Just think – A game where you can ‘bring your toys to life’! How happy and thrilling would this be for any child (even the big ones!), thank you Activision for launching this fantastic new kids computer game!
Activision, who you may know from computer games such as Call of Duty, have just launched a new kids game called Skylanders. The cartoon itself of Skylanders is captivating for many a child, but with this game (which can be used with Xbox or Wii), you use actual toys to play it!
In Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure, you can take part in a boldly innovative adventure game where players collect real-world interaction figures and transport them directly into the game using a mystical Portal of Power. It may sound a bit confusing, but when you play it, you will be surprised at how easy it actually is! You put the figure on something called a portal then you become that toy in the game – it’s very clever indeed! The toy then saves your levels, points etc for the next time you play even if it’s on a different platform at your friends house so if for example you have an Xbox and your friend has a Wii you can still take the toys to your friends house and play.
Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure allows you to enter fantastical journey into an amazing world, where you will explore mysterious, mythical lands, battle menacing outlandish creatures, collect gold and treasures, and solve interesting puzzles while on a quest to save their world from Kaos, an evil Portal Master. Oooh, it does sound good!
“Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure changes the way we look at toys and videogames, as well as how we interact with them by introducing action figures that become interaction figures and remember all of their dynamic experiences created in the game. For the first time ever, players can personally customize and power-up their toys, as well as bring them to life on a friend’s Portal of Power for co-op play and player-versus-player arena battles. Additionally, with the freedom to change characters whenever they like, Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure allows kids to utilize different interaction figures and strategies each time they play.”
Key features within Skylanders Spyro’s Aventure include the following:-
• Interaction Figures – Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure offers over 30 characters to bring out the kid in everyone. It’s all about choice, and each interaction figure has their own unique and expressive personality, powers and abilities which provide distinct advantages and skill sets for various levels, obstacles and enemies.
• Toys with Brains – Each interaction figure contains a “brain” that remembers the player’s shared experiences and leveled-up abilities (e.g. stats, ability and attack upgrades, and gold collected) directly within each toy.
• Categories, Strategy & Collectability – Interaction figures are classified by element types (Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Life, Undead, Magic, and Tech) and each has their own heroic challenges that are unlocked as more characters are collected.
• The Portal of Power – The mystical Portal of Power serves as a gateway between our world and the amazing game world, allowing you to ‘Bring Your Toys to Life’ by teleporting real-world toys directly into the game for players to control when placed upon the Portal of Power.
• Exploration – As the tale unfolds, players will encounter a variety of vivid environments, each with its own unique look and feel, and each providing different challenges, puzzles, and the discovery of secret areas, rewards and mini-games.
• Co-Operative Play – Players can join forces with friends and drop in and out of each level with as many different interaction figures as they like
• Player vs. Player – A classic battle mode provides a selection of different game modes and arena maps for players to face off against each other. Each unique arena map contains a variety of obstacles, hazards and power-ups
Skylanders Spyro’s Aventure comes with the portal and three figures and costs around £40.00. The price may differ depending on the retailer. Some of the stockists are Tesco, Argos and GAME. Age range is 7-13. For more information, be sure to visit the official Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure game website located at http://www.skylandersgame.com.
Posted by Paul Handley on Fri 2nd December 2011 at 09:00 AM, Filed in Computer Games
Battlefield 3 claimed it would rival Call Of Duty, I have had a play around with it and can report that in some ways it not only rivals Call Of Duty, it beats it off the screen.
As an RPG, it holds its own, with some great levels. Missions include a gun battle on the streets of Tehran and a dogfight in an F-18.
Centred around missing nuclear bombs and a hunt for terrorists, Battlefield 3 is at times scarily realistic. Dust really does fly!
As an add on, there’s some mini missions that are also a welcome part of Battlefield 3’s make-up. Throughout the game the visuals and audio are impressive.
But it’s the incredible multiplayer action that really makes Battlefield 3 a true contender for this year’s hottest game. You really get the feel that you are in the thick of it, it’s just immense!
You are completely submerged in the game’s action and the way forward is to team up and use everything that may be of advantage to you. From the start, you need to get a good grip of where you are and what might be.
Online, the XBOX 360 can accommodate 24-man battles, and my advice would be to make some friends fast. Working as a team and covering your mates back is the way forward.
This is more of a thinking man’s Call of Duty. The sense of freedom and potential for improvisation is the best thing about Battlefield 3.
Battlefield 3 is not Call of Duty, but in parts it matches its brilliance and then goes own and provides more. Available at Zavvi.
Posted by Paul Handley on Mon 28th November 2011 at 11:26 AM, Filed in Computer Games
I have grown up with the Sims games, the Sims range now has a most welcome addition – Sims Medieval from EA games.
Available on PC / Mac, The Sims Medieval is as expected. Slick, polished and a heap of fun. Interaction is easy and you get to control every character from Monarch, Knight, Spy, Wizard, Physician, Blacksmith through to Bard and more.
You start by playing as your kingdom’s monarch, enabling you to customise your attire and living quartersand even your personality traits.
The game has huge depth as you can go on to play as other Hero Sims who, like their monarch, have their own quests and ambitions to accomplish, earning Kingdom Points to spend on new structures to help complete your Kingdom Ambition.
This game does deviate from the Sims standard theme of gameplay. There is more structure, the game expects you to complete the tasks and quests before you can move on.
Sims Medieval starts impressively, with a voice over from screen legend Sir Patrick Stewart. It continues this high standard throughout.
From what I have played so far, Sims Medieval is packed full of challenges and personalities. There is a lot of humour, so much that it will keep you going back for more. This is a good rival to old favourites like ‘Civilisation’. The difference here is fun, lots of fun!
For any Sims fan, RPG fan or fan of Medieval times this is a great pc Christmas gift option. £39.99 (RRP) is money well spent on what is an endearing and captivating game. As a bonus, you can get this on Amazon at less than half price.
Christmas and family go hand in hand. But what about Christmas and the Nintendo Wii? Christmas is such a special time, and until I saw the three new releases from EA Games, I didn’t think a Wii would be an integral part of Christmas.
But it could be! Get ready for some family fun!
The three best family Wii games for Christmas starts with ‘Family Game Night 4 – The Game Show’ RRP £49.99, which is an absolute blast. The game features 5 of Hasbro’s best loved games, in Wii format. Connect 4, Yahtzee, Boggle, Bop It and Sorry! come to life as interactive 3D board games.
The games are not direct casts of the original games. They have been injected with fun and the Wii formula. Connect 4 Basketball needs you to shoot four hoops to get your four in a row and Yahtzee now comes in a bowling format…Oh it’s good!
These old favourites reinvented for the Wii will keep the whole family entertained all through Christmas, New Year and beyond.
The next of our three best Family Wii games for Christmas is the awesome ‘Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part Two’ RRP £29.99. It seems anything that can be done on the Silver Screen can be matched by EA Games. The final instalment of the film is faithfully adapted for the Wii (and other formats) and offers an in depth look into the world of Hogwarts and beyond.
You can choose which character you want to play as from Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Seamus, Neville, Molly Weasley to Professor McGonagall. The objective is simple – Defeat Voldemort!
Before you have got to the main man though you will also have to battle defeat Death Eaters, Snatchers, and giants. The game is fun packed at a fast pace set in stunning rendering.
The third of our three best Family Wii games for Christmas is the latest release of ‘Trivial Pursuit – Bet You Know It!’ RRP £29.99. You actually get TWO games in this release – The standard version we all know and love, and a new version ‘Bet You Know It’, which is a lot of fun if you like a little bit of mischief making!
The new game gives everyone a go, and you can bet that the person who is being asked the question will know the answer, or not. Chances to steal wedges to win the game. Personally, I loved it!
With all new categories Jingles, 80’s Music & Movies, Videogames and Slang everyone can enjoy this great new Triv release. The Bet You Know It works really well on the Wii.
So there you have the three best Family Wii games for Christmas 2011, get ready for max enjoyment!
Could this be the ultimate ‘Big Boys Toy’ for this Christmas 2011? Well I certainly think so! This super new iHelicopter (available from ParamountZone) which is controlled by iPhone/Android phones is a great product on so many levels. All the way from the quality feel of the packaging, down the awe-inspiring way you can control it from your Phone. Controlling the helicopter is simple and fun for all. Anyone who like their ‘toys’, that’s young or old, will be sure to love this one. You could quite well see Daddy chasing the kiddies around the house with this one on Christmas day!
All you have to do is to download the free App (Copter Controller) from the apple App store or Android market, plug in the included IR transmitter and away you go. Download and let the fun and games begin!
You can control it from your iPhone / iPad / iPod Touch and supported Android phones including: HTC - Desire S, HTC - Desire HD, HTC - Incredible S, Samsung - 9100, Samsung - i9000, Moto - MB525, LG - P350, HTC - Wild Fire, HTC - Wild Fire S, HTC - Hero, HTC - Sensation. That’s what’s great about this iHelicopter – you aren’t disadvantaged at to what phone you have.
The helicopter can be controlled Up/Down, Left/Right, Forward/Back, and thanks to the inbuilt Gyro this is pretty easy to do. There is a Turbo button for extra speed and the motion control is so much fun. You can tilt the phone to make it move forwards/backwards and left/right – you have got to love this!
This amazing iHelicopter has just been launched in the UK and ParamountZone have got a red hot introductory offer price of £29.99 (RRP £69.99). Please buy quickly as it might sell out fast!
The iHelicopter is just one of many impressive new gadgets being added to ParamountZone’s product range this season. They could well be a one stop shop for all you gifts this Christmas. Checkout http://www.paramountzone.com for the whole collection.
