Kinect Titles From 2010

Kinect Adventures and Kinect Sports mostly define the Kinect for Xbox 360 as they've integrated Xbox Avatar system with Kinect gameplay. With the Xbox One being released and the Kinect 2.0 being it's R2B2, it's worth noting two of the games that started Kinect's role in video game markets.

Kinect Adventures was a launch title for Xbox 360's Kinect and allows you to play in several mini-games and do numerous adventures, collecting badges to get bronze, silver, and gold medals. Gameplay for this game consists of taking advantage of Kinect as much as possible in using your body movements to manipulate controls. While the gameplay seems enjoyable, Kinect Adventures feels short as there aren't many mini-games to play and at times you're just repeating the same game twice in a single adventure(collection of mini-games). Though I did enjoy playing these games, you will tire out by the time one hour has passed. The Lasting appeal for this game will also fade as well. The Kinect for Xbox 360 now looks more and more like a prototype compared to Xbox One's Kinect 2.0. Graphics and display for Kinect Adventures look appealing as there's no frustration to be had there. This game also has a camera which takes pictures of some moves you've made playing this game. I will say Kinect is fun for people who like to see their moves looked at via Kinect's camera.

Final Verdict is 7/10:
+Fun Gameplay
+Great Advantage Of Kinect's Abilities
+Easy Kinect Controls
-Not enough games
-Lacks a Real Lasting Appeal

Kinect Sports also launched with the Kinect and I must say Kinect Sports does have stronger lasting appeal than Kinect Adventures. Gameplay for Kinect Sports consist of choosing between several sports to play in such as bowling, boxing, table tennis, volleyball, soccer, and track & field. I like how the Kinect controls are very responsive and don't frustrate you. You can play against a computer player or other players. I like how the Kinect(despite feeling like Prototype) makes gameplay more immersive with these games as you're not having to swing around a Wii remote hoping it hits the fan. Your whole body is the controller as the Kinect makes gameplay feel more real and you actually feel the heat. Music for this game has been considered great and graphics are fine for this game. I do feel that sometimes playing against the computer player can be awkward as the AI isn't too pleasant. Plus, sometimes the games can feel awkward too but not as awkward as the AI.

Final verdict is 8.3/10:
+Great Kinect Controls
+Good Sport Gameplay
+Great Audio
-Awkward and Lazy AI

Gran Turismo 6 review

Released for PlayStation 3 on December 6, 2013, Gran Turismo 6 follows the Gran Turismo series and is also the successor to the 2010 Gran Turismo 5. Gran Turismo 6 isn't much of a sequal as it seems mostly an update from Gran Turismo 5. On the bright side, Gran Turismo 6 hasn't fallen back on it's content including gameplay, graphics, and great appeal.

Gameplay for Gran Turismo 6 feels much like a real life driving simulator than it does a racing game. The physics feel tight as you race on as many as 100+ tracks and 1,200+ cars. I will give Gran Turismo 6 credit for improving some of the gameplay that Gran Turismo 5 had. Unlike Gran Turismo 5, Gran Turismo 6 has a star system that serves as a key to new events. Credits system from Gran Turismo 5 is still retained and the game engine in both Gran Turismo 5 & 6 are the same. Gran Turismo 6 plays the same as Gran Turismo 5 as the former has some reforms to it's gameplay such as having a more improved dealership as there is no more used car salesman as you won't have to wait around for a certain used car to come around anymore. Dozens of automakers and so many new cars. Gran Turismo 6 also has amazing concept cars designed by the Gran Turismo team themselves.

Graphics for this game are much like the same as Gran Turismo 5 only Gran Turismo 6 can play at 1080p and Gran Turismo 6 doesn't fall short on not only looking amazing but has an amazing artisitc perspective as artwork for this game was made in part by professional photographers. Gran Turismo 6 like previous Gran Turismo games focus a lot on display and presentation as the cars and tracks look amazing. I like the user interface here as well as it was a major change from Gran Turismo 5. Gran Turismo 6 looks and sounds as awesome as it is cutting edge.

Gran Turismo 6 is an amazing feat as it just wows you but it recycles a lot of what Gran Turismo 5 was but Gran Turismo 6 doesn't fail to go forward. Final verdict is 8.5/10.

+Cutting Edge Graphics and Sound
+Realistic Driving Gameplay
+Extreme Artistic Display
-More Like Updated Gran Turismo 5
-Gameplay can feel slow

Past Games: Driver San Francisco

Driver San Francisco was released on PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, Windows, and Mac OS X systems between September 2011 and March 2012. Driver San Francisco is an awesome action driving game telling the story of Tanner like you've never seen before.

Gameplay consists of driving over 125 fully damageable vehicles while using Tanner's special Shift ability, allowing him to shift between drivers and vehicles. There is no on foot gameplay in this game and neither can you use firearms like you could in Driver 3. Shift will allow players to play as other characters in different missions apart from the story mode. I like how you can shift between different vehicles as it breaks the limits of racing gameplay in doing other activities such as police chases playing as either a fleeing suspect or a police officer. You can change cars by either shifting to another car or going to a safehouse to switch cars purchased through a point system. You will earn points for doing certain tasks and stunts. Using shift also gives you creative abilities such as using another vehicle as a battering ram/roadblock to stop a fleeing suspect without remaining in the police car. Shift ability is very creative as no other game before it has mastered it like Driver: San Francisco. Open World automobile gameplay never had this original concept.

Story here is Jericho escapes from a prison van and Tanner and his partner chase him. Tanner is accidentally slammed T-Bone style by an 18 wheeler, putting Tanner in a coma. Tanner then gains his ability to shift into other driver's minds, making Tanner a supernatural mindjacker. The setting is the vast city of San Francisco and San Francisco in this game looks so real. You can't tell it apart from real cities. I do feel that the story in this game is short. However there are side objectives, some of which need to have completion to advance through the main story and the side missions are non-linear.

Graphics look stunning and amazing as they capture you by surprise in how real everything is. 60 frames per second is the best framerate any game can have and Driver San Francisco doesn't fall flat on this, not even by 1 frame. The vehicles look even crisper than real life and have a great touching charm to them as you will want to get your hands on these in the game. Is there anything much else I can say? All I can say now is Driver San Francisco has the highest graphical quality of any game for it's time and ports.

The Wii version of the game is very different and this review only covers the Xbox 360, PS3, PC, and OS X platforms. PC and OS X platforms will differ depending on your computer.

Final verdict for this masterpiece game is a 9/10.
+Unique and Fascinating Vehicle Gameplay
+Cutting Edge Graphics
+Variety of Awesome Real Licensed Cars
+Good Characters
-Story Feels Short

Blast From Past: Wario Land Shake It

A Wii title released in mid 2008, the platforming game Wario Land Shake It has a Japanese Anime animation to it and graphics are like a Japanese Anime Cartoon. I do like the animation of this game. Gameplay centers around platforming gameplay.

Gameplay is a platformer as you play as Wario journey's through Shake Land with him rescuing imprisoned fairies, fighting enemies, and collecting coins. This game does not fall short of capturing Wario's greedy personality as Wario is tasked by Captain Syrup with rescuing the Queen of Shake Land who's been captured by evil King Shake. Wario is attracted by the magic sack which magically creates coins without limit. The gameplay is at time both relaxed and thrilled as you have no strict time limit like New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Wario is made to be super strong as he can ram through breakable objects and enemies like a bull. The Wii remote is used to shake coin bags, caged fairies, and even enemies. Wario can slam the ground to manipulate barriers and unbreakable blocks. The gameplay is however repetitive at times since this game revolves aroudn Wario ramming blocks and enemies, rescuing fairies, and collecting coins plus manipulating unbreakable blocks with his super strength(aka ground slam).

Graphics for this game have great animation and the display is just spectacular. I like that it looks like crisp animation and not one of those boring Japanese Anime animations I didn't like watching as a kid. Wario Land Shake It has pleasant animation and graphics to it. It really capture's Wario's personality as he is typically greedy and does not have a heroic look.

Final Verdict for this game is an 8.3/10

+Great Gameplay
+Amazing Animated Graphics
+Capture's Wario's Greedy and Selfish personality
-Repetitive gameplay
-Lasting Appeal not as strong as New Super Mario Bros.

Blast From Past: Alice In Wonderland 2010 Video Game

Tim Burton's 2010 Alice in Wonderland was a weird film but very edgy and a great film. While a typical movie licensed game scores low, this game for the DS, Wii, PC, and Zeebo is actually decent. While the adventure of this game deserves praise, the graphics look like those of a 2007 PlayStation 2 but do have great resemblance to the film.

Gameplay is based on action-adventure gameplay and this game does have a fair amount of puzzles. For example, the rabbit with the clock can freeze time of an object. New abilities will be unlocked as you advance through the level. Mad Hatter, McTwisp the White Rabbit, Cheshire the Cheshire Cat, Thackery Earwicket the March Hare, and Mallyumkin Mouse are playable characters and you can master different abilities such as invisibility, altering perception, and manipulating time. The game's story revolves around Alice's adventure in wonderland and solving puzzles to get through obstacles. I like use of puzzles and obstacles so gameplay doesn't become repetitive. Characters and enemies are what you see in the movie. Combat in this game will get repetitive and solving puzzle is the gameplay's saving grace.

Graphics look somewhat unpolished and look more like a late 2006 to early 2007 PlayStation 2 game. Though some voice acting from the movie is retained, others were replaced. I do give the game credit for making the character and environment designs spectacular. What ruined that was mushy graphics that made the game look like it was from 2005-07 for the PlayStation 2. Don't get me wrong as PlayStation 2 still had games produced for it well into 2012 but does the average casual Wii game need to look watered down? Had it been a PS3 or Xbox 360 game would it have been much different? I will give this game credit for resembling the movie a lot.

Alice In Wonderland video game has great puzzles, great resemblance, and won't push your patience but mushy graphics and repetitive combat are thorns in this game. Final Verdict is 7/10.

+Great Adventure
+Amazing Resemblance of Movie
+Amazing Puzzles and Magic Abilities
-Mushy and Outdated Graphics
-Repetitive Combat

Blast From Past: Spongebob Squarepants Atlantis Squarepantis

Atlantis Squarepantis was a Spongebob Squarepants special episode aired in November 2007 and the Video Game it's based off of was released on October 23, 2007. Atlantis Squarepantis saw GBA, PlayStation 2, DS, and Wii ports. This game was not very well received by critics as it was often viewed as lacking somethings that make a great game.

Gameplay is actually varied between levels as you have shooting and maze segments in this game. The gameplay however will not last very long as you will feel that you're not exactly having fun playing this and after eventually playing will feel like a boring chore if played long enough. What I like about this game is it's not repetitive. However, some gameplay sequences can feel like a chore and while controls are decent, the game feels too easy and short. Plus, it's wasn't uncommon for gameplay to feel like a drag going between the same parts of gameplay just to advance to some levels was annoying.

Graphics don't look even remotely sharp as animations in watching the actual Spongebob Squarepants cartoon was better than this game. Graphics for this game only make the game more tedious and boring. I do give this game credit for having the real voice actors. What kind of animation did the game designers use for this boring thing? Don't matter seeing as this game will ware off on you in less than 30 minutes.

Atlantis Squarepantis game is a flop of even a casual game. Despite it's lack of repetitiveness and great voice acting, it fails on almost every other level as the game is short, easy, boring, tedious, and you will want to play something else instead after 30 minutes of playing.

Final Verdict is a 4.5/10. Points:
+Variety in Gameplay
+Voice Actors
-Low to Zero lasting appeal
-Boring Gameplay
-Bland Graphics

Blast From Past: Super Mario All Stars

Super Mario All Stars was first released for SNES in 1993 and was released for a 25th anniversary edition in 2010 for the Wii. Super Mario All Stars is known for including the classic Super Mario Bros. 1-3 games plus the Lost Levels from Super Mario Bros. Super Mario All Stars is more like a remastered trilogy and the Wii version is straight copy and pasted from the SNES version with some twists.

Gameplay emulates the original versions of each game. Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3 have the same kind of gameplay as you play as Mario(Luigi for 2nd Player) going to rescue the princess while avoiding enemies such as Goombas and rival Turtles. Mario also busts blocks and can obtain power-ups. If Mario is hit, he will be demoted one power-up level and if he either falls or is hit without a higher ranking power-up, one life will be lost and should you lose all your lives you will be reset. Super Mario Bros. 2 however followed a different approach as you have not only a choice to play as Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Princess Peach but will also start with a big one which will be lost should you get hit. You can't eliminate enemies by jumping on them but can land on them and you will be moved by them. You eliminate enemies by picking up- junk and throwing it at enemies. Power-ups are very limited and a star occasionally appears giving you invincibility for a few seconds. I did play these games with the Wii Remote and it's not as easy as it sounds. Using a classic controller would have helped even more as motion sensing controls did not exist in 1993.

Graphics for these games do look like they've seen some improvement as despite their 16 bit appearance they do look fit for both 1993 and 2010. The Wii version is actually an emulation of the 1993 SNES version. I don't have much to say on graphics here as the Wii version is an emulation of the SNES version and for 1993 these graphics look great. I played Super Mario Bros. and despite that game being released in 1985, it looked updated to be more like it was actually 16 bit. Sounds and music retain their 1993 sounds as though they seem outdated they have always been charming.

The Mario franchise is old school and Super Mario All Stars fulfills this as despite the Wii version being a mere emulation, these games remain part of classic gaming history. Final Verdict gets a 9/10.

Points:
+Great Classic Gameplay
+Classic and Long Lasting Appeal
+1993 Graphics are passable
-Controls can feel Slippery At Times

Blast From Past: Honda ATV Fever

Honda ATV Fever is a racing game for Wii and DS. Released in 2010, ATV Fever has you racing on dirt tracks riding ATVs. I find this game enjoyable as a racing game and Wii game not only for being functional but also managing to look amazing despite having some grainy feel to it.

Gameplay has you racing on dirt tracks riding ATVs. This game functions like a good racing game but this game can feel repetitive at times in advancing to unlocking new content such as ATVs and tracks. The physics work very well as it at times feels like actual ATV racing. This game does have it's own achievements. Tracks do have variety in them and do fit very well into this game. Controls work very well and while the AI can be lazy at times, it can really catch up to you and racers easily catching up to you presents a great challenge. I like that this game is challenging but can be too easy at times, especially with the awesome turbo boost which is not only fully charged by the beginning of the race but also regenerates slightly by doing off-road ramp jumping.

Graphics are colorful and detail was put in as much as possibly into this game for a Wii title. The graphics do look somewhat grainy like PS1 graphics but the color and detail make me overlook that. Plus, it's a Wii game so what do you expect with a game like this? I also like how the game's sounds manage to be much like other racing games. Environments and design manage to look as real as possible for a Wii game.

Honda ATV Fever manages to be a great racing game that is fun. Final Verdict for this game is an 8.5/10.
+Great Racing
+Colorful Graphics
-Can Feel Repetitive and Too Easy at times

Blast From Past: Rapala Pro Fishing

Rapala Pro Fishing was released August 25, 2004 for Xbox, PS2, and Gamecube presumably. Rapala Pro Fishing reminds me a lot of Sega Bass Fishing and how Rapala Pro Fishing is actually a cheap rip-off of Sega Bass Fishing.

Gameplay consists of you driving the boat to a location on a river or lake and casting your fishing rod to catch fish. I do admit that driving the boat seems interesting and this is something Sega Bass Fishing doesn't have. When casting the rod and waiting for fish to catch, you'll need patience unlike Sega Bass Fishing which made fishing more fun. I've had a difficult time trying to catch fish without losing my patience. I know it's a fishing game but look how awesome Sega Bass Fishing came out. Was Activision trying to make this a simulator? Who would play a fishing simulator when Sega Bass Fishing makes fishing more fun? I do wish to say Rapala Pro Fishing is playable but just not as fun as Sega Bass Fishing.

Graphics don't look too pleasing as compared to amazing Xbox games like Project Gotham Racing and Halo as Rapala Pro Fishing's graphics look muddy and low resolution. Another reason this game can get boring is the graphics not being the best and instead being like that of a 1998 PlayStation game. I do give this game credit for the environments being at least acceptable but are ruined thanks to having graphics being mushy! There are Dreamcast games that have better graphics!

Rapala Pro Fishing is indeed a rip-off of Sega Bass Fishing and inferior to the latter as while Sega Bass Fishing is a Sega classic game, Rapala Pro Fishing is easily forgettable as unless you have saint like patience, you will get bored in no more than 15 minutes after playing!

Final Verdict comes down to 5.3/10. Points Given:
+Acceptable Environments
-Boring and Uninspiring Gameplay
-Mushy, outdated Graphics
-Pushes Your Patience
-Lack of Replay Value

Blast From Past: Soulcalibur II

Soulcalibur II was released for Arcade back in 2002, then Xbox, PlayStation 2, and Gamecube in 2003 with HD online versions being recently released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Soulcalibur II is a fighting game with Japanese Anime style. For a 2002-03 game, this game seemed next generation as the graphics, gameplay mechanics, and even framerate were amazing. The Story also takes place in not only the Middle Ages of the 16th century but also has real places such as Japan and Europe.

The story in this game takes place in 1590 where Nightmare has collected enough souls to revive the Soul Edge and rule the universe. Nightmare is stopped and defeated by three warriors who unfortunately are sucked into hellfire.

For gameplay, it consists of numerous fighting moves that some gamers will find hard to memorize as the easiest option is to spam and attack the rival. But as stages progress, they become progressively harder as enemies are more decisive and ruthless. Soulcaliber II is part of the Soul series and the first installment to this series was Soul Edge released in Arcades and for PlayStation. If you watch closely, you'll see this game feels much like Street Fighter and you feel like you're playing a Sega published arcade hit. Characters also have special weapons for fighting and the rules of this game are the same as any fighting game. Some characters in this game were exclusive to a certain console such as Link being a Gamecube exclusive. There are 25 selectable characters with each character having some twist to their story. The two most well known characters as I see it are Taki and Mitsurugi as both have strong back stories and can be ruthless fighters. Although the controls are amazing, the fighting moves will take studying in order to master and what gamer would want to study fighting moves like as if it were studying for a chemistry test.

For it's time, graphics were among the most advanced as it looked more like 7th generation than 6th generation. The environments may not look as advanced in graphics as characters do but the framerate is spectacular, making the fighting game more enjoyable to play. The movements look advanced as comparing it to Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, and San Andreas, Soulcalibur II has superior and more advanced graphics but unlike Grand Theft Auto, Soulcalibur II is more focused on the fighting gameplay and moves and requires less data. Sounds and music are well connected to the Anime theme and characters have true personality.

Soulcalibur II is a classic game made by Namco and deserves a final verdict of 9.2/10. Points Here:
+Advanced Graphics
+Adrenaline Filled Fighting
+Amazing Gameplay
+Classic Gold Lasting Appeal
-Difficult to Understand Fighting Moves

Blast From Past: Game Party In Motion

Game Party In Motion is an arcade style game with 16 classic arcade games and is only for Xbox 360, requiring use of Kinect. The Game Party franchise has had games with abysmal reviews and no game has been freed from having reviews under 33/100.

First of all, i like some of the concepts of motion sensing for some of the games. Each games functionality depends on how well it's controlled as each game will be fun to play and other times it will try your patience. With menu selections, your patience will be pushed as you struggle to find out how selections are made. I learned you need to swipe hand to switch between options and lower hand to meet the check mark but sometimes the Kinect has a habit of misinterpreting movements so you have to be near perfect.

Second, I did enjoy playing some of these games but some control better than others as while these games are fun to play controlling them can at times be a frustrating chore. I like the potential in the Kinect and believe that a person's body being the controller can be a great concept. The Kinect has a problem with transferring actions properly and this game is no exception as projectiles may not register as properly as if you were playing with for example an Xbox 360 controller or even a Wii Remote.

Third, while these games can be fun, it would have been better off being WiiWare or iOS/Android titles as they would have been cheaper and gamers could choose for themselves what games to play by selecting the individual game for under $0.99. Bundling games like these, even if it's Kinect simply doesn't fit good economics as it's much easier and more pleasing to go iOS/Android/XBLA/PSN/WiiWare instead of pushing 2010 full retail price.

While Game Party In Motion has great concepts and while games can be fun, it falls into despair as it pushes your patience, has undeveloped controls, and has ruined opportunity to make these games be separated into parts by having then be either apps or digital download mini-packs for just under $1. Warner Bros Entertainment just HAD to push it the way it was and suck more money from gamers buying this disappointment! The Kinect feels more like a prototype with this game than a final product!

Final Verdict for this game is a 4.1/10. Points:
+Great Concepts
+Fun Games
-Frustrating Controls
-Lack of Replay Value
-Priced More Than It's True Worth

PS Vita Games reviewed on December 12, 2013

Touch My Katamari is a PS Vita launch title that is very strange as you may not understand what kind of game it is anyway. Main gameplay consists of rolling a stretchy ball called a Katamari which controls consists of using the touchscreen and rear touchpad to do movements of both the character and the ball. Synopsis here is King of All Cosmos demands satisfaction as the playable character Prince is tasked with bringing the King an amazingly rolled up Katamari ball of many goodies stuck to it such as blocks, cubes, pyramids, and even giant spheres for example. Stretching and squeezing the Katamari ball is like clay and actually looks and feels so real. King of All Cosmos looks like a giant and has a candy roll for a head and also has his face in front of it. The face looks photo-realistic, which is rare in a video game. The Katamri ball can be made flexible to fit through tight spaces and stretched wide to catch that big ol' giant sphere.

Touch My Katamari is a decent casual game but it can be hard to understand exactly what the story or even game is about. The gameplay does play well and the entire scenario seems appealing to artistic community. The graphics and gameplay are decent but I do feel this game can be hard to understand at times given I haven't been able to understand exactly where this game is going to go next. While quality is decent it does bring out confusion as to what to do next. Touch My Katamari gets a 7.5/10 Points being:

+Decent look
+Fun artistic flavor
+Playable and flexible gameplay/controls
-Can be Repetitive at times
-hard to understand story

Little Deviants is also a PS Vita launch title that focuses more on arcade style gameplay than  an actual story. Types of gameplay will for one have you banging robots off the screen by either touching the front screen for backward facing robots and using back touchpad for banging forwards facing robots. Second is shooting targets in augmented reality with the PS Vita camera being used, projecting the real world view in front of you while you use the machine gun turret to shoot targets and move the PS Vita like a camera using motion sensing. third one to mention is a game where you use the touchpad to move the ball to the key and next portal and is done by moving your finger under touchpad to move the ball.

There are 30 mini-games to be played here. While I do comment on how good this game is done I do feel this game can be repetitive and fails to offer more. I like how most of this game works as it creatively takes advantage of PS Vita capabilities, proving the PS Vita is an impressive piece of hardware. These mini-games could be easily design for and made cheaper on iOS and Android tablets. I feel that some games could have been controlled better such as for example I didn't like poking the touchpad for the ball to move as much as I would tilting the PS Vita. Lasting appeal for this game will be short and this game could have been made cheaper by cutting it up into separate and cheaper iOS and Android apps.

Final verdict is a 6.2/10 with Points:
+Impressive Visuals
+Creative Gameplay Mechanics
-no Lasting Appeal
-Overpriced for a game of this nature
-feels repetitive

FIFA Soccer(2012) is a soccer sports game and I'm pretty disappointed at how small this game looks on handheld consoles. The players look so small that they look smaller than a tack. The game does however have variety in gameplay to it as different modes exist where you can play as either a player or coach for examples and game mechanics works just fine. There's an endless variety in teams and real players. You can choose either to create your own player or select from a real player. Sadly the player's appearance won't make much of a difference as the players look too small! Despite the ant size players, the graphics aren't grainy and qualify as being HD. Different modes such as career mode will have you playing like a pro in the good ol' soccer games. The game also takes advantage of touchscreen capabilities and has online head to head matches.

Despite FIFA Soccer's good intentions, I feel that it feels lackluster when you're playing it as you can hardly see the players due to them being so small and could have improved on making the game more understandable to go through as sometime when making selections I an bombarded with options I don't intend on. What I mean by that is menu selections aren't as simple as they should be.

Final Verdict is a 7.2/10. Points here are
+Good Intentions
+Great Gameplay Structure
-Too Small Player Size
-Complications In Selections

Ben 10: Galactic Racing is for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS & 3DS, and PlayStation Vita but the Vita version is the one I reviewed. This game is much like Mario Kart as it has you racing with other Ben 10: Omniverse characters on a variety of tracks and environments. You can collect power ups like you can in Mario Kart and Sonic & Sega All Stars Racing. The game features different types of stages and modes such as Galactic Grand Prix, Single Race, Time Trials, Showdown, and Multiplayer. What I like about this game is how the AI seems to enjoy racing and how the characters actually seem real as if they were the real Ben 10 characters. The tracks are made to resemble what you would see on the Ben 10 Omniverse show. In making a game based off a TV show, Ben 10 Galactic Racing greatly was able to resemble not only gameplay from Mario Kart but also display from what you would see from Ben 10 Omniverse. Each racer has their own vehicle and special ability. Unlike Mario Kart, Ben 10 Galactic Racing doesn't have that lasting appeal to it as while it is a decent game it falls short of being as recognizable as Mario Kart or even Sonic & Sega All Stars. For the PS Vita version, I had to use motion sensing controls instead of a D-Pad or analog stick which really handicapped me as I often over steered and failed to get far in races.

Final Verdict for this game is a 7-7.5/10. Points:
+Decent Gameplay
+Great Effort in Design
-Fails to achieve lasting appeal like Mario Kart
-motion sensing controls throw you off balance*
*= For versions using motion sensing steering

Forwards and Backwards: Tale of Two Gaming Markets

Nintendo has never had the most advanced console overall. It has however made marvelous first party games such as Mario and Donkey Kong franchise games from platformers to racing games.

While Nintendo during the Fifth and Sixth Generations of gaming have yielded great third party support, the Wii however became far more family oriented and toned down in hardware compared to competitors. Nintendo yielded success with the Wii as the demographic grew larger and the Wii has been able to sell 100 Million in total sales. Despite this the Wii's hardware is cheap and low tech compared to the PS3 and Xbox 360 and had many restrictions on development of games. The Wii was and still is however the cheapest of them all and used Wii systems can be found mostly for under $93! 

The Wii is succeeded by the Wii U and the hardware for that got more advanced and powerful than not only Wii but also PS3 and Xbox 360 and as a result games that couldn't be developed for or as good as those developed for PS3 and Xbox 360 were developed and actually looked more smashing than Xbox 360 and PS3 ports. Call of Duty Black Ops II looked better on Wii U at 1080p than did the years long PS3/Xbox 360/Windows stretch of ports. I do admit PC gaming has the ability to constantly upgrade wheres consoles just stay the same. The Wii U is an 8th generation console but while it is the weakest it is the cheapest, smallest, and has the awesome Wii U Gamepad which is in my opinion the future of gaming. I like that Wii U is fully backwards compatible with Wii games

There is however a new model of the Wii that came out that not only is released after the release of a next generation console but also manages to revert one generation back. I'm talking about the Wii Mini. Despite it's $99.99 price, it removes online capabilities, non-composite video, Gamecube compatibility, SD slots, and only one USB port. Are you serious? Oh c'mon this is more lacking in features than the Dreamcast you guys! You could buy a used Wii for less. The Wii Mini is a disappointing and bare minimum excuse for a console as it works much like a Sega Dreamcast does. At least the Sega Dreamcast and Microsoft Xbox has online multiplayer wheres Wii Mini doesn't have ANY internet functions! The Wii Mini is something you'd expect to be made in 1998! While the Wii Mini does play Wii optical discs, it's a bare bones console.

I've never been a fan of the Wii and think that despite it's massive success, it's not among the best consoles since it is limited in what it can do for it's generation compared to other consoles such as PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360(6th and 7th generation respectively). I like the Wii remote concept to it but I feel gamers should have had more choices in gaming such as having a casual and hardcore gaming console at the same time. Hardcore gamers were just fine with Xbox 360 and PS3 which in my opinion are better than the Wii since the former's could do more in terms of video, games, and entertainment. Wii couldn't play DVDs while Xbox 360 could and PS3 could also play Blu-Ray discs. 

The Wii U can't play non-Nintendo optical discs but it does have HD TV capabilities and can play for example Amazon video, Netflix, and Youtube while also having a fully functional Web Browser which you can easily use simply by using the Wii U Gamepad touchscreen like a tablet. The Wii U Gamepad can also be used as a TV remote, which is surprising for a Nintendo console. While the Wii was only as powerful as Xbox, the Wii U is more powerful than Xbox 360 and PS3.

When the Wii was released, it fared far better than PS3 and Xbox 360 as Wii catered to the largest demographic of all and became family oriented, which is a smart approach. Hardcore gamers would still have PS3/Xbox360/PC for hardcore games such as Grand Theft Auto IV though the Wii did release a few games that were considered hardcore such as Call of Duty Black Ops and Golden Eye 007. The Wii remote and Wii's motion sensing worked great and worked the best in not seeming like a prototype, unlike Xbox 360's Kinect. Good thing the Wii could also use Gamecube controller and also had it's own classic controller.

Conclusion here is the Wii U managed to be more powerful than Xbox 360 and PS3 but is the least powerful console in it's generation as PS4 and Xbox One are 4x more powerful than Wii U, making the latter look one generation backwards. The Wii U however does have more than enough HD capabilities to make it an 8th generation video gaming console and if PS4 and Xbox One make Wii U look last generation then PS4 and Xbox One must be badaaa! The Wii U managed to have a better power ration in comparison with last generation competitors than the Wii did. As for the Wii Mini, I recommend buying a used Wii console instead or buy a Wii U if you have eyes on Wii U games like New Super Mario 3D World. The Wii Mini maybe able to play Wii optical discs and plays them as if they were played on a regular Wii console but everything else to it makes PS2 look 7th generation.

Tearaway review

From creators of Little Big Planet comes a fresh new game that uses all of PlayStation Vita's potential including use of it's touchpad and touchscreen controls like a Wii U Gamepad and 3DS. This game is an arts and crafts game just like Little Big Planet and a very great one I must add as the controls feel flexible and amazing plus the use of touchpad is amazing as the mini camera allows what's in front of it to be blended into the game such as having some live action mixed into the game mostly by having it pictured in a ripped frame.

Gameplay is much like a third person platformer with the messenger going on an Odyssey type adventure while encountering enemies called "scraps" on the way which the player defeats by touching touchpad to poke these suckers out while also making some crafts and taking pictures to give things their color back. I never thought of the amazing sorcery and magic of bringing color back with the click of a camera. Tearaway also has PS Vita's motion sensing much like the Wii U Gamepad and gives you the genuine feel you're holding a magic camera. The camera angles are perfect as players will have no frustration when playing.

Plus, watch the effects come at you like they were almost real. I saw a nasty Scrap flung onto the screen and I tapped it to get rid of it. The Graphics look amazing and High Definition. Customization options are amazing and you can't beat the upscale arts and crafts theme of this awesome game. I hope Little Big Planet 3 can have best graphics as Media Molecule(creator of these games) is planning in development a PlayStation 4 game. Let's see if it's Little Big Planet 3!

Final verdict for this awesome game that has left me speechless is a 9.2/10. Points:

+: Flexible controls
+: Amazing overview of gameplay
+:  Excellent graphics

Tearaway could very well save PS Vita from disappointing sales.

3DS Games reviewed for 11/20/13

Lego Friends is a very casual game that is Lego's new franchise, taking you to Heartlake City like a simulation of Utopian teenage girl life. There isn't much for me to say here honestly as gameplay both borrows some mechanics from the LEGO engine used in some of the LEGO Marvel Superheroes games but be very basic sometimes. This is a casual 3DS game that manages to play as not only the teenage girl but also her pets and each can be customized. This game is very consistent with it's theme as it simulate's teenage girl life. Graphics are above average for a 3DS game despite not being the best. The best thing about this game is the character designs are more real than typical Lego characters as LEGO Friends made the characters look more like real people. This game however get boring easily as I started getting bored if you're not the teen simulator kind of player.

Moshi Monsters Katsuma Unleased is a platform game much like Regular Show: Mordecai and Rigby in 8 Bit Land and New Super Mario Bros. I did enjoy playing this great platforming game as it not only has jewels to collect and trying enemies to eliminate but also secrets which seem pretty hard to get as you feel like in order to unlock them you must go to previous levels if you missed anything. This game was very well done for a 3DS game and kept in tune with the Moshi Monsters franchise. This game also works well as has different moves such as swinging to eliminate enemies, crawling under tight spaces like Rigby, and even jumping high depending on how you press buttons. While this game is shorter than New Super Mario Bros., Moshi Monsters Katsuma Unleashed does have some boss battles and plays similarly to New Super Mario Bros. The only problems I have is it being hard to find the connectors for rescuing helpless caged creatures.

Injustice Gods Among Us review

For Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PS Vita, and PlayStation 4. Injustice Gods Among Us is a fighting game like Mortal Combat. I must say this is a thrilling fighting game with dozens of awesome characters and arenas to fight in.

Gameplay is fighting like Mortal Combat, Street Fighter, and Super Smash Bros. and there are countless different fighting moves to kick butt at. You get to play as numerous characters both heroic and villianous including Batman, Green Lantern, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, The Joker, Lex Luther, Bane, etc. How awesome are these characters? I really like how this game tried it's best to be an awesome fighting game and definitely not some cheap rip-off of Mortal Combat or Street Fighter. Each character has their own abilities such as Batman's gadgets of robotic bats and grapple and Green Lantern's magical weapons such as green glow mini-gun. Arenas include Batcave, Watchtower, and Fortress of Solitude. The effects of the fighting look stunning as the moves are so real beyond belief. i do feel for jumping that another unused button could have been used instead of being jerked by the left analog stick.

Story is Superman is deceived into killing Lois Lane and unborn son plus destroying Metropolis by the Joker. Superman becomes a tyrant in an alternate timeline as he pits some heroes against other heroes such as Raven and Cyborg vs. Batman and Green Lantern. The story seems so awesome because it makes you wonder why Superman or any other superhero would be an antagonist(s) despite that being in an alternate timeline. Don't you worry Superman fans, the real Superman isn't evil, he just has an evil clone. Joker obtained a nuclear weapon and will use it to kill millions of people in Metropolis and it's unknown if he actually used it for real since both Batman and Joker fight to the death in an alternate universe.

Graphics have an awesome framerate in the next generation systems(Wii U, PS4) and look great as well. The cutscenes however seem to look that of several years ago since though they do have great cinematics they look unpolished. These cutscenes look like they were made in 2008, and this game was released in April 2013. Why can't cutscenes LOOK almost like the graphics of the gameplay?

Injustice Gods Among Us has an Ultimate Edition available for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, and PlayStation Vita. This version includes all previously released Downloadable Content including 30 new skins, 6 new characters, and 60 new S.T.A.R. lab missions.

Final verdict for this great game is a 9.3/10. Points made include:

+: Thrilling Gameplay
+: Variety including not just content but gameplay moves
+: Excellent and sharp framerate plus HD graphics
+: Interesting Story
-: Lack of 2013 Cutscene Quality

PlayStation 4 Released

Just released November 15, 2013, PlayStation 4 has arrived managing to be high definition and stylist too. I've heard that some PS4's may have some hardware problems but it's unlikely those problems will be as bad as the Core Xbox 360 "Red Ring of Death" fiascos. I've played several games on PS4 already and they look more defined graphically than PS3 and Xbox 360.

Hardware looks almost futuristic as it looks appealing. I do scrutinize the power and eject buttons for not feeling like easy buttons to press as these are critical for making the console work such as ejecting discs and turning console on/off. The console's power button turns on/off similar to the newer Xbox 360 models. Sometimes you may find yourself pressing the odd pin thin eject button several times to try and eject the disc. Fortunately, the disc will eject with some patience and there's no problem putting discs in the system. When a game disc is inserted or a digital download is purchased, the game will install to the hard drive and appear on the menu screen, indicated whether or not it's either digital or disc required by an icon of a disc.

Games typically play in 1080p, which has been rare(exception of Wii U) in video game consoles as most PS3 and Xbox 360 games play at no higher than 720p. PS4's typical video output and input for games is 1080p and nearly all games have remote play abilities. What else is new is I haven't seen so much detail in graphics before as comparing the PS4 edition of Assassin's Creed IV to Grand Theft Auto V, the former has a sharper presentation of display, increasing framerate and picture in ways PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 are typically unable to do. It would be a shame for there not to be an Ultimate Edition of Grand Theft Auto V for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Unfortunately, you can't play games with 4K but you can so with movies, videos, and pictures. But 1080p for games is amazing and makes graphics to having more detail as I would have seen the difference in had I played Dishonored for next-generation consoles compared to the PS3 and Xbox 360 ones.

HDMI is replacing the dinosaur Composite analog video that was the main video input ending with the Nintendo Wii. PlayStation 4 makes the Nintendo Wii look older than the PlayStation 2. The Wii U has officially been set back by the superior PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The Wii U, PS4, and Xbox One have 1080p HDMI as primary inputs but the Wii U has the option of composite video.

The Dualshock 4 controller has a fresh new approach to it, adding a touchpad which can also act as a button, a "share" button allowing you to record about 15 minutes maximum of gameplay per consecutive sect, a sturdier design, and the texture of the controller has something that seems fun to scratch. The touchpad not only works smoother than the touchscreen controls of a Nintendo DS or any tablet device, but also can replace the "select" button that was on previous dualshock controllers, providing the same button functionalities but making room for the "share" button. The pause button is now the "options" button. Other controllers include PS Vita which acts like a tablet controller via Remote Play, plus you can also use the PlayStation App for iOS and Android devices.

Don't forget about the microphone built into the Dualshock 4 controller. Now you don't need a headset for communications for online multiplayer. PlayStation 4 has a mic built into the controller and voice commands just like Kinect 2.0 for Xbox One.

PlayStation 4 is more than you expect.

Just Dance 2014 review

For PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

Just Dance 2014 is a dance party game which has you dancing to over 40+ songs which I must say are considered popular. Artists such as Justin Bieber, Nicky Minaj, One Direction, Ke$ha, Rihanna, Ricky Martin, etc. Modes included are Classic, On-Stage, Master, World Dance Floor, and Dance DJ with some new twists such as changes in difficulties from being numbers to Easy, Medium, Hard, and Hardest, new remix value, better graphics, and a few new songs. There's not much to say about this game since it recycles many of the songs from it's last game and failed to bring other artists and new songs into this game. What would have been awesome is since "Prince Ali" from Disney's Aladdin was a song in this game, "Be Prepared" from Lion King and "World's Greatest Criminal Mind" from Great Mouse Detective could have been included as songs.

This game will give you a workout and now it seems even easier to save the recording of your dancing if you just so happen to have PS4 or Xbox One. I like how and was surprised by how the PlayStation Camera for PlayStation 4 worked as great as Kinect as you don't need a PS Move or Wii remote controller like in PlayStation 3 or Wii/Wii U respectively. The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions are better than the others in my view since the PS4/XOne add a newer feeling to the game and makes it feel less recycled. Just Dance 2014 is still fun to dance too and still has variety in songs and modes, with DLC adding more songs to the collection.

Online modes are fun too as online leaderboards are included and this game isn't a one player game.

Final verdict gains a 7/10(PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, Wii U) 7.7/10(PS4, Xbox One). Points:
+: Fun Gameplay
+: Better Outlook(PS4 and Xbox One)
+: Better PS Camera and Kinect Response(PS4 and Xbox One)
-: Recycled content
-: Fails to fulfill potential

Need For Speed Rivals review

For PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Windows.

Need For Speed Rivals is a racing game the continues the long line of Need For Speed titles, keeping in mind that thrill and adrenaline are what make Need For Speed great. Need For Speed Rivals takes another approach while recycling some of the classic gameplay modes we love to play. Rivals is either the first or second Need For Speed title of the 8th generation(depending on counting Wii U version of NFS: Most Wanted as 8th Gen) that brings a new perspective to Need For Speed franchise.

Gameplay for Rivals combines what's great with NFS: Hot Pursuit and NFS: Most Wanted as you will play as both racers and cops. The point system is based on say a racers heat level and cops performance. The points you gain from completing goals and races can be used for upgrades such as new cars, performance upgrades, and pursuit technology, which are all purchased at the hideout(racer) and command post(cop). Twist here for racer is when you are busted by police, you lose your multiplier and all of your un-banked points. Points you earn as a racer are banked when you visit your hideout. Another interesting feature is called AllDrive, which allows you to instantaneously switch from single player to online mode, racing with online players never was so convenient. Rivals feels like Hot Pursuit and Most Wanted combined with more interesting twists. Speed points are earned by evading cops obviously and doing more of that will get you more speed points. Also look for your heat level as speed points will come towards you faster and police will be more eager to bust you. When playing as a cop, look for a racer's heat level to earn more points when busting a racer. As for unlocking content, as you progress through the cop storyline you will unlock cars automatically. As for racers, cars are unlocked by first ranking up and purchasing said car with speed points(which are obviously banked). This game will have you raising stakes race after race, pursuit after pursuit with pursuits being a gamble as if you get busted, you lose all un-banked points as I've mentioned before. For police, play as pursuit, enforcer, or undercover missions. I also love how pursuit technology does and makes it's way.

Graphics look more detailed on PS4 and Xbox One games than ever before. I can't tell you how much detail is in this game's visual. Comparing it to Hot Pursuit and even Most Wanted, you'll see closely with 1080p graphics that were unavailable on previous(7th) generation systems concerning detail. I don't think you could do any better with graphics, exception being a high end gaming PC and the to be released 2014 Steam Machine. Sounds keep in tune with the Need For Speed family and are real.

I do however want to file a few complaints. One complaint I have is there are only 26 cars in the game, compared to 62 cars for Most Wanted. Plus, while Redview County looks amazing with delightful nature and variety of roads(roads, highways), the whole environment lacks towns and can feel lonely at times unlike Blaine County in Grand Theft Auto V. Hopefully EA will make some DLC packs to increase number of vehicles

The final verdict for this amazing game is an 8.3/10. Points made:
+: Great Gameplay Ideas
+: Amazing and Cutting Edge Graphics
+: Consistency with Need For Speed franchise
-: Short Selection of Cars
-: Lonely environment*

*=Despite feeling lonely, it's done very well and isn't half bad.

Knack review

A PlayStation 4 exclusive launch title that sees the best of times but the worst of times.

The story consists of evil goblins attacking the World and scientists gear up to stop them with a particular scientist creating a creature made from an alternate power source dubbed "relics" which powers technology on it's own like magic. The creature created is called Knack, which powers up and grows like magic powered by "relics" from lost civilizations. What I like about the gameplay is that it works and how impressive Knack is in changing size to make things far more convenient. As impressive as the setting of the future is as well as learning of an awesome ultimate power system, the gameplay is repetitive as gameplay will be the same old stuff such as beating up various enemies and smashing obstacles while collecting more magic relic rocks. The voice acting doesn't seem to have much feeling either as you may find yourself bored and uninterested in the characters. Co-op is included as you can get an extra player which helps when going gets tough.

Graphics and displays look amazing but things seem recycled as repetitiveness ruins the sci-fi experience of Knack. I like how real and crisp the designs look but bad acting accompanied it, which is a shame.

While Knack has great ideas and some fun gameplay, it just fails to deliver as deserving of positive reviews. It does however avoided deserving negative reviews so that leaves mixed reviews.

Rating for this game is a 6.8/10

+: Great Sci-Fi ideas
+: Amazing displays and visuals
-:  Repetitive Gameplay
-: Uninteresting and bland character acting

Playroom review

Playroom is built into the Sony PlayStation 4 console and what it basically is doing is it's showing off futuristic technology that was never done before. While Playroom doesn't have much to offer here it does have amazing presentations as it will make Wall-E look old fashioned.

The technology here includes use of PlayStation Camera while the display of live video is shown on the screen while you position your controller to have the Blue Light Bar match the camera view and a futuristic display will appear showing a few apps which are activated using the touchpad nearly all the time. The robots associated with Playroom will show up on the screen with you as if you're in the same screen as each other, similar to Mary Poppins and Who Framed Roger Rabbit having live action and cartoon characters together on the same screen. Back 25-50 years ago this was hard and amazing to do but today it's easier and still amazing to do so. The "apps" as I will call them pop up on the screen from the blue light bar like in science fiction stories where display's come out like a projector.

There aren't many modes but the modes there really do well and seems like they can be made for iOS and Android systems. One mode has you playing with little robots which you can either summon from or vacuum into the PS4 controller via blue light bar. Another part of such a mode has you going inside the controller and shaking it around to shake the mini robots and adding light effects like a dance club. I earned a trophy for shaking and lighting up the inside of the controller, feeling so good to shake the controller in motion tracking. Go ahead, it doesn't hurt the robots at all but they actually like it. Another mode includes Air hockey, using two players and plays like air hockey, using the touchpad to slide the puck. A third mode has you having the host be on the screen with you like a dog.

Playroom relates the most to Disney's Tron Legacy from 2010 as both are renowned for their presentation of technology rather than story or gameplay. Playroom has amazing technology as it will jump those Science Fiction fans into pushing for futuristic technology. In the future, we hope to see this technology of portable projectors without having to adjust lighting to see. Playroom's display will be a likely successor to smartphones. I do however criticize Playroom for being lacking in content. I feel more modes could be added that uses touchpad features.

Madden NFL 25th Anniversary review

Madden NFL 25th Anniversary is a sports game based on NFL. I have to say that this game is an awesome one and I'm saying that for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One ports! This game is one of the first to have EA Sport's very own Ignite game engine, improving game performance and making this game all too real.

What amazing sorcery am I playing here? You might be asking yourself if a video game can resemble a real life football game. Madden NFL 25th anniversary says it can thanks to EA Sports Ignite engine, improving AI and player performance to make it so realistic should you pick up a copy of either a PS4 or Xbox One port. The AI and mechanics are so realistic you'd swear this was like watching a real football game. While the plays can seem disorienting at times to those who aren't football fans, they play like real football and there are so many modes and plays to choose from your head will spin! Content includes real life teams, players, and stadiums. Decide if you want to be like the new John Madden by coaching a team and taking them to the Sha-SuperBowl or play a simple game for kicks. Online features include online multiplayer and leaderboards. It can however feel repetitive with it being hard to score due to having to control multiple players at once on your team and have a high risk of missing the opportunity to score unless you're an expert in knowing football moves.

Amazing visuals with this game to be had not only with real teams, coaches, players, but also voice acting and crowds to make it sound like a real NFL football game. I cannot tell you how real the facial expressions and design of characters are and they just seem so real with EA Sports Ignite engine! Seeing the difference between the Infinity vs. Ignite engine, you'll prefer the latter as it enhances not only graphics, but the gameplay itself. This game looks as real as any game like it is going to get when playing it on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. As for PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, they're stuck with the lesser performing Infinity engine which is said to decrease game quality. The Ignite engine however improves game quality and makes AI moving so realistic as if they were human. The AI has human like capabilities and is almost self-aware.

The difference between the PS3 and Xbox 360 vs. PS4 and Xbox One versions is one of the most substantial of any game having two different generation ports but sounding so elementary when you mention the Infinity(PS3, X360) vs. Ignite(PS4, XOne) engines and how they perform.

Final verdict for PS3 and Xbox 360 versions merits a 7.9/10 while the PS4 and Xbox One versions merit a 9/10. Points taken include

+ Great content
+ Amazing visuals and graphics*
+ enhanced gameplay*
- Can seem tricky to understand

*=Differs between PS3/X360 and PS4/XOne versions.

If you should happen to get a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One and enjoy football games, then purchase these versions because there's a major difference in generations and performance. You won't be disappointed by EA Sports Ignite Engine.

Reviews from Last Year: 2012

The handheld version of Rise of the Guardians for 3DS & DS. I must say here that with many handheld Nintendo games i've played this one is no exception to greatness. Gameplay is a good ol beat em up where you beat the crap out of dark enemies. You can play as not only Jack Frost but Santa Clause, Easter Bunny, Tooth, & Pitch. Each character has their own animations & weapon attacks but controls & mechanics work great. Each enemy has their own health bar & you must whack the hell out of them until they die. Keep in mind that no matter what character you're using your health will still be the same. To regenerate health, you can use the dream gems to refill but they're in limited quantity. When you run out of health, you are like a ghost which cannot be hit but cannot fight enemies.
 

For handheld version, graphics & characters look great & what's important is being able to play the game. I do feel that unless you have it in 3D like the 3DS, you may find it's grainy texture annoying but not enough to give it a bad graphics rating. There is text instead of voice acting BTW as with most DS & 3DS games. Anyway, there's your classic beat em up for you. Home console versions are different & more sophisticated so stay tuned for that review.

Rise of the Guardians for home consoles have more detail to them & better image than the handheld ones. The story is identical to the movie & might I say the characters sound & look movie like. Pitch Black is the main villian & the Guardians Bunnymund, Sandy, Tooth, North, & Jack Frost must fight to stay alive by having children believe in them. Gameplay consists of fighting enemies. Each character has their own attacks & you can even get attack bonuses & dreamsands. You can carry 3 dreamsands at a time & what these dreamsands do is restore the character's health. When the health bar runs empty, the character is invisible & cannot get hit by enemies. When all characters die, you reset to the latest checkpoint & health is restored. Fighting moves work great & gameplay is as fun as a classic beat em up. Each character has a seperate health meter so if one light goes out the rest are not effected by that one misfortune. While graphics are not at their best, they're still appropriate for this time. You may find the graphics to look like there's less light but depending on what TV you have, graphics could look even better in High Definition. You can even see similarities between the home console game & movie. Marvel's The Avengers Battle for Earth is an awesome fighting game. The gameplay, graphics, resemblance, & everything makes this game great. This game is a fighting game for the Xbox 360 Kinect & the Wii U. Gameplay: I played it for Xbox 360 & it will give you a workout. Each character has different moves & it even shows you what positions to use to activate controls, which is really helpful. Going through menus, you simply slide the option or game mode you choose. The moves responded to your body movements but it only did so in the form of moves but responded perfectly. You can see the action right in the game as many moves do so much action & butt-kicking. You can play as two characters in one game but you can switch in between them. You have two opponents. There are two fighters at a time in the ring with one being from each opposing team. With Xbox 360 Kinect, you truly get a workout. I feel fighting games are made more fun with the Xbox 360 Kinect since you can use your arms for moves. What would have been better is having more flexibility in terms of spitting image body movement responses. This game deserves a grade A-. Graphics: Eighth Generation is here ladies & gentlemen & comparing this game to 2005 games, you can clearly see the radical improvements to graphics which Grand Theft Auto IV failed to compete at. Frame rate is slick finding no cryptic scenes at all unlike Grand Theft Auto 4 which felt somewhat more cryptic than the average game back in 2008. Clear graphics are key for eighth generation gaming & this game brings it forward. See the character designs & environments flash before your eyes. Presentation: Marvel comics is proud to present the awesomely done characters including Captain America, Wolverine, Spider Man, Iron Man, Black Widow, The Hulk, & Thor to name a few well known examples. Characters here are perfect & kills in the ratings for best character animations yet. Looking better than super Smash Bros. Brawl I can say that. Environments are greatly designed & characters look perfect. What can I say? Sounds are also Marveltastic just like everything else. I'm now speechless here. This game certainly makes the first Super Smash Bros.(N64) an old classic from decades ago. This Avengers game is now reminding me of how much Nicktoons MLB sucked.

Kre-O Impressions

Kre-O is considered the newest competitor to Lego. Kre-o was released in 2011 and it's first line was Tranformers. Then came Battleship, G.I. Joe, Star Trek, CityVille Invasions, and Dungeons & Dragons. But what exactly is this rising competitor to Lego? You may remember Mega Bloks and Lincoln Logs for example as I have? Kre-O however looks promising as a rising star. Lets see just how Kre-O rises to be as competitive as Lego.

I'm going to use CityVille invasion as an example. Some interesting marks to be made here are the electronic vibrations and movements of some parts. The Police Station set includes the spinning turrets, moving vibration parts, and sound effect base. I must warn you the moving vibration parts are clumsy as they will fall sometimes and sometimes not move at all. Kre-O looks a lot like Legos, I joke you not. You can also download free apps to better control the set which is free.

How are both Kre-O and Legos different? Unlike Lego, Kre-O is in it's infancy and is not very original, relying on third party licensed franchises, which are few in number as of it's 2nd anniversary. Legos on the other hand is more original and has numerous ideas and even video games and movies such as Lego City Undercover and the 2014 Lego Movie.

Kre-O and Lego sets look identical to each other as the figurines look like Legos and the blocks as well. Both have you assembling with small pieces and pieces look strikingly similar. Kre-O manages to compete with Lego more than other competitors and despite it's low content level overall, the content is awesome and Kre-O can actually make almost spitting image resemblance to the franchises adopted. I like how Kre-O manages to be it's own deal and not just a cheap rip-off of the legendary Lego.

I do have a problem with the packaging of Kre-O playsets. The problem I have with this is the pieces are mixed together without regard to the different parts/steps of assembly. For example, with the police car you will have some parts in different bags which may disorient you. Assembling Kre-O is exactly like assembling Lego sets. Kre-O's do sometimes look cheaper than Lego such as the former having some pieces seem smaller than Lego.

Both Kre-O and Lego have their own advantages such as the PlayStation 4 vs. Xbox One. Lego manages to be classic and original while Kre-O manages to be fresh and franchise friendly.

Ben 10 Omniverse 2 review

Ben 10 Omniverse 2 is the sequal to last year's Ben 10 Omniverse game. How well does this game add up? It has the best of time and the worst of times here as I examine how this game is your typical TV/Movie based game.

Gameplay for starts is beat em up style game where you defeat enemies by brawl style attacking them and you can switch between three classes(light, medium, and heavy) which will each have their own abilities such as light class having high jump, medium having more speed than heavy and will have weaker projectiles than heavy, and heavy smashing through stuff like super strength. The Omnitrix is used for changing between aliens and you will unlock more of these slick and awesome aliens as you progress through the story. Unlock special attacks to make the enemies feel a more humiliating defeat. What's bad about gameplay is it can feel pretty repetitive at times and you may feel like you're going in circles. You can however follow the green corridor as you go through corridor sequences. Corridor sequences have you rushing between alien classes as on one hand you smash through a wall with heavy while jumping over a trunk with light class.

Story follows Ben Tennyson's exile from Earth by the tyrannical Emperor of Incuresea. Ben must go through the alien ship corridors and make it back to Earth to defeat the evil Darth Vader of the Omniverse. I do feel however the story could be too short in content as the story doesn't really tell much here. This game however is centered more on gameplay and science fiction adventure.

Graphics and design are cel-shaded and quite awesome I might add. When characters move lips, the words don't match. While this game has an awesome layout and design, especially with the awesome aliens plus great voice acting, some elements seem cheap. The music for instance can seem a little repetitive but the sounds make sense for this game.

Does Ben 10 Omniverse 2 feel like a science fiction adventure straight out of Cartoon Network? Of course it does. While the resemblance and features are great, the gameplay can get repetitive and you may find some parts to be a boring chore.

Eighth Generation Frenzy

As PlayStation 4 and Xbox One ready for release this Holiday season, another PC styled console was recently revealed just weeks ago. Google has yet to reveal their android console.

I've read on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_video_game_consoles_(eighth_generation) that Valve Corporation's recently revealed Steam Machine wasn't listed as being a major console, which is shameful since the Steam Machine is even more powerful than Wii U, Ps4, and XOne. While the Steam Machine won't see release until next year, some of it's specs are higher than even that of the PlayStation 4.

Also, Nvidia Shield despite having the best performance and greatest potential is stuck being in the Other category of handheld consoles. I know Nvidia Shield is lacking in game selection compared to it's potential to stream PC games from Steam for example. Shield is the future of handheld gaming as it not only provides a valuable handheld gaming experience, but makes it feel like the quality of a home console. 3DS and Vita can't do what Shield can. Plus, Shield plays android games too.

Why should Steam Machine be listed as being a major console? First of all, take a look at the specs:

• CPU: Intel Core i7-4770, i5-4570, and i3
• Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce GTX Titan, GTX 780, GTX 760, and GTX 660
• Graphics card RAM: 3 GB GDDR5
• Main RAM: 16 GB DDR3-1600
• Hard drive: 1 TB storage/8 GB SSD cache hybrid drive
• Power: 450 W power supply
• Measurement: 12" × 12.4" × 2.9" high (30.5 cm × 31.5 cm × 7.4 cm)

These specs look more advanced than PlayStation 4 by double. Steam Machine will also be able to play major games such as Assassins Creed IV and Watch Dogs for example via Steam. Steam Machine will integrate PC gaming with console gaming as PC gamers will no longer have to worry about PC performance when playing games. This will however be digital media only via Steam. 

The Steam Machine will even have it's own controller that has the accuracy and works like a mouse/keyboard with a touchscreen in the center. The Steam controller will replace the analog sticks with touchpad functionality to increase accuracy. Just slide your finger towards the desired direction. I do feel however that the Steam controller has an unusual button placement as the 4 buttons on other controllers are made to the right hand in the shape of a +. the steam controller has the buttons centered around the touchscreen. Well, at least it isn't centered around the analog stick styled pads. However, I feel the Steam controller is an awesome concept meant to change the dynamics of console controllers, already making Dualshock controllers obsolete. I'll be willing to give the unorthodox design a chance.

The Steam Machine however is at prototype stage and will not be out until next year. Steam Machine however will bring PC gaming to the living room and do as no other home console has ever done before. Wii U, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam Machine have their own advantages in which some will be better than others in some areas such as games and performance while for example the PlayStation 4 is predicted to exceed competition overall.

Why can't Steam Machine be considered a major home console? Conclusion on this here is the Steam Machine is within the area of 8th generation specs, doubling that of PS4 and Xbox One while being 8 times more than that of Wii U. Steam Machine doesn't belong under Other along with the micro consoles such as GameStick and Ouya. Stop being so unfair to PC gamers by listing Steam Machine as Other! Steam Machine will be just as competitive as PlayStation 4 due to it's high hardware specs and long selection of games via Steam. Another thing to mention is Steam Machine will eliminate the worries of PC handling of games as Steam Machine will be the same hardware compared to the varying of PC hardwares. Now, it will cost less to play PC games as you won't need to buy a high end gaming PC. Developers will find it easier to develop PC games now that there's a single hardware available working like a gaming PC.
  Nvidia Shield is the future of handheld and even home consoles as it has huge potential in ways Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita couldn't fathom. Shield has the ability of not only an android but also to stream PC games to it. Numerous smash hit PC games can be played on Shield such as Dishonored, Bioshock Infinite, Need For Speed Most Wanted, Saints Row 3 & 4, Call of Duty Black Ops II, and many others. You can play Nvidia Shield on your TV like a home console. Shield has much more potential than the 3DS and Vita have combined as Shield has more button controls, lighter weight, and slicker design. Shield is a merge of handheld and home consoles but should be considered handheld because it's design is more handheld than home console despite having PC potential.

 As for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, eBay is your best way to find ones still available for pre-ordering, even launch day editions can be found on eBay.

Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014 review

For Wii U, this Sonic & Mario Winter Games is a game based off the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

The game features several modes such as tournament, single match, and internet multiplayer modes for example but that's not limited too. Forgive me for forgetting what they're called exactly but I do know many of the events include skiing, bobsledding, figure skating, hockey, etc. Characters include those from the Mario and Sonic series such as Mario, Luigi, Sonic, Knuckles, Dr. Eggman, Wario, Princess Peach, Bowser, Tails, Amy, and more. I like how this game has variety and while the events may not mirror the Sochi 2014 events, they will certainly have an enjoyable gaming experience.

Gameplay and controls work well and you will find yourself switching between the Wii remote and Wii U gamepad which rely almost all the time on motion sensing. The motion sensing works great and the tutorials tell you which controls to use without figuring out yourself or looking for controls in instruction booklet. I like how well this game was programmed. There's also some multiplayer events such as the 4 man bobsled which has four players pushing the big bobsled down co-op style.

Graphics and display look amazing for it's format as Sonic and Mario characters are supposed to resemble cartoon characters, having great resemblances to their designs. While most will find it hard to recognize it's Sochi due to the environments looking more generic than Sochi, Russia, the environments look like beautiful arenas and I like the nighttime look to it in some of the events as well, reminding me of Christmas cheer.

For a game based off the 2014 Winter Olympics, Sonic and Mario make a game like this better if the gameplay is fun. Each character has different specs which makes the game better. Most of the games will require you use the Wii remote.

Regular Show Mordecai & Rigby in 8-Bit Land

For Nintendo 3DS only. 8-Bit Land is a game based off of Regular Show.

Premise of this game includes Mordecai and Rigby as usually being assigned menial work by Park manager Benson. Mordecai and Rigby slack off by playing a new retro video game system which they begin playing but are sucked into the TV with Mordecai and Rigby navigating their way out of the 8-Bit world while facing enemies and obstacles.

Gameplay resembles that of Super Mario Bros. You play as either Mordecai and Rigby but can switch in game between both of them. Both have certain exclusive skills such as Rigby fitting through small spots, and Mordecai jumping higher. Controls are very simple as this game doesn't have much to talk about in terms of gameplay. You can also collect Golden VHS tapes, money, tape recorders, and even the power up that allows you to shoot mega punches to eliminate enemies, similar to some combat power ups in Super Mario Bros. You can usually eliminate enemies via jumping on them like in Super Mario Bros. You will lose a life and start back at either beginning of level or at checkpoint should you get hit by enemy or jump into an abyss. Lose all lives and it shows Mordecai and Rigby banging on the TV screen begging to escape. You play Mordecai and Rigby simultaneously meaning it's a simple single-player game only  and you switch between the two character at any point in the game. There will be several boss battles between Worlds such as Regular Show antagonists like the 8-bit monster and the audio cassette.

Display here concerns graphics, design, and appeal. Graphics and display here are meant to resemble classic NES style with Regular Show design being used. Noises sound 8-bit but the music is repetitive as there is no other game music aside from the single 30 second long loop of the same music. Level designs look like that of Regular Show episodes with the designs of Mordecai and Rigby looking like spitting images. I like how the levels remind you of Regular Show from Cartoon Network itself. The designers of this game though they made this game casual, made it so it would feel like Regular Show and the game actually makes sense for both a side scrolling platformer and a game based off of a cartoon series.

The game feels short compared to New Super Mario Bros. U and 8-Bit Land could easily be an iOS/Android game since it's so casual in nature and easy to develop for limited hardware systems. You won't see this game on any other consoles besides the 3DS. When I first heard of this game I though it was going to be an internet flash game but it turns out it's a 3DS only game. Despite Regular Show 8-Bit Land's great functionality and charmingly simple gameplay that fully works, I feel that games like this need to have a chance for iOS and Android development due to it's simple nature. Handheld consoles like the Nintendo DS are getting obsolete in it's form and in the near future game developers for simple games will most likely prefer iOS and Android devices over handhelds like the 3DS and Playstation Vita. Compare 8-Bit land to Angry Birds and you'll see that they fare nearly all similarities in gameplay, graphics, and content minus platforming vs. sling shot style gameplay.

There's really not much to do in this game and if it were an Android or iOS title, it would be only under $8, instead of $29.95. Best things about this game include it's resemblance of Super Mario Bros. in terms of gameplay plus resemblance of Regular Show with respect to display and graphics. Bad things however include repetitive music, feeling short, and why it won't reach iOS and Android systems despite having the price cut by more than 67%.

Lego Marvel Super Heroes review

For Windows, Nintendo DS & 3DS, Playstation Vita, Wii U, Playstation 3 & 4, Xbox 360 & One.

Lego Marvel Super Heroes is a Lego game based off the Marvel franchise. This game includes over 100 playable characters including Hulk, Iron Man, Deadpool, Black Widow, Captain America, Wolverine, Spider-man, and Thor for examples. Don't forget about the remarkable voice acting including voice actors Phil Lamar, Robert Craig Smith, Dee Bradley Baker, Troy Baker, and John DiMaggio just to name a few.

Gameplay between portable and console versions differs as the portable versions are linear and do NOT include freemode unlike the console versions which have a more complex structure. Gameplay mechanics are typical of any 2010's Lego game such as Lego City Undercover where you smash Legos to get nuts for fueling your health and other power-ups. Each superhero for both games has their own abilities and powers such as Hulk's Super Smash and Spider-man's Webs. Controls are very decent as they can easily be worked with plus more challenges in both portable and console versions. Also bring another player as you switch between two different characters, each having special abilities. I like how each character is unique and looks fantastic. The Hulk looks very big and muscular despite this being Lego's.

The game can feel too challenging at time and even feel like a chore, which is a setback to this game. Examples I've ran into are for the console version I wasn't able to figure out how to wet the sand wall in the Grand Central Station part which is at the beginning of the game. I like that this game has puzzles just like Lego City Undercover but I've searched everywhere to find something and the closest thing to water is the pipe near a door which I have to figure out how to open but I don't know what I'm supposed to use. Iron-Man and Hulk are the first characters you use in console versions. Can't Iron-Man just fly over the wall and Hulk smash it? C'mon! It's common sense! The portable version has you needing to acquire gold bricks which are gained by completing objectives in platform style levels. However I've found the camera angles to be somewhat constricting as it's semi-top down at a bird's eye view. The portable version although linear and shorter is more simple and easier.

Graphics for both portable and console versions vary. Examples would include DS, 3DS, and Vita versions having bird's eye view and lesser resolution graphics that aren't bad actually as compared to previous portable games, while the console version graphics will range from standard(Xbox 360-PS3) to HDMI(Wii U, PS4, Xbox One) for examples. Designs for environments and characters look so real for a Lego game and the 2010's Lego engine makes Lego games like Undercover and Marvel Superheroes the best Lego games of all time. The framerate and movements for example are smooth and thinned out to make gaming experience look and feel pleasant as you play. One problem with camera angles is it doesn't control like a third person game and only looks towards one direction regardless of which direction the character is facing. I feel that should be addressed for the 2010's Lego engine.

This incredible yet somewhat too hard of a game makes The Incredibles look juvenile. Lego Marvel Super Heroes gets an 85/100 for it's amazing graphics, awesome design, great gameplay, while occasionally feeling like a chore.

Just Dance Kids 2014 review

For Wii, Wii U, and Xbox 360.

Just Dance series got not only a new game but a new Kids version as well, being the third installment in the Kids lineage of Just Dance games. In reviewing this game, I find this game is a more watered down and more limited and casual game than Just Dance 4.

Gameplay consists of doing dance moves to over 30 different watered down kid style songs from bands and singers such as Wiggles, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, One Direction, etc. There are four modes which consist of Shake and Freeze, Just Dance, Balloon Pop, and Team Point Dance. Just dance consists of the simple mode of dancing for a high score. The dance moves are side scrolling towards the center of the screen to see what dance moves to make. It was hard for me with the Wii remote in just one hand to articulate most of the moves as you may have to switch hands quickly with the remote. Plus, you'll have to in order to articulate most of the time mirror image the moves as swinging with the left hand could be considered doing so with the right hand. This game makes it hard to do moves perfectly and most players will probably only get just one star. Shake and Freeze is the same as Just Dance mode but with sequences in having to shake the Wii remote and stop when told to do so. Sounds easy but the challenge lies in your attention span. Balloon Pop has you doing correct moves to inflate balloon into popping in which you must then shake the Wii remote to collect stars, which raise your score. I like this mode as it really gives some more gist to it. I don't know exactly how Team Dance goes but I feel it has something to do with multiplayer and it is multiplayer such as for some songs having another player.

I feel the controls are flimsy and the game itself is very casual and limited compared to Just Dance 4. Having no unlockables nor progressions. Just scores. Any hardcore gamer would be repelled by this and even casual gamers would find this game very short after going through the songs. Just Dance 4 looks hardcore compared to Just Dance Kids 2014. But what do you expect with water down singing in which some of the songs will sound nothing like the original. I know it's supposed to be juvenile as it's targeted towards kids but you don't have to water down songs. You can simply choose songs that don't have explicit or non-kid friendly songs for the game since most songs in this game are pop songs. Though the Kinect use may seem better since you just use your body, you will still have the same difficulties.

Graphics and display are suitable with live action dancers fitting the theme of the song. With the "Footloose" song you have a countryside background and country dress. I like it better when the dancers look real instead of being shaded weird color filters like in Just Dance 4. I don't see anything wrong with graphics and display with live action actors making the movements.

While Just Dance Kids 2014 isn't terrible, it's not great either but is at least playable with the exception of some flimsy controls and watered down singing.

Wii Party U review

For the Wii U, Wii Party U is an amazing multiplayer and party game involving the Miiverse. Could you ask for a better Wii Party U game? I fell not as it involves flexible gameplay and controls plus more HD graphics than Wii Party. Nintendo can keep being profitable in console hardware so long as they can make their consoles appealing for markets.

Gameplay involves House, TV, and GamePad Party modes which have great and somewhat good games for playing. The controls function like the games should in real life such as sports for example. Don't forget about the amazingly fun mini-games that will be the real deal breaker. What I really love is the board games and how fun they are. For some of the Wii U Gamepad games, I find it unnecessary sometimes to hold the Wii U Gamepad vertically instead of horizontally. I also like how this game plays well either single or multiplayer, which is something party games need to be, flexible! A good party game needs to be something memorable and classic. Wii Party U gives the Wii and Wii U something to go one as there would be no Wii styled games without either Wii or Wii U. Nintendo has proven with this game and others like it that it is still worthy of having their own console like Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox series.

Graphics look average to great for a Wii U game as comparing it with Wii and Wii U, you can see the latter has HD while Wii doesn't. It's great this game has the best of both the Wii U GamePad and Wii Remote. The game's graphics and design center around the Miiverse and the characters such as players will look like Mii avatars. I like how Nintendo is able to make the Wii and Wii U unique and what makes Wii Party U amazing is using the Miiverse characters to the fullest, unlike the terrible Family Party: 30 Great Games Obstacle Arcade .

Conclusion here is Wii Party U can substantially relate to the Wii based franchise not just in being a Wii U only game but also part of the Wii franchise like Wii Fit. a marvelous edition to the Wii based family entertainment. Don't forget Wii Party U also has a Wii Remote Plus bundled with it, all for the price of $49.99 in total.

Gyrobot Experimental Kit review

Gyrobot is an experimental robot that can be made into different forms emulating different robotic experiments. However, I wish to state how the robots works overall.

Just how does this work. After putting it together like Legos, the gyrobot once turned on will start moving and balancing itself on it's own. I do however feel the wheels start up too slowly as it really is disappointing, even for a toy robot. The robot does however balance itself despite having it's wheels be disproportionate to it's upper height. I like how that was done. It was smart to have the robot balance on it's own. however it's main problem is how slowly it starts and stops. Many electronics don't work that way. Imagine having a game be designed where it had slow loading screens!

You can put the Gyrobot together different ways according to directions in the booklet. I chose to stick with the most common design being the one that looks on the box. Don't forget that unless the bot is fully moving, it will need some support or it will fall to whatever surface it's on. It has a neat design to it and it's head looks similar to that of Iron-Man's. Gyrobot was also easier to assemble compared to the 600+ Lego pieces for some sets.

Conclusion is Gyrobot is awesome but it's robotic wheel structure is cryptic in starting and stopping.

Sonic Lost World review

Sonic Lost World for 3DS and Wii U. Sonic Lost World is a platform game that is long the lines of the Sonic franchise. Sega has put out this new game for Sonic fans to enjoy. Quite a challenge this game has as it will destroy those non-hardcore gamers with some tricky and salad spinning controls such as having to use jump+kick combos to eliminate enemies and feeling like it's risky to attempt the simple speed roll. The level designs, graphics, gameplay, and environments are just fine.

Gameplay consists of platforming such as sonic running, collecting rings, and using powers such as speed roll. If Sonic gets hit by an enemy, he will lose 100 coins and if hit without any coins he will fail. This is similar to New Super Mario Bros. U where if Mario gets hit, he fails or downgrades. Controls in this game are less appealing and more frustrating than New Super Mario Bros U. While the controls aren't broken and are playable, the controls are hard to understand in sense of not being able to take down a boss in the boss battle using only the roll move or even the flying kick move. I couldn't get past the first boss battle cause I had to use some tricky combo move to eliminate this first boss. Of course, I hardly had any trouble with other enemies. All Mario had to do in New Super Mario Bros. U in boss battles was jump on the boss three times despite being easier said than done. Why can't Sonic just roll zoom to get this boss guy?

Graphics are superior and high definition, giving a bigger and better outlook than New Super Mario Bros U. I can say the environments and designs are superior and magnificent. Remember 16 bit Sonic the Hedgehog? Say hello to HD Sonic! I like how the environments make you feel like you're on a roller coaster ride of fun!

Story here is Dr. Eggman Robotnik kidnaps cute critters for use as Batnik minions with Sonic and his gang having duty to rescue the critters and stop Eggman Robotnik and his minions. What a thrilling story with great characters.

For Sonic and Sega fans, this game is worth a challenging try but for other gamers you could find yourself frustrated with control moves to attack bosses.