Game Review - Fantastic Pets for XBox 360 Kinect

About the Book

Offering a highly interactive fantasy experience that erases the line between the virtual and real worlds, THQ Inc.today announced Fantastic Pets™ on Kinect™ for Xbox 360^®, no controller required.  The first augmented reality game for Kinect for Xbox 360, Fantastic Pets puts players on-screen where their movements and voice commands allow them to play side-by-side with a pet of their own creation.  Developed by Blitz Games Studios, Fantastic Pets on Kinect for Xbox 360 is scheduled for release in March 2011.

“Fantastic Pets offers an incredibly high level of interactivity, creativity and originality,” said Martin Good, Executive Vice President, THQ Kids, Family, Casual Games, and Global Online Services.  “As you discover your pet’s personality and become enmeshed within the world, Fantastic Pets becomes more like a personalized adventure and less like a game.”

About Fantastic Pets

Fantastic Pets brings a world of adventure into the living room.  Players start with four domestic animals – dog, cat, horse and lizard – that can be morphed into imaginative creations from mystical unicorns to ferocious dragons.  Kinect for Xbox 360 technology enables players to step inside the world and onto the screen where they can play and care for their pets.  Voice recognition allows players to command their pet throughout mini-games and Talent Shows to reach the professional ranks of a Pet Trainer.  Players can unlock news items and activities, in addition to taking pictures of themselves and their pet to share with family and friends.

Key Features:

• Create unlimited numbers of fully customizable pets, and select your pets' skins, colors, patterns, wings, horns, tails and more for a truly unique look
• Augmented reality technology puts you on the screen to interact and play with your pets
• Interact with multiple pets simultaneously with a friend and be on screen at the same time
• Talk to your pets and teach them tricks with voice commands as you develop nurturing and playful relationships
• Discover the unique personalities, lifelike reactions and behaviors of each of your pets
• Play mini games with your pets, including fetch, pet wash, bubble popping, dressage, dodge, teaching tricks, grooming and more
• Enjoy hours of free-form play in a lush 3D world
• Get the most of your gameplay with avatars, tutorials, unlockables, trophies, awards and daily events
• Kinect sensor required to play (not included)
• For 1 to 2 players

My Take on the GameWe have tried out a few of the games for the Kinect in the past but this one was definitely one that I was glad to get the chance to try out. What I loved about the game was the fact that you got the opportunity to have some very unique pets and take care of them, teach them and have fun with them as you would any pet. I mean how often can you have a dragon as a pet? 

What was great about this game was the customization that was available. On top of this, the game was highly interactive and my kids love being able to use the game and have their pets move as they were moving. I know that at least in our home, this game was a HUGE hit!!!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

 

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Summer Travel Games Encourage Parents to find the “Right Game / Right Child”

With summer on the horizon, many families are going to take video games with them, and there are also a ton of video games in hotels these days…

But how do you know what is the “right game for the right child”?

Everyone knows the difference between a “PG” and an “R” movie rating for children, but parents may not understand the different ways that the ESRB breaks down video games… the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) is a non-profit group, designed to be a resource for parents, especially when they shop this holiday season… video games again expected to be at the top of many lists… 

Well, there is a cool NEW technology that debuted recently that provides info in seconds, and has especially interesting visuals to go with it.

Here’s a link to the new free app - http://www.esrb.org/mobile/

This application provides facts not reviews, and provides the information that went into why the game received the rating it did.

Would you believe that 90 percent – nine out of 10 times – when a game is purchased, a parent or guardian is present? 



ESRB KEY STATS

Video games are fast becoming one of the most popular forms of entertainment media
today, with software sales reaching $10.5 billion in 2009

The average age of a gamer today is 34. Just like movies and TV shows, not all video
games are meant for children

FTC reports that an adult is involved in the purchase of a game 89% of the time, so it’s
clear that parents must be educated about making informed choices

Various national, state and local PSA and public education campaigns get the message
to parents that there are tools they may use to make informed, sensible choices about
video games for their children and families

ESRB ratings are on virtually every game package; age ratings on front and content
descriptors on back provide information with which to make an educated purchase
decision

Parents should learn about and utilize both parts of the ratings, and consider
them a significant part of their decision about whether to purchase or rent a game

The rating summaries on ESRB’s website are a great supplemental source of
information, providing detailed descriptions of the specific content in a game that a
parent may want to know about

Retailers display signage explaining the rating system to consumers, and store
associates are trained to assist parents who need help choosing games

Major retailers have store policies restricting the sale or rental of M-rated games to
those under 17 without parental permission

The FTC’s most recent audit measured compliance with these store policies among
national retailers at 80%, far surpassing the rates of restriction for DVDs, music and
admittance to R-rated movies

Parents should be involved in and informed about their children’s video gaming;
monitor gameplay and play games with their children; check the rating each time they
buy or rent a game

Parents should also take advantage of parental controls that are featured on all new
game consoles

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.


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Game Review - Despicable Me - WII

About the Game

D3Publisher, a publisher and developer of interactive entertainment software, today announced that it will bring Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s inaugural 3-D CGI feature film, Despicable Me, to Wii™, Nintendo DS™, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system.  Developed in partnership with Universal Partnerships & Licensing and based on the upcoming feature film, Despicable Me: The Game lets players of all ages experience the thrill of being downright despicable, as they become Gru, one of the world’s greatest supervillains, and plan the biggest heist in history.  Despicable Me: The Game is slated to ship worldwide to coincide with the North American and international release of the movie in July 2010.

“The Despicable Me video games feature all of the favorite characters and locations from the film and will immerse players in the Despicable Me universe by allowing them to relive their favorite movie moments and play in original adventures not seen in the film,” said Alison Quirion, vice president of marketing, D3Publisher.  “Despicable Me: The Game for Wii, PlayStation 2 and PSP follows the movie storyline and expands the movie universe, while Despicable Me: The Game – Minion Mayhem for Nintendo DS is a unique storyline and an all new adventure for players to enjoy.”

“Putting players in the shoes of Gru and his army of minions offers hilarious gameplay opportunities,” said Bill Kispert, vice president and general manager, Digital Platforms, Universal Partnerships & Licensing.  “The Despicable Me video games arm players with an arsenal of fun-filled weapons and gadgets – and loads of laughs – as they help Gru pull off his most ambitious heist yet.”

In Despicable Me: The Game, players become the mastermind Gru, planning and plotting to build a rocket ship and steal the moon.  Players will command an army of tireless, little yellow minions to complete puzzles and missions and use an arsenal of despicable weapons and gadgets such as magnet guns, freeze rays and battle-ready vehicles to vanquish all who stand in their way.   Players will fly Gru’s aircraft in daring missions against his rival, Vector, and play as Gru or Vector in a variety of multiplayer air combat modes!  Despicable Me: The Game – Minion Mayhem offers Nintendo DS players an all-new adventure with a unique storyline and exclusive minions to command for hours of entertainment.

Despicable Me: The Game for Wii, PlayStation 2 system and PSP system is under development by Monkey Bar Games, a division of Vicious Cycle Software, and is currently rated “E10+” (Everyone 10 and up – Mild Cartoon Violence) by the ESRB.  Despicable Me: The Game – Minion Mayhem for Nintendo DS is under development by Way Forward and is currently rated “E” (Everyone – Comic Mischief) by the ESRB.

For more information on Despicable Me: The Game, please visit www.D3Publisher.us.

• Become Despicable Me's mastermind Gru as he sets off on a series of Despicable heists to obtain components for his awesome Rocket
• Control an Army of Despicable Me's comical Minions. Command them to complete puzzles and missions
• Use an arsenal of Despicable weapons and gadgets like shrink rays, freeze rays, and web guns
• Fly Gru's aircraft in daring flight missions against his rival Vector

My Take on the Game

Seeing that we also tried the Nintendo DS game, the kids and I tried out this game as well. Just like in the DS game, the WII game follows the movie quite well. I liked the fact in this game that you can play as Gru, Vector and even Stewart (the minion). You can unlock the girls, Edith, Agnes and Margo by getting there portraits but you cannot play as them. In the future, my girls said that they would love it if this could be the case (I think my girls are looking for girl characters that they can play). 

All-in-all a good game. Fun, interactive and entertainment for the whole family!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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Game Review - Despicable Me - Minion Mayhew (Nintendo DS)

About the Game

D3Publisher, a publisher and developer of interactive entertainment software, today announced that it will bring Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s inaugural 3-D CGI feature film, Despicable Me, to Wii™, Nintendo DS™, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system.  Developed in partnership with Universal Partnerships & Licensing and based on the upcoming feature film, Despicable Me: The Game lets players of all ages experience the thrill of being downright despicable, as they become Gru, one of the world’s greatest supervillains, and plan the biggest heist in history.  Despicable Me: The Game is slated to ship worldwide to coincide with the North American and international release of the movie in July 2010.

“The Despicable Me video games feature all of the favorite characters and locations from the film and will immerse players in the Despicable Me universe by allowing them to relive their favorite movie moments and play in original adventures not seen in the film,” said Alison Quirion, vice president of marketing, D3Publisher.  “Despicable Me: The Game for Wii, PlayStation 2 and PSP follows the movie storyline and expands the movie universe, while Despicable Me: The Game – Minion Mayhem for Nintendo DS is a unique storyline and an all new adventure for players to enjoy.”

“Putting players in the shoes of Gru and his army of minions offers hilarious gameplay opportunities,” said Bill Kispert, vice president and general manager, Digital Platforms, Universal Partnerships & Licensing.  “The Despicable Me video games arm players with an arsenal of fun-filled weapons and gadgets – and loads of laughs – as they help Gru pull off his most ambitious heist yet.”

In Despicable Me: The Game, players become the mastermind Gru, planning and plotting to build a rocket ship and steal the moon.  Players will command an army of tireless, little yellow minions to complete puzzles and missions and use an arsenal of despicable weapons and gadgets such as magnet guns, freeze rays and battle-ready vehicles to vanquish all who stand in their way.   Players will fly Gru’s aircraft in daring missions against his rival, Vector, and play as Gru or Vector in a variety of multiplayer air combat modes!  Despicable Me: The Game – Minion Mayhem offers Nintendo DS players an all-new adventure with a unique storyline and exclusive minions to command for hours of entertainment.

Despicable Me: The Game for Wii, PlayStation 2 system and PSP system is under development by Monkey Bar Games, a division of Vicious Cycle Software, and is currently rated “E10+” (Everyone 10 and up – Mild Cartoon Violence) by the ESRB.  Despicable Me: The Game – Minion Mayhem for Nintendo DS is under development by Way Forward and is currently rated “E” (Everyone – Comic Mischief) by the ESRB.

For more information on Despicable Me: The Game, please visit www.D3Publisher.us.  

• Become Despicable Me's mastermind Gru as he sets off on a series of Despicable heists to obtain components for his awesome Rocket
• Control an Army of Despicable Me?s comical Minions. Command them to complete puzzles and missions
• Use an arsenal of Despicable weapons and gadgets like shrink rays, freeze rays, and web guns
• all-new minions exclusive to the game! The Minions will march together to complete 40 diabolical and dangerous puzzles and missions

My Take on the Game

We are fairly new to the DS. We got one a month or two ago, and the kids have been playing with it ever since with the few games we already had. This game definitely held their interest and they kept working hard to try and get further within the game. While the graphics are a bit less vivid than I would have thought at first, the kids told me that the levels were fun, but challenging all the same. They also liked the fact that the plot of the game followed the movie which they enjoyed!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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