Amazing Ideas for Sims 4 Expansion and Stuff Packs

The Sims 4 is approaching and I am liking nearly everything about it so far such as being able to travel between Worlds, which is like a region of cities only for the Sims 4 it is neighborhoods.

Hell yeah, the Sims 4 will definitely be epic by bringing the best of both worlds. You could travel between worlds but I have yet to play the game so I can't be absolutely sure. I can be sure about the diverse options and amazing building tools.

Though I don't like The Sims 3 very much I will say my favorite thing about it is it manages to have more than a dozen maxis made neighborhoods, around half being from the Sims 3 store. For additional content, the Sims 4 should bring back nostalgia of the Sims while at the same time doing things not already done in previous games.

I am a fan of Art Deco. In fact, it is my favorite style. Art Deco reminds you of the mid 20th century. It would be amazing to have a 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's themed Stuff Pack, similar to the 70's-90's Stuff Pack of the Sims 3 and the Roaring Heights neighborhood from The Sims 3 Store. Of course, I would want it to be more urban friendly as what Art Deco neighborhood is complete without skyscrapers? With the Worlds system, you can have an urban and suburban neighborhood in the World. Very much like a city.

Great thing about the Sims 4 will be no Rabbit Holes. It will be like visiting community lots in The Sims and the Sims 2.

Of course, it would be nice to see all decades of the 20th century covered. Art Deco could remain handy theme for a nightlife-urban-superstar themed expansion pack.


Wouldn't it be slamming to have an expansion pack that combines the following Expansion/Stuff packs from previous games and makes them into something mind blowing. I'm talking about an urban, fame, Hollywood, Apartments, nightlife, and Art Deco(20's-60's themes).

I have this immense fascination with Art Deco themed lots. I saw the Worlds for The Sims 4 myself via youtube videos and images and in the background there were skyscrapers. Sims 3 Late Night had usable skyscrapers with which a certain room was made accessible from a certain story. It functioned like any other building would(not rabbit hole) but would have the experience of a skyscraper. That was an amazing part of The Sims 3. Though you could simulate that in The Sims 2(with Nightlife, OFB of course) The Sims 3 made it easier by relieving you of surplus rooms. Just head to the elevator and enter the hangout. That simple.

The Image I presented up top is the Downtown sub-neighborhood of The Sims Hot Date, which brings back nostalgia. Though it looks simple compared to sims 3 neighborhoods, it should be looked back upon as classic Sims. How awesome would it to also include content from Roaring Heights and make a world like that?

A world based on Studio Town would be great.

The Sims 4 does not have Toddlers nor Swimming Pools or even hot tubs. Not even family trees. The creation of a family themed expansion pack based off Family Fun stuff and Generations should without doubt include Toddlers, Swimming Pools, Family Trees, and Memories. Sims 3 Generations included major lifetime events such as enhanced weddings, graduations, proms, and other ordinary lifetime events.

I've been a huge fan of vacation style content. Out of all the three seen here, Bon Voyage has been my favorite due to flexibility in making different style vacation destinations(Island, Mountain, Far East) though I do feel nostalgia for Vacation Island from The Sims Vacation. Though it didn't include many lots it did have a great decoration of beach, mountain, and alpine views.

This image brings back nostalgia. I like the original sims basis for vacation to a certain degree most since it allows greater use of imagination. for a vacation themed expansion pack for Sims 4, it should include more flexibility to create the dream vacation destination. Different destinations should include tropical, mountain, far eastern, European, African Safari, and Alpine winter. Another idea could include World Cultures portrayed at EPCOT such as Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, United States of America, Japan, Morocco, France, Unite Kingdom, and Canada; though more could be included.

I've noticed that in The Sims 4 cars function only as objects that pass by and are like decorations. An amazing expansion pack should include the ability of sims to drive cars, or at least create some area with which cars are more cultural and decorative purposes that sims can own.

The expansion pack should be centered around car culture, much like route 66 and highway themed items. I wouldn't mind if the animations for the expansion pack  were the same as The Sims 3 cars but having sims owning cars even as luxury would bring back nostalgia of The Sims 3 and it's open world. I know that sims just basically teleport and walk to destinations but adding the ability to own cars even as a luxury would be amazing. It could boost new opportunities.

Another expansion pack I want to see is an Open World expansion pack with the World being more open and seeing sims travel to destinations rather than just walking-teleporting.

Apple TV review

I've tried Apple TV and I'm impressed. Apple TV gives you access to movies, TV streaming, music, pictures, and other media.

I like how it presents a unique image apart from cable TV as you have more options instead of just selecting a numbered channel for which you have to either scroll through or check TV Guide. Apple TV will have your favorite sports events and shows available by selecting apps from your Apple TV remote. Apple TV is digital distribution and doesn't rely on timed releases. For example, you can just watch TV episodes streamed from Netflix at any time, like a recording that doesn't require tuning into the TV.

Above photos look like apps and while it may seem that Apple TV has little to offer in terms of TV programming in comparison to Cable or Satellite providers. You can still stream video and movies and programs from Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO GO, and watch sports games from NBA Game Time, MLB.TV, and NFL GameCenter for examples.

Apple TV with it's features and apps reminds me of Xbox One. Given that Xbox One is a game console and Apple TV a media hub, Xbox One and Apple TV are very similar in terms of features. While Apple TV can't play games(with the exception of iOS mirrored feature) Xbox One can play hit games. For those who favor all around entertainment and gaming, Xbox One has been more preferable than Apple TV on that matter.

Of course, Apple TV costs $99-100 which is cheaper than the $399.99 Xbox One. Hopefully successor consoles to the Xbox One will be cheaper and more compact yet be able to play more hardcore games played on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. I feel devices like Apple TV have potential to have the ability to play games like ones played on major consoles with advancements in nano-technology and a transition from physical to digital media.

Monument Valley review

Though there is a Monument Valley in Utah, I will be talking about the iOS game Monument Valley. Monument Valley is a very interesting game for having a great Pre-Columbian theme to it as well as having sounds that sound like Hispanic music.

How does this game play and what is compelling about this game? This game has you tapping on a space to have the character move. However, puzzles exist such as lifting up certain columns to navigate around as the character will go up steps and you may find that some pathways will be destroyed and you have to figure out another way. The pathways are not as they first appear. Look closer and you will see that the pathways shift into being a real pathway even though it may look impossible at first.

As for the style of this game, I like the Southwestern and Ottoman architecture this game has to offer. I also like the Southwesterm music as both architecture and music give you the feel of the humble Southwest. I feel the architecture and sounds are more admirable than the gameplay as graphics for this game speak high definition. I had the ipad on Apple TV and it sounds amazing. What's great about this game is it tricks you and puts your brain to comprehension.

I know I can repeat things but I just came across a pathway that is formed when you turn the structure to a certain angle. If it was at any other angle it would look like two separate ledges. I at first was confused about what to do but then I realized that the two separate ledges form a connected pathway when you turn the building at a certain angle.

Even though the gameplay may feel like it has you just tapping to the point of which the character follows, this game is a puzzle game and it makes you poke around with sliding objects that manipulate the structures.

Toca Town review

Toca Town can be played on iOS/Android systems and what this app is that you play around in an interactive town where you can place some characters down and characters will be connected to certain objects. For example, place character down on a toilet and tap on the character to make bodily sounds.

It's interesting how objects in this app feel magnetic. You can place an object in a characters and and the character will hold it. It's neat that there are different actions to be taken as for instance the police station you can open and close the jail doors and make it so someone is in a jail cell. At home, put someone in bed and they'll be sleeping.

I will say however the display looks like it was made for young children and gives that nostalgic feeling of Fisher-Price products. I can't really say much about this app because it just includes several ordinary places of any town such as a police station, home, park, grocery store, etc.

Bubl Tap/Draw

Bubl Tap is an app for toddlers and what is done primarily is you tap on the face and weird things will occur such as transforming shapes. It can be very interesting and make you feel groovy. You can go to several different scenarios where you can make several different effects. I really enjoyed clicking on the eyes, circles, and seeing transformations. The best thing about this app is clicking on objects and see transformations. It is black and white however.

Bubl Draw however is more detailed. You have a canvas in which you draw lines and if you put one in a circuit it becomes a filled shape. Lines will produce musical circles which will play a tune for while filled shapes will play like drums. I really like how the music is made and how the effects work. I like how you can create the lines and shapes yourself. Bubl Draw is more flexible than Bubl Tap as you are the artist here and you can be creative instead of just tapping on shapes. Unlike Bubl Tap, Bubl Draw has different colors. Bubl Draw follows an artistic path rather than just having you tap on objects that will transform. The sounds are as amazing as the effects. You can choose from three different themes and music for each will be different. There's a combination of musical patterns to follows as you have 7 line/shape choices and three themes. With all of the combinations, this makes it so they're in the dozens.

Harley Davidson Road Trip and NASCAR Dirt to Daytona

Harley Davidson Road Trip for Wii is certainly casual in nature as it employs simple controls and gameplay with it. I do admire the motorcycles used for this casual game. This racing game really doesn't have much gameplay content which is a bummer unless it were for iOS and Android systems.

There are several gameplay modes such as following one biker closely and another which you hold a position with three other bikers which both require some precision. The Crew mode of the game is the most frustrating due to not only the tilt style controls but also the amount of successful tries in the Central and West levels of the game required to pass. There's also a camera picture mode where you take pictures of certain items and get a passing score. Another mode includes collecting Harley Davidson icons and going to the finish line. Forgot to mention there's another mode which includes having the photographer take picture of you passing by a designated monument.

When racing on the track, it looks generic and hardly anything in scenery changes. Depending on the environment selected(East, Central, West) there's really not much else in scenery. I will say however that the surrounding environment looks enjoyable despite losing interest in it quickly. This game despite feeling short has a great representation of Harley Davidson franchise.

NASCAR Dirt to Daytona. Released in 2002 for PS2 and Gamecube, this game definitely created a NASCAR experience for it's time. You can enter a career mode where you start off with Dirt racing, then advancing towards Truck, Modified, and Cup racing. What can disappoint me is that the cars look the same. Sure there are different paint jobs and even upgrades but that still doesn't make it all excusable.

Real racers are featured in terms of car paint jobs but this game was hardly a hit game that millions would pick up and play. I will say that NASCAR cars have looked identical in the past apart from their paint jobs. However, there have been different chassis of NASCAR cars. This game however failed to make cars look unique with only paint jobs being what separate it from other cars. Of course, upgrades for your car in career mode will improve performance.

I will also say that the tracks do resemble real tracks and are based on type of race class. For example, dirt tracks will be raced on by dirt racing cars. The career mode of this game does give future games a great idea. NASCAR Dirt to Daytona is okay but falls short of an ideal game to follow.

Following Games I look Forward to Playing by the end of 2014

E3 2014 is approaching and I have a great list of some amazing upcoming games I look forward to playing.


Watch Dogs will be released on May 27, 2014. I've been waiting for this game to be released for months. It was supposed to be a launch title for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One but was delayed to Q2 2014. It will definitely be released on May 27, 2014(which is within the Q2 2014 window) and include stealth action such as manipulating the city's electronic infrastructure to escape certain situations such as police. Aiden Pierce is able to become the hidden Emperor of Chicago thanks to his smartphone hacking into the computer systems.

Pierce will be able to do almost anything electronically as his smartphone is the ultimate hacking tool. Watch everything electronic be turned into Pierce's weapon in an open-world Chicago.


The Sims 4 is set to be released this fall. I have been anticipating for The Sims 4 to be better than The Sims 3 and it looks like by anticipation came true as the sims in The Sims 4 look superior to the cartoonish and mushed looking sims in The Sims 3. Plus, The Sims 4 will be less picky than predecessors with computer hardware and run better.

That's my ideal woman up there. E3 2014 will show the Sims 4 like people have never seen it before. There's so much customization to be had with this upcoming game including easier house-building. I sure hope my sims in this upcoming game can drive cars and go to different neighborhoods including vacation destinations, multiple cities, and even universities.

DriveClub will be a PS4 exclusive and has an announced release date of October 8, 2014. I've been anticipating this racing game for months and have recently learned about the release date and the only racing game for PS4 now is Need For Speed Rivals. I was really expecting this game to be released already but it appears the Sony team needed to make some more improvements to the game. I would like to see what other environments and cars there are since all I see is European sports cars.

DriveClub will NOT be a racing simulator like Gran Turismo or Forza Motorsport but compete mainly with Grid 2. DriveClub will be foucsed mainly on social aspects and bring a whole new world in for social gaming. I hope to see more out of DriveClub as it is said to have been delayed due to needs of improvement.

Project Cars is set for release in November 2014. I've seen Project Cars and I am impressed with how the game developers managed to pull this off, including a unique method of funding as private investors will get shares from he game's sales. How many cars and types of environments could there be in this racing simulator?

Just look at these screenshots! Amazing. Project Cars will be for PC, Steam OS, PS4, Xbox One, and Wii U. Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo series are only for one console. I expect Project Cars to be the Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo we've never seen before in our lives! Project Cars in my view will be far superior to Gran Turismo 6 and Forza Motorsport 5 combined. I can clearly see there will be far more cars and types of them in this game, making Forza Motorsport 5 look like it lacks content.

Tropico 5 is a sim-city style game where you rule over a Latin country in the Caribbean like a dictator.

What I find the most amazing is 1950's Hispanic style society as Tropico 5 looks like a game you can make an amazing city with. Within the time frame of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, actions will affect the outcomes of your island so make wise decisions including military, trade, economics, and foreign relations. As the supreme leader, you can decide the country's constitution and create any laws that please you.
From Wikipedia:
Gameplay features include:

• Eras - You will be able to advance through 3 different eras - from the 19th century to the 21st. Various challenges and events will occur as time progress.
• Dynasty - 'El Presidente' will now have a family present on the island, who can be appointed to key leadership positions including the man with the title of 'El Presidente' after his death, while earning skills and experience.
• Research and renovation - New buildings and technologies can be discovered as time advances by using research. Old buildings may be renovated into more modern variants.
• New trade system - You can create a global trade fleet and use it to import/export goods to neighbouring islands and nations.
• Fog of war and native tribes - Explore the island to discover new mineral deposits or hostile native tribes.
• New buildings - Over 100 unique buildings from each of the 3 individual eras.
• Multiplayer - Up to 4 players can work together - or against each other - on any given island map. They can share resources or citizens, or declare war on each other.

Tropico 5 will be released on May 23, 2014 ONLY for the PC while Xbox 360, OS X, and PS4 versions will be released later. The PS4(presumably the best version) will be released at the latest time, which is to be autumn of this year.

Carmageddon Reincarnation hasn't received much attention as competing games have but I did hear this game is supposed to be a vehicular combat game

Above image is an early access version of the game and while it doesn't look finished yet, it will be released for PC, OS X, PS4, and Xbox One. Early Steam access was granted on March 27, 2014. If I were to buy this game, I would buy a console version of this game. PS4 and Xbox One versions will look better than the early access for sure.

Mario Kart 8 isn't a game I plan on buying but looks amazing as ever. a new feature for this game will include Hover racing, making the 21st century more like the 21st century. Mario Kart 8 is expected to be the best of the Mario Kart games as there will be much content to enjoy. Mario Kart 8 will be released in Late May 2014.

Roller-Coaster Tycoon 4 has not been getting very much attention yet has already released for mobile platforms. This game will be released by Holiday 2014. It's unclear what RCT4 will look like on the PC exactly but it is guaranteed to be more awesome than the mobile versions. RCT4 comes a decade after the last Roller Coaster Tycoon game. The above image looks like RCT3 but RCT4 will look even better than the mobile versions.

I bet Roller Coaster Tycoon 4 will be amazing as it will feature present day technology and amazing graphics while keeping up with the Roller-Caster Tycoon nostalgia.

MLB 14 The Show PS4 review

The PS4 version of this game has been released recently and it looks phenomenal. It looks so much like a photo-realistic game as you can clearly see how real everything looks, and I mean EVERYTHING. The players, the moves, the stadiums, everything. The sounds also scream amazing. The announcers sound so real and you could swear it looked photo realistic. Shadows are realistic too.

Some game modes include Exhibition(where you play baseball the old fashioned way by controlling a team by batting and pitching, Road to the Show(which has you playing as one character regardless of teams as you become part of a team), Franchise, and mini modes that have to do with practice modes. There are also online modes included and the amount of content to this game is bountiful.


The top photo is PS4 version vs. the bottom PS3 version. As you can see the PS3 version looks more flattened and blurred compared to the sharp tool in the shed known as PS4. A marvel for baseball fans here as you can clearly see that the PS4 is much more preferable to the other two(PS3, PS Vita) versions due to the PS4 version having more pleasurable visuals. PS4 graphics seem to make objects pop out compared to the objects in the PS3 version looking flattened.

The players for the PS4 version look much like real players. I must say that I enjoyed going through the Road to the Show mode of the game as I found being put in the place of your very own player gives you a more realistic experience of what it's like to be a single baseball player. Exhibition was fun to as you controlled a team by batting and pitching with the goal of the game being to win. As for Road to the Show, you pretty much create your own baseball player and work your way to the top. I like how the training points are a plus as even if your team loses the game, you still have training points to make yourself a better player.

I heard this game had a rating of 4/5 but a more realistic rating would be a 9.3/10.

A Batch of Apps for Review

Pinocchio Story App(Pink Paw Books)-There are a lot of apps like these but the one I've read through had some interesting visuals. The strange and deceitful Fox and Cat looked creepy and realistic which is good fit for their personality. Pinocchio is basically made to come to life and must behave like a good boy in order to become a real boy. Pinocchio fails to follow the 6th Commandment of "Honour Thy Mother and Father" by disobeying his parents(Gepetto and Blue Fairy) by committing truancy.

He sold his bag and books for a puppet show ticket where Pinocchio would be a performing puppet himself. He was given five coins and fell for the Fox and Cat's of planting gold in the ground to make gold grow from trees hook, line and sinker. These two thieves tie Pinocchio to a tree and steal his gold coins. Pinocchio lies to the Blue Fairy and his nose grows, just like the story.

Pinocchio makes another foolish decision in trusting an even shadier yet more appealing stranger by getting in a Wagon to Toyland. Pinocchio enjoys himself with other kids but everyone is turned into donkeys. A place where people could just magically forsake responsibilities sounds too good to be true. Pinocchio was lucky enough to escape into the sea but was swallowed by a giant whale only to find Gepetto was swallowed up trying to find Pinocchio. Gepetto and Pinocchio reunite and Pinocchio sets a fire with his longed nose to make smoke come from out of the whale's blowhole so it would sneeze both Gepetto and Pinocchio out. Pinocchio was rewarded by the Blue Fairy and became a real boy.

This storybook app teaches the moral of obeying your parents and not wandering off with stranger because Gepetto was Pinocchio's father while the Cat, Fox, and Toylanders were complete strangers who actually hurt children. As for the sound effects, I didn't hear too much of them but I did hear a narrator speaking clearly.

Jo In Paris app-Here you can see Jo & Me Around the World see Paris. This app will show you the major sights of Paris in cartoon form but when you click on a quotation you can see a photograph of 1-5 pictures of the real life counterpart. This app has over two dozen places of interest to click on and look at. You can even take the quiz to test your knowledge. I'm not too interested in the cartoon visuals myself but I do like the information given of how you can see what Paris would have to offer, even though I'd prefer the internet.

Roxy The Star- This app explores the USA as there are 5 modes to play from such as naming rivers, states, capitals, landmarks, and even an alien mode that works somewhat like Tetris but with trivia that is imperative to pass. Every mode except Alien mode works the same as you basically slide the correct answer to the correct point. Alien mode has you answering trivia blocks correctly on pain of death as you must touch the ground by eliminating blocks and make sure not to fall into the lake of fire. I enjoyed playing this app and felt that it provides a fun casual gaming experience.

Ken Burns app- This app is a timeline of selected clips from Ken Burns documentary films and will pin-point where the historical event is, showing you the clip and referencing the documentary film the clip is in. I really like how the timeline was put together and I enjoyed the science and technology part the most.

I Love My Dad- A Storybook app that is short but tells the point about a sock-puppet looking fellow who loves his dad and why he has every reason in doing so. You can click on some things and they will move.

Little Red Riding Hood- From Amanuta Editorial, Little Red Riding Hood tells the story of the little girl who was to visit her ill grandmother. Her grandmother is swallowed by a giant wolf while the unsuspecting girl believes the wolf is her grandmother. The girl gradually suspects something as she notices huge ears, huge teeth, wide eyes, and that she was larger than imagined. It turns out that once the girl was swallowed, she found her grandma and a man with an axe cut open the belly of the wolf and the wolf died.

I find the illustrations looking weird but with a creative thought that reminds you of Tim Burton.

BeBop Blox- BeBop Blox has you putting blocks from a conveyor belt together to form the selected shape. It's toddler's play really as the blocks will come in a certain order and you just slide them to the highlighted shade. Effects such as animations and sound are very interesting as you can clearly see and hear the animations and sounds coming from the blocks themselves. There are 12 different shapes to choose from and each have several different animations

Where's My Monster- A storybook that has a mother looking for her son. She looks in several different places but to no avail until she finds her monster son behind a big red ball. I like the animations and detail of the story book itself. The story is rather very short but i does remind you of Monsters INC.

Flappy Jack- A rip-off of Flappy Bird that features the same gameplay as Flappy Bird but in stead of stars you get cherries and the pipes are now logs. The game can feel hard to control at times as getting it at the right time is important as not to flop down by hitting a log or falling to the floor.

Anatomy- A children's app teaching you about the human body. I like the variety of information here since children can learn so much about the human body in respective areas such as digestive, circulatory, respiratory, muscular, and nervous systems. I found this app interesting as it also has some neat slides to look at as well as I came across an activity where you select different food options to choose from which relate to nutrition. This is very important for children as nutrition is important for staying healthy. See things about growth, body parts, and others.

Slice Fractions review

The elephant is here and needs your help to journey past the glaciers and get to the other sides. Just how do you help this cute little guy get across to his promised land?

This is an iOS and Android game that teaches you about rightly portioning the blocks to ensure the glacier blocks are removed with the split hanging blocks landing and decimating the glacier blocks, allowing the elephant to pass. The objective of the game is to ensure the elephant can pass. I actually found breaking up the blocks and popping bubbles to be amusing. These blocks you must slice are called LAVA and this lava comes out in triangles. The backgrounds and visuals are 2D neat as you can clearly see how neat it looks. Your cute elephant can wear a hat and new hats are unlocked with each level. Each higher level will become progressively more difficult as you may even be time limited. But I like that this app game gives you a thorough challenge as levels progress. It starts off first as child's play but patience will be required for later levels.

I really like the app's appeal to kids and elementary math. Slice Fractions is a great cheap activity for children to play with and use critical thinking skills for problem solving.

Lego The Hobbit review

A Lego video game based on the Hobbit has finally arrived for the PC, Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo 3DS, and PlayStation Vita. Lego video games just manage to make the video games they base off of licensed franchises  like "Everything Is Awesome!"

How is Lego the Hobbit awesome? For starters I want to point out how it manages to look and feel like a Hobbit story. You can see the Lego versions of the Hobbit characters make it as real as can be. The sound effects and music are made very much like the movie Hobbit and Lego video games are made as sometimes the sound effects can be loud and clear enough that you may not hear the background music as clearly. The music for this game is amazing and then entire theme of this game makes you assume that you're either in Scotland; Ireland; Zeeland, Netherlands; or Zealand, Scandinavia as for one the environments look like these locations and two a musical sequence was playing where Irish folk music was playing.

The gameplay for Lego The Hobbit still uses the same game engine from previous Lego games but has different puzzles with a new game mechanic which allows two characters to merge together and do certain tasks. While some tasks are similar to The Lego Movie Game there are new tasks that relate to the Hobbit franchise. I like how the game developers got creative with this game and how they made it like a Hobbit story fans will be interested in. Many of the Hobbit characters are in this game, including many playable characters. While the open world experience may not be as vast as The Lego Movie game, it does allow for Freeplay to go back and collect anything that was missed. Similar to The Lego Movie game, each character will have a certain ability depending on their weapon.

I will say that while Lego The Hobbit game is immerse and tells an amazing story with spectacular music and sound effects, it can feel a bit shorter and with less content than The Lego Movie Game. I did like that this game manages to make a fun Hobbit story that is not only enjoyable to play but also has pleasant visuals such as high end graphics.

I would like to rate this game a 9.1/10
+amazing storyline
+great sound effects and amazing music
+high end graphics
+great Hobbit characters

MLB 14 The Show review

MLB 14 The Show is for PS3 and Vita with a PS4 port to be released in May of 2014. MLB 14 the Show is a baseball sports game where you play as many different real baseball players and teams.

MLB 14 The Show gameplay mechanics work like baseball and play by MLB rules though there are several gameplay methods. What I enjoyed about this game is that it felt like an amazing baseball experience, with the real players, different pitching methods, real teams and stadiums, different settings for baseball outfits and stadium settings such as time of day and weather. This game plays like real baseball games. Both console and portable versions play the same. You can choose to take it easy or crank it up a heavy notch.

What makes MLB 14 so enjoyable. It plays like an MVP baseball game of course and has so many combinations of baseball games to choose from including teams, players with diverse stats, real stadiums, and changing type of baseball outfit that fits with the selected team. The players have real looks to them as well as being real players, which baseball fans should be clamoring for. There are different ways to pitch, which is a great feature of any game.

The graphics differ for PS3 and PS Vita. While the PS3 graphics will not be as great as the PS4, graphics for this game still manage to be as real as possible. You're going to love how the stadiums and players look. It definitely feels like the best baseball game ever. This game definitely does a great job at making this game feel like MLB baseball.

The PS4 version of this game will be better when released on May 6, 2014! Better resolutions and more enjoy-ability. While MLB 14 The Show isn't perfect, it sure is very enjoyable for the average baseball fan. I give this game a rating of 9/10.

+Great Variety in content such as real players, stadiums, pitching, and teams
+Great rendition of displays(PS4 will be even better)
-lower frame-rate(could change with PS4 version)

Roll Back: Mario Kart Wii review

Released back in 2008 for the Wii, Mario Kart Wii is something to look back on as Mario Kart 8 will be released for the Wii U in Late May 2014.

Why would people want to look back on Mario Kart Wii to call it a game worth playing? The car the player would be racing in depended on the character selected. Some characters are made a secret at first and must be unlocked by playing through the game such as winning trophies in Grand Prix. Mario Kart is a series that follows the same kind of vehicular combat formula in which power-ups and throw-able objects such as banana peels, green-red turtle shells, ability to shock and shrink enemies, transform vehicle into a magnum bill that speeds through the race and knocks out opponents in it's way, bomb, and even a star that makes racers invulnerable to being hit and can even hit other racers by slamming into them. The ones mentioned are not all of the power-ups in this game. The mushrooms have typically been used in Mario games to make Mario larger and have more health but in Mario Kart it has been used to give the racer a boost.

Power-ups for this game look like the power-ups in Super Mario Brothers games. I like how memorable characters from the Mario franchise such as Mario, Luigi, Princess, Yoshi, Toad, Wario and more. The race tracks include both new and tracks from previous games. As for the graphics, Wii games have had to compromise on graphics but sometime you may think that this is a GameCube game. Another complaint gamers would have was the difficulty level on it's highest set had opponents which could shoot you literally from first to last place, which is typically 12th place.

As for vehicles, you can choose between a selection of three karts and/or three bikes and the vehicle selection you get is based on the character you select. Each character will have a different livery but there is a class of characters that conform to a certain type of vehicle as turtle and baby characters will have the stroller for one of their vehicles. Some characters will have the same vehicles as others.

Mario Kart Wii is a great game to look back on and you will be wondering how Mario Kart 8 will be.

Lego Movie Videogame Portable Versions

Lego Movie Video-Game's portable versions for Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita follow a different gameplay structure and have more limits in what it can do.

For example, gameplay for Lego Movie Video-Game portable is more linear. Although the levels emulate the movie's story the levels are shorter and also have side objectives in which completing one will get you a gold block. The view of the game varies with some sequences having you looking in an isometric birds eye view and others having a straight third person view for the occasion. The controls take advantage of the touchpad though you have the option to use orthodox controls such as turning the analog stick.

There are some features missing in the portable versions that were in the PC and console versions such as character customization, side-missions, and open world gameplay. The portable versions still have movie cut-scenes. The portable versions don't have co-op so only the played character will appear in game though you can switch between them by using the touchscreen and characters still have their special abilities with Emmet using a drill and Wyldstyle having aerobatic skills to climb higher ledges other characters can't reach.

While the graphics seem more pixalated compared to the console version, graphics and sounds are still decent for a portable game. The "Everything is Awesome" song plays when a level has been completed.

While this game isn't bad for a portable game, it doesn't have the same lasting appeal as the console versions as the former had to remove certain features to comply with the hardware restrictions for 3DS and Vita systems.

LEGO Movie Video Game review

Lego Movie the Video Game is for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. The version I played was the Xbox One version.

How does Lego Movie Video Game play? The Lego Movie Video game plays like many of the previous Lego games from the 2010's with the same mechanics and graphics of 8th generation gaming. The gameplay for this game's story has much variety as you will find yourself playing numerous characters such as Vitruvius, Emmett, Wildstyle, Princess Unikitty, 80's Space Guy, Batman, and many more of the characters from the movie. This game's cutscenes consist of actual scenes from the movie and the story-line and gameplay replicates the movie itself. The first level you play has you playing as Vitruvius, Wonder Woman, and Shakespeare who are all master builders who try to stop the evil Lord Business from stealing the "Kragle", a super-weapon which is in real life glue. Of course, Vitruvius fails and the game turns to an in-movie cutscene.

The story then goes to Emmett who is presumed to be the chosen one of the Master Builders. Emmett first appears as an ordinary rejected construction worker. The second level you play in has you playing as Emmett and two other construction workers. You can drive cars in some of the levels. This level has you doing the everyday instructions filled work of Emmett who is rejected by many people.

This movie's level designs are made to emulate scenes from the movie. There's even an "Everything is Awesome" dance sequence. Certain actions in the game are exclusive for certain characters such as master builders building more complex things without instructions and construction workers using drills to chip through walls. If you've seen the movie, you can recognized the scenes and tell that the scenes from the movie and the levels from the game are nearly exact. Not only that but they're also in exact order as the first Master Builder Fight, "Everything is Awesome" Brickopolis, and Emmett falling into an abyss is in the right order in both the movie and game.

How does the game play? The controls for the game are above average as they can be controlled well and this game has no shortage of variety in gameplay and puzzles as there are many different actions requiring certain characters. For a movie licensed game, this game has amazing gameplay for a Lego game and stands out for being creative in terms of gameplay and making it feel like the real story.

I like how the effects for this game are made in Lego yet look so real enough. The music and sounds for this game greatly resemble the movie as if you've watched the movie in theaters you can't tell them apart. Plus, don't forget about the many customization options for your characters as there are dozens of options available in game which you can unlock. Even replay each chapter of the story mode in free play. I should also mention that when at the end of the chapter you get the score past 100% it tunes into a ringtone style of the song "Everything is Awesome".

Plus, Lego Movie Video Game has an open world to it in which if you're not on missions you can free roam around the available environments and even do some free playing of previous levels to find more collectibles.

I also must add that there are some parts which will make you feel that it's a chore.

How can Lego Movie The Game be rated as? Lego Movie Video Game gets an 9/10
+Great replication of the Movie's storyline
+variety of gameplay
+Amazing characters and concepts in variety
+Great story
-some pointless sequences can feel like a mini-chore

Angry Birds GO!

Angry Birds GO! is a free to play kart racing game. Though it's not as extensive as Mario Kart, Angry Birds GO provides some degree of fun casual gameplay for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and Blackberry 10 systems.

Angry Birds GO! will have you racing down a slide track from top start to dock finish. The gameplay mechanics work by having you sling the kart to make it start and it automatically accelerates and speeds. You can steer by selecting either to tilt or touch arrows. Each kart is like something any kid could construct but doesn't have an engine. Collect coins for upgrades and you can buy more content from the app store such as new karts.

Angry Birds GO! provides a great Angry Birds experience beyond that of the simple flinging of Angry Birds to destroy rival forts. You will play as the red angry bird and play in several different modes which will include racing pig faced greens, racing one to one with Stella, time trials, and fruit attack. The graphics for the game are cel-shaded and look really great for an Angry Birds game, especially with a 3D perspective. The detail put into this game is great. It may only be a casual racing game and nothing as special as Mario Kart but Angry Birds GO! manages to take advantage of what's available for it.

While Angry Birds GO! may have you losing appeal after playing it for a while, it's still a fun game to play. Angry Birds GO! greatly resembles and portrays the characters from the Angry Birds series and attempts to make this game as identical as playing Angry Birds, but with a racing twist. Angry Birds GO! manages to capture spirit of both Angry Birds and engine-less go kart racing.

Roll Back: Mario Party 8

Mario Party 8 was released for the Wii in 2007 and received mixed reviews. Does it deserve the ratings it got?

For starters, how does the game play? Mario Party 8 is a party game of numerous compiled mini-games. How do these mini-games play? Numerous mini-games are fun to play and quality depends on how the games control. Some will be easy to control while others will require much effort. The main thing for this game is the Party Tent mode which puts you in a board game rivaling other players both AI and real. As with other party games, with each turn on this board game each player will play a randomly selected mini-game which is either brawl, 2 vs. 2, or 3 against 1. Even duel against another player in a special event.

Though Mario Party 8 can be fun at times with collecting stars and coins to compete for victory and numerous candy power ups, it can be repetitive and lose lasting appeal easily. This game does have a scaled back look for it as graphics look like this game could be made for Nintendo GameCube. The game doesn't look bad but the graphics haven't improved for this game from it's then previous generation. Mario Party 8 had some disappointments for Wii players.

Though I did enjoy playing it with the board game I do feel Mario Party 8 isn't the best party game. It does however give the feeling of a wacky adventure with numerous themed boards. Select different options such as how many turns, plus you can even select the characters themselves instead of having them randomly selected for you. I like games where you can select your rival AI characters.

What do I think of Mario Party 8 after playing it? Looking back I really feel that Mario Party 9 would be better as the latter actually has graphics that are appropriate for it's time instead of looking like a GameCube game ported onto a Wii console. Mario Party 8 certainly isn't the best Mario Party game available but at least it sold amazingly and was fun to play for awhile.

Forzapalooza: Reviewing two previous Forza Motorsports

Forza Motorsport 2 was released for Xbox 360 in 2007 and was considered to be among the best racing games at that time as it has excellent graphics, real physics, and an assortment of over 349 cars. There was downloadable content released for this game during it's first year but has been discontinued for years.

How did Forza Motorsport 2 improve in terms of gameplay and how can it be looked back upon? With more cars from the previous Xbox installment and a more sharp graphical view you can clearly see differences in performance and how Forza Motorsport 2 has improved from it's predecessor. The framerate was 60fps and 720p which was somewhat rare for a game back then. Tracks for the game are based on real tracks while a couple are tracks that are real streets.  Forza Motorsport 2 is truly an improvement from the predecessor making Forza Motorsport for Xbox forgettable. What's not to give preferential treatment to Forza Motorsport 2 for? It's got improved graphics, more content, and a more real feeling of racing simulation. Upgrading cars has been a great feature and auto upgrade is something Gran Turismo doesn't have. Forza Motorsport 2 was truly an amazing game for it's time and improved in every way from it's predecessor.

Forza Motorsport 4 is in my view the most complex game of the series as it includes over 500 cars and 27 tracks. What makes this game the most amazing is how much content it has and how great the graphics are and the gameplay mechanics. You can adjust settings of difficulty to affect payouts. The graphics are pretty much the same as the previous Forza Motorsport games from Xbox 360. Forza Motorsport 4 also utilizes the Kinect but such a feature has been criticized for having lackluster controls. Another improvement for Forza Motorsport 4 is online multiplayer could include 16 players instead of a mere 8. Forza Motorsport 4 also added more racers to each race making the game more challenging. Of course you can influence the difficulty of the racers. Forza Motorsport 4 is truly unforgettable in how it has a great assortment of cars and will take you by surprise. Sadly, Forza Motorsport 5 cut down on some content despite having newer and better features.

iOS and Android Games reviewed for February 7, 2014

Flappy Bird is a bird flying game where you click on the screen to make the bird jump but if you don't do so it will fall to the ground. There are these tubes from Mario Bros. which you must avoid hitting. The thing about this game is that it's too hard to be considered playable as the bird you try and keep from falling can easily crash into these Super Mario tubes. Plus, graphics look like Super Nintendo and movements can feel shaky. On the other hand, Flappy Bird has been addictive and it is now free. It has generated many users as you get the bird through the pipes and collect points as well. What else is bummer is that getting several points will take a half hour. Flappy Bird can be addictive and fun at times but ultimately repetitive and frustrating to get further in this game.

Glass Tower 2: An app game similar to Tetris as you must eliminate the blue glass blocks while preventing the red glass blocks from breaking or falling. Once blue blocks are dealt with, the level is complete. Levels get progressively harder and this game emulates the classic Tetris. Gameplay is simplistic as Tetris and has many different levels. First 20 levels are free but you can purchase more packs for $0.99 each. This game can be fun for puzzle solvers. Glass Tower 2 is a fun game for iOS systems.

Clash of Clans: A strategy based game for iOS and Android system where objectives and gameplay include building your community, defending it from attackers, training troops, and attacking other players to earn gold and gems which can be used for more upgrades and equipment. This game is freemium so upgrades and more content can be purchased from either App Store or Google Play. This game's theme is centered on medieval fantasy themes as gobblins, archers, barbarians, witches, giants, dragons, and more medieval creatures. Clash of Clans truly puts you on edge for a strategy battle to maintain your kingdom from invaders. This game has everything a strategy game of this kind has to offer. I will admit the graphics aren't next-generation but what can you expect from a freemium game? Despite being initially free to play, there are many add ons and content that do cost money and this game has generated much revenue.

Forza Motorsport 5 review

A launch title for Xbox One, this racing simulator is one of a kind for not only it's awesome racing and amazing cars but also features you won't find on other racing games.

How is Forza Motorsport 5 an amazingly different and new experience? Take for a fact that instead of Ai you have something called Drivatar. Drivatar is a program that has cloud servers download player data in how they overall race and uses it to race in other races in the game. It will even sync your performance in racing to give other players the same experience. Cloud computing is just one of many advantages Xbox One has over PlayStation 4.

There are many cars both veteran and newbie for Forza Motorsport 5 as not only do these cars run and look amazing but you can also more or less examine them in depth with Forza Vista. Plus, you can actually look at your cars in a real garage. The livery has gotten more awesome as players can upload custom livery and other players can choose such for their cars. If you've played Forza before then you'll love that when you buy a car for a series the game will automatically set the highest upgrades for a maximum allowed class. The Affinity and Driver levels still exist but use tokens to purchase not only cars but also a temporary boost in XP, which works towards driver and affinity bonuses. Affinity bonuses award you extra earnings if you drive a certain car marque. When I began driving an Audi several races, I got extra earnings.

The difficulty level is still custom set and there are a few differences such as instead of a total percentage being shown it instead simply shows the bonus percentage, which will either increase or decrease earnings. You can't turn off rewind for bonus but if you do use rewind it will cost you a very small percentage of earnings. What I've seen in this game is that instead of it automatically being 1st, 2nd, or 3rd being required for Gold, Silver, and Bronze metals respectively it has you placing 1st-3rd for Gold, 4th-7th for Silver, and 8th-10th for Bronze.

As for difficulty, you can set the Drivatar difficulty from new driver to extreme expert. Earnings bonuses will range from -15% to 60%. The Assist settings will determine the car assist settings and eliminating assists will increase earnings reward. Change transmission, steering, damage, braking, and other assists to influence total earnings.

Forza Motorsport 5 proves that it is better than Gran Turismo series as the former is easier to upgrade and handle even with it's amazing physics. Forza Motorsport 5 runs at 1080p and 60 fps and is one of the very few Xbox One games to do so. While many other third party games have no problem running 1080p and 60 fps natively but Xbox One yields lesser results, Forza Motorsport 5 manages to look stunning and have such amazing visuals and graphics.

Forza Motorsport 5 in my opinion is the best Xbox One game currently available since most other Xbox One games have trouble running at the same 1080p and 60 fps that Forza Motorsport 5 has no problem running at. Come to think of it, Forza Motorsport's mainstream rating of 8/10 is disgraceful and deserves to be higher as it has totally improved from the previous generation of gaming. This game has numerous features that no other racing simulator has. Forza Motorsport 5 is better than Gran Turismo 6! Only gripe about Forza Motorsport 5 is it takes long to install but bright side is you can simply play the game if enough of it is installed and the rest will be gradually installed. Another gripe is that out of all the Forza games, Forza Motorsport 5 has the second least amount of content as Forza Motorsport 4 had over 500 cars and over two dozen tracks while Forza Motorsport 5 has only over 200 cars and only around 14 tracks.

Final verdict for this thrilling and amazing game is a 8.9/10.
+Exciting Racing
+Innovative and Exclusive features
+Cloud Technology Fully Mastered
+Highest Graphics Quality
-Long Installation Time
-Cut Downs on Amount of Content by half.

Nosy Crow's Jack and the Beanstalk review

For storybooks, I may give out some spoilers but I will try not to give away the ending. Jack and the Beanstalk is an interactive storybook for iOS tablets. I must say that I was eager to learn of the ending once the story progressed.

It starts out with Jack and his beautiful mother living in near extreme poverty and struggling for them ends meat. They must sell the family cow Daisy to do so but Jack trades Daisy for 10 magic beans. Mother is upset and Jack discovers a giant beanstalk which will take him to a castle in the sky. The castle would be fit for a giant and Jack would collect some items such as golden coins, a golden egg, and a golden ball. Jack also uses keys to open doors. There are mini-games to be played but you can opt not to do them and instead skip through the story map. There are some parts of the stories that tell you to drag the character but many feel like they're never ending. Unless the arrow flashes, you may not know whether to advance. I don't understand the arrows being shaded. I just don't. Also, on the map the scenes outside the castle are shaded black and white, making you think they could be locked.

I did like the visuals of the storybook and the interactions are great. You can choose to complete all nine activities or skip through the story. The one I got frustrated on was when Jack was running from the giant and jumping over barrels. I then realized it was just part of interactive storytelling and Jack will neither get away nor be caught by the giant so if you grow tired of it, just go to the map or press the arrow. Yes, you can just skip to the ending if you want and see how Jack and mom made their exodus from extreme poverty to comfortable living. I don't want to give away the exact ending but you will understand.

If there was something else I found annoying was that sometimes the dialog unnecessarily used names more than once in a conversation. I know this is supposed to be an interactive storybook but couldn't you make a linear loop instead of making it generic? Story making has been around since Adam and Eve in 4004 BC and it appears Nosy Crow made a mistake in making dialog sound like a run on. Stories don't run like run on and repeating the same thing. This story does however make the dialog understandable and i can understand the conversations. Also, why do the voices sound like one person recorded them?

How do I view Jack and the Beanstalk? I view it to be be of good standing and would recommend this for children and even adults as well. Nosy Crow overall is an amazing publisher of children's books and apps.

Two Games from 2006-2008: Bully and Midnight Club Los Angeles

Midnight Club Los Angeles was released for PSP, Xbox 360, PS3 in 2008 and was a racing game in the 2000s franchise Midnight Club.

Midnight Club Los Angeles is set exclusively in Los Angeles and follows much of Midnight Club's formula of nighttime street racing. MCLA follows a certain story of first choosing a vehicle, then racing for reputation and money. Money is used for purchasing new cars and upgrades. Cars can be purchased at the garage and upgrades at locations marked with a gas pump. Cars will take damage and be in need of repair. The controls can feel jerky and despite being of working condition, they have given players a jerky feeling. Plus, there is less content in this game and while the selection of cars is great, I feel the amount and variety in car types was reduced compared to Midnight Club 3. However, the South Central Edition did come with more car types such as SUVs, LowRiders, and Police Cars and police response is as usual for any Midnight Club game.

Midnight Club Los Angeles was made to be more social and feel more like you could relate to the characters. This game also did a great job with recreating Los Angeles but I've seen better though MCLA does have the feeling of Los Angeles. The designs actually look similar to Midnight Club 3 but with some enhancements.

Overall, I felt that while Midnight Club Los Angeles had a better feeling of relatibility socially it cut down on amount of content from what was in Midnight Club 3. I feel the best Midnight Club game to play is Midnight Club 3 DUB edition.

Bully was a game released for PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, Wii, and Windows. Originally released for PS2 in 2006, it made it's way onto the other systems in 2008. What is Bully anyway?

Bully is a game that involves a troubled 12 year old Jimmy Hopkins sent to a boarding school in New England called Bullworth Academy. Jimmy goes from being the new student to eventually adapting Bullworth as his home. Jimmy begins meeting new people, both students and staff whether friendly or hostile. Jimmy does have to go to class or risk getting caught by prefects, who will chase and discipline students breaking rules such as truancy, breaking curfew, bullying, assault, etc. Cutting class if caught will get Jimmy sent straight to class. Jimmy also has some weapons including his sling shot which he can fling projectiles at enemies such as jocks, bullies, and even prefects and staff. Jimmy does need sleep and will sleep until 8am but will forcefully fall asleep if the clock strikes 2am.

This games does an amazing job at simulating school environment and culture with school spirit, staff, students, and character development in such characters. As the story progresses, Jimmy can roam off of school grounds and into the town of Bullworth. The graphics for this game seem like they've been slightly improved compared to Grand Theft Auto III and controls work well.  I know this was 2006 but I do feel that when you look at it character designs seem inferior to other great games such as Grand Theft Auto IV.

Conclusion here is Bully was a great game and still is. The character development makes it so you will look back and remember what a hero Jimmy Hopkins has become. The scholarship edition came on Xbox 360 and included more content.

The Game of Life CD-Rom

For Windows, I remember playing Game of Life CD-Rom which was released in 1998. The Game of Life CD-Rom was a board game produced by Hasbro Interactive(now defunct).

Game of Life CD-Rom plays like any Game of Life game for the 90's as you start off choosing between college or career. Choosing college will get you not only a choice of three careers and salaries to choose from but also a couple careers that require college. You start off with $10,000 and choosing college would put you in debt but you would easily pay off that debt even before you get married. There are three stops needed to be made regardless of spinner and if the spaces left to these mandatory stops are less than the spinner, you will stop and then spin again. The only three requiring mandatory stops are "Job Search" "GET MARRIED" and "Buy a House". Some spaces will get you life tiles which will accumulate to cash at retirement, possibly giving you victory. Each player can get money from other players depending on space landed and career chosen. A travel agent for example will take $20,000 from any player who lands on "Move Across Country" and Accountants for example would collect money from any player landing on "Taxes Due".

You can buy insurance for your house and car and you can even buy stocks. If you land on something damaging your house or car and you're insured, you will not lose any money. Once you get married and buy a house, you have opportunities to land on Baby Boy or Girl or Twins, giving you children. The Game of Life is supposed to emulate the average American life such as getting married, having children, getting a career, and becoming wealthy enough by retirement plus many other lifetime events. This game has done exactly that. I also have sometimes used the Game of Life for deciding the life my sims in The Sims 2 will live.

As for effects, I really liked the 3D and still comic style flashcards for most spaces landed on. You start off with a 50's car, then will progress into the 2000's. With every passing decade brings a new car. You can play with up to 5 other players, either person or computer opponents.

The Game of Life CD-Rom is a memorable video game adaption of an amazing board game.

18 Wheels of Steel American Long Haul review

18 Wheels of Steel American Long Haul is a PC games released back in 2007 and I know it's been that long but I am reviewing this since I have nothing else to review and I am anticipating American Truck Simulator's release. I am hoping for American Truck Simulator to be the best trucking simulator available as the latest trucking simulator to take place in North America is American Long Haul from late 2007.

Long Haul plays like any other trucking simulator and has the same engine as Haulin'. American Long Haul has not only U.S. and Canadian cities but also some in Mexico as well. What I liked about this game was the environments and while not perfect they at least put some effort in making the cities resemble thier real life counterparts. For example, going into Las Vegas you'll see the "Welcome to Las Vegas" signs as well as the Vegas Strip; New York's urban jungle; and a few cities even are covered with snow such as Winnipeg, Calgary, Bismarck, and Great Falls. The gameplay consists of making money by hauling goods from city to city and you can choose from a variety of trucks and trailers. I like the variety of this game. I love how this game has improved in visuals since Pedal to the Metal was released in 2004. If a trailer is damaged, it loses value and you will be paid less than the amount. I like how this game also made good with a higher latitutde of variety in cargo.

I do however feel that somethings in this game are unfair. What sucks is that for minor traffic violations you can be fined over $1,000-$3,000 and what's even worse is that unlike Pedal to the Metal you don't have the option to turn off police enforcement of traffic laws, pushing your patience. In Pedal to the Metal, I had the option to turn off police, giving me absolute freedom to speed as fast as my truck could go and even run red lights and whack AI traffic. In American Long Haul, you aren't afforded that option. Instead, I found myself having to either obey the traffic laws or face 8th amendment violating fines. Did the game developers decide to cut out some great options from Pedal to the Metal while making American Long Haul? While the graphics for American Long Haul are more pleasant and look like a step from PS2 to Xbox 360 graphics, somethings such as traffic cars are kind of stock and lack detail. I also noticed it feels longer to haul cargo than in Pedal to the Metal. Plus, what ever happened to the awesome ranking system?

Overall, 18 Wheels of Steel American Long Haul is a good trucking simulator but feels more like a chore than Pedal to the Metal with the former lacking the same options Pedal to the Metal has.

I give this game a final rating of 7.5/10
+Great Environments
+Fun road-trip travelling
-loss of certain options from Pedal to the Metal
-frivolous police fines

Oculus Rift review

Oculus Rift is a virtual reality head mounted display that works for Windows, Linus, OS X, and Android systems. It currently is for developers and will reach consumer markets by late this year or next year. Down by Game-U in Flemington, New Jersey I tried out the Oculus Rift and looking through it was like actually being there but also can feel nauseating for those unfamiliar with it.

There were unfortunate attempts at virtual reality such as Virtual Boy. Most virtual reality technology has been used for simulation purposes unrelated to the video gaming industry. Oculus Rift however makes an introduction to providing great quality experience with virtual reality. I played a developers version of Oculus Rift and saw how real it felt. Moving your body and head will cause movement. I of course prefer to use a controller for movement but the visual experience is like actually being there.

I did however feel dizzy after a shortwhile since you have your eyes directly to the visual screen. Though it gives you a real feeling but a dizzy after feeling sometimes you can still feel tired. But let me tell you about the Virtual Boy vs. Oculus Rift. Virtual Boy was black and red, had games with butchered graphics compared to Super Nintendo, and gave you migraines in forcing you to take frequent breaks. Oculus Rift has the same graphics as the PC game played and also has better motion sensing, not being just some headset to look into. Unlike the Virtual Boy, Oculus Rift offers a different gaming experience in ways Virtual Boy didn't.

The Virtual Boy had just under 20 games which had butchered graphics(red and black graphics) while Oculus Rift is compatible with a variety of PC/Mac games with the same graphics. Oculus Rift is not it's own system but another peripheral connected to your PC. Be aware that Oculus Rift can only be compatible with so many games as it controls and even looks different. On the monitor, the visuals look like binocular view without peripheral vision. Put on Oculus Rift and you can forget about 1080p and just take a look around as you will feel like you're in the TV screen! Virtual Boy didn't make you feel that way. Virtual Boy made you feel like you were taking an eye exam.

Oculus Rift has provided developers with an innovative gaming experience and will provide consumers with it as well when the final product is released. What I was thinking of is having something like Oculus Rift for consoles. I envision Xbox One will most likely have that in the future but not so much for PlayStation 4. Microsoft's Illumiroom feature would be nice for Xbox One or it's successor.

Oculus Rift is definitely a great start in making virtual reality high definition and high quality, leaving Virtual Boy to rot in misery.

Polaroid Kids Tablet 2 review

Polaroid Kids Tablet 2 is an ages 4-up tablet that is geared for children. This tablet is 7 inch HD + Dual-Core and can be charged by connecting the USB cord to a USB port on a computer or use the charging adapter. As with every kids tablet, there are parental restrictions to it requiring parental access codes and kid safe browsers. This is something every kids tablet pretty much needs as it makes sense.

There are over 70 apps which include e-books from Disney for example and numerous built in app games. The tablet is very functional, has a great visual, and great audio. I'm impressed with how it works, including touchscreen capabilities. I played a few of the built in app games and they work very well, being impressed with functionality and visuals. This tablet is very impressive in being as functional and tech savvy as any iOS and Android tablet. This tablet also has 8GB memory.

Is Polaroid Kids Tablet 2 a cheap rip-off of many great tablets? No! It's a great device for kids, easy to use, high quality, a price of only $149.99, and great features centered towards kids programming. This is the tablet any parent should get their child as parents will feel confident in a cheap price, great quality, and safety features that are easy to navigate.

A great tablet for kids.

Re-Reviewing LittleBigPlanet, this time it's Game of Year Edition

LittleBigPlanet franchise has yet to see a PlayStation 4 edition. I want to look back however on the LittleBigPlanet series and how the franchise can be great for PlayStation 4.

Game of the Year Edition included more collectibles and content including customization options. LittleBigPlanet has been a franchise known for it's arts & crafts style theme while managing to be the laid back and enjoyable platforming game rivaling Mario. There are somethings I would reform for the next LittleBigPlanet series. First of all, movements seem too cryptic as if sackboy was walking on the Moon. With this you may have concerns of the sackboy jumping properly to avoid losing a life.

I like the approach LittleBigPlanet took, especially for a PS3 exclusive title in going with arts and crafts theme. The LittleBigPlanet series definitely needs more of that while making environments more real. I also like how LittleBigPlanet's geography is like a replica of an arts and crafts Earth, featuring environments inspired by Africa, Australia, and Japan for examples. LittleBigPlanet's environments strive to be creative and rich in variety. If it wasn't for the creativity of Media Molecule, LittleBigPlanet wouldn't be such a cute and creative franchise. Customization options are without bounds as you could customize your sack so much that you wouldn't even be able to recognize the original.

The LittleBigPlanet franchise has a lot of potential and it would mean so much for there to be a LittleBigPlanet 3 for PlayStation 4. Graphics for LittleBigPlanet have slightly evolved as well as having better gameplay between sequels. LittleBigPlanet 2 included PS Move controls, making movements more motion sensing real. As time moves on, visuals become more real, graphics improve, and along with that movements will improve.

While LittleBigPlanet is a classic, it's successors and spin-offs have included new things unavailable even at LBP's time such as PlayStation Move. What if LittleBigPlanet 3 could have the best of previous games such as taking advantage of the PlayStation Camera? LittleBigPlanet 2 included new adventures and characters so LittleBigPlanet 3 should do the same. I also want to mention LittleBigPlanet Karting which retained arts and crafts theme but opted for a racing genre instead of the puzzle and platforming game that the series has been accustomed to.

There have actually been four games in the orthodox LittleBigPlanet series with two being for PS3, and one having a version of PSP and PS Vita ports, which have different stories. The reason I don't count LittleBigPlanet Karting is because the LittleBigPlanet series is usually a platforming game and I would treat LBP Karting as a spin-off in terms of gameplay but part of the series when it came to story mode.

The LittleBigPlanet series has spawned several great games. It's highest rated game is LittleBigPlanet, scoring at 92% while LittleBigPlanet Karting scored 72%. The best idea for a LittleBigPlanet 3 game would be to combine what was great about previous games and combine both racing and platforming elements into gameplay while making it look as impressive as can be on PlayStation 4. The one thing LittleBigPlanet couldn't possibly survive without is fan made content, which is prevalent in the LittleBigPlanet series.

The Innovative and Amazing Xbox One

I know I gave PlayStation 4 more praise than Xbox One. However, the Xbox One does have some innovations not included in PlayStation 4 such as HDMI In, allowing one HDMI device to be inputted into the Xbox One and shown via TV app. For example, you could plug in any HDMI device such as an Xbox 360, PS3, PS4, Wii U, or as recommended an HDMI TV box and just go to the TV app to make this work.

First of all, I want to start off by saying that Xbox One is truly innovative and Microsoft was going for a revolutionary approach to how a gaming console could also be an entertainment system. If you're the kind of guy who's a hardcore gamer but also like to see the football game and not have to change inputs. You can also sell your DVD/Blu-Ray player as Xbox One can do more than anything a standard DVD and Blu-Ray player can do. I wouldn't recommend selling the DVD player if you don't intend to share your Xbox One with anyone else in your household. Also snap and open another app on your Xbox One, playing your game and using Skype simultaneously. No other console or even PC can do that!

I also like the methods of selections are like options. You can either use the controller, use Kinect motion sensing, or voice commands. For voice commands, say "Xbox On" and will highlight voice commanded actions in green. The voice commands aren't perfect but do work. The Xbox One's innovative features blow the PS4 and Wii U away. I do find Xbox One's setup long and somewhat complicated compared to PlayStation 4. Good thing the DRM and internet connectivity policies for Xbox One were repealed, otherwise this system would have been more complicated than it already is.

The Kinect has been significantly improved as it is now a 1080p advanced camera that sees like a HD digital camera instead of the VGA red sensors the Xbox 360 Kinect had. Three year difference in this technology went a long way. The Kinect 2.0 has superior technology to PlayStation Camera. Kinect controls depend on the game you're playing and while Kinect controls aren't perfect, I find Kinect 2.0 less frustrating than the previous prototype Kinect. The cloud computing aspects of this wonder of a console will be taken advantage of and eventually lead to smarter games and by that I mean AI that actually is so real it's unbelievable.

As for the games, the Xbox One's graphics are still identical with PlayStation 4's graphics but there are just a few compromises for the former. The Xbox One still plays games the same as other consoles and the Xbox One controller has been remade to make the best controller even better. I prefer Dualshock 4 over Xbox One's controller and however, I will say that Xbox One's controller is more compact and while more cramped, Xbox One controller is fresh and functional and has more functionality and feeling to it, just as the Kinect 2.0 will go deep into your skin as it will even check your heartbeat for a harsher challenge.

Xbox One software works just about the same as Windows 8 in which the user interface looks exactly like Windows 8 only the apps are different and the look of apps are in different positions. I know I said Xbox One looks like it was recycled from an old VCR but the design looks really fresh and attractive to be honest. Looking so new, especially the awesome look of the Kinect 2.0. DVR will last only 5 minutes max. and will require Xbox Live Gold.

The Xbox One is truly innovative and despite it's innovations come it's flaws. I like how Xbox One innovates and makes excellent use of what's intended to be.

Zoo Tycoon review

A launch title for Xbox One and I didn't think I would be playing Xbox One but it turns out I just did. Zoo Tycoon is a zoo simulation game that puts you in charge of a zoo.

Zoo Tycoon has Campaign, Freeform, and Challenge modes. Campaign modes have you completing certain tasks for each scenario leveled Easy to Hard. The campaign is timed but you'll have plenty of time to complete the tasks before the time runs dry. Successfully completing a scenario will unlock new locations for free mode and new scenarios. Each scenario is part of a sub-campaign which will dictate the tasks such as Prevent Animal Abuse which has you completing tasks relating to the care of animals. Regardless of mode, there's the matter of increasing the Zoo's notoriety which will unlock new features for the zoo such as exhibits, concessions, decorations, mini-exhibits, and facilities.

As this game is a simulation game, you can adopt and breed as many as from over 100 animal types reining from Giraffes, Monkeys, Rhinos, Elephants, Bears, and Zebras. Each category has several sub categories of animals. Taking care of animals is taken seriously in this game as the right Animal Care, Enrichment, and even interactive tourism are required as well as the right landscape such as Tropical, Alpine, Tundra, Savannah, and Grasslands. For example, Monkeys best habitat is Tropical while Bears are best suited for Alpine and Tundra. Don't forget to hire staff such as Zoo Keepers, Janitors, and Breeders. Research is also key in this game as you will need in Campaign mode to start research and wait for the specific time(usually under one minute) before you can choose the item. There are three levels for each Zoo item such as upgrading facilities, concessions, and exhibits.

In campaign mode, things cost money wheres freeform mode you can spend how you like without financial repercussions. What I like about this game is the variety of locations for zoos taking place in nearly every continent on Earth. You can play in either Zoo or Tycoon mode when playing in-game. Zoo mode has you controlling the head zoo keeper who can walk around the zoo, see the outer landscape, and even drive buggies which work much like low speed electric cars(GEM). I liked driving these zoo themed buggies and they were a lot of fun in this game. You can't run over people as they will simply be swept away without harm.

I really like the variety of visuals and animals as this game has great graphics and I like how you can choose from many different zoos worldwide such as North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The animals look as real as can be which is great since what's a zoo without animals? When in Zoo mode, you can see the landscape which varies depending on zoo selected. For Alaska, you'll see beautiful mountains. This is what makes the game great. I also like the interactive mini-games such as washing, feeding, and looking through animals at exhibits. Don't forget to look for interesting animal facts.

I do feel however that it's loading times are tedious and some tasks can feel like a boring chore. Kinect controls are too picky with movements and adjusting them can be heck. You might as well usie the controller for menus as doing it Kinect style will frustrate you. I like Kinect 2.0 improvements over the prototype feeling Kinect.

The Xbox 360 version has some watered down differences such as no mulitplayer, inferior graphics, and only 65 types of animals.

I'm going to give this game a final verdict of 7.4/10
+Amazing Strategy Based Zoo Keeping
+Excellent Visuals and unique features such as animals and locations
+Great Animal Detail
-Some tasks are boring chores
-picky Kinect controls