droolicious : xbox 360

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]

CES 2009: Kodu - Teaching Kids To Computer Program On XBOX

Chris Ford — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 22:38:00 GMT

Probably the coolest thing I was shown at CES was a demonstration of a new XBOX 360 game for kids called Kodu. Actually, calling it a "game" does it a disservice. It's an online environment where kids get to create a game for themselves and then can play it with their friends. And by creating a game, what they're really doing is learning the basics of computer programming

What Kodu is doing really is demystifying computer programming by removing the abstract and forcing kinds to think critically and analytically. With Kodu, kids can create a "world" by creating one from scratch or changing any one of 10 to 20 starter worlds, and then fill that world with characters, items or other things. Each thing can have a behavior associated with it, and each behavior assigned will have a different consequence in the game.

In the demo I was shown racing type games, shooting type games and adventure type games, but kids can really create anything they can think up (with the programming tools they are given). The other cool think is kids can tweak and reprogram the game while they are playing it, which adds a whole other level of interactivity.

Kodu is being aimed at kids aged 9 years old and up, and will be available for download from the XBOX Live community games channel sometime this spring.

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: 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: Metal Pedal Kick Drum Pedal For Rock Band And Guitar Hero

Chris Ford — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Did you get Rock Band for XBOX 360, Playstation 3 or Wii right when it came out? If you did, there's a good chance you've broken your drum pedal by now. That's why Nyko had made the Metal Pedal. And all puns are intended.

The Metal Pedal is made with a durable metal plate and has a splitter so you can attach two drum pedals for that hardcore double kick drum action. It works for Guitar Hero World Tour and Rock Band on all platforms and will be available later this month for $19.99.

CES 2009: Turtle Beach XLC Video Game Headphones For XBOX 360

Chris Ford — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Got a kid who loves his (or her) XBOX 360 but you'd rather not hear all the noise coming out of his (or her) room? The new XLC headphones from Turtle Beach might just be the solution you are looking for, and at a price you can afford.

The XLC headphones hook up to both the audio output of the television (headphone jack or RCA pass-through) and the XBOX 360 controller. That way the person playing the game can hear the communication with his friends online, as well as the audio from the game itself. I personally use a pair of the Turtle Beach wireless X4 headphones and I love them (and my wife loves not having to hear my video games even more).

These are wired headphones, but at a price point of $29.99 they are super affordable for a good pair of headphones (and some quiet around the house).

Turtle Beach XLC, $29.99 - available mid to late February 2009.

Babble Live At CES 2009: The Consumer Electronics Showcase

Chris Ford — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 04:02:00 GMT

Once again the gigantic Consumer Electronics Showcase convention is happening in Las Vegas, and I, as your intrepid Babble Blogger, have made it my mission to comb the show floor and find the coolest and newest gadgets for Moms, Dads and kids alike.

There's an incredible amount of products being shown, and in my first day I found all kinds of stuff, from the silly (Hello Kitty kitchen appliances) to the super-cool (an incredible way for kids to create their own video games for the XBOX) to the bizarre (a self-cleaning cat litter box). I'll be writing it all up in posts here on Droolicious over the next week or so, so stay tuned!

Read all of the posts from CES 2009 the Consumer Electronics Showcase on Babble.com here.

You're in the Movies Extends 15 Minutes of Fame for the Whole Family

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:30:00 GMT

You're in the Movies is technically a video game -- you slide a disc into your Xbox 360 and do stuff in front of the included Xbox LIVE camera -- but when you break open the box for the family this holiday season, expect to throw traditional notions of scorekeeping and competition out the window. There's no way to lose at this one -- rather, the goal is for you and up to three other players to work your magic in front of a pretend green screen and literally see yourself in the movies.

There's some basic setup involved to make your footage look its best -- for instance, you won't want to be filmed standing in front of a green wall sporting your new green Christmas sweater -- but that's about as technically involved as You're in the Movies gets. Follow the on-screen guidelines, make sure the camera's steady, and act your part in one of a number of cheesy, over-the-top B-movie trailers exclusive to the game.

You're ranked on the performance you give, but the real fun of You're in the Movies comes when you gather everyone together after filming to preview your reels. Once you've gotten comfortable with the gameplay, you may also enjoy the "director" mode, which lets you splice together clips from various films. And, thanks to an easy sharing feature, you can immediately start showcasing your trailers via MySpace, Facebook and (as in the clip below) YouTube:

You're in the Movies is rated "E" for Everyone, and though there's some mild action involving adventure scenarios (including some prehistoric fighting footage that grade-schoolers will love), the game is as clean as Xbox 360 titles come. Kids likely won't much care for the "romance" section, however, and it's your call whether to let them play with the "horror" footage.

$69.99 from Amazon.

When You Absolutely, Positively Have to Lay Down 'Rock Band' Drum Tracks Right Now

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:04:00 GMT

Packing everything you see here and absolutely nothing else, Mad Catz' Official Rock Band Portable Drum Kit for Xbox 360 gives new meaning to the term "going mobile." The kit's four heads, which you can position atop any hard, flat surface, have reportedly been designed to withstand over 1 million hits (not sure what that translates to in terms of songs, but we're guessing it gets you more Ramones tunes but Metallica ones), while the kick pedal and curiously Wii-ish navigation panel sit separately to give you added mobility.

It's still listed as "coming soon," but you can drop $59.99 at GameShark (or $10 less with free shipping here) to reserve your own today.

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.

'Rock Band' Goes Nerdcore in Support of Kids' Charity

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:04:00 GMT

If you're tired of hearing the kids' endless requests for "Don't Fear the Reaper" in your family Rock Band jams, head to Xbox LIVE Marketplace and PLAYSTATION®Network today to grab some lesser-known indie tracks, and you'll be supporting a good cause in the process.

Marking the 2008 wrap-up of the annual gamer festival Penny Arcade Expo, the "PAX 2008 Collection" for Rock Band contains three playable tracks from NYC nerd-folkie Jonathan Coulton, nerdcore (we're sensing a theme here...) rapper MC Frontalot, and self-described "Lovecraftian doomsayers" The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets, all of whom played the recent PAX festival in Seattle.

As for the charitable element, Harmonix/MTV Games’ proceeds from the sale of the collection between now and the holidays will be donated to the Child's Play Charity, which has contributed over $3 million in toys, games, books, videos and financial aid to children's hospitals across North America.

Cost for the new tunes, which go on sale today through Xbox LIVE and Sept. 4 via PLAYSTATION®Network, is 99 cents/80 Microsoft Points per track and $2.99/240 Microsoft Points for all three.

Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise Hits Stores Today for Xbox 360

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:04:00 GMT

You've never needed to be a hardcore gamer to enjoy Microsoft's Viva Piñata video-game series, and with all the fun, easy-to-grasp features packed into the game's latest edition, Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise, you'll be hardcore about bringing the whole family along for the experience.

Rare Ltd., the development team behind Viva Piñata, has returned for Trouble in Paradise, but this time around, it's expanded the game's features well beyond those of the original piñata garden. Here, we find Professor Pester and his gang of Ruffians wiping out all the computer records behind Piñata Central, so when you take the controller, you're tasked with helping to rebuild the piñata database by sending piñatas at "full candiosity" to parties all over the world. In other words, where Viva Piñata made for a fun solo adventure, this one's loaded with all sorts of social, multiplayer-friendly features that let you rope friends, family and friendly strangers into the game.

Using Xbox LIVE, you can invite up to four players into your personal Piñata Island journey, contact other gamers to trade items and piñatas you pick up along the way, and compete in various sporting events. You can also invite friends and family into a game simply by plugging in an extra controller this time. The game also packs a ton of awesome customization features, including "Piñata Vision," which allows you to drop piñata cards -- which you make by taking printable photos of your prized piñatas during gameplay -- into the game by flashing them at your Xbox LIVE Vision Camera, as well as 32 new species of piñatas (some good, some bad) that can make their way into your personal piñata garden.

If you're not familiar with Viva Piñata, or if you're trying to introduce an especially young or green gamer to the series, the learning curve's also been lowered significantly with Trouble in Paradise. In the new "Just for Fun Mode," you can jump right into the action without any of the bad guys or piñata health problems that might befall a more advanced game, and using the new Player Guide System, you can have a veritable hand-holding through the entire game. Not to worry, though: It's such a blast overssing your piñatas that you'll become an expert by way of addiction.

Exclusively for Xbox 360 and rated "E" for everyone, Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise is available at major offline retailers, as well as online for $39.99 via Amazon.

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.

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.

From Our Archives: Video Games That Won't Turn Your Kids Into Couch Potatoes

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 20:02:00 GMT

Sure, that Xbox 360 makes a great babysitter when you're nearing day seven of the holiday break and everyone's got cabin fever, but if you're looking for a way to sate your kids' game cravings that won't add girth to their bottoms, you've got quite a few choices this year. Here, then: a round-up of your Babble bloggers' favorite calorie-burning kid games from the past year.

How do we love Wii? Let us count the ways: Its motion-sensitive controller and huge list of kid-friendly titles literally put you into the game, and assuming you can still find one of these hot sellers on shelves before Christmas, you and the kiddoes can burn off those calories via the Wii Sports pack that comes bundled with the core system. As Babble's own Karen Murphy pointed out earlier this year, Nintendo has even started donating Wiis to select YMCAs as a way to get kids and parents playing (and feeling the burn!) together.

We drooled over this one several times this year, and not just because it hasn't been dinged by lead-paint recalls: Aimed at the littlest gamers, Fisher-Price's Smart Cycle is a combination video game/exercise bike that plugs directly into your TV (no game console required) and lets kids zip through various levels of fast-paced, vaguely educational racing action. It's not actually powered by kids' feet (now that would be innovative), but it'll definitely keep them moving. It's listed at $100, but both Amazon and Toys "R" Us have dropped the price for the holidays.

From our recent gift guide: Kids not yet old enough to get down with Dance Dance Revolution will dig Konami Kids Playground, a series of games that, along with teaching fundamentals for both brain (shapes, colors, numbers) and brawn (coordination and motor skills), utilizes a cool DDR-style mat controller that plugs into your PlayStation 2. You need to pick up the $40 Frogger: Hop, Skip & Jumpin' Fun game (pictured), which comes bundled with the controller, to get started, but from there, games average around $30 each.

Finally, of course, there's Dance Dance Revolution proper, which, as MetroDad noted earlier this year, has even started infiltrating the public school system. If you're looking for a way to bond and battle with your brood, it's still probably the healthiest gaming addiction to span multiple generations, with the new DDR Universe 2 (pictured) adding features like freestyle mode (where you can boogie down without those familiar flashing arrows to torment you) and a wider-than-ever selection of tunes from the '70s to today.

So, Babble readers, what do you think: Are these genuine fitness tools, or are we just dumb for smart marketing? The parental death match begins in the comments.

Scene It? for Xbox 360 Asks You to Name This Famous Actor, Film

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:02:00 GMT

If you guessed Harrison Ford in Witness, you're enough of a film buff to dive into Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action, Microsoft's Xbox 360-exclusive new spin on the beloved DVD game. Bundled with four wireless buzzer-style controllers (pictured below -- watch your back, Wii), the game includes more than 1,800 questions never before used in any other Scene It? game, as well as five new puzzle challenges to keep the multiplayer action going.

Like the DVD game, it's also packed to the teeth with film clips, stills and audio files, and in challenges such as "Quotables," you're put on the spot to finish lines from famous films. "Clip Study" tests your recall skills after showing film clips of up to two minutes in length; "Invisibles" leaves crucial items (characters included) out of the frame and asks you to identify the film; and in "Child's Play," you identify the film based on hand-drawn pictures of a famous sequence.

It's a little corny, but this trailer shows the extent to which Scene It? Lights, Camera Action takes advantage of its new console format to become more than just a console rehash of a popular game. And don't mind that it's rated "T" -- it's as appropriate a substitute for family video night with your older kids as it is a party-starter for your next grown-up get-together.

Video Game Review: LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Rules)

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:02:00 GMT

Geeks the world over may be frothing over the upcoming be-all, end-all multimedia project Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, but in my house, the only Star Wars universe that matters is the one you make yourself out of plastic bricks and minifigures.

Needless to say, LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga, the new, third installment in LucasArts' awesomely, endlessly fun video-game series, has been at the top of my and my kids' Christmas lists this year. Luckily for me (but unbeknownst to them -- hey, they don't read Babble), I got it early. Sorry, little dudes.

LEGO Star Wars II marked the series' entry into next-generation consoles, but The Complete Saga maximizes the systems' technology -- which means, if you're playing on an Xbox 360 or PS3, you're going to notice some major improvements in graphics, as well as some cool new online capabilities. Wii users, unfortunately, don't get either, although the Wii version does make use of the system's motion-control capabilities. DS players, meanwhile, get a LEGO Star Wars experience completely redesigned from the ground up.

Playing like a combined version of its predecessors, The Complete Saga works in LEGO-fied versions of the characters, scenery and scenarios from all six Star Wars films, complete with LEGO Star Wars' trademark cheeky humor to take the edge off. Meaning: Star Wars Battlefront this ain't -- and you'll dive right into playing alongside your kids for just that reason.

Even if you beat the games the first go-round -- and despite the kiddie appeal, that's not as easy as you might think -- there's plenty here to keep you playing. Besides new characters like Watto, Zam Wessell and Boss Nass (with over 120 playable characters in all), you'll find 10 new bounty-hunter challenges, the ability to mix and match characters from all six episodes, and even a cameo by a certain archaeologist movie hero who's about to get his own LEGO video-game treatment.

It's not entirely "new," so calling LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga the season's best kid-friendly video game may be a stretch (and besides, Mario did come back fighting this fall). But for those of us who've enjoyed bonding with our kids over George Lucas' universe, boy, it'll sure feel that way.

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.

Xbox 360 Now in $280 Family-Friendly Size

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 12:32:00 GMT

I'd posted a while back about the apparent positive increase in family-friendly games for the Xbox 360, but in an official release last night, Microsoft confirmed that it's embracing families in the console wars, as well. The rebranded 360, now in Arcade edition, hit stores today at a Wii-clobbering $279.99 MSRP, complete with a wireless controller and hi-def cable, as well as five popular family-friendly games -- Uno, Feeding Frenzy, Luxor 2, Boom Boom Rocket, and Pac-Man Championship Edition -- and 256 MB worth of storage. Xbox Live Arcade subscribers can also grab two new kid-oriented games through the service -- SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam and Shrek-N-Roll -- starting today.

Additionally, Xbox 360 owners can expect the number of "E"-rated games for the console to spike in time for the holidays, with Viva Piñata: Party Animals, Bee Movie Game, and a cool-looking, console-oriented twist on the Scene It? DVD game among the new titles on the way. Warner Bros. and Nickelodeon have also added new exclusive video content to Xbox Live starting today, so between Blue's Clues, The Backyardigans, and the 50-plus classic "Looney Tunes" shorts now in HD (offered in both English and Spanish), that hard drive ought to fill up quickly.

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.

Beautiful Katamari in Stores Today; Welcome All-Ages Fun for Xbox 360

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 20:32:00 GMT

If you're bummed about the lack of family-friendly games for the Xbox 360, fear not, because Namco Bandai's much-anticipated Beautiful Katamari has hit stores today, and it's as suited for first-time kid gamers as it is for grizzled console veterans.

Little has changed, gameplay-wise, in the fourth installment of this addictive, impossibly fun series, and that's just the way fans will like it: Again playing as the Prince, you roll a ball (your "katamari") through the universe, collecting items that increase in size as you move on. That's it -- truly so easy a kid could do it, but far more playable and challenging than such a simple (and weird) premise makes it seem.

There are some key differences for the 360, of course, and most of them are awesome: 720p HD visuals; a tooth-decay-inducing Japanese pop soundtrack; new challenges such as collecting frozen goodies in an ice house; and two multiplayer modes, including an online one that lets you roll up alongside three other players.

Rated "E" for Everyone, Beautiful Katamari is available for $39.99 at Amazon.com and at retailers everywhere.

Video Game Review: Project Gotham Racing 4 (Rated E)

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 20:33:00 GMT

Designed exclusively for the Xbox 360 -- and visually all the more intense for it -- Microsoft Studios/Bizarre Creations' new entry in the Project Gotham series is a monster dose of racing realism that gets even more true-to-life if you ditch the standard controller for the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel. And even though it may not seem kid-friendly on the surface, Project Gotham Racing 4 ($59.99) is that rare grown-up game that you can actually enjoy with your kids.

Grown-Ups' Perspective: This time around, you're contending not just with tracks of varying difficulty, but also with the elements, as PGR4's new weather system forces you to adapt to changes in cornering, visibility and other factors based on sunny, overcast, rainy, foggy, snowy and icy conditions. (Check out the video below to see what I mean.) The 360's powerhouse graphics capability, combined with the game's awesome cinematic POVs, really make you feel like you're caught in a storm, and the level of detail extends all the way down to individual raindrops. Also new to PGR4 is the ride selection: Choose from more than 120 different real-world racing vehicles, including BMW, Ducati and Honda motorcycles that you can even race against cars if you get the urge, and pull off insane moves such as powerslides, endos and wheelies as you work your way through the global competitive circuit. In fact, with Xbox Live, that circuit takes on a whole new literal meaning.

Kids' Perspective: PGR4 has definite adult appeal, but the game is rated "E" for good reason: Despite the various moves and button combinations you can execute during a race, many of the tracks can be navigated through a simple accelerator-button/stick-control combination. Violence is almost nonexistent, too, which is a definite plus for a game this realistic: Crashes morph into fadeouts, free of explosions or excessive destruction, and you're back on the track within seconds. And the various difficulty levels -- including "Steel" and "Bronze" at the easier end -- bring gameplay down to a level kids can ease into, even though my 7-year-old quickly destroyed me in "Gold" mode. And kids will love watching themselves tear through a course via the beautifully cinematic instant replays, even if you may have trouble getting them back into the game once they've discovered this feature.