 2009: Pyro Army Chair From Pyramat

Chris Ford — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Here's a new gaming chair from Pyramat that I thought was pretty cool - the Pyro Army Chair. Like some of the other Pyramat chairs it has four speakers (two at the top, two at the bottom) and a big subwoofer. It's called "Army I suppose because of the camouflage patterns and has loads of pockets for whatever your son (most likely) wants to put in them.

What I liked the most about this version though is that it can be linked up to other Pyramat chairs - up to eight in total - so more than one person can enjoy the video game, movie, or whatever other audio source you have plugged into it. Each chair will have to have it's own separate power, but the audio plugs just into the first chair, and is distributed to the other chairs from the first.

The Pyro Army Chair should be available in four to six months an should retail for around $129.

CES 2009: Nyko Charge Station EX - An Improved Rechargeable Wiimote Solution

Chris Ford — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:30:00 GMT

The representative from Nyko (makers of video game accessories) told me an interesting piece of information. If your family plays an average of 14 hours of Nintendo Wii per week (which is apparently the average for families with a Wii), then over the span of a year you'll be spending around $200 keeping fresh batteries in the controllers. Granted, rechargeable Ninetendo Wii controllers and charging stations are Nyko's biggest product, but it's something to think about when considering getting rechargeable battery system for you Wiimotes.

The Charge Station EX is Nyko's newest version of their popular Charge Station and will be replacing their current version in stores. It's basically the same product, with a few improvements. The design is a little more sleek, it now has an LED light that will tell you once the batteries are charged, and of course it will let you keep those all important tethers on the Wiimotes when you're charging them.

The system comes with the station, two rechargeable batteries and rubber-backed battery covers. Available in stores as soon as the current versions sell out, and will cost $34.95.

CES 2009: Vibe By X Rocker - A Vibrating Stage For Rocking Rock Band

Chris Ford — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Judging by the number of booths at CES with something Rock Band or Guitar Hero related, you'd think that everyone was pretending to be a rock star at home. We've seen some cool video game chairs, but this thing gets my vote for most unique Rock Band accessory. The Vibe by X Rocker isn't a chair, but a vibrating Rock Band stage for you to dream your dreams on.

Basically what you're doing is standing on a big speaker - actually three speakers. It's got stereo sound and a giant subwoofer with also some sync lighting thrown in for effect. But the cool part about it is the massive vibration you feel when you're playing the game. It's definitely not for all night gaming sessions, but if you and your kids are Rock Band obsessed it's something you should definitely check out.

Vibe from X Rocker will retail for around $99 and should be available in Q2 of 2009.

CES 2009: GameLeash and CamLeash For Kid's Handheld Electronics

Chris Ford — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:00:00 GMT

The GameLeash / CamLeash is exactly what it says it is. A simple idea to be sure, but after having shopped for a camera wrist strap recently, it wasn't as easy to find something I liked. And if you're buying your child a new camera or handheld video game player, getting them a wrist strap that's more secure than what comes with the device is a pretty good idea.

They are both identical (just different packaging) and made of velcro and neoprene.

A single leash costs $9.99 and a four pack (bundled for Nintendo Wiimotes really) will set you back $29.99. Available now from Leashtec.com.

Turn Your Wii Remote Into a Crossbow (Without Killing Anyone)

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:00:00 GMT

As shooting games go, Link's Crossbow Training is as tame as they come -- essentially a 21st-century version of the old Duck Hunt so many of us used to geek out on as kids, with a Legend of Zelda theme thrown in for added nostalgia value. Anyway, the game already comes bundled with the Wii Zapper controller, but spend a few minutes with this crossbow-replica laser zapper, and you may be ready to make an upgrade.

Compatible with Link's Crossbow Training (which, again, is OK for kids) and other shooting games (which often aren't), the crossbow features an open slot for your Wii remote: Just plug it in, point and shoot -- and be the envy of every geek within firing distance.

$24.99 from SourcingMap.

CES 2009: Nyko Wand - An Improved Controller For The Nintendo Wii

Chris Ford — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Video game accessories pioneer Nyko has made what looks to be a much better "Wiimote" for the Nintendo Wii - the Nyko Wand.

The new controller is very similar to the current offering by Nintendo, except the buttons are bigger, it's got a rechargeable battery, rubber trigger (B button) and grip - and one other big difference. Unlike the Ninendo "Wiimote," the Nyko Wand exports data as well as imports. But what does that mean to you?

Currently, all of the gaming accessories you buy now to work with the Wiimote (like the gun, steering wheel or the like) have to use physical manipulations to work the Wiimote (the trigger on the gun has to physically push the B button for example). The Wiimote also can't make an accessory rumble for instance. With the Wand, any accessory made to work with it can talk back and forth with the Wand itself, making for a better interface that should be more reliable and potentially more fun.

Wand should be available in April or May of 2009 and should retail for around $30 to $40.

Resolution Helper #8,357: A Place to Sock Away Those Wii Games

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 21:00:00 GMT

When you're asking kids to make a resolution to clean up after themselves, it's always good to offer them a place to put their stuff -- and for those kids starting their 2009 commitments in the game room, KangaRoom's Gamer Pocket and Carrying Case should come in handy.

Designed for Wii -- note the eight remote and nunchuk compartments on the top section -- the case stores eight videogames in its interior and has room for cables, spare controllers and other accessories in its exterior pouch. Plus you can take it with you: Flip over the pouch, and the case converts to a portable carrier.

$24.99 from KangaRoom.

Game Review: Neopets Puzzle Adventure Hits Stores for Wii

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Remember that classic Othello slogan, "A minute to learn, a lifetime to master"? Apply that to videogames, add a slew of whimsical, well-drawn characters and the expansive online universe that spawned them, and you're pretty much talking Neopets Puzzle Adventure, which just hit stores for Wii after prior releases on PC and Nintendo DS.

The game's whimsical characters and comic-style art should be instantly familiar to Neopets.com visitors.

You start the game by personalizing one of 12 different Neopets and selecting your play mode: Instant Action, which throws you right into the game's titular puzzles, or Story Mode, which puts you into the three Lands of Neopia (whose landscapes should be instantly recognizable to kids familiar with Neopets.com) and lets you compete in a series of challenges against other Neopets. Minigames -- including a fun, easy memory game that will delight young players -- also abound and help to break up the story-based play.

The Neopets' main challenges revolve around deceptively simple, Othello-style puzzle gameplay.

The game's puzzle challenges may be called "battles," but there's nothing in the way of violence here: Instead, Neopets Puzzle Adventure finds players taking turns laying down tokens on a grid, with the winner being the one who can convert the most tokens to his or her color. If you're thinking it sounds a lot like Othello (or Reversi), good call: The similarities aren't just limited to a slogan, and if you're looking for a simple game that requires kids to put some strategic brainpower behind their onscreen actions, even grade-schoolers can rule in this conquest.

There's plenty of room to explore in the Lands of Neopia.

Also, while it may seem easy to breeze through, Neopets Puzzle Adventure has several features that'll keep kids engaged outside of the puzzle challenges. As your Neopet proceeds through the game, it can collect 150 different PetPet companions, each of which packs powers that can help you back on the game grid. The game also generates codes to unlock special items on Neopets.com, so if your kids haven't already set up camp there, they'll have plenty of incentive to do so now. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, by the way -- though the site has many immersive, community-oriented features and boards, all kids under age 13 must have a parental-consent form mailed or faxed to the company before they can use the interactive content.

Neopets Puzzle Adventure is rated "E" for Everyone by the ESRB. Get it at Amazon in any of the following formats:

Wii ($39.99)

DS ($29.99)

PC (from $19.99)

Holiday Videogame Roundup: 5 Games for Girls

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:52:00 GMT

Off to adventure in Bella Sara for Nintendo DS.

First, a disclaimer: There are approximately 8 zillion kid-friendly video games currently available for boys and girls -- 4.2 zillion of which came out in the past month alone. But we're all about helping you narrow down your choices here at Droolicious, and in this guide, we've pulled together five of the better new titles for the girl gamer on your list.

All of these games have been kid-tested, and all of them scored big in a few select categories: ease of play, young-child-appropriateness of content, and intentional girl appeal. Don't worry, parents of little boys: Your list is coming soon enough.

Bella Sara (buy it at Amazon)
Rated: E
Systems: DS, PC
Based on the hit trading-card game and website of the same name, Bella Sara gives players their own virtual fantasy pony to care for and accessorize. As you move through the Bella Sara world, you seek out more than 200 different virtual horse and accessory cards to add to your stable, and thanks to the real trading card that comes packaged with each copy, you can unlock even more items separately through the Bella Sara site. The game's Wi-Fi element also allows you to trade virtual cards with other players, much as you would in a real-world card game, and beyond the cards, there's a whole world of minigames, show competitions, and other fun activities to explore. While boys are certainly welcome to play Bella Sara, this one in particular has girls in mind: each of the game's six playable avatars is female.

Littlest Pet Shop (buy it at Amazon)
Rated: E
Systems: Wii, DS
Though it features 32 of the adorable, bug-eyed pets so many of us are accustomed to stepping over in the playroom, Littlest Pet Shop keeps all of its critters confined to your screen. Players move through the Littlest Pet Shop world, exploring colorful new environments (each of which gets its own game in the different DS versions) and playing various minigames. Accessorizing and caring for your pets are also key features, and each completed minigame lets you unlock goodies ranging from accessories to playsets (many of which you'll recognize from real-world toy shelves) to new pets to love and play with. Little gamers should have no trouble figuring out the basic concepts here, even if Mom or Dad may have to guide them through reading some instructions. Plus, the game's adjustable difficulty levels also help to make Littlest Pet Shop appealing to older players.

Build-A-Bear Workshop: A Friend Fur All Seasons (buy it at Amazon)
Rated: E
System: Wii
Sure, the Build-A-Bear Workshop in your local mall has a number of $10 animals on sale this season, but considering the $40 Wii version of said workshop nets you the ability to customize eight different animals and outfit them with some 80 different accessories before you even start the game, we're seeing a bit more bang for buck here. You're headed to a Build-A-Bear party, but first you need to work your way through 20 different easy minigames in order to collect the four map-unlocking puzzle pieces that lead you to the fun. The concept is simple enough that kindergarten-age players can grasp it, even if that also means older kids will tear through it in an afternoon.

My Baby Girl (buy it at Amazon)
Rated: E
System: DS
It seems a little crass to think of a baby as a virtual pet, but that's pretty much the experience My Baby Girl (and its baby-blue Boy version) offer -- although in each game, you have to do a lot more than simply feed and soothe your little one to keep it happy. My Baby makes you the caretaker of a kewpie-doll-like infant that comes complete with a daily routing of feeding, napping, playing and filling his or her diaper. As you nurture your baby -- playing with her, taking her for routine checkups and talking or singing to her (a particularly cool feature offered by the DS' mic), she grows into a healthy, happy older child. Of course, such constant levels of attention may be more than your littlest gamer can handle, so proceed with caution before handing this one to kids who aren't yet old enough to look after their real brothers or sisters for a spell.

Disney Fairies: Tinker Bell (buy it at Amazon)
Rated: E
System: DS
Launched in tandem with the animated movie starring the newly made-over (and at-long-last vocal) Tinker Bell, Disney Fairies: Tinker Bell is much more than a licensed-character cash-in. For starters, the game links you to Disney’s free DGamer community and its chat, avatar and stat-sharing functions -- all of which, thankfully, feature major parental/content controls. The game itself puts you into Neverland’s fantastical Pixie Hollow, where you fly about the world collecting items, completing tasks and using your inherent tinkering powers to help other characters complete their own challenges. Action happens in (kinda) real time, with seasonal and time changes reflecting as you move throughout the game, and there’s a major fashion and customization element in the 100-plus different items you can collect to build Tinker Bell’s wardrobe.

Fairies, stuffed bears and magical horses not your thing? Check out another of our recent game guides, 5 Kid-Friendly Music Games That Aren't Rock Band or Guitar Hero.

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]

NERF N-Strike for Wii Breaks 4th Wall to Let You Shoot People

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:04:00 GMT

OK, that's being a little dramatic: Yes, you can actually blast people with the "Switch Shot EX-3" dart blaster that comes bundled with NERF N-Strike for Wii, but these are NERF darts we're talking about, and as for the game itself, it's a far cry from Halo.

Fire away! Picking off targets in NERF N-Strike.

That said, NERF N-Strike is (figuratively speaking) a total blast for young gamers, as it throws them into a series of fun, fast-paced challenges such as blasting targets or picking off robotic enemies -- no blood or excessive violence here.

The game's multiplayer capability, which lets up to 4 friends jump into battle simultaneously (additional EX-3 blasters are $14.99 each; make sure you get the Wii-compatible one), is also a great way to bring serious NERF action into a playdate without having to chase foam darts around your house later. Just exchange the EX-3's dart chamber for a Wii remote to start blasting away onscreen.

$56.99 (regularly $60) from Amazon.

Swinxs, the Anti-Videogame Console

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:04:00 GMT

We're pretty sure that even the next generation of Wii won't incorporate all the couch-potato-crunching features in the European-designed game console Swinxs. While it connects to your PC and includes 10 games (more games, quizzes and songs are also available online), Swinxs does most of its work in the real world.

The console talks to players (which it recognizes by name), referees games and explains the rules to you while keeping track of each player's score. Games -- including musical chairs, hide and seek, obstacle courses and "duck-duck-goose"-style circle games, are simple and very much active, with Swinxs recognizing players based on which of the four wristbands they wear.

Check out the official video for a close-up -- bet you won't be lugging your Xbox 360 into the sand anytime soon:

€ 149,95 (ships worldwide) from swinxs.com.

Goosebumps HorrorLand Ships Today

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:04:00 GMT

R.L. Stine's ever-popular kiddie-horror books return to videogame consoles today with Goosebumps HorrorLand for Nintendo DS, Wii and PS2.

Welcome to HorrorLand, where nothing is as it seems.

Set in a creepy amusement park, the game throws players into a typically Stine-ian plot twist when the park's menagerie of monsters and 30-plus horrific attractions are found to be all too real. Kids fight mummies, ward off vampires, get the ride of their life on the "Roller Ghoster," and try to survive long enough to see HorrorLand's shocker of a surprise ending.

Puttin' around in one of Goosebumps HorrorLand's many minigames.

While HorrorLand's many carnival-style minigames are a lighthearted diversion, some of the scenes may be a little creepy for younger players (hence the E10+) rating. The action's no more realistic or graphic than anything in the Goosebumps books or TV series, though, and kids from around age 8 onward will delight in getting to be such a big part of the story. But don't just take our word for it -- check out the official trailer for a slightly longer peek at Goosebumps HorrorLand's scare tactics:

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.

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).

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...